Bren

Bren is the director of BERZERK!.

Why did you want to work on BERZERK!?
Will is an inspiring, captivating artist and playwright. The way they challenge the form with their typography of the script, and write about something so niche and close to their heart yet in such an accessible and mainstream way, was all so thrilling to me. This world could easily feel too exclusive with all of its lore, but instead it’s been insanely fun and welcoming to its team of creators to immerse ourselves in, and I hope audiences feel the same way. The world Will created for us offers no limit as to what these super character’s potentials are, and in turn has made everyone involved see the potential in their own artistry whilst exploring it. I’m so grateful to have been a part of that exploration and for you to be a part of it right now.

What does BERZERK! mean to you?
BERZERK! speaks to anyone who’s ever felt fucked over by society ( which is everyone <3 ).

To me, it’s that cognitive dissonance to American values and expectations. The reason this BERZERK! world’s nation reveres these super teens is the same reason they reject them: for being different, and for being powerful.

They fear what their kids are capable of, so they shape them into a product of asset. And in doing so, they criticize and tear at what makes these kids unique. In this show, we catch a glimpse of the anxiety and trauma this gang of super teens and young adults experience because of the pressure they feel to be made up of absolute greatness and success. And being given the ideology of “tough love,” they are not given any real tools or nurturing to thrive and come into their own confidently. They fail at these unrealistic expectation time and time again. Just as I’m sure we’ve all felt at times that we’ve failed the unrealistic expectations put upon us.

What have you learned/experienced from working on BERZERK!?
We wanted to implement actors into the creative process and to have a say more than is often traditionally done in theatre. It made the process flow and feel so meaningful. The actors felt invested and empowered by the work like I’ve never seen before on a process, and it was definitely a game changer I will take with me as I move forward. I absolutely loved seeing what everyone in the room brought to the work each day. They built it up, they breathed colorful, explosive breath into BERZERK!. And it was honestly just such a fun process to be in everyday.

What do you hope that people can take away from BERZERK!?
I ask that we question if our standard of perfection is defined by what makes ourselves happy or by the way someone else expects us to be. And to really think about if we are doing everything we can to uplift the people around us with love.

BERZERK! points out the way our society places incredible weight upon us to be someone extraordinary, and to be the best at it. And often we are taught that being extraordinary is a competition. I hope people can walk away from this show with a shifted perspective: There is room for everyone to grow and thrive. And we all have incredible, powerful, superhero level potential.

Lastly, no matter how hard the pressure of it all gets, even if you feel the weight of the entire world on your shoulders… You are loved, special, and strong, and you will be okay.

Trivia

 * Bren has an album coming out in the near future.
 * Bren was born and raised in South Florida.
 * Bren has a doggie and her insta is @ivy_predator.
 * Bren is a massive Swiftie.
 * Along with Will and Amy, they make up the BERZERK! Swifties.