BRÜKA THEATRE 33RD SEASON: WILD CARD
Reno, NV - Brüka Theatre announces its 33rd Season of live theatre with Wild Card Season tickets are officially on sale September 1, 2025 at: www.bruka.org. This early opportunity to purchase Brüka Season Tickets helps fund the opening of the Brüka season with ticket prices remaining the same as last year until September 15, 2025. Our Season Ticket holders have lots of perks, savings and can make advanced ticket reservations before individual tickets go on sale to the general public Season Ticket holders receive an invitation to our annual Martini Party, tickets to our Theatre For Children Production and for our BIGGEST little Theatre Festival - in February, 2026. In addition, for our Patron Gold Season Ticket Holders - special seating of their choice and a souvenir Bruka cozy cup. Each production enjoys an opening night reception and a talkback on the final matinee of each show.
Bruka’s 32nd season opens with CLUB INFERNO - The Road To Fame Is Hell. Directed by Kell Kittell and written by Kittell & Peter Fogel. Brüka Theatre Presents Award-Winning Glam-Rock Musical Club Inferno - A Fiery Return to the Hometown of Creator Kelly Kittell
the electrifying, award-winning glam-rock musical created by Reno native Kelly Kittell (book & lyrics) with music by Peter Fogel (music & lyrics). Originally a San Francisco cult sensation, Club Inferno blazes back with a reimagined production that fuses outrageous humor, high-voltage rock anthems, and dazzling theatrical spectacle. Inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, Club Inferno follows legendary rock diva Dante, who is struck by a freak accident mid-performance and wakes up in Hell’s hottest nightclub. Club Inferno opens Brüka’s 31st season on Friday, October 10, 2025 followed by an opening night reception in Brüka Studio 44. Individual tickets for Club Inferno go on sale on September 5, 2025. EXPLICIT THEATRE WARNING.
November brings back Brüka’s TAKE FIVE, originated by Elizabeth Tenney. We invite artists from all walks of life including, art lovers, and other “wild cards” to show how to make or do their unique art at “TAKE FIVE - WILD CARD: Making Art in Reno,” a three-part program of five-minute “How to…..” presentations by local artists art lovers and “wild cards”. The key is it can be no longer than five minutes. That’s what makes the presentation both entertaining AND powerful: it’s limited to just 300 enlightening seconds! An evening of humans being humans: How could it not be entertaining? This show enjoys three performances November 14, 15 @ 7:30 and a Sunday Matinee on November 16 @ 2 PM.
BUTTCRACKER NEVERLAND arrives through the proverbial chimney for holiday titillations, in a most ridiculous Bruka theatre tradition with an all original BÜTTCRACKER NEVERLAND! What began as a parody of The Nutcracker has evolved into a regional cult classic, offering a different underbelly to the original ballet each year it is performed. Brükaisms abound in this 14th rendition which is full of fairy magic and gender bending buttcrackers than a tighten your toe shoes to the music kind of experience. Playing Friday, December 5 through December 21, 2025. Not for ballet purists or those with tight slippers. Recommended: 12 years and up.
January, 2026 The new year brings LONELY PLANET a play by Steven Dietz set in 1988 during the AIDS epidemic. The play explores themes of friendship, fear, mortality, and responsibility through their interactions, using maps as a metaphor for finding one's way. Directed by Stacey Spain, whose past credits include her as our playwright in residence with The Kincaids, directing The Book Of Will and acting in The Beauty Queen of Lennane and Night Mother. Featuring the impeccable acting of Rod Hearn and Bradford Kai’ai’ai in this two-person show. Running January 16 - January 31, 2026
February brings the 14th BIGGEST little THEATRE & NEW WORKS FESTIVAL. The local centric festival features a variety of local playwrights and theatre artists performing and/or reading a diversity of work over a four day period. Submissions for shows will open on September 15, 2025. The festival plays February 11 - 15, 2026
In March of 2026, Dave Anderson, one of the early Bruka Theatre instigators and director of many shows including Richard III, Macbeth, King Lear, co-founder of Laughing Owl Theatre Company, and currently teaching theatre at TMCC directs Shakespeare’s THE TEMPEST. Prospero, an exiled Duke, uses his powers to create a storm on his magical island that shipwrecks his enemies. The play explores themes of colonialism, betrayal, magic, revenge and forgiveness as Prospero orchestrates events to reclaim his dukedom and achieve justice against those who usurped him. Plays March 6 - 21, 2026.
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of The Declaration Of Independence comes the regional premiere of playwright Heidi Schreck's boundary-breaking play, WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME. This award-winning play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans. Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful and achingly human new play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. Directed by Stacy Johnson whose most recent direction was Moon Over Buffalo and stage appearance in The Beauty Queen Of Leenane. Featuring Mary Bennett. Plays April 10 - April 25, 2026.
May of 2026, takes us from the battlefield to the flames with The Lark written by French dramatist Jean Anouilh, adapted by Lillian Hellman. This 1952 dramatization of the life and trial of Joan of Arc opens at Brüka Theatre on May 15 and plays through May 31, 2026. Directed by Holly Natwora, a local theatre artist whose dense and impressive resume includes such Brüka shows as Dangerous Liaisons, Waiting For Godot, and The Diary Of Anne Frank.
Brüka’s 33rd season culminates with the 1998 revival of CABARET with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Joe Materoff. We finish the season as we began, in a seedy nightclub, as the 1920s draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assures them they will forget all their troubles at the Cabaret. With the Emcee’s bawdy songs as wry commentary, Cabaret explores the dark, heady and tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. Directed by Mary Bennett and Choreographed by Alexander Biber. Opening June 26 and playing through July 18, 2026.
Brüka Theatre For Children returns this season with THE SPORKALS LEAGUE - A Hero’s Adventure, focusing on values. Our original Brüka Theatre For Children productions integrate theatre, history, science and social studies and tour throughout Nevada as part of The Pioneer Youth Program Roster.
Also for the youth, Brüka holds their YOUTH THEATRE WORKSHOP INTENSIVE from JULY 20 through July 31, 2026 for ages 11 - 16 with intern opportunities available.
This year’s theme, "WILD CARD"- Our unpredictable, game-changing season that continues to explore live theatre in the raw, authentic, cutting-edge style that Bruka has become known for. With our 33rd season, we walk on the wild side. In addition, in our space at Brüka’s Studio 44, we will also offer workshops, community opportunities, ways to box office and enjoy our theatrical books store and a conversation.
We are partnering with Our Center for our entire season 33 and adding an additional Wednesday night show, with a portion of the ticket sales benefiting the center. We partner with local non-profits to enhance the experiences of all of our organizations.
TICKET INFORMATION
Artist Night Tickets must be purchased in advance to receive a discount of our regularly priced tickets. Opening Night ticket holders are invited to a post show reception and an opportunity to meet the artists. Ticket prices reflect some of the additional costs. Season Tickets are available online @ https://brukatheatre.simpletix.com/ (Under - Memberships) or call the box office @ 775-323-3221 or email: boxofficebruka@gmail.com
OPPORTUNITIES Brüka is also looking for actors, crew, production associates, artists and volunteers for the coming season. Stay apprised of our announcements, classes, shows and auditions on our facebook page, or sign up for our online newsletter at: www.bruka.org. If you are interested in a show or season sponsorship, contact: marybruka@gmail.com.
RESERVATIONS are available in person through the Brüka Box Office (775) 323-3221, online at www.bruka.org or at our new Brüka Studio 44 located next door to Bruka on First Street at 44 W. First St. Our box office hours open Thursday through Saturday from 4 - 7 PM and on occasional Wednesdays. We are closed on most holidays. Our 2024/2025 Season Tickets are on sale beginning September 1, 2024. Individual tickets go on sale the Monday after the previous show closes. Check us out at www.bruka.org.
All Brüka mainstage evening shows begin at 7:30 PM. Matinees begin at 2:00 PM. Doors open 30 minutes before curtain time. There is NO late seating and all ticket sales are final.
PARKING
We suggest convenient parking in the Court Street parking lot across from The Pioneer Theater and walking across the new Virginia Street Bridge to Brüka, FREE after 5:00 PM and all day Saturday and Sundays. We also validate parking at the Parking Gallery on First and Sierra Street.
LOCATION Brüka Theatre is located at 99 N. Virginia Street at the corner of First and Virginia Streets in downtown Reno next to the Virginia Street Bridge.
ABOUT BRÜKA THEATRE Brüka Theatre celebrates its 33rd season of live theatre in downtown Reno - Wild Card is the theme for the 2025/2026 season. As an artistic leader in the region, Brüka is recognized for innovative productions, exceptionally talented artists and an acclaimed Theatre for Children touring series since its founding in 1992. Central to Brüka is the commitment to the re-investigation of contemporary and classic plays and developing new plays within Brüka’s Artistic Collective, a group that includes winners of the Nevada Arts Council and Sierra Arts Foundation artist grants and now TEN local best actor honors. Brüka was named “Best Theatre Company” by Reno News and Review for twenty-one years. Brüka is a non-equity, small, not-for-profit member theater company and is a constituent of the national TCG (Theatre Communications Group). Brüka Theatre has produced hundreds of live shows in our downtown Reno location. Sign up for our newsletter by going to our website at www.bruka.org.
