The Bridge Initiative Pioneers QUARAN-TEAMS and Raises Money for ACESDV

The Bridge Initiative: Women in Theatre (TBI) is testing a new concept called Quaran-Teams: an hour-long event featuring theatre artists "teams", accompanied by a trivia-type game with prizes for the audience. The live streams are Friday, August 28th at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, August 29th at 2:00 p.m., with content available to view through midnight Monday, August 31st on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bridgeinit (Facebook account is not required).

With so many local, national, and international theatre companies offering online options, TBI searched for alternative content. Creative team member Maren Maclean Mascarelli proposed featuring teams (couples/families/roommates) who are quarantining and able to appear onscreen together as a point of differentiation. "I didn't want this project to be single floating heads on the screen," Mascarelli says. "I'm hoping to engage our audience more actively," offers Brenda Foley, producing artistic director. "Zoom fatigue is real and there are so many wonderful but passive viewing options. Having a live chat and game elements will be a fun and different way for people to engage with us. And anyone who doesn't want to play can still watch and enjoy!"

In addition to Mascarelli and Foley, the creative team for Quaran-Teams includes Aleks Hollis and Will Rogers. The event features artists from both the Arizona and national theatre scene, including Alison Campbell & Kyle Sorrell; B.RAD: Diana DeGarmo & Rob Glauz & Brian Golub & Ace Young; Betsy Mugavero & Quinn Mattfeld; Brenda Jean Foley & Brian Foley & Robyn Foley; Cicily Daniels & Brett Macias; Laurelann Porter & Mike Anderson; Maedell Dixon & Harold Dixon; Maren Maclean & Chris Mascarelli; Seth Tucker & Šime Košta; Trisha Ditsworth & Matravius Avent; Veronika Duerr & Sean Daniels, performing eclectic pieces from Shakespeare to clown to contemporary music. Winners of the games receive gift bags with t-shirts, fabric masks, and more.

The event is offered free of charge, though all artists are compensated through the AZ CARES grant administered through Arizona Commission on the Arts. Half of all donations received from the program will be donated to the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (www.acesdv.org). "The idea of partnering with ACESDV is so powerful because the flip side of celebrating togetherness is that being in the same space more often is unfortunately an increased danger for some people," says Foley. "Bridge is in a fortunate fiscal position to be able to give back and we are honored to do so." Donations collected via Eventbrite at https://quaran-teams.eventbrite.com. Quaren-Teams will also be available for viewing on YouTube - email info@bridgeinit.org for private link.

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