In the January Current, we mentioned that there are a lot of great artists from Virginia coming to Sipe Center this year. Some of these artists are coming to us from the Virginia Commission for the Arts. These performers have to meet a lot of requirements to be listed on the VCA touring roster, and are some of the most talented innovative in their fields. We strive to bring the highest quality entertainment to Bridgewater and believe all the artist listed below are some of the best talent not just in Virginia but from all over.
The Virginia Repertory Theatre (VRT) will be in Bridgewater twice this year; on February 18 with Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroad and on December 4 with ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. The VRT is a nonprofit, professional theatre in Richmond. Since 1975, they have created exciting and innovative theatrical productions for young audiences. Each year, they tour national-caliber plays and musicals to hundreds of venues throughout the nation. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas was such a big hit on our stage in 2019 that we invited them back this year!
Claves Unidos is another Richmond based group coming to Sipe Center on May 21. Claves Unidos, translated United Rhythms, is a community-oriented dance company based in Richmond. They celebrate the unique ability of dance to build community and bring people together with a particular focus on acknowledging the African heritage found in many beloved dance forms around the world. They will be performing an original piece, Ancestral Memories: It Takes A Language, choreographed by their artistic director Kevin LaMarr Jones. This performance weaves movement, music and words to provide a relatable snapshot of the human experience.
The Virginia Children’s Theatre (VCT) is coming from Roanoke to bring Madagascar: A Musical Adventure to Sipe Center on June 18! This musical is sure to be a hit with the entire family! The Roanoke Times calls the VCT “world class.” VCT is an independently owned and operated 501(c)3 organization located in Roanoke. VCT is the professional theatre in the commonwealth solely dedicated to youth, schools and their families.
Our Signature Event this year is Coach Frank Beamer. Frank Beamer grew up in Southwest Virginia and served as head football coach at Virginia Tech for 28 years, from 1987 to 2015. Beamer led the Virginia Tech Hokies to 23 consecutive bowl games beginning in his seventh season in 1993 until he retired in 2015. It was the second-longest active consecutive bowl streak in the country at the time of his retirement. Coach Beamer will be speaking at Sipe Center on November 12.
Tickets to all of these events and the entire 2022 season are available on our website.