Pericles' director, Joel Sass, first came to Artistic Director Jonathan Moscone's attention when he was on the panel that awarded Joel 2007 Theater Communications Group's "Alan Schneider Director Award" for exceptional directors who are emerging on the national theater scene.  "Joel immediately struck me as possessing that rare combination of intellectual rigor and abundant creativity.  He's created an eight person version of Pericles, with music and singing, a real rollercoaster ride for the imagination.   His approach celebrates storytelling at its most theatrical, and I believe he's going to give us a thrilling experience of one Shakespeare's wildest and woolliest adventures."

Sass is the Associate Artistic Director of The Jungle Theater and was Artistic Director of the now-dissolved, critically acclaimed Mary Worth Theatre Company, both located in Minneapolis.  Among his many credits, Sass has directed Pericles at the Guthrie Theatre; I Am My Own Wife at The Jungle Theater; Lettice and Lovage at Theatre de la Jeune Lune; and many productions at the award-winning Mary Worth Theatre Company.  His current projects include Shining City for The Jungle Theater, Nine Parts of Desire for the Guthrie, and a new meditation on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.   This is Sass’ West Coast directorial debut.  Cal Shakes has previously presented Pericles, Prince of Tyre in 1979 and 1997.

The ensemble cast of Pericles includes: Chris Kelly (Pericles/Pandar) in his Cal Shakes debut.  Kelly has worked at theaters around the country including most recently Macbeth at the New Victory in New York and spent five seasons in residence at the Denver Center Theatre Company. The cast also features Delia MacDougall (Thaisa/Bawd) appearing last season in Man and Superman and King Lear; Danny Scheie (Helicanus/Simonides/Boult) who portrayed Arlecchino in The Triumph of Love; Associate Artists Ron Campbell (Antiochos/Cleon) and Domenique Lozano (Dionyzia/Cerimon), who also both appeared in The Triump of Love; Sarah Nealis (Marina/Antiochus’ Daughter) who played Cordelia in King Lear in 2007; recent A.C.T. grad Alex Morf (Lysimachus/Thaliard/Leonine) who recently performed in A.C.T.’s The Rainmaker; And reprising his role from the Joel Sass Guthrie Theater production of Pericles, Shawn Hamilton (Gower/Lychordia).  

The creative team includes Melpomene Katakalos (Set Designer); Raquel M. Barreto (Costume Designer); Russell H. Champa (Lighting Designer); and Jeff Mockus (Sound Designer).

Friday, June 13: The Pericles Shindig
Attend a special happy hour, then stay for the show! Cal Shakes’ young professionals’ night is a happy hour bash that takes place an hour and a half before the show. It features a pirate punch--a game to help you get to know some of the show's nearly 50 characters--and includes music, hors d'oeuvres, beverages and a ticket to that night's performance.