Harrison Alter
Leonard
SEMINAR
Theresa Rebeck’s sharp comedy about ambition, power, talent, and the brutal cost of being taken seriously.
About the Play
The Royal Underground Theatre Company proudly presents Theresa Rebeck’s Seminar, a sharp-witted comedy about power, ambition, and the price of success.
Four young writers sign up for a private seminar with Leonard, a celebrated novelist whose unorthodox teaching style borders on brutal. As the sessions unfold, alliances form, secrets surface, and each student must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice to make it in the literary world.
Seminar was a critical success on Broadway, originally starring the late Alan Rickman as Leonard, with Jeff Goldblum later taking over the role and leading the show’s celebrated transfer to Los Angeles.
Why It Still Bites
In 2025, Seminar feels more relevant than ever. In an era when creative careers are shaped as much by connections, politics, and personal branding as by talent, the play holds a mirror to today’s high-pressure, gig-driven world.
It asks the same question every artist must face: Do you want to be told you are good, or do you want to actually be good?
Directed by Enrico Banson, Seminar played the historic Live Oak Theater in Berkeley from September 12–28, 2025.
MEET THE CAST
Chika Okonkwo
Kate
David Patiño
Martin
Kristy Aquino
Izzy
Michael Carlos
Douglas
CREATIVE TEAM
DirectorEnrico Banson
Original MusicJerica Banson
Lighting DesignCarrie Mullen
Intimacy DirectorAngelina LaBarre
Set CoordinationMarty Farrell
ProducerJenny Banson
Live Oak Theater Technical DirectorGlen Epperson