BRÜKA THEATRE PRESENTS – THE BIGGEST little THEATRE FESTIVAL 2026

THE FESTIVAL WORKSHOP/PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

THURSDAY – 1/12/26 – CLOWN WORKSHOP & NEW ONE ACT PLAY
6:00 – 7:15 Tozy Clown Workshop – Brüka Studio 44
7:30 – 9:00 It’s A Ruff Life* By Stephanie Gittleman – Brüka Mainstage

FRIDAY – 1/13/26 – THE BIG SCHMOOZE & BOHEMIA
6:30 PM – 7:15 PM FESTIVAL COCKTAILS & SCHMOOZE TIME – Brüka Studio 44
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM BOHEMIA – WILD CARD
OPEN MIC – Sign Up With Your New Work Online. 5 Minute Slots Available.
Sign up for open mic spots at: https://forms.gle/EAuL8PmHdL7rEwDF6
Doors open @ 7:00 PM for Bohemia. Bohemia begins at 7:30 PM.

SATURDAY – BIGGEST/little FESTIVAL DAY 1/14/26 –
A NEW WORKS VALENTINE
Doors Open @ 1:30 PM
2:00 PM Packed* By Lisa Sheretz & Directed by Jason Sarna
4:00 PM The Heat Death Of The Universe* By Michael Frazel Directed by Rosie Brownlow – Calkin
6:00 PM The Patron Saint Of Reno* By Lyndsey Langsdale
8:00 PM Mr. Ow* Written By Tozy with Director & Co-deviser: Natasha Mercado

SUNDAY FUNDAY- BIGGEST/little FESTIVAL AFTERNOON SHOWS 1/15/25
A RENO BASED DOUBLE / DOUBLE FEATURE BY Sky Tolleson
2:00 PM Private Struggles Episode One & Two
The Complex Of Lillian Leftkeeper &
Zombie Siege at Sparks Senior Memory Care
4:00 PM Son Of A Hun Pt. One & Son Of A Hun Pt. Two

* Most Shows Have A Post Show Talkback With The Audience

PRICES:
THURSDAY – Tozy’s Clown Workshop: $30 Per Person
It’s a Ruff Life – A New One Act Play $10 Advance/$12 @ The Door
FRIDAY – Reception & Bohemia: $15 Bohemia Only: $10/$12 @ The Door
SATURDAY – Each Show $10 Advance. $12 @ The Door * All day Pass – $25
SUNDAY – Each Show $10 Advance. $12 @ The Door All day Pass – $15
All ENTRY Pass – $50 (Not including Workshop)
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: http://www.bruka.org

Supported by Friends Of Brüka, The Nevada Arts Council & The NEA & The City Of Reno

RENO, NV – The Fifteenth annual BIGGEST little Theatre & New Works Festival at Brüka Theatre is a showcase for original theatre pieces featuring traditional and nontraditional performances created by local and regional performance artists. Produced to support local theatre artists, giving an accessible, affordable and supportive environment to produce and take a chance with original work while also giving audiences the experience of locally produced original work in a theatre festival style. Aligning with Brüka Theatre’s Mission: To create and share the experience of innovative theatre, this small festival features performances on Brüka’s Mainstage and community events in Bruka’s Studio 44 space. Each performance varies in length or under and most followed by a talk back. Groups receive a portion of the ticket sales.

THURSDAY – 1/16/25 – THEATRICAL WORKSHOP & A NEW ONE ACT PLAY

Doors open @ 5:45 PM
6:00 PM – 7:15 PM CLOWNING FOR PERFORMERS WITH TOZY – BRÜKA STUDIO 44
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP: Step out of your head and into your ridiculousness. This playful workshop led by Tozy is designed to help you connect with your inner clown through games, movement, and guided exploration. Together, we’ll create a supportive space to take bold risks, be joyfully foolish, and find freedom in failure. Clowning can be a great way for performers of all types to get out of their heads, embrace the absurd, and lean into silliness. Come ready to play, surprise yourself, and laugh a lot. Open to performers of all backgrounds and experience levels. $30 per person.

Doors Open @ 7:00 PM
7:30 PM – It’s A Ruff Life Producer/Stage Manager: Stephanie Gittleman

ABOUT THE SHOW: It’s A Ruff Life’s unscripted content will address the question–“Can a new marriage survive a 3.5 lb Shih-Tzu OR will a 3.5 lb Shih-Tzu destroy the new marriage?!” Barely surviving the Empty Nest Syndrome, an emotional wife impulsively brings home a troublesome new dog (named JuJuBee) without asking her stern husband’s permission. Chaos and tumult ripple through their relationship (and bank account!) as the dog’s aggressive behavior takes over the household. Note: A live 3.5 lb Shih-Tzu will play the role of JujuBee. Running Time: 60 -70 Minutes PLAY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A TALK BACK WITH THE AUDIENCE & PLAYERS.

FRIDAY – 1/17/25 – THE BIG SCHMOOZE & BOHEMIA
6:00 PM – 6:45 PM FESTIVAL COCKTAILS & SCHMOOZE TIME
Appetizers provided by The Wild River Grille & Batch Cupcakery. Enjoy champagne from Brüka as we celebrate Thirty Three Years of theatrical opportunities and community connections. No host bar. $5

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM BOHEMIA – WILD CARD – Bohemia is an Open Mic with Featured Performers. Brüka Theatre has been presenting “Bohemia Nights” for close to 30 years, featuring and creating a performance platform for actors, musicians, poets, dancers and other performance based artforms to share their talent with our community. Doors open @ 7:00PM for Bohemia. The show begins at 7:30 PM. $10 per person in advance/$12 @ The Doors
OPEN MIC – Sign Up With Your New Work or Set Online. 5 Minute Slots Available.
https://forms.gle/EAuL8PmHdL7rEwDF6
SATURDAY – BIGGEST/little FESTIVAL DAY 2/14/26 – NEW WORKS

Doors open at 1:30 PM
2:00 PM – PACKED by Lisa Sheretz

ABOUT THE SHOW: Three generations of a family grieve their loss of a woman beloved by them in her roles as daughter, wife, mother. The family negotiates what to let go of and what to keep as they prepare for a road trip, stuck in the driveway together. Playreading. Dramedy. 45 Minutes.

Doors open at 3:30 PM
4:00 PM THE HEAT DEATH OF THE UNIVERSE * By Michael Frazel Directed by Rosie Brownlow-Calkin
ABOUT THE SHOW: The Heat Death Of The Universe is a tragedy about a politician forced to confront her past, her ideals, and, also maybe the God Dionysus during a fundraiser at a vineyard. Using humor, argument, and dance, this modern adaptation of The Bacchae by Euripides probes the agonies and ecstasies of leftist politics, conspiracy theories, and rosé in a world on fire. Appropriate for teens and above. Staged Reading. 60 Minutes.

Doors open @ 5:30 PM
6:00 PM – THE “PATRON SAINT OF RENO” * By Lyndsey Langsdale
ABOUT THE SHOW: The “Patron Saint of Reno” is a one-woman show, written and performed by Lyndsey Langsdale with multimedia/audio/visual support by Mallory Kate. This show tells the story of The Patron Saint of Reno, known by most Reno locals aged 40+ as the “Primadonna Girl” or the “Showgirl Statue,” others may even know her as “The Smut Palace Queen.” Whether we remember her in her heyday perched center stage in the ornate world famous Primadonna Casino marquee or in her later years erected atop the Adult Bookstore and Arcade, she was a Reno icon. She watched over our town for 31 years, ever observant, watching our lives, keeping our secrets, seeing our City change. It is now her time to tell this story, our story, before it’s lost to history. “The Patron Saint of Reno” pulls from the depth of Reno history archives, the recesses of imagination and is informed by Langsdale’s training in clown and physical theater.

Doors open @ 7:30 PM
8:00 PM MR. OW * Written By Tozy with Director & Co-deviser: Natasha Mercado
ABOUT THE SHOW: Mr. Ow is a silly yet glamorous worm who does magic, gambles with your biggest hopes and dreams, and you’ll love it when he wins it all. From the heart of Reno’s favorite clown-magician Tozy, comes her newest show. You’ll leave delighted, deepened, and maybe even a little bit dumber. Length: 60 Minutes. Show in Development. Improvised Play & Audience Interaction.

PLAYS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A TALK BACK WITH THE AUDIENCE & PLAYERS.

SUNDAY FUNDAY February 15, 2026 – BIGGEST little FESTIVAL
A RENO DOUBLE/DOUBLE FEATURE – NEW WORKS & STAGED READINGS
Written/Directed/Produced By Sky Tolleson

Doors open at 1:30 PM
2:00 – 2:20 PRIVATE STRUGGLES – PART ONE: THE COMPLEX OF LILLIAN LEFTKEEPER & PART TWO: ZOMBIE SIEGE AT SPARKS SENIOR MEMORY CARE

ABOUT THE FIRST DOUBLE FEATURE OF PLAYS: Private Struggles is A Twilight Zone style series of one acts plays. Lillian Leftkeeper – an eccentric woman’s life is reframed by her therapist. Zombie Siege – A Cynical man’s life is changed by a zombie siege at this workplace. Length: Two Acts running 20ish minutes each. Playreading. Adult comedy.

Doors open at 3:30 PM
4:00 PM SON OF A HUN PT. ONE & SON OF A HUN PT. TWO

ABOUT THE RENO DOUBLE FEATURE OF PLAYS: A “Neurodivergent Comedy Series” also known as existential or absurd theatre. Time travelers journey through dimensions where things “bleed through” from other times and realities. 474 AD – Past Reno. Part One: “Portends” The fascinating true story of Attila, the Hun’s journey to Washoe Valley and his son, Breck’s search for truth. Part Two: “The Wrath Of Breck” – after discovering the lies of his family, Breck resets the scales of justice. Running Time: 2 Acts – 50 minutes each. Playreading. Adult comedy.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for The BIGGEST little Theatre & New Works Festival are available to our Patron Gold Season Ticket Holders as part of the season ticket package. 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

RESERVATIONS are available in person through the Brüka Box Office (775) 323-3221, online at http://www.bruka.org or at our new Brüka Studio 44 located next door to Brüka 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 http://www.bruka.org.
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. The Downtown Ambassadors are present before and after performances for guidance and safety.

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 32nd season of live theatre in downtown Reno – Transcendence is the theme for the 2024/2025 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 nine 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 http://www.bruka.org.

Bruka Theatre Festival Web Page: https://www.bruka.org/biggest-little-theatre-festival-2026

Bruka Theatre Facebook Page Event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Gnwi8oh6P/?mibextid=wwXIfr

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: https://brukatheatre.simpletix.com/