CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE HUMAN KIND

Written & Directed By Bob Gabrielli

Humans Have Never Been So Human As In This Collection Of Five Short Comedic Plays

November 8 & 9 @ 7:30 PM Matinee November 10 @ 2 PM followed by a Talk Back with the Author/Director & Cast General admission: $20. Admission for Students/Seniors/Military: $15. All tickets are $25 at the door.

Reno, NV. The second show of Bruka’s 32nd season features a November weekend run of five original short plays, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE HUMAN KIND, by local playwright Bob Gabrielli. A door-to-door encounter goes off the rails in one neighborhood exchange. Sparks fly for two lonely hearts at a blood donation center while a husband and wife’s annual review of their marriage turns on a dime. Meanwhile, an aging tennis player forges an unexpected connection with a ball girl while it’s a Darwinian survival of the fittest for the volunteers at a food bank event. An evening of humans being their most human: How could it not be entertaining? This show enjoys three performances: November 8, 9 @ 7:30 and a Sunday Matinee on November 10 @ 2 PM. Friday night’s show is followed by a post show reception with the company in Bruka Studio 44.

Gabrielli premiered four of these short plays at Bruka Theatre’s BIGGEST little Theatre Festival. Each year our festival features local productions submitted and produced by the artists themselves in a safe and supportive environment. Submissions open November 1 for our January 2025 festival.

SHOW TIMES – All Brüka mainstage evening shows begin at 7:30 PM. Matinees begin at 2:00 PM. Doors open 30 minutes before curtain time. The Sunday matinee on November 10 is followed by a talkback with the company and audience.

PRICES – General admission: $20. Admission for Students/Seniors/Military: $15. All tickets are $25 at the door. Additional Ticket fees will be incurred on all online and phone ticket transactions. All sales are final. Ticket exchanges incur a $3.66 per ticket fee, space permitting. There is NO late seating.

RESERVATIONS – In person or by phone through the Brüka Box Office (775) 323-3221. Online at http://www.bruka.org or at Bruka Studio 44 @ 44 W. First Street, Reno. Our box office is open Tuesday, Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays from 4-6 in October 2024. Come by Studio 44 for tickets, including Season Tickets, browsing or purchasing from our theatrical library and Bruka Merchandise.

PARKING – Court Street parking lot across from The Pioneer Theater. FREE after 5:00 PM on weekdays and NO CHARGE on weekends. We validate 5-hour parking at the Parking Gallery on First and Sierra Street. Fee is $1 for the first 5 hours and $3 for every additional hour.

SEASON TICKETS – Season tickets are still available at: http://www.bruka.org. This early opportunity to purchase Brüka Season Tickets helps fund the opening of the Brüka season while giving our Season Ticket holders lots of perks, savings and includes advanced ticket reservations before tickets go on sale to the general public, an invitation to our annual Martini Party, tickets to our Theatre For Children Production and for our BIGGEST little Theatre Festival – in January, 2025. 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.

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.

ABOUT THE CREATOR – BOB GABRIELLI – Reno native Bob Gabrielli has written/acted/ directed in local theater off and on for more than 45 years. Some of his favorite roles at Reno Little Theater (RLT) have been in Henry V, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Clybourne Park, August Osage County, The Humans and Native Gardens. He also directed his full-length script Excerpts at RLT. In 2023, Bob appeared in Brüka’s production of When Churchyards Yawn. In recent years, Bob has incubated his ten-minute plays in Bruka’s annual BIGGEST little Theatre Festival. These are the plays that make up Close Encounters of the Human Kind.