Welcome to “Many Beautiful Things”

Welcome to a new season of The Bridge Initiative. We’re excited you’re here!

Every year, theaters around the country, and the world, announce seasons filled with shows that showcase their goals for the year. Seasons that perhaps challenge their artistic point of view. Seasons that may bring in larger shows to grow their budget and stretch their limitations. Seasons that stay in line with their mission and their beliefs. Strong seasons that, hopefully, allow them to stay in the game for a little longer.

When we sat down to build out the TBI 2024-25 season, one thing I wanted to do was create a season of shows that helped us grow. It’s time. The past few years have been a challenge in their own right, and sometimes it was all we could do to get one show off the ground. Which we did. Then we kept going. And got another show open. Then we kept going and got another show open. Small steps forward are still steps towards the goal.

So this season we are reaching a bit farther, taking some slightly bigger steps, as we present “Many Beautiful Things.”

ASU Kerr has been a constant supporter of TBI for years and we are so glad to work with them again. The venue is gorgeous and the team there believes in the power of live theater. We couldn’t ask for more.

Our series, “The Bridge Cabaret co-presented with ASU Kerr,” becomes “The Bridge Cabaret Plus, co-presented with ASU Kerr”. We’re adding a plus sign in honor of additional offerings! We still have our four Monday night musical cabarets featuring the incredible talent from our community. A breakout success was the introduction of our pre-show community song-share people know and love. That is returning and we’d love to see you there!

The fun at Kerr doesn’t stop with the musical cabarets. This summer we’re partnering with Arizona Actors Academy to bring you “Summer with Shakespeare,” a night filled with scenes and snippets of Shakespeare, threaded through with narration by 16 performers. This fall we’re taking a step into musical theater and presenting a concert performance of “A Grand Night of Singing,” Oct 6 and 7. This spring we’re producing two play readings, each with casts filled with the powerful talent and storytelling TBI is known for.

We are overjoyed to continue to a new partnership with Childsplay and a mission critical production lifting up a young girl’s voice with “The Diary of Anne Frank.” This production is principally created for middle school audiences but we are delighted to be adding five public performances this season to share the phenomenal work and its urgent message.

In January, we’re back at Tempe Center for the Arts once again, presenting two fully produced shows in rep. “Crooked Shadows” and “Tiny Beautiful Things” running Jan 31 – Feb 7. Each show presents life at its fullest, showing us how growth happens in different ways, through different means, with different pathways, yet remains. Growth is everywhere as long as you’re taking those steps forward.

When I look at the season we’re offering the Valley, I am incredibly proud. It makes me smile to think of everything we’re challenging ourselves to do. Of course there are concerns. Maybe a loose nerve or two.

It’s the biggest undertaking I’ve helmed as TBI’s Acting Artistic Director. I certainly can’t do it alone, and thankfully I don’t have to. Brenda and Shonda, my incredible team of leaders, are daily additions to my gratitude journal. They believe in this growth as strongly as I do. I am eternally grateful.

This team is powerful. This team is strong. This team can take these steps towards growth that this theater community deserves.

We can’t do it alone. You’ll be there. I know you’ll all join us, growing and learning together. Be on this team with us. Change is in the air and I am so proud to be a part of it.

Always,

Amie B
Acting Artistic Director