Bruce Coughran

Our 2019 production of ‘Copenhagen’ has received four Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award Nominations. Nancy Carlin was nominated for Best Principle Performance by an Actress in a Play (under 100 seats). The Entire cast was nominated for Best Ensemble Cast (under 100 seats). And the play as a whole as nominated for Best Overall Production (East Bay) and Best Overall Production (entire Bay Area), again for theaters under 100 seats. I am very proud of our wonderful cast who worked so hard on this play and worked so well with each other. I am particularly glad for their acknowledgment as an Ensemble…they certainly deserve it. The awards will be announce on March 30 at the Awards Ceremony at the Victoria Theater in San Francisco.

Indra’s Net Theater will be receiving the 2020 Annettee Lust Award for Emerging Artists at the Bay Area Critics Circle Awards ceremony on March 30, 2020. The award is given to ” a promising new theatrical talent or an organization that has demonstrated early in its existence the potential to have a significant impact on Bay Area theatre. ” Indra’s Net Theater is very proud for this acknowledgement of our contribution to the Bay Area Theater community.

The 44th Annual SFBATCC Excellence in Theatre Awards Gala

will be held Monday, March 30, 2020

at the historic Victoria Theatre in San Francisco.

Michael Frayn’s acclaimed Copenhagen returns to Berkeley!

Indra’s Net Theater presents and updated version of Michael Frayn’s Tony Award-winning Copenhagen at Berkeley City Club Dec. 19, 2019 through Jan 12, 2020.    A follow-on from our 2013 production, this one is even better! A newly updated script, a killer cast, and the intimate surroundings of the Berkeley City Club. Not to be missed!

Featuring:  Robert Ernst (as Niels Bohr), Nancy Carlin (as Margrethe Bohr), and Aaron Wilton (as Werner Heisenberg)

Pay-what-you-can Previews: Dec 19, 20, 21 at 8pm

Opening Night: Dec 22 at 5pm

Performances: Thurs – Sunday through Jan 12 (all at 8pm, except Sundays at 5pm

For ticket Information go to www.indrasnettheater.com

Indra’s Net Theater brings a new production of Michael Frayn’s award-winning ‘Copenhagen’ to Berkeley in late 2019. The production will be directed by Bruce Coughran and will feature the newly revised 2018 version of the play about the founders of quantum mechanics (Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg) during a fateful meeting in the middle of World War II. See www.indrasnettheater.com for more information.

“Astonishing…..Excellent writing and emotionally acute acting keep us engaged, moved and educated during this extraordinary evening of theatre.” 

Charles Kruger, Theaterstorm

In “A Time for Hawking,” Coughran rises to lyrical heights of physics and language—invoking mystical Indian parables to evoke moving planets and stars.

Barry Horowitz, Theatrus

Alan Coyne’s portrayal of Stephen Hawking is riveting and powerful – a wonderful fit of actor to role.  Tirumari Jothi as Jayant is unassuming and unflappable, But Stephen’s alluring nemesis is Jane, played with stunning authority by a wonderful Adrian Deane. Proper and imperious, she is the immovable object that challenges Stephen’s beliefs.

Victor Cordell, For All Events

You might come closer to grokking why time speeds up and slows down, or what exactly theoretical physicists spend their time pursuing, than you ever have before. 

Deane does exquisite work… elevating Jane to a character of molten complexity.

Lily Janiack, SF Chronicle

The world premiere of Bruce Coughran’s ‘a Time for Hawking’ opened at Berkeley City Club on Dec. 23, 2018.  The play follows three young people at a New Years Eve party in early 1963, one of whom is a 20 year-old Stephen Hawking.  As the evening progresses, the questions about not only Quantum Mechanics and the Theory of Relativity, but also poetry, Hindu mythology, opera, croquet, and the nature of time are discussed, and the questions become unexpectedly personal.  In the end, with a little Champagne and a little dancing maybe the answers will come out.   But regardless, none of them will be the same again.   The play runs through January 13, 2019.  It was listed as a “pick of the week” by the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Indra’s Net Theater’s production of Ira Hauptman’s ‘Partition’ competes its run at Berkeley City Club on Jan. 14, 2018

Alan Coyne as GH Hardy in ‘Partition’

.  Strong reviews and enthusiastic audiences have lead to Sold-Out houses and standing ovations.  Many thanks to a great cast and wonderful crew, especially for the Indian connection which saw several of our cast back and forth to India during our rehearsal and preview period.  We ended up with a wonderful production and I am sorry to see it close.

“Dramatic and disturbing… played with brusque eccentricity… and at times it’s positively playful”

Sam Hurwitt, The Mercury News

Well…the critics liked it and audiences did too!  The sold-out final weekend of ‘Darwin in Malibu’ at the Berkeley City Club (Dec 26, 2016-Jan 15, 2017) left a lot of people asking for more.  We had a lot of very moved patrons send us notes later saying they wished the run was extended so they could invite their friends.  After fighting illness, storms and cold (the play takes place in the middle of summer in a heatwave!) both the cast and audience really enjoyed the ride.  And I did too.   Such an amazing cast and designers!  Beautiful and meaningful, and with a few laughs too!  Thanks Crispin Whittell for a wonderful play, and thanks to cast and crew for a wonderful production!

“Be prepared for a wild ride of imagination”

Robert Gardner, Theatrius

“…a humorous and interesting look into a vital intellectual realm.   The play provides considerable food for thought in an entertaining package.”

Victor Cordell , For All Events

“Robert Ernst is a particularly entertaining bundle of agitation and aggravation as Huxley..”

Sam Hurwitt, San Jose Mercury News

‘The Secret of Life’ closed on January 17, 2016 after a sold out run at Berkeley City Club, great reviews and just announced 3 Nominations from the Bay Area Critic’s Circle Awards.  Here are what some said about the world premiere production:

“Laura Lowry sizzles as the antisocial, no nonsense Franklin”  For All Events