Berkeley Rep's next show is a ghost story set to the blues.
The play
York Walker's Covenant is set in a small Georgia town full of superstitions and rumors. Avery wants out. Then her awkward childhood friend Johnny comes home as a smooth-talking blues star, and the town starts to suspect he made "the darkest of deals," BroadwayWorld reports. San Francisco Theater notes the play may draw on the legend of Delta bluesman Robert Johnson, who supposedly sold his soul for his talent. The play was a New York Times Critic's Pick when it opened Off-Broadway in 2023.
Cast and creative team
Taylor Reynolds, who directed Clyde's at Berkeley Rep, directs. The cast is Latoya Edwards as Avery, Israel Erron Ford as Johnny "Honeycomb" James, Alicia Pilgrim as Violet, Jeunée Tawn Simon as Mama, and Shian Tomlinson as Ruthie. Steve Cuiffo is the special effects consultant, and David Möschler is the vocal and guitar coach.
When and where
The West Coast premiere runs at Berkeley Rep's Peet's Theatre from Friday, Nov. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026, with opening night on Wednesday, Nov. 11. San Francisco Theater lists the running time as 90 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are on Berkeley Rep's website.