Under the Sun: Brad Surosky, theater impresario

Executive Director of Transcendence Theater Company Brad Surosky is excited to make his directorial debut September 7 when An Enchanted Evening opens at Beltane Ranch. The Sun’s Anna Pier visited a rehearsal to talk with him about the new show, and how he and Amy Miller (now his wife) started the company.

Talk about An Enchanted Evening. 

It’s a show that the community of Sonoma – and our theater company – really need. After the fires and COVID, and the challenges the company has faced finding new venues this season. The Artistic Associate Amanda Stuart and Music Supervisor Matt Smart and I went on a three-day retreat to plan the show. Our aim was to create something that could really move people. “Enchanted” of course means to cast a spell, and we believe we will do that to the audience, take them on a journey, move them to laughter, to tears, to joy. 

Tell me more.

In our shows we always break down the fourth wall, the imaginary wall between the audience and the performer. When you break it down, you act and sing directly to the audience, to involve the audience. But this is even more so, a true immersive experience. The audience will feel love, loss, heartache, and finally, celebration. The show has more than 46 songs, including one 16-song medley. And Act 2 opens with a piano duel. During the pre-show picnic, the audience will have a chance to pick some of the songs in the piano duel.   

Did you always want to be in theater?  

Not at all. As a kid, soccer was my world. When I was 12 and 13, I played in Junior World Cups in Denmark, Sweden, Germany. But an injury to my Achilles took me out for a while, and during that time, I had a chance role lip-synching a line of There is Nothing Like a Dame in a junior high production. Unbelievably, a woman in the audience “talent-spotted” me for my stage presence. She became my voice coach and mentor. And I did theater all through high school, then went to N.Y.U. where I got a degree in theater. 

After that?  

I was in different theater productions all around the country. I met Amy, my wife, in Florida. We moved to L.A. and I worked in film and TV commercials, for about seven years. Then we decided to take RV trips around the country, visiting over 300 theater companies in outdoor venues. We wanted to find out what was working, and we wanted to find a park. 

You wanted to start a theater company that was a nonprofit.

Yes. Transcendence was actually born in Punta Banda, Baja California. On a random trip to Mexico, we came across a 99-seat roadside theater. They gave us four months free. Our company grew to 14, as people we knew left Broadway gigs to join us. We worked with the community, doing open mic events, performing at an orphanage and also bringing the kids to the theater for a show we included them in. We did little shows all around – Ensenada, Rosarita  – we’d just throw down the boards and sing and dance. If you have the talent, especially as an artist, it’s your responsibility to take it out to people who don’t usually go to theater. In Sonoma, we invite so many organizations: Hanna, Boys & Girls Club, La Luz, Mentoring, HAS, Becoming Independent, others. Also we do workshops, and donate tickets for their fundraisers. Transcendence for All is the umbrella nonprofit for our community programs.

And the community stands with you.

The community has stepped up in a huge way to help us as we have moved to multiple venues to make sure the shows go on.  This Summer would not be possible without this amazing community.

Why did you establish this company in a park? 

In our RV travels, we had learned that lots of theaters started in parks. In 2011 we heard a podcast by the Director of CA State Parks, Ruth Coleman, speaking about the importance of arts in the parks. We came up to Annadel, and the rangers there sent us to Jack London, saying it was the perfect spot for us. The State Parks said we needed to act right away, so we did a one-night concert, as a fundraiser, in Jack London. We had 900 in the audience. Some of the Jack London Park Partners had been at that concert, and in 2012 Broadway Under the Stars came to the Park.  

Tell me about the company name.  

“Transcendence” means going beyond the usual limits. My wife {Amy Miller, above] is a dancer, for her it’s that moment when you feel completely free.

You live in Sonoma? 

Since 2012. Our year-round company has 14 employees. That jumps to 250 in the summer. 

Talk about raising a child as theater people.

Our son is 3-1/2. Micah. He already graced the stage last year. Having a child means balancing everything, playtime, schooltime, rehearsals. Even though I am directing Enchanted, I’m still the ED, doing fundraising, management, overseeing it all. So it’s all a balancing act. 

What do you like about living here?  

The community is the best. And it’s paradise.