eugene o'neill Festival 2024
SWEEPING PASSIONS
LIVE PERFORMANCES SEP 14–29, 2024 ARE SOLD OUT
Tao House will get caught up in Sweeping Passions this fall. The Eugene O’Neill Festival 2024 will be centered around one of the playwright’s most dramatic and adventurous creations, Mourning Becomes Electra. O’Neill’s great American take on Greek tragedy is an action-packed epic featuring all the hallmarks of a captivating soap opera: jealousy, adultery, revenge, murder, incest, suicide, and more murder! All the things that are horrible to experience in real life but horribly entertaining when watching fictitious characters. More Info and Tickets
Mourning Becomes Electra has SOLD OUT completely! If you missed the opportunity to see the play at Tao House, we have many other Festival Events to invite you to;
FESTIVAL EVENTS
Sweeping Passions Photography Showcase
Sep 1—Oct 20
Museum of the San Ramon Valley map it
View stunning photographs taken by local photographers and Artistic Director Eric Fraisher Hayes of the sweeping hills and house that inspired O'Neill to write his greatest plays. Don't miss this visual tribute to Danville's National Historic treasure as Tao House takes center stage in Mourning Becomes Electra.
Poetry of Place, A Workshop
Aug 18 (Sun, 2pm)
Shuttle to Tao House from Museum of the San Ramon Valley map it
Led by creator of Poetry in the Parks and artist in residence Jodie Hollander, Poetry of Place will kick off the O’Neill Festival 2024. Workshop participants will use Tao House surroundings as inspiration as they receive writing prompts to create a poem about the significance of place. The importance of place is central in this year's performance of Mourning Becomes Electra where Tao House takes centerstage. More Info and Registration
August Happy Hour: a Festival Event With Dramaturg William Davies King
Aug 20 (Tue, 5:30–6:30pm)
Auburn Lounge, Back Room map it
Come meet William Davies King, Distinguished Professor of Theater and Dance at UC Santa Barbara and this year’s Mourning Becomes Electra dramaturg. Dave will highlight Carlotta as O’Neill’s “guiding star” and share dozens of photographs with us. More Info
The Women in Mourning Becomes Electra, A Virtual Discussion
Aug 28 (Wed 6–7pm PST/9–10 EST)
Free Virtual Discussion via Zoom. 40m
Watch mother–daughter team Carole and Beth Wynstra as they discuss the play that makes our own mothers seem normal. Beth is an associate professor at Babson College and an O’Neill scholar. Carole is co-president of the Eugene O’Neill Foundation Board.
The Oresteia and the Roots of Mourning Becomes Electra
Sep 4 (7-8:30pm PST/10-11:30 EST)
Free VIrtual Discussion via Zoom. 1hr20m
Watch Professor Emeritus of Classics, Mark Griffith, and Professor of English and Past President of the Eugene O’Neill Society, Katie Johnson, discuss O’Neill’s retelling of Aeschylus’ Oresteia. Delving into the Greek tradition of dramatic parallels and variations, we will discover how O’Neill reworks his Electra into a modern tragedy.
Ghosts of Tao House Stroll
Sep 6–Oct 16
Downtown Danville
Explore greater downtown Danville visiting a dozen-plus shop-and-dine HOST SITES on the Ghosts of Tao House Stroll. Self-guided ghost walk day and night from Sep 6 to Oct 16.
More Info and Ghost Host Sites to Visit
The Nomads: A Friendship City Celebration Concert
Sep 12 (Thu, 7:30pm)
Village Theatre map it
Based in New Ross, Ireland, The Nomads take center stage with special guests Lizzy Heffernan and Todd Brothers. Join us for a night of Irish music through the ages…from folk songs to U2 and much more! A celebration of the New Ross–Danville Friendship City connection. More Info and Tickets
Secrets of O’Neill’s Danville, A Historic Walk
Sep 14 (Sat, 10am)
Eugene O’Neill Commemorative Park map it
Free guided tour through old town Danville with local historians to discover the secrets of O’Neill’s Danville. Learn how the O’Neill’s shopped and lived local circa 1937–44. Accessible to all levels of walkers. No preregistration required.
Mourning Becomes Electra
Sep 14,15 / 20–22 / 27–29
(Fri, 6pm), (Sat/Sun, 5pm - note new start time on Sat and Sun)
Shuttle to Tao House from Museum of the San Ramon Valley map it
O’Neill’s great American take on Greek tragedy is an action-packed epic featuring all the hallmarks of a captivating soap opera: jealousy, adultery, revenge, murder, incest, suicide, and more murder! All the things that are horrible to experience in real life but horribly entertaining when watching fictitious characters. Join us as Tao House takes center stage in this headliner event. More Info and Tickets
Whiskey Walk with Ghost Stories
Sep 25 (Wed, 6–8pm)
Auburn Lounge map it
Check-in at the O’Neill Festival concierge table (patio beside Auburn Lounge) to receive a wristband and signature shot glass. Docents will guide attendees throughout downtown to taste featured beverages and learn more about the Ghosts of Tao House host sites. ($20) More Info and Tickets
O’Neill Birthday Tribute
Oct 16 (Wed, 10am)
Shuttle to Tao House from Museum of the San Ramon Valley map it
Join EONF for a toast to Eugene and a tour of Tao House and its surrounding natural harbor. More Info and Registration
We hope to see you there!
The Eugene O’Neill Festival: a history
Since 1999, the annual Eugene O’Neill Festival has celebrated dramatic theatre in the San Fransisco Bay Area. Similarly-themed plays from classic playwrights and O’Neill contemporaries are chosen for production at various locations in Danville with the centerpiece O’Neill show being performed at Tao House itself. In 2013, the festival grew to a month-long event which now includes a guided hikes to the Tao House property, a historic tour of Danville, special exhibits at the Museum of San Ramon Valley, seminars with dramaturgs, actors and directors, and several social events.