2023-2024 Season

Exciting regional professional premiere

THE MOORS by Jen Silverman

This dark comedy about love, desperation, and visibility features a hapless governess and moor-hen who disrupt the lives of two sisters and a dog dreaming of love and power on the bleak English moors. It features a combined team of professional and student creatives on and offstage, and a portion of the ticket sales contributes to a scholarship for female-identifying students at partner Estrella Mountain Community College.

Directed by
ELIZABETH BROWNLEE

May 3 – May 12, 2024 | Estrella Mountain Community College Performing Arts Center

Evenings of music co-presented with ASU Kerr

THE BRIDGE CABARET

Local musicians present a themed cabaret of Broadway and popular songs. During the half-hour pre-show, the community is invited to mingle and take in piano music from a local maestro while singers wishing to share a song can take the mic (bring sheet music for the pianist).
NOTE: artists subject to change

December 4,2023
Hannah Fontes
“I Am Playing Me”

February 12, 2024
Kristi Rice
“Part of the Human Heart”

May 20, 2024
Natalie Andrews & friends
“The Feeling I Forgot”

7:30 PM | Doors/Pre-show Song-Share: 7:00 PM
ASU KERR

Back home at Tempe Center for the Arts!

THE FLORA & FAUNA by Alyson Mead

In this world premiere, developed by The Bridge Initiative, Ginnie and Adele have been friends for decades, helping each other through life’s twists and turns. But when an inescapable event occurs, they’re forced to confront the dark secret of how they met. THE FLORA & THE FAUNA is a modern, #MeToo-inflected portrait of female friendship, unconditional love, laughter, and the lengths we go for one another. To move forward, sometimes you have to go back. Bridge is honored to partner with the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (ACESDV) to whom we will be donating a portion of our ticket sales.

CONTENT ADVISORY: References to rape, alcoholism, assisted suicide, and domestic violence

Directed by
SHONDA ROYALL

March 28-30, 2024 | Tempe Center for the Arts

A co-production with Childsplay

THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

January 23-26, 2024 | Scottsdale Center for the Arts

The Diary of Anne Frank is a co-production with Childsplay, The Bridge Initiative and the Scottsdale Center for the Arts. The beautiful story of a young Jewish girl keeping a diary about her life while hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam.

Written by
WENDY KESSELMAN

Based on the book by
FRANCES GOODRICH &
ALBERT HACKETT

Directed by
JODI WEISS

Welcome to The Bridge Initiative 2023-2024

Dear Friends,

As we approach the start of a new theatre season, it’s time to share the exciting changes that are taking place at The Bridge Initiative.

It’s hard to believe Tracy Liz Miller and I hatched The Bridge Initiative in her swimming pool in August of 2015. After almost a decade, it is time for me to transition from my role as Producing Artistic Director. There are personal reasons and professional ones. And honestly, it’s not a position I originally anticipated doing alone. Since Tracy’s departure five years ago, I have successfully executed my vision for Bridge and it’s healthy to set the stage for fresh ideas and new creative visionaries to take the spotlight. And right now the organization is strong enough that I believe I can shift and share responsibilities and Bridge will be able to survive, which feels almost miraculous as many founder-led nonprofits are not able to withstand leadership transitions…

…which brings me to the exciting part! For the 2023-24 season, Amie Bjorklund and Elizabeth Brownlee will serve as Co-Artistic Directors. I am not going away – I will be serving as Producing Executive Director. 

It is nothing short of a privilege to have led Bridge for more than eight years. To say I am proud of what we’ve accomplished and built is a gross understatement. Amie, Elizabeth, and I can’t wait to share what the upcoming 2023-24 season with you and we are overjoyed by what it could mean for the future! While there are pangs of sadness, they are overshadowed by so much gratitude for the leadership team that has coalesced and the artists who consider Bridge a home, and I lean into great optimism for this next magnificent year and beyond!

With joy,

Brenda Jean Foley
September 2023