Transcendence Theatre Company announced plans to utilize the 30+ acre Kenwood ranch property of the nonprofit Belos Cavalos as the outdoor open-air theatre location for The Beat Goes On,  the first show of Transcendence Theatre Company’s 2023 summer season of original outdoor musical revues. The Beat Goes On will play eight performances June 16 through July 2. 

Tickets already purchased for The Beat Goes On will transfer to the new location; no action is required on the part of ticket holders. The Belos Cavalos ranch provides a similar outdoor theatre under the stars experience for attendees with the stage and seating area in the same configuration as in Jack London State Historic Park, and a new backdrop view of the western slope of Sonoma Mountain. Ample on-site parking will be available for all patrons at Belos Cavalos, making shuttles unnecessary. The grounds will be open for the pre-show picnic at 5 pm, with food trucks and wine poured from a variety of local wineries. Pre-show music and entertainment will continue to be a part of the Transcendence Broadway Under the Stars experience at Belos Cavalos. 

Tickets for the complete Transcendence 2023 Broadway Under the Stars Summer Season are available now at www.BestNightEver.org or by calling 877-424-1414.

Transcendence Theatre Company’s decision to move all eight performances of The Beat Goes On is a result of the outcome of the California Park Rangers Association litigation against the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks). In April 2022, after 10 years of Transcendence performances at Jack London State Historic Park, the court ruled that State Parks must conduct a study evaluating the impact of the Transcendence musical concerts in the park. State Parks began the study in September 2022 and the study was anticipated to be completed prior to the end of April 2023. When completed, the study will be published for a 30-day public comment period. The delay of the study’s completion created a timeline that was too short for Transcendence Theatre Company to secure the needed State Park’s permit to produce The Beat Goes On at Jack London State Historic Park in June and early July.

“We look forward to returning to Jack London State Historic Park for the remainder of our 2023 season in late July,” said Brad Surosky, executive director of Transcendence Theatre Company.

“We are excited to partner with Belos Cavalos during our eight-show run of The Beat Goes On and for guests to experience its gorgeous property which will have a similar scenic open-air theater under the stars experience.”

Belos Cavalos is a well-known Kenwood based nonprofit that fosters healing human pain and trauma through equine experience-based recovery and education programs. Dr. Charlyn Belluzzo founded the 501c3 nonprofit by integrating her expertise in healthcare, desire for compassionate service, and love of horses. Transcendence Theatre Company’s production of The Beat Goes On shows will benefit both nonprofit organizations.

The Belos Cavalos property in Kenwood is over 30 acres providing an outdoor venue of ample size to host The Beat Goes On. In December 2021, Transcendence Theatre Company produced Transcendence’s Broadway Holiday Spectacular at Belos Cavalos under a tent on a different part of the property. Transcendence staff are very familiar with the property, as well as with the county requirements for health and safety, parking, crowd control, and traffic management.

“I am thrilled to again partner with Transcendence Theatre Company to bring the run of The Beat Goes On to our special ranch at Belos Cavalos,” shares Belos Cavalos Founder Dr. Charlyn Belluzzo. “The open-air experience offered by Transcendence Theatre Company’s performances is a perfect match for our ranch’s natural setting, with Broadway quality musical shows performed under the stars surrounded by the scenic beauty of the Sonoma Mountains.”

Brett Martinez, president and CEO of Redwood Credit Union—a longtime sponsor of the professional Broadway summer shows produced by Transcendence Theatre Company—remarked that “Belos Cavalos offers a stunning rustic setting to start the company’s summer season, while giving patrons the opportunity to support two of our communities’ vital local nonprofits.”

Through the months of May and June 2023, Transcendence Theatre Company will work with California State Parks and Recreation to permit the remaining shows in its season, and to secure a long-term agreement to produce outdoor summer musicals for seasons to come. Transcendence Theatre Company origins are closely tied to its commitment to preserve Jack London State Historic Park, which was at risk of closure just 12 years ago. Part of every Transcendence ticket sold for its shows in the park helps fund the operation of Jack London State Park, and more than $685,000 has been raised in the first 11 seasons.

“Our partnership with Transcendence Theatre Company is a cornerstone of funding which helps keep Jack London State Historic Park thriving and accessible,” explains Matt Leffert, executive director of Jack London Park Partners, the nonprofit which manages the park for the state. “We look forward to welcoming audiences back for these magical experiences that create lifelong connections to the park.”

“Sonoma County is a special place where a nonprofit like Transcendence Theatre Company has earned strong community support by keeping performing arts alive in our community. They also helped save our beloved Jack London State Historic Park with financial support for more than a decade,” adds Bill Friedman, chairman of the board of Friedman’s Home Improvement.

Transcendence Theatre Company attracts seasoned performers from all over the country to Sonoma County for their annual show season. Broadway performers from shows like Hamilton, Wicked, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia!, and many more have performed on the Transcendence stage. The Beat Goes On celebrates the grooviest, hippest, and most rockin’ hits from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s! Jam to the music of The Beatles and the Stones, the Mamas and the Papas, Donna Summer, Prince, Madonna, and more. Attendees are encouraged to dress in theme for the show’s era and break out the bell bottoms, miniskirts, leggings, and scrunchies. Whether this cool collection of songs and dance brings back memories or creates new ones, the audience is sure to love every beat!