The Epic of Gilgamesh
Adapted and Directed by Nate Currier
Admission is free; donations of any amount are greatly appreciated.
Fable. Artifact. Adventure. Love story. Dirge.
The Epic of Gilgamesh, carved into clay four thousand years ago, is humanity’s oldest written story. In this dynamic and witty adaption, a talented ensemble breathes new life into the redemption of a tyrannical king who wrestles with love, loss, power, and the nature of existence.
Content Warning: The Epic of Gilgamesh contains some discussion of assault.
Cast (in alphabetical order):
Magdalena del Castillo….Shamhat, Aruru, Ensemble
Amir Ghazi Moradi….Urshunabi, Hunter, Enlil, Ensemble
Eliot Hall….Gilgamesh
Jamin Jollo….Enkidu
Richard Pallaziol….Utnapishtim, Old Hunter, Scorpion Husband, Ensemble
June Alane Reif….Ishtar, Scorpion Wife, Ensemble
Audrey Schultz….Siduri
Marsha van Broek….Utnapishtim’s Wife, Ninsun, Ensemble
Musicians:
Yağmur Ali Coşkun
Nur Yavuz
Artistic Team:
Fight Choreography….Richard Pallaziol
Lighting Design….Jackson Currier
Seamstress….Magdelena del Castillo
Poster Design….Will Shattuc
Notes:
Imagine making a grocery list, and you can’t find a pen. As you open drawers and rifle through cabinets, the list juggles through your head. But there’s that one item in particular you need to jot down, the one thing too important to forget. When humanity invented writing, the first thing they wrote down was The Epic of Gilgamesh.
Chiseled into clay four thousand years ago, it’s the story of a king who tyrannizes his people, so the gods build a friend to soften his heart. The pair go on many adventures, but when Gilgamesh learns the meaning of loss he becomes depressed, and embarks on a quest for the secret to eternal life. I love that the oldest written story in the world is about an existential crisis. Almost as much as I love the irony that it has so far proved immortal.
But this isn’t a history lesson. Our ensemble offers the most ancient and immediate form of art: a group of people coming together to share a story. We seek to present the epic on its own terms, for what it is: a weird, ancient, sexy, scary, tragic, uplifting story.
Oh, and there are some jokes in there, too.
In a moment where society grapples with abuses of power, gender dynamics, bodily autonomy, environmental disaster, and billionaires trying to crack the code to everlasting life, a seasoned director might suggest the themes of Gilgamesh are reflected in our moment. But this is the first show I’ve directed, and I don’t see it that way. Gilgamesh isn’t reflected in our moment; our moment is reflected in Gilgamesh. A primal story, The Epic of Gilgamesh will always be relevant so long as there are human beings to tell it. Which may be why four millennia ago, someone was in such a rush to write it down.
Special Thanks to the Anatolian Arts Institute
Anatolian Arts (ANA+) is a cultural heritage organization dedicated to connecting and empowering diverse communities, particularly those from Anatolia, through participatory arts programming, research, and education. The “plus” in ANA+ represents the organization’s commitment to diverse community inclusion. By fostering cross-cultural exchange, the organization bridges divides among different ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Anatolian Greeks, Turks, Kurds, Armenians, Yezidis, Assyrians, and others. Through its arts and music programs, Anatolian Arts creates spaces for healing, dialogue, and mutual understanding, while preserving and sharing the rich cultural heritage of the region.
Bios

Magdalena del Castillo (she/they) is a local actor and Bay Area native from Marin County and so excited to bring this new work to an audience. She is currently working as an alternate in San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s touring production of “Romeo and Juliet”. Other recent credits include Celia in “As You Like It” with Jacobethan Theatre Workshop, Snug in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with The Curtain Theatre, Calonice in “Lysistrata” with Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Green Show, and Veronica/Carolina/Itzel in “Best Available” with Ashland New Plays Festival. They have a BFA in Theatre with an emphasis in Acting from Southern Oregon University, in addition to undergrad training at American Conservatory Theatre. When not acting you can find her doing improvised lights for BATS Improv, walking dogs that aren’t hers, or listening to an audiobook on Libby. IG: @mag.del

Yağmur Ali Coşkun is a multi-instrumentalist musician from Turkey. His repertoire consists of various musical traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean coastline and hinterland. In his musical projects, he attempts to blend the traditional music of the region with modernist elements, such as rock’n roll and the blues. “The best culture is the culture in the making,” said a Lebanese colleague to him at one point, and that became his motto in approaching the arts. He is also a PhD student in the Sociology Department of UC Berkeley. He has been working with Anatolian Arts Institute for two years.

Amir Ghazi Moradi (he/him) – Recent credits include: Our Lady of The Tortilla (Eddie Cruz) with Cloverdale Performing Arts, Twelfth Night (Orsino) with Jacobethan Theater Workshop, Much Ado About Nothing (Don John) with Avalon Players in Sonoma, Gloria (Lorin understudy), at the Santa Rosa Junior College where he continues to take advanced acting classes in the fabulous theatre department. He enjoys being around actors and the arts and is thrilled to be acting on stage.

Eliot Hall (he/him) grew up in West Marin and trained in Chicago at the theater school at DePaul University. His recent credits include: COCK (John), WITCH (King), and Boys in the Band (Harold). He dedicates this performance to his Dad.

Jamin Jollo (he/him) is a mime and clown serving as the TD at Church of Clown in San Francisco. Recent credits include Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Harlequin in The Triumph of Love, both at Shotgun Players; Thurio and Crab the Dog in The Two Gentlemen of Verona at The Curtain Theater; Creator/Ensemble in Puppets & Poe at Theatre of Yugen; Claude in Hair at 6th Street Playhouse. Having recently shown a slew of short mime-clown creations such as “Drip,” “Paper Home,” and “Postmates Man,” Jamin’s next one-person show, “Feral Child” will be showing at Church of Clown in late March.

Richard Pallaziol (he/him) studied theatre at CSU Long Beach and the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. As actor, director, dancer, and fight choreographer during the past fifty-three years he has worked in over 400 shows from San Diego to Michigan. Locally, some of the companies with which he has performed locally are Marin Shakespeare, Cinnabar Theatre, and Shakespeare Napa Valley, and Valley Players in Napa.

June Alane Reif (she/her) has a B.A. in Theater, Interpretation, and Communication from Louisiana State University and furthered her acting studies at the San Jose Repertory Theatre and in private classes with Ed Hooks and Barbara Titus. June is also a graduate of Bay Area TheatreSports in San Francisco. A founding member of Valley Players in Napa, she currently serves as Artistic Director. She was last seen onstage as William Dunn in Men on Boats and most recently directed Valley Players’ production of Ripcord. She is grateful to have been given the opportunity to work with the talented cast and crew of The Epic of Gilgamesh!

Audrey Schultz (she/her) is a local Bay Area actor based in Berkeley, California— and is excited to work with this talented group of actors! Recent credits include Natalya in “The Marriage Proposal ” with Untitled Theater Company, Cut in “Daughters of Leda” at Zellerbach Playhouse, Ursula in “Much Ado About Nothing” with Barestage Productions, and Julia Mills in The Great Dickens Faire with Red Barn Door Productions. She has a BA in Theatre and Performance Studies from UC Berkeley, where she put emphasis into acting. Audrey enjoys making sense of difficult language, and when not performing, loves to write and direct when she can. IG: @_aschu_

Marsha van Broek (she/her) is delighted to be working with this talented group. Most recently, Marsha played Yente, the Matchmaker, in “Fiddler on the Roof” (Palo Alto Players). She was a member of the ensemble in “Mourning Becomes Electra” (Eugene O’Neill Festival). A personal favorite was the Pundit in “The Book Club Play” (Ross Valley Players). Marsha has also performed at Los Altos Stage Company, Actors Ensemble of Berkeley, and SPARC in Livermore. In her free time, Marsha enjoys bird watching, hiking, and volunteering as a docent at The Ruth Bancroft Garden. You can find out more at www.marshavanbroek.com.

Nur Yavuz, Co-Founder of the Anatolian Arts Institute, is a 2024 California Culture Bearer nominee for her efforts in connecting diverse communities, often in conflict, from Anatolia. An architect and academic by profession, she integrates somatic healing, arts, and music into her personal work. Coming by way of Zaza, Kurdish, and Turkish heritage, she preserves and shares artistic traditions and explores belonging. As a musician, she plays the bowed tanbur and sazbüş, long-necked string instruments known for their deep, resonant tones; the bendir, a traditional frame drum used in Sufi and folk music; and the guitar.