Transcendence Theatre Company Closes Online Season With Strong Numbers And A New Worldwide Audience

Transcendence Theatre Company has concluded a successful run of their 2020 Best Night Ever Online virtual season with several exciting highlights to announce.

The Sonoma County based theatre company hit record viewing numbers this summer with viewers tuning in from all across the United States, as well as gaining a new international audience from as far as the UK, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, and Japan. In addition, Transcendence Theatre Company was able to surpass their fundraising goal for their "Keep The Dream Alive" campaign of $575,000 by raising over $682,000.

With these funds, the Company will be able to support their artistic, administrative, and education outreach staff, support for the rest of 2020, deliver planned fall and spring programming, and into their 10th anniversary season in 2021. A portion of the funds will also go to several local partnering nonprofits.

Transcendence Theatre Company took on the immense task of creating a season of virtual shows compiled of the "best of the best" performances from the last eight seasons in lieu of their annual Broadway Under the Stars live season at Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen, California. The Best Night Ever Online ran at total of 30 performances across 4 productions and was presented free of charge on the Company's website.

"This season has been one of determination and accomplishments for Transcendence Theatre Company and we owe a huge debt of gratitude to the entire community, our patrons and our new worldwide audience, all who supported us in making this season a success," said Brad Surosky, Executive Director for Transcendence Theatre Company. "We started out with a goal of uplifting spirits in our community and we ended up reaching and uplifting a far greater audience, but also we were able to bring much needed attention to not just our cause but to all of our community business and nonprofit partners, all who have been effected one way or another by the global pandemic."

For the entire 2020 Best Night Ever Online virtual season, Transcendence saw an estimate of 71,000 total views from around the world.

"This is an extremely challenging time for artists as the majority have lost all of their jobs," added Amy Miller, Artistic Director. "As a company we were proud to be able to hire a number of artists; working creatively from a distance with original creations in sound, editing, filming, and collaboration. Our online productions have given great exposure to our artists who have been approached for future work from Broadway producers through these original masterpieces of memories that we had experienced in our field of dreams."

Earlier this summer, Transcendence launched their Keep The Dream Alive campaign with the goal of raising $575,000. The Company received donations from a total of 1,676 individuals with 1,385 of those being first time donors from different parts of the world. Transcendence will use these funds to sustain their yearly operations, as well as support Artistic programming and educational outreach in Sonoma County. In addition, ten percent of the funds raised from each performance will go to all of Transcendence's nonprofit partners including Jack London State Historic Park, who has partnered with the theatre company since its inception in 2011.

Other highlights for the season include partnering with several local organizations and businesses including 15 community nonprofits, 41 local wine sponsors, 14 restaurants and catering companies, and 18 vintners featured in the Broadway & Vine pre-show interviews.

In addition to the 2020 Virtual Season, Transcendence made huge strides this year with their Education Outreach Programming, creating hundreds of hours of free online arts integrated curriculum for underserved youth in Sonoma County and worldwide. The Company was quick to respond to the closure of schools and arts and education programs within their community due to COVID-19, and immediately shifted their approach from an in-person curriculum to an at-home artistic education program. Within a matter of weeks, Transcendence education staff created and recorded hours of content and made it assessable online to students and their families locally and worldwide. The education staff is currently working on a Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 program, and hope to impact more than 2,500 youths.

"Between COVID and the smoke, yesterday was a real downer. I am a super optimist and yet I had completely run out of optimism. And then came Transcendence and The Impossible Dream and the tears streamed, and a smile returned. Thank you for that. And please thank everyone who was part of bringing that smile back to me. Sonoma needs you." - Judy Scotchmoor, Sonoma County - Transcendence Theatre Company supporter

More about Transcendence Theatre Company: Based in Sonoma County, California, Transcendence Theatre Company is an award-winning, nonprofit arts organization comprised of artists with professional experience from Broadway, film and television. Featured performers have appeared in Broadway productions including "Hamilton," "The Book of Mormon," "Mamma Mia," "Les Misérables," "Chicago," "La Cage Aux Follies," "Gypsy," "Hairspray," "Follies," "42nd Street," "White Christmas," "Mary Poppins" and "Wicked." Transcendence Theatre Company specializes in producing high-caliber Broadway concerts in distinctive Sonoma County locations - from its primary home within the majestic open-air ruins of the historic winery in Jack London State Historic Park to other remarkable and stunning settings throughout wine country and the community. www.bestnightever.org

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