Changing Hearts & Minds

As The Bridge Theatre embarks upon its third season, the Orlando-based nonprofit continues to live up to its name with every production it stages.

Founded two years ago by Jennifer Jacobson and Karen Rugerio, the theater company for young audiences is building bridges to a better world through strong storytelling designed not merely to entertain, but to educate.

The company’s productions have reached about 5,000 middle-and high-school students in Central Florida thus far, opening minds along the way. Recently, the theater announced an ambitious lineup of shows for 2026-2027, plays intended to empower young people to combat prejudice and hatred, challenge bullying, and cultivate empathy.

Celebrating Hope

“This season is about the power of stories to change hearts,” says Jennifer, president of The Bridge Theatre board. “Every production invites audiences to confront hate, celebrate hope, and remember that one person’s voice can make a difference. We’re not simply producing plays – we’re creating experiences that spark conversations long after the curtain falls.”

The season’s lineup (the company’s most ambitious to date) includes:

• The Diary of Anne Frank, based on the memoirs of Anne Frank, a Jewish girl forced to hide with her family for nearly two years to escape Nazi persecution during World War II. This one-act school version was adapted by Wendy Kesselman from the acclaimed play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett.

The Bridge Theatre first produced the show at Dr. Phillips High School in the fall of 2024 and at Ocoee High School in the fall of 2025. This year’s iteration will again be staged at Ocoee High School, starring Orlando actress Sasha Bloom in the title role. Matinee performances will be offered for free to school groups on September 17, 18, 22, 23, and 24. A public performance will be presented at 7:00 p.m. September 17, with a limited number of discounted student tickets available for that date.

• I Never Saw Another Butterfly, a one-act play by Celeste Raspanti, was inspired by the poetry and artwork of Jewish children imprisoned at the Terezin concentration camp during the Holocaust. A public performance will be presented at 7:30 p.m. February 27 at The Pargh Event Center at Rosen JCC, as part of the Arts at the J lineup. A matinee for students is also being planned.
• Anne & Emmett, a thought-provoking drama by Janet Langhart Cohen, depicts an imaginary conversation between Anne Frank and Emmett Till, an African American boy whose brutal murder became a catalyst for the civil-rights movement.

The Bridge Theatre’s inaugural production of Anne & Emmett was staged in January at the Pargh Event Center, with improv icon Wayne Brady as the producer. Wayne was a student of Karen’s when she taught at Dr. Phillips, and he has been an ardent supporter of The Bridge Theatre and its mission from the beginning. The company will be remounting the one-act play April 22-25 at Rollins College, with the goal of expanding its core audience to include collegiate students.

As The Bridge Theatre’s flagship production, Anne Frank has been extremely successful, filling theaters, enlightening young audiences, and clearing a path for meaningful conversations.

“Anne Frank is a beautiful portal into where we want to go,” says Karen, the play’s director and a self-described forever teacher. “Compassion matters, and we all have a responsibility to oppose hatred and prejudice when we see it and hear it.”

Raising Awareness

Sasha, a 14-year-old freshman at Dr. Phillips, says the role of Anne will be her most challenging to date, by far. This summer, the young thespian read the book The Diary of Anne Frank – before she heard about The Bridge Theatre’s upcoming show – and visited the Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center of Florida with her family, parents Rob and Juliana and older brother Jonah. For Sasha, portraying Anne, who perished in a concentration camp at the age of 15, is an opportunity to honor her Jewish heritage.

“I think this play is extremely important right now,” says Sasha, “because there’s unfortunately a lot of hate and antisemitism in the world. It’s important to raise awareness about that.”

Although Sasha is new to The Bridge Theatre, many of the cast members from its previous productions of Anne Frank are reprising their roles. They believe strongly in the theater company, its mission, and the message of the play.

“We have built an ensemble that is just stellar,” says Karen. “They have become a special little family, and I think you see that on stage. Everybody’s like, ‘When do we get to do this again?’”

For both Jennifer and Karen, the post-show question-and-answer sessions with the director and cast are among the most powerful moments of each production.

“The questions students ask are thoughtful, insightful, and often astonishing,” says Jennifer. “Their questions remind us that these stories aren’t simply being watched – they’re being absorbed. When students leave more compassionate, more thoughtful, and more willing to stand up against hatred and intolerance, we’re reminded exactly why this work matters.”

To learn more, visit TheBridgeTheatre.org.