From the very first note, Once pulls you in and doesn’t let go. Set in Dublin, an Irish busker and a Czech immigrant meet and instantly find connection through their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, sparks and chords fly, and their chemistry leads to a new level of songwriting they couldn’t reach alone. Their friendship quickly evolves into a beautiful but complicated love story, underscored by a bevy of gorgeous melodies, emotionally charged pleas, and passionate collaboration.
Based on the 2007 film, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, “Falling Slowly,” this Tony Award-winning musical reminds us of the power of music, the intricacies of relationships, and the chances you take for a love that only happens Once.
Special immersive seating available for Once!
Audio Described Performance
In partnership with Gravity Access Services, there will be an audio described performance to enhance the show experience for blind and visually impaired audience members. To learn more and purchase tickets, click here
Publicity Gallery
Photography by Thomas Campitelli.
25/26 Season Audience Guide
A handy guide for each one of our shows in the Mainstage Season that includes content advisories and post show discussion questions. This guide is great for any theatergoer looking to learn more about a show before attending.
The Cast
JAKE GALE (Guy) is a Music Director, Actor, and multi-instrumentalist from the UK. Selected credits: Guy, Once (Hillbarn Theater), Sebastian Valmont, Cruel Intentions (Ray of Light Theater), Charlie Price, Kinky Boots (Mountain Play, Ray of Light Theater), Mark Cohen, RENT (Marin Musical Theatre Company), Snoopy, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Novato Theatre Company), Nicky/Trekkie, Avenue Q (New Conservatory Theater Center).
GILLIAN EICHENBERGER (Girl) is delighted to make her Berkeley Playhouse debut in Once alongside these incredible artists. She has performed in the Bay Area since preschool, and spends her days teaching music and theater. Dabbling in everything from jazz, to rock n’ roll synthesizer with “The Hot Takes,” to creating her burlesque alter-ego, she loves exploring the vibrant local art community. She has performed with Marin Shakespeare, Marin Theater Company, and 6th Street Playhouse, among others. Favorite roles include Audrey: Little Shop of Horrors, Sheila: Hair, and Juliet: Romeo & Juliet. In 2024 she co-founded “Swifty,” the Taylor Swift tribute band, playing sold-out shows at venues like the Sweetwater and Hopmonk Tavern. @gillian_theaterandmusic
JOHN MANNION (DA) is a retired B2B advertising executive, now full-time Bay Area theatre hobbyist. Highlights — Roger DeBris in The Producers (Hillbarn Theatre), Franklin Hart in 9 to 5 and Lenny Ganz in Rumors (Coastal Repertory Theatre), Gyp DeCarlo in Jersey Boys (Palo Alto Players), Frank Gianelli in Over the River and Through the Woods (City Lights Theatre Company), Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd and Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors (Sunnyvale Players), Jim/Captain Hook in For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday (The Pear Theatre), and various roles in Mourning Becomes Electra (Eugene O’Neill Foundation) and Circus Freaks (Sky-King). Huge thanks to his family and friends for their enthusiastic encouragement. https://tinyurl.com/JohnMannion .
DYAN MCBRIDE* (Baruska) Berkeley Playhouse debut! Dyan makes her living in showbiz as an actor, director, singer and teacher. She has worked with notable theatre companies all over the Bay Area, California & US. Multimedia work includes companies such as Apple, Progressive, Yahoo, Nintendo, Comcast and many others. Ms. McBride is the inaugural director of the new award-winning holiday classic, Scrooge in Love, available through Concord Theatricals.Awards and Nominations-Theatre Bay Area, BATCC, Shellie, Arty, Dean Goodman, BroadwayWorld, Garland and Irene Ryan/Kennedy Center. BA -CSU Fullerton (Musical Theatre). MFA -UC Davis (Acting). Member-SAG/AFTRA and AEA. Theatre Faculty-Las Positas College, CSU East Bay. Represented by Vanguard Management and Boom Models & Talent.
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
CASSIDY HILL (Eamon) (he/him)(they/them) is thrilled to be making their Berkeley Playhouse debut! They are no stranger to the stage, both as a musician and an actor. Credits include: Gaston in Beauty and the Beast (OneStage Theatre), Betty in Pickpocket (Musical Cafe), Rafiki & Dr. Facilier in Wish Upon a Star (Peter Pan Foundation), Jane Seymour in HER-Story-Mix (Peter Pan Foundation), and more! Special thanks to their wife Danika and to Richard Jennings, their incredible vocal coach!
NICHOLAS CONTRAD (Svec) is thrilled to be making his debut at Coastal Rep. Previous credits include Santa (Elf, Coastal Rep), Ensemble (The Wedding Singer, Woodside Community Theater), Anastasia (Gorlisky, Hillbarn), Once (Svec, Hillbarn), Sweeney Todd (ensemble, Sunnyvale Community Players), Puffs (Ernie Mac & others, Palo Alto Players), and Aristophanes’ The Birds (Dillon,Foothill College). He would like to thank his friends and family for their continued support and hopes you enjoy the show.
MICHAEL DOPPE (Andrej) is so excited to be back at Berkeley Playhouse after last being seen in Pirates in Penzance in 2012. “Doppe” is an actor, director, Projection Designer, Fight Director, graduate of the SCT Actor Training Program, and a theatre educator for The Ballet School Performing Arts, and the Summer Performing Arts Conservatory. Past credits include work across the Bay Area at Contra Costa Civic Theatre, Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble, Center Rep, Theatreworks Silicon Valley, San Jose Stage, Town Hall Theatre, Foothill Music Theatre, 42nd St. Moon, Lucky Penny, Masquers, Contra Costa Musical Theatre, Ray of Light Theatre, Theatre Rhinoceros, and New Conservatory Theatre Center. Visit him at michaeldoppe.com
CHRISTINA WALTON (Ex Girlfriend) is an actor-musician based in Oakland who is thrilled to be making her debut at Berkeley Playhouse! Onstage credits include: Violinist – Indecent (Center Repertory Company); Park Ranger – Wildfire (Z Space); and Ex-Girlfriend – Once (42nd Street Moon). She is grateful for her career as a musician which has blossomed over the years in the midst of theater, having played in the pit for organizations across the Bay Area including Berkeley Playhouse, American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theater, Shotgun Players, Circus Bella and many more. Christina holds an MFA in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater. @c.o.walton
SEAN HOFFMAN (Bank Manager) joins Berkeley Playhouse for the third time after performing in Jesus Christ Superstar (Peter) and The Addams Family (Ensemble, Lurch u/s) in 2025. A Berkeley native, Sean grew up performing in the Contra Costa Civic Theatre Summer Camps and with West-Wind Karate Schools. Since his return to theatre in Summer 2024, Sean has also been seen as Prince Herbert in Monty Python’s Spamalot (Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble) and Commissioner Gorlinksy in Anastasia (Woodminster Summer Musicals). Many thanks.
BILLY RAPHAEL (Emcee) most recently performed as Uncle Fester in The Addams Family at Berkeley Playhouse and as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at Conta Costa Cicvic Theater, as well as at Berkeley Playhouse as Sheldon in The Prom, Mr. Price in Kinky Boots, Friar Tuck in Becoming Robin Hood, Mr. Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors, and Alexandros in Mamma Mia, Uncle Henry/Guard in Wizard of Oz, and Drake in Annie. Other past performances include Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls and Ali Hakim in Oklahoma at Altarena Playhouse and George in Billy Eliot at Berkeley Playhouse. Other Bay Area performances include Smee in Peter Pan at Berkeley Playhouse, Tall Brother in Drowsy Chaperone, Louie in Lost in Yonkers, Marvin in Bleacher Bums, and Wilson in Harvey at CCCT, Sir Toby in Twelfth Night and Chebutykin in Kill the Debbie Downers at Shotgun Players, Zeller in Sound of Music and Charlie Cowell in Music Man at CCMT, & Audrey II puppeteer in Ray of Light’s Little Shop of Horrors. Billy also performed in Pinole Community Player’s Godspell and Rent, Gypsy at Downtown Theatre, Bay Area Musical’s La Cage. Billy would like to thank his Megan and Baby Rey Rey for all the love and support.
MICHAEL BARRETT AUSTIN* (Billy) appeared in Narnia at Berkeley Playhouse. Recent projects include The Bridge (TheatreWorks), Fallen Angels (The Aurora), A Christmas Carol (Center Rep) and Chinglish at SF Playhouse (SFBATCC nomination for principal performance). Favorite credits include As You Like It (San Francisco Shakespeare Festival), The Elephant Man (Hillbarn), Finks (TheatreWorks) and The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Berkeley Rep). Michael toured America with The National Theatre for Children and Italy with Shakespeare at Stinson, and has appeared on television, film and in countless commercials. He is a member of PlayGround and ARC, alumnus of Just Theater and TheatreFirst, and is the proud husband of Emily and father to Lucy. www.michaelbarrettaustin.com
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
SARAH JIANG (Reza) (she/they) makes her Berkeley Playhouse debut. Stage credits include: Wait Until Dark at Hillbarn Theatre (Susan), Pacific Overtures with Kunoichi Productions (Tamate), Frankenstein at Theatre Lunatico (Elizabeth Lavenza), Kinky Boots with Throckmorton 142 (Lauren), and The Night Alive with Altarena Playhouse (Aimee). Follow on Instagram: @the_wonder_wounded
KAY KAWASHIMA (Ivonka)’s previous Berkeley Playhouse experience includes youth classes for Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins), Newsies (Jack Kelly), Shrek (Pinocchio), The Lion King (Timon), Annie (Annie), and Peter Pan (Wendy). After being inspired by seeing a 2023 performance of Matilda, Kay began her training at Berkeley Playhouse. She is now thrilled to make her professional debut as Ivanka in Once at Berkeley Playhouse. Outside of the theater, Kay is a 5th grader at Chabot Elementary who enjoys singing, reading, and drawing, and she thanks her family, friends, and teachers for their support; follow her @kay.kawa_sings
SELMA JEYATHURAI WHITE (Ivonka) is a third grader and was most recently seen as Stinkerton the Skunk in Teddy Bear’s Picnic with the Children’s Theater Group at Children’s Fairyland. She has performed original spoken word at the Golden State Warriors Black History Month Celebration at the Chase Center. Selma is a multiple First Place winner of the National Park Service’s Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contests and has performed at Fourth of July celebrations at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Washington, D.C. She is also a First Place winner of the Oakland Unified School District Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical Competition.
