Marley Bridges Theatre Company (MBTC)

What is the Marley Bridges Theatre Company?
"suspending disbelief & spanning the ages"
GRIMES + BRADLEY = Marley Bridges
We believe that theatre is meant to be experienced and not just passively observed.
We engage, entertain, and educate with interactive, immersive theatre.

We are dedicated to:
Building community collaboration with creative programming and interactive theatre
Revitalizing and preserving Newport's social history through theatre and reenactments
Inspiring future performers and artists to practice and share their talents
Developing and producing original scripts written by Rhode Islanders
Giving everyone the opportunity to play, imagine & experience the magic of make-believe
Educating and enriching students with performance and art workshops
Sustaining the arts throughout Newport County and Rhode Island for future generations

Formerly known as the Beechwood Theatre Company, the Marley Bridges Theatre Company (MBTC) operates under the Beechwood Foundation, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to fostering the arts, arts education, and historic preservation throughout Newport County. Partners-in-crime Patrick Grimes and Jessica Bradley are the heart and soul of the MBTC. They have been nomadic since leaving Bellevue Avenue and proudly collaborate with the community to create affordable and accessible theatre.

MBTC specializes in interactive, historical, and educational theatrical programming, with a forte for situational and site-specific entertainment. Its mission includes offering Rhode Islanders and visitors alike engaging and enriching affordable entertainment, as well as providing educational workshops in improvisation and acting to area schools at little or no cost. Moneys raised through performances help fund arts programs in our community - from musical instruments for struggling band programs to grants for original works in the performing arts.

Support us in our efforts to grow and perpetuate our creative programming! We appreciate and entertain any input, whether an encouraging word or testimonial, helping hand, or donation. Visit our sister website (www.MarleyBridges.org) and contact Patrick or Jessica about how you can join in the fun today. Call us at 401-324-9436 or email shows@newportmurdermystery.com. Thank you and may your imagination run wild...

Board of Directors:

Cris McCullough, President - Expressive Arts, Marketing
Alan Bernstein, Vice President - Arts Education, Administration
Cindy Killavey, Secretary - Storytelling, Performance
Paul McGreevy, Treasurer - Politics, Government
Joni Jablansky, Director - Graphic Design, Marketing
Jim Killavey, Director - Audio Recording, Performance
Madeline Mancini, Director - Special Events, Hospitality

Community Collaborators:

Architect's Inn and Inn Bliss
Artists' Exchange
East Bay Met School Arts Advisory
Emmanuel Church
Newport Art Museum & Art Association
Photographer Eric Hovermale (www.erichovermale.com)

Administrative Staff & Actors:

Jessica Bradley Chace
Creative Producer/Mystery Engineer

Jessica Bradley Chace earned her B.A. in Theatre from Michigan State University. Following graduation, she became a member of the Beechwood Theatre Company and acted at Astors’ Beechwood Mansion for four years until its closing in 2010. She became the Managing Director of the Beechwood Foundation in her third season and is now the Creative Producer of the MBTC. Improvisational theatre is Jessica’s favorite form of performance art and she has trained with Second City, ImprovOlympic and Annoyance Theatre in Chicago. Jessica has been the Artistic Director of Artists’ Exchange’s summer One Act Play Festival in Cranston, and also works on productions for The Gamm Theatre in Warwick.

Charles Lane Cowen
Associate Director/Mystery Engineer

Charles Lane Cowen is Associate Director for the Marley Bridges Theatre Company and has been performing with the group since 2008. He has worked as an actor and director around the country at theatres such as the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, the Texas Shakespeare Festival, The Greenbrier Valley Theatre in Lewisburg, WV, Jedlicka Performing Arts Center in Chicago, and Ridgeville Shakespeare in Chicago. Most recently he was seen as Master Page in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" as well as a featured role in the new work "Never Have I Ever the Musical" at Chicago's Second City Theatre. In addition to acting Charles has directed and adapted many works and particularly enjoys building and performing with puppets. Charles holds a B.A. in Drama from the University of Dallas. When he's not acting he's serving a mean cup of espresso at Empire Tea and Coffee in Newport.

Patrick Grimes
Artistic Director/Mystery Engineer

Patrick Grimes holds a degree in Acting from the University of Northern Colorado. Hired by the Astors' Beechwood Mansion as a summer cast member portraying John Jacob Astor IV in 1996, Patrick fell in love with Newport and the rich social history that abounds here. Following 4 years of work with Beechwood, Patrick moved to Portland Oregon where he and a group of enthusiastic visionaries started a small film production company. One year later, he was offered a returing position with the Beechwood Theatre Comany and moved across the nation once more. After Beechwood closed its doors to the public in 2010, Patrick and Jessica refused to let the theatre company die. In 2010, Patrick directed Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and in 2011 Picasso at the Lapin Agile for the Salve Regina Theatre Department at the historic Casino Theatre. He is a veteran of several professional improvisational theatre troupes, and has a passion for the unscripted.

John McKenna
Director/Writer

John McKenna is a graduate of Trinity Repertory Company in Providence. John has written a full length musical comedy with the imposing title- "The Early Pre-Dusk of Dr. Menace's Re-Animated Undead Zombies or Menace of the Morgue" which was successfully produced in workshop performance in April 2011 and performances in October 2013 at Theatre 82 in Cranston! John joined the theatre company in 2010 as an actor in the Murder Mysteries and swiftly became an integral part of operations, bringing his wit, enthusiasm and unique vision to our programming.

Cris McCullough
President of Board/Madame Marvella

Cris McCullough is the sitting President of the Board of Director for the Beechwood Foundation. In addition, she can be regularly seen in our murder mystery performances with both the Art Museum and the Architect's Inn playing a range of fun and energetic characters including the psychic "Madame Marvella." What will your future hold?

http://www.tarotnewport.com/index.html

Alex O'Hara
Marketing Intern/Performer

Alex O'Hara is a student at U.R.I. currently studying for a double degree in marketing and theatre, making her a perfect fit!

Alex is also a talented performer who appears in many of our mysteries - look for her on a train, on a boat or in a mansion...

Nikki Lawrence
Music Director/Performer

Nikki Lawrence is happy to be a member of the Marley Bridges Theatre Company. She holds a B.A. in vocal performance from SUNY Geneseo and an M.A. in expressive arts therapy and mental health counseling from Lesley University. Some of her favorite roles include Carmen from Carmen, Magda from The Consul, Mary Flynn from Merrily We Roll Along, Golde from Fiddler on the Roof, and Hucklebee from The Fantasticks.

{Photo Courtesy of Eric Hovermale}

Donate to our Annual Fund!

Marley Bridges Theatre Company is operated by the Beechwood Foundation, Inc., the 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization dedicated to fostering the arts, arts education, and historic preservation throughout Newport County.

Your tax-deductible donation will support the Beechwood Foundation's perpetuity, which in turn will allow the MBTC to continue producing its year-round affordable programming including the "Murder at the Museum" series, "One-Act Wednesday" summer theatre series, and Victorian Christmas Feast.

Follow this link - http://www.crowdrise.com/beechwoodfoundationannualfund - to make your secure donation. Thank you for your generosity and support!