The first time I had the privilege of working with Michael Mayer was the summer of 2009, when we workshopped American Idiot at New York Stage and Film, just prior to its world premiere production here at Berkeley Rep. Even though this extraordinary cast has spent the majority of their rehearsal days singing to each other through KN95 masks, the sense of freedom and discovery in the room is palpable. It’s always interesting to see how a group of artists working on emotionally challenging material will manage the daily journey into the darker recesses of the human experience - for some, the rooms take on a solemn tone for others, there is a countervailing pull to the light, and that has been the case for this group. Over the last month or so, as the ground has felt increasingly unsteady beneath our feet, one of the places of greatest joy and normalcy has been the Swept Away rehearsal room. Suffice it to say that very little in the last two years has gone according to plan, but I am deeply grateful to this team and cast who have remained steadfast in their commitment to this show, to each other, and to us for so long. As some of you will recall, we were meant to be performing this show as the final production of our 2019–20 season - the end of my first season here at Berkeley Rep. It is such a delight to finally be welcoming audiences to Swept Away.
