Stephan Stubbins News

Summer in Sonoma Valley has arrived, and here at Transcendence Theatre Company that means we are gearing up for our sixth season of Broadway Under the Stars!

Transcendence Theatre Company kicks off their 2017 Broadway Under the Stars season on June 16 with Another Openin' Another Show! celebrating the inspiring, memorable music and dance moments from Broadway and beyond.

Transcendence Theatre Company is more than just a night at the theatre. Our Mission is 'to create transcendent experiences that inspire others to go beyond the usual limits and change the world in extraordinary ways.'

Northern California is home to miles of gorgeous Pacific coastline, over 50 parks with hiking and cycling trails, world-class restaurants, boutique shopping, and of course, majestic vineyards. Sonoma, in particular, offers the rustic charm of down-to-earth locals, farmers, winemakers, tasting rooms, and farm-to-table restaurants, not to mention both luxury resorts and quaint bed & breakfasts, making it the perfect getaway for weekend travel.

Hello BroadwayWorld.com readers!

Wow, what a week?!?! Every day is so incredibly full and, as we like to say, EPIC, here in Sonoma. Last week was so beautiful. We had amazing shows, community outreach projects, artistic Salons, community open-mic events, family visiting, and overall THE BEST WEEK EVER!!! The week started with family in town. My folks got to experience their first Transcendence shows at Jack London State Park and were completely speechless at the end of them. They have been traveling around the world watching me perform my entire life... everywhere from summer fun in Germany to the freezing wintry temperatures of Moscow to multiple visits to Broadway and off-Broadway shows in New York to dozens of cities around our beautiful country, but this was their favorite experience of them all. What makes it different? The gathering of community in one magical space to share an experience TOGETHER before and during the show and the energy that comes from a group of people leaping and singing to unbelievable heights being inspired by the same mission while living completely in their own unique purposes TOGETHER and the undeniable feeling that comes from that being shared with your heart in those ruins under that canopy of stars. Special beyond words! 

Hello magical lovers of the theatre! Oh happy day of dreaming big to you! Last week was yet another glorious well-lived and fun-filled week for us here at Transcendence! 

Two mainstage shows gone.  Even with weeks of fully well lived days, if I blink my eye then the summer will be completely over.  This really occurred to me this past weekend when the curtain came down on our Fantastical Family Night Concert.  That event not only marked the end of our second (out of four) scheduled Broadway Under the Stars concert series, but it also was the end of a very special week working with over 50 students at our Transcendence Kid's Camp.  Major kudos go out to all of the performers hired on the Fantastical Family Night contract.  These performers do the most work in the shortest amount of time in the season.  But honestly, I think it's also the most rewarding show too.  

Transcendence Theatre Company, now in its 4th season presenting summer concerts in Sonoma Wine Country, is perhaps best known for 'Broadway Under the Stars,' an award-winning series of Broadway-inspired concerts featuring performers from Los Angeles and New York - artists who come to the Sonoma stage directly from recent Broadway appearances. More than a standard musical revue, each show weaves popular Broadway songs into a spectacular themed performance presented in the open-air 150-year-old Winery Ruins at Jack London State Historic Park.

July might have just begun, but let me tell you things are in full swing here in Sonoma, CA.  Just recently at Transcendence Theatre Company we started a new show, closed the first show with a bang, actively participated in volunteering opportunities, and joined in our local 4th of July celebrations.  But I'll let some of our Transcendence resident artists go into more detail about their personal favorite activities of these past well-lived days.

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in St. Louis, Orlando, Sacramento, and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include HAIRSPRAY at The Muny, THE FLICK in Orlando, Transcendence Theatre's 'Broadway Under the Stars',  just to name a few.

Sonoma County is known as the wine lover's dream destination. More than wine, however, this Northern California region is near to miles of gorgeous Pacific coastline, over 50 parks with hiking and cycling trails, world-class restaurants, boutique shopping, and a one-of-a-kind outdoor theatre experience that makes Transcendence Theatre Company's musical revue the 'Best Night Ever.'  Whether you go for a relaxing couple's retreat, a girls weekend getaway, or a family vacation, Sonoma has something for everyone to enjoy.

Transcendence Theatre Company, producer of the Broadway Under the Stars in Jack London State Historic Park concert series, announced the company of artists who will appear during the 2015 series of shows running tonight, June 19 through September 13. From June through September on select weekends, visitors to Sonoma County can conclude a day of wine tasting by attending Broadway Under the Stars, the main stage musical concert series presented by Transcendence Theatre Company in the open-air Winery Ruins of Jack London State Historic Park.

Hi there! I'm Eric Jackson and I'm one of the handful of performers that has had the pleasure of being a part of Transcendence Theatre in Sonoma every summer since their first concert in 2011.  My path has taken me from Rochester, Michigan to The University of Michigan and then to NYC for the past 15 years.  But now I'm on a new path.  I accepted the position of Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director here at Transcendence and just recently moved to Wine Country to start a whole new chapter of my life!  On top of that, I am Associate Directing the 1st Concert, Co-Directing the 2nd Concert, and performing in all 4!  It's going to be a busy summer,     but it will all be worth it.  And as you follow this blog, hopefully you will understand the reason why I keep coming back and why I've decided to stay.

Transcendence Theatre Company, producer of the Broadway Under the Stars in Jack London State Historic Park concert series, announced the company of artists who will appear during the 2015 series of shows running June 19 through September 13. From June through September on select weekends, visitors to Sonoma County can conclude a day of wine tasting by attending Broadway Under the Stars, the main stage musical concert series presented by Transcendence Theatre Company in the open-air Winery Ruins of Jack London State Historic Park.

What if we told you, that you could watch the entire Les Miserables musical in 8 minutes? Well you're in luck!

Transcendence Theatre Company, producers of 'Broadway Under the Stars in Jack London State Park,' is well-known to Bay Area audiences for its unique programming of concerts throughout Sonoma County. In fact Transcendence has won numerous awards from Broadway World San Francisco, including top prizes 'Theater of the Year' in 2013 & 2014 and 'Best Special Theater Event' for the last three consecutive years.

The Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids benefit concert 'Rock Like a Man' was recently held in Sacramento, CA, at the Sacramento Theatre Company's cabaret space. The concert featured artists from the touring company of Jersey Boys, plus special guest Stephan Stubbins from Transcendence Theatre Company in Sonoma. Click below to watch some of the performances!

As usual, this past week with the Transcendence Theatre Company has been yet another vivaciously exuberant one. Once again, we connected with tremendous sold out and full of life, audiences...but our final performance of "Music of the Night" was unlike any performance I've ever been a part of. Here in Sonoma, California, we had an intense earthquake (6.2 rating) at 3:23 A.M. on August 24th (the early morning of that show).This was the first earthquake I've ever experienced and it truly shook me to the core. In fact, I've never been so deeply terrified in my twenty some years of life. Our entire house was rocking back and forth, paintings were falling off the walls, large bookshelves were tipping over and of course the power went out. The only light I could see came from the terrifying explosions of electrical boxes bursting outside my bedroom windows. I could feel my heart racing and literally thumping out of my chest. The earthquake only lasted about 45 seconds but felt like 45 hours to me. In that short amount of time, I actually saw my entire life flash before me. In tears, I sat trembling and adrenalized, clutching my dog child, Pearl and boyfriend Stephan Stubbins and I realized how we cannot take a single moment on this Earth for granted. Life is so precious.

Along with the wonderful Broadway Under the Stars concerts that we have at TTC, we also had a tremendous week of other special events including our third Guest Artist concert, Inspiration Initiative Day and our final Skits Under the Stars night. All of these events happened on our days off from the Music of the Night concerts and I feel tremendously inspired by it all. Looking at my calendar this past week made me slightly nervous that I wouldn't have enough time to fit everything in but actually it was all accomplished and enjoyed at the same time. For me, this was an excellent reminder that we are all capable of taking on SO much more than our minds might normally think. There is not a single second to waste with all of life's beauty at our fingertips. That's truly how every delicious day is at TTC. Satisfyingly full.