The Bridge Initiative Announces Spring Season With THE FLORA & FAUNA, THE MOORS, and THE BRIDGE CABARET SERIES

The Bridge Initiative announces upcoming productions of Alyson Mead's “The Flora & Fauna” at Tempe Center for the Arts, “The Moors” by Jen Silverman presented in collaboration with Estrella Mountain Community College, and two more dates for the ongoing Bridge Cabaret series co-presented with ASU Kerr.

Bridge's 2023-24 season, which also included a co-production of “The Diary of Anne Frank” with Childsplay in January, continues the company's mission of centering female-identifying writers, directors, and artistic leadership.

 

First up, Monday, February 12th is a Broadway cabaret entitled “Part of the Human Heart” featuring Valley powerhouse Kristi Rice accompanied by Lincoln Wright. Rice's autobiographical show offers stories of love, loss, getting lost and found, dreams, realities, hope, and purpose. On Monday, May 20th, singer/guitarist/pianist Natalie Andrews takes the stage for “The Feeling I Forgot,” a multi-genre musical offering of covers and original work. Both shows start at 7:30pm at ASU Kerr, but doors open at 7:00pm for half an hour of piano bar/song sharing where the community is invited to bring sheet music and sing with the evening's pianist and ASU Kerr's Steinway.

 

“The Flora & Fauna” won The Bridge Initiative's New Work contest in 2016. Bridge hosted playwright Alyson Mead with NYC director Stefanie Sertich for a workshop and development week at Mesa Community College in 2017. Mead  passed away in 2020 and the play, inspired by People v. Turner, has never been fully produced until now. It explores the decades-long friendship between Ginne and Adele who help each other through life's twists and turns until an inescapable event forces them to confront the dark secret of how they met. The play is a modern, #MeToo-influenced portrait of unconditional love, laughter, and the lengths friends go for one another. Director Shonda Royall helms the world premiere March 29-30 at Tempe Center for the Arts with full creative team to be announced. Mature content includes domestic violence, assisted suicide, and sexual assault. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence.

 

Bridge is overjoyed to be reuniting with Estrella Mountain Community College to bring the regional premiere of Jen Silverman's “The Moors” to Avondale April 26-May 4 under the direction of Elizabeth Brownlee. 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 will feature 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 the college. Full creative team to be announced.
 

“Part of the Human Heart” Monday, February 12 at 7:30pm (song share 7:00pm) and “The Feeling I Forgot” Monday, May 20 at 7:30pm (song share 7:00pm) at ASU Kerr, 6110 N. Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85253. Tickets $10-25 plus fees at asukerr.com, in person at the box office, or by calling 480-596-2660. “The Flora & Fauna” Friday, March 29 at 7:00pm and Saturday, March 30 at 2:00pm and 7:00pm at Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe AZ 85281. Tickets $18-25 plus fees at tempecenterforthearts.com, in person at the box office, or by calling 480-350-2822. “The Moors” April 26-May 4 at Estrella Mountain Community College PAC, 3000 N Dysart Rd, Avondale, AZ 85392. Exact schedule and tickets TBA at bridgeinit.org.

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