Berkeley Rep Ground Floor

2025 projects and artists

24 projects. 120+ artists. Our most ambitious lab yet

Meet the artists joining our 2025 Summer Residency Lab. From Jun 16–Jul 13, our West Berkeley campus becomes home to 24 groundbreaking projects representing the full spectrum of contemporary American voices. These artists — selected from nearly 800 applications — are creating works that will reach audiences in many forms, from novels to stages, from Broadway to regional theatres worldwide.

A world premiere at Berkeley Rep for the 2025/26 season. In 1898, on Angel Island, a pregnant Eddie Loi faces deportation amid America’s tightening immigration laws. A century later, her grandson Braulio, through his role in the Miami border patrol, inadvertently conjures her spirit — unleashing a witty, opinionated ancestor. By 2063, their descendants, beset by climate catastrophe, embark on a perilous oceanic journey seeking sanctuary. From detention to diaspora, Mother of Exiles follows a single family’s century-and-a-half odyssey — tracing their flight, fight, and the futures they dare imagine. Jessica Huang’s multigenerational triptych blends historical drama with supernatural encounters, weaving moments of surprising humor into a powerful portrait of belonging and resilience.