Transcendence’s 2020 online finale

The hottest ticket in town since 2012 has been to a show at Jack London State Park to see a production of the Transcendence Theatre company. The singing and dancing is straight outta Broadway, and never fails to completely satisfy.

Like every other live entertainment concern this season, Transcendence has been hammered by COVID-19 and the ensuing restrictions placed upon them. The locally based theater troupe has been offering virtual shows to keep interest high and revenue rolling.

This weekend marks the finale of this weird and surreal season for Transcendence. The online shows this weekend are called “The Best Night Ever Online.“ It’s the annual Gala Celebration, their biggest fundraising event. They promise incredible performances. The cream of the crop from the last several seasons.

Reached by phone in her Sonoma home, Amy Miller, co-founder and artistic director of the troupe, said that for the past decade she has insisted that all TTC performances be videotaped from three angles in high quality.

“So, we had over 1,000 songs to review,” she said, adding that it has been a tremendous amount of work. “All summer long, we have been putting together what I call our masterpieces.”

The shows are free, but Miller hope that people will donate. The goal is to raise $575,000, enough to keep Transcendence above water during these crazy, troubled times. Miller said that the pandemic has hit performers hard, both locally and nationwide. She said, “99 percent of the members of the Actors Equity Association are completely out of work.”

Any fundraiser worth its salt flies on the wings on angels. One particular angel this weekend is Vickie Soulier, a resident of Marin who fell hard for the Transcendence team after she saw a performance in Jack London State Park in 2017.

Soulier became a donor after she heard the intermission speech by co-founder Brad Surosky.

Reached in her Marin home, Soulier said that the first time she saw the show, it gave her goosebumps. “I was blown away,” she said.

Soulier said, “I am in the position financially where I can support the arts. I think that the arts get left behind when people are cutting back. That’s when I feel people need to come forward and support the arts. We need the arts to bring our spirits up.”

Putting her money where her mouth is, Soulier is matching donations made this weekend to the tune of $150,000. It is a very generous display of love and appreciation to what she called an “all-encompassing and amazing production.”

To help Soulier empty her purse, donations can be made before and during the Gala. With a virtual schedule that mimics a real production schedule, shows are being aired Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. Matinees are also being aired on Saturday and Sunday.

Information and tickets can be obtained from the website, transcendencetheatre.com. The show runs about 1 hour and 45 minutes. There is a preshow with interviews with the actors and other behind the scenes snippets.

Make it your best night ever, from the comfort of your own home. Give generously if you can. It is exciting to have this little bit of Broadway just up the road. Let’s keep those lights a-blazin’.