Few musicals capture the intimacy of music-making quite like Once, and Berkeley Playhouse’s new production reminds us why the show became a Broadway sensation in 2012, winning eight Tony Awards including Best Musical. Adapted by Enda Walsh from John Carney‘s 2007 Irish film, the story blends romance, melancholy, and folk-infused songwriting by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová into a theatrical experience that feels both personal and communal.

Jake Gale (Guy) and Gillian Eichenberger (Girl)

The entire show features an omnipresent Irish pub as its sole, unchanging set. The bar is on stage throughout the entire show, serving as the setting for all scenes, which are distinguished only by small furniture changes and lighting, allowing the ensemble to remain on stage. The set suggests a worn Irish watering hole with weathered wood, dim lighting, and shelves of glowing bottles—details that practically evoke the smell of stale beer. 

Sarah Jiang (Reza), Christina Walton (Ex Girlfriend), and the cast

A struggling street musician known simply as “Guy” meets a Czech immigrant called “Girl,” and the two quickly discover a shared love of music. Over several days they collaborate on songs, inspiring each other artistically while navigating complicated personal lives and existing relationships. What develops between them is less a conventional love story than a fleeting yet powerful emotional connection expressed almost entirely through music.

The cast

Director Josh Marx stages the production as though the audience has wandered into a working Dublin pub. Most of the cast remains seated around the space like patrons, stepping forward when their characters enter the story. The concept works especially well because every performer onstage is also a musician, creating an atmosphere where songs seem to emerge organically from the environment rather than feeling like staged numbers.

Gillian Eichenberger (Girl) and Jake Gale (Guy)

As Guy, Jake Gale captures the restless energy of a songwriter who always seems to have another melody forming in his head, guitar never far from his hands. Opposite him, Gillian Eichenberger brings warmth and sincerity to Girl, whose piano playing and voice anchor many of the show’s most touching moments. The chemistry between the two performers is most evident during their duets, particularly the Oscar-winning song “Falling Slowly,” which functions as the emotional core of the evening.

Christina Walton (Ex Girlfriend)

Supporting characters contribute to the pub’s musical ecosystem. Girl’s mother Baruska (Dylan McBride) tends bar while sharing a crowded apartment with her daughter and several other musicians, all of whom help care for Girl’s young daughter Ivonka (Kay Kawashima and Jeyathural White, alternating performances). Among the flatmates are Andre (Michael Doppe), anxiously awaiting news of a better job opportunity, and the spirited percussionist Reza (Sarah Jiang), whose vibrant stage presence and enchanting singing voice often steal the spotlight.

Nicholas Conrad (Svec) and Michael Doppe (Andrej)

Guy’s father, Da (John Mannion), provides quiet guidance for his son, while Michael Barrett Austin’s Billy—the pub’s manager—adds bursts of comic tension with his volatile temper. A brief but amusing turn comes from Sean Hoffman as a bank manager who turns out to be a frustrated musician himself and ultimately joins the group’s efforts to record a demo.

Between scenes the entire ensemble frequently gathers to play and dance together, creating lively transitions that keep the energy high. Erin Rose Solorio’s choreography manages to make the musicians’ movement around the crowded stage feel fluid and natural.

Nicholas Conrad (Svec), Sean Hoffman (Bank Manager), John Mannion (Da)

Under the musical direction of Michael Patrick Wiles, the score’s blend of folk, indie, and pop influences is delivered with infectious enthusiasm.

For audiences wary of theatrical dialects, the company wisely keeps its Irish accents restrained and naturalistic. No one pushes the brogue so far that it distracts from the storytelling—a welcome choice.

At its best, Once feels less like a traditional musical and more like a gathering of friends making music together. Berkeley Playhouse leans into that spirit, creating a warm, inviting production that highlights both the score’s lyrical beauty and the performers’ musical talents.

The result is a heartfelt evening of theater—one that reminds us how a simple song, played in the right place at the right moment, can bring strangers together.

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photos by Ben Krantz Studio

Once
Berkeley Playhouse
Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Ave. in Berkeley
2 hours 30 minutes with intermission
ends on March 29, 2026
for tickets, including immersive seating ($19-$66),
call 510.845.8542, ext. 351 or visit Berkeley Playhouse

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