BRÜKA THEATRE 32nd SEASON:TRANSCENDENCE

Reno, NV – Brüka Theatre announces its 32nd Season of live theatre: Transcendence.   Season tickets are officially on sale September 1, 2024 at:  www.bruka.org.  This early opportunity to purchase Brüka Season Tickets helps fund the opening of the Brüka season while giving our Season Ticket holders lots of perks, savings and includes advanced ticket reservations before tickets go on sale to the general public, an invitation to our annual Martini Party, tickets to our Theatre For Children Production and for our BIGGEST little Theatre Festival – in January, 2025. In addition, for our Patron Gold Season Ticket Holders – special seating of their choice and a souvenir Bruka cozy cup. Each production enjoys an opening night reception and a talkback on the final matinee of each show.

Bruka’s 31st season opens with THE BABY “The Bizarre 70’s Cult Horror/Comedy, Live On Stage!”  The Baby is written by Dan Spurgeon based on the screenplay of The Baby by Abe Polsky and directed by Michael Grimm.   The Baby was originally produced by The Visceral Company and had its world premiere on June 12, 2013 as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. “A satiric production of the 1973 film, a demented, often campy, psychological thriller, with elements of macabre horror and an extreme twist ending.” – Bonnie Priever, Tolucan Times. Andrew Moore from Mad Theatrics calls it “A loving farce of an obscure and obscene film”. The Baby opens Brüka’s 31st  season on Friday, October 4, 2023 followed by an opening night reception.  Individual tickets for The Baby go on sale on September 5, 2024.  EXPLICIT THEATRE WARNING.

November brings a weekend performance of the original short plays: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE HUMAN KIND.  Humans have never been so human as in this collection of five comedic and/or bittersweet short plays by local playwright Bob Gabrielli. A door-to-door encounter goes off the rails in one neighborhood exchange. Sparks fly for two lonely hearts at the local blood bank while a wife and husband engage in an annual review of their marriage. Meanwhile, an aging tennis player forges an unexpected connection with a ball girl while it’s a Darwinian survival of the fittest for the volunteers at a local food bank. An evening of humans being humans: How could it not be entertaining?  This show enjoys three performances  November 8, 9 @ 7:30 and a Sunday Matinee on November 10 @ 2 PM.  

THE BUTTCRACKER is back at Brüka as we celebrate the holidays with this original parody of the classic Nutcracker and twist it into a cross between Little Miss Sunshine and Dance Moms.  Audiences vote for the winner in the collectable LITTLE MISS BUTTCRACKER playing Friday, December 6 through December 22, 2024.  Not for ballet purists or those with tight slippers.  Recommended:  12 years and up.

January, 2024 brings the 13th BIGGEST little THEATRE & NEW WORKS FESTIVAL.  The local centric festival features a variety of local playwrights and theatre artists performing and/or reading a diversity of work over a four day period.  Submissions for shows will open on September 10, 2024. The festival plays January 17 – 20, 2024

The new year brings back EVERY BRILLIANT THING written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe.  After last year’s sold out performances and cancellation due to weather, the show opens on January 31st in sub-Brüka for just 6 performances.  Holly Natwora directs Mary Bennett as they revisit this interactive performance about getting to the other side of grief with a list that takes on a life of its own. A beautiful and revelatory play about depression and the lengths we will go to for those we love.  “[A] heart-wrenching, hilarious play…One of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression—and possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop…There is something tough being confronted here—the guilt of not being able to make those we love happy—and it is explored with unflinching honesty.” —The Guardian (UK)

In March of 2025, Rodney Hurst, director of holiday favorite Weber Family Christmas and who graced the Brüka stage in Kinky Boots, ThreePenny Opera and more now direct’s this dark comedy that was one of three finalists for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Drama; MISS WITHERSPOON written by the remarkable Christopher Durang.  Durang, known for his works of outrageous and often absurd comedy, passed away in April of 2024.  In the story of Miss Witherspoon, when life becomes just too frightful to endure, Veronica opts out for eternal peace. Instead, she finds herself in the Bardo (Tibetan Buddhist netherworld) with an overly cheery spirit guide who forces her to reincarnate in a dizzying array of roles, from trailer-park infant to fractious golden retriever.  “Miss Witherspoon is a quirky black comedy about reincarnation, altering the course of world events…and Rex Harrison.” – Playbill.  Miss Witherspoon plays March 7 – 23, 2024.

Stacey Spain, exceptional local theatre artist and Executive Director of Our Center is Brüka Theatre’s Playwright In Residence for the 2024/25 season.  Stacey’s work Crazy F*&%ing Kincaids will be workshopped and presented to audiences on April 4, 5 at 7:30 PM and April 6 for a 2 PM matinee.  Originally produced at Brüka’s Biggest Little Theater Festival in 2020 this new edition is a full length play with two additional characters. A dreamscape that explores the cost of betrayal and the power of love.  A brother and sister discovering secrets and learning to trust after a death in the family.  Sometimes truth is not the kindest option. Language and themes make this an ADULT PERFORMANCE.

In April and May of 2025, Brüka Theatre presents – BRÜKALTON – A REGENCY ERA PARODY that stumbles into greatness one mistake at a time.  This original play takes on the world’s of Jane Austen and Bridgerton in a spoof on Regency Classicism.  Dive deep into the struggles of  meaningful, nonsexual encounters that simmer with tension, witty, subtle dialogue and romantic nonsense.  Brükalton – A Regency Era Parody plays April 25 through May 17, 2025. 

Brüka’s 32nd season concludes with RIDE THE CYCLONE.  This hilarious and outlandish musical glimpses the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir that are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. RIDE THE CYCLONE is an outrageous musical about life & limbo directed by Rose Sambrano with Mary Bennett.  Opening June 27 and plays through July 19, 2025. 

Brüka’s Theatre For Children  returns this season with THE PARAMOUNT & SOMETIMES WILDY RIDICULOUS HISTORY OF NEVADA – LEGENDS a whimsical, wild & abridged journey through the history of Nevada.  Our original Brüka Theatre For Children productions integrate theatre, history, science and social studies and tour throughout Nevada as part of The Pioneer Youth Program Roster.

Also for the youth, Brüka holds their YOUTH THEATRE WORKSHOP INTENSIVE from JULY 22 through AUGUST 3, 2024 for ages 11 – 16 with intern opportunities available.    

This year’s theme “TRANSCENDENCE”- takes our audiences beyond ordinary limitations and moves our stage stories beyond physical needs and realities.  The shows this season use the magic of theatre to open the mind and heart to fantastical possibilities, that take the mind past everyday stresses while appreciating the journeys and stories of others in which we sometimes see ourselves.  With our 32nd season, we hope to inspire your imagination beyond life’s struggles with humor, empathy, limbo and appreciating life everyday. With the addition of our new space at Brüka’s Studio 44, we will also offer new workshops, community opportunities, ways to box office and enjoy our theatrical books store and a conversation.  

If you are associated with a local charity that you believe in and would fit with our season line-up, please reach out to marybruka@gmail.com and we will do our best to access and serve the needs while we enhance the experiences of the organizations. 

TICKET INFORMATION
Artist Night Tickets must be purchased in advance to receive a discount of our regularly priced tickets. Opening Night ticket holders are invited to a post show reception and opportunity to meet the artists.  Ticket prices reflect some of the additional costs.  Season Tickets are available online @ https://brukatheatre.simpletix.com/ (Under – Memberships) or call the box office @ 775-323-3221 or email:  boxofficebruka@gmail.com

OPPORTUNITIES Brüka is also looking for actors, crew, production associates, artists and volunteers for the coming season.  Stay apprised of our announcements, classes, shows and auditions on our facebook page, or sign up for our online newsletter at:  www.bruka.org.  If you are interested in a show or season sponsorship contact:  marybruka@gmail.com.

RESERVATIONS are available in person through the Brüka Box Office (775) 323-3221, online at www.bruka.org or at our new Brüka Studio 44 located next door to Bruka on First Street at 44 W. First St.   Our box office hours open Thursday through Saturday from 4 – 7 PM and on occasional Wednesdays.  We are closed on most holidays.  Our 2024/2025 Season Tickets are on sale beginning September 1, 2024.   Individual tickets go on sale the Monday after the previous show closes. Check us out at www.bruka.org.   

All Brüka mainstage evening shows begin at 7:30 PM. Matinees begin at 2:00 PM. Doors open 30 minutes before curtain time.  There is NO late seating and all ticket sales are final. 

PARKING

We suggest convenient parking in the Court Street parking lot across from The Pioneer Theater and walking across the new Virginia Street Bridge to Brüka, FREE after 5:00 PM and all day Saturday and Sundays. We also validate parking at the Parking Gallery on First and Sierra Street.

LOCATION Brüka Theatre is located at 99 N. Virginia Street at the corner of First and Virginia Streets in downtown Reno next to the Virginia Street Bridge.  

ABOUT BRÜKA THEATRE Brüka Theatre celebrates its 32nd season of live theatre in downtown Reno – Transcendence is the theme for the 2024/2025 season.  As an artistic leader in the region, Brüka is recognized for innovative productions, exceptionally talented artists and an acclaimed Theatre for Children touring series since its founding in 1992. Central to Brüka is the commitment to the re-investigation of contemporary and classic plays and developing new plays within Brüka’s Artistic Collective, a group that includes winners of the Nevada Arts Council and Sierra Arts Foundation artist grants and nine local best actor honors.  Brüka was named “Best Theatre Company” by Reno News and Review for twenty-one years. Brüka is a non-equity, small, not-for-profit member theater company and is a constituent of the national TCG (Theatre Communications Group).  Brüka Theatre has produced hundreds of live shows in our downtown Reno location. Sign up for our newsletter by going to our website at www.bruka.org.