About | Transcendence Theatre Company

MISSION STATEMENT

Transcendence Theatre Company’s mission is to create extraordinary experiences that inspire others to go beyond their usual limits and live the best life ever.

Our philosophy includes a commitment to: Performing Arts, Arts Education, & Community Engagement. Our work is rooted in having this philosophy inspire individuals and communities to dream freely, to reach ever more of their potential and, in so doing, to contribute to Sonoma’s ongoing development as a brilliant cultural center.

Who We Are

We’re what happens when artists take the lead: a joyous adventure of whimsical creation. Located in the California Wine Country, Transcendence is a nonprofit musical theatre company like none other. Our shows take place outdoors in Jack London State Historic Park, nestled in the ruins of a winery destroyed by the 1906 earthquake. At its back are rolling vineyards, and when the sun sets, it’s the most beautiful place to be. We call it our Field of Dreams.

Our performers have sung on Broadway, toured nationally and internationally, and earned film and major television credits. And our work doesn’t stop when the curtains close. Our year-round education programs share the joy of theatre with youth in the Bay Area and around the world.

We often say the feeling of Transcendence can’t be explained, it can only be experienced. So we invite you to join us in our Field of Dreams. Enter a world of magic, music, and love.

Transcendence started with a dream

Our story opens with founder Amy Miller. Her show on Broadway had come to an end, and a question came to her: “What next?” Out of pause came inspiration, “I’ll start a musical theatre company and inspire people around the world!”

First Mexico, then the World

And the world seemed to be on her side. While traveling through Mexico, a chance encounter with the board of a 99-seat theatre led to a life changing opportunity. The crew was inspired by Amy’s dream and said the theatre was hers at no cost for an entire season. So Amy, her husband Brad Surosky, and 14 of her wildest friends quit their jobs and moved to Baja California. For four months, we performed for the community and talked about our dreams on the beach. It was truly magical, but we needed a way to keep the magic going. So the crew road-tripped across the US, interviewing inspiring theatre professionals and searching for a permanent home for Transcendence. At the time, Amy was our Artistic Director, while Brad and good friend Stephan Stubbins acted as Co-Executive Directors.

Finding Home

We found our place in the Wine Country of California. When we arrived in 2012, a state crisis threatened to shut down local Jack London State Historic Park. An idea! We could save the park by making it our stage. But officials said it was now or never. With six weeks and $83 in our pockets, we put on the show of a lifetime. 900 members of the community came out to save the park and join the magic. And Transcendence Theatre Company transcended.

Not so long ago we were chasing dreams in Mexico. Now we’ve been performing in Jack London State Historic Park for 8 spectacular years, growing our Transcendence family, and uplifting guests with art and music. Just imagine how far we’ll go in the next five… or even 50 trips around the sun! You’ll have to keep coming to find out what’s next.

The Park

The moment we landed in Sonoma County, the magic of the park drew us in. Maintained by the Valley of the Moon Natural History Association, Jack London State Historic Park is the perfect backdrop to our award-winning Broadway Under the Stars show.

Jack London, the great writer, penned many of his celebrated novels from the cottage that overlooks our stage, and our partnership with the Valley of the Moon Natural History Association means more funding to keep the park open — giving the public ongoing access to the beauty and history of this truly special place.

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