ABOUT THE SHOW

Meet Jerica, a young woman from St. Clare, a working-class neighborhood inside Bridge City, as new development threatens her community. Across the river, opportunity grows in wealthier Ludlow, pulling her between what’s next and what she refuses to leave behind.

Cities grow.
But who gets to stay?

Bridge City centers the people most often pushed to the margins in the name of “progress.” It’s a story about ambition, belonging, and what it takes to build a future without erasing the past.

Built on hip-hop, R&B, funk, soul, and nods to ’90s club sounds, Bridge City is funny, sharp, and full of heart—a celebration of love, joy, and resilience that doesn’t center trauma.

MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT 1

  • Welcome In

  • Boom Pop

  • What’s Up Bookie

  • Bang Yo Beat

  • Morning Huddle 1

  • Play Cousin

  • Before the Office

  • My Prayer

  • Go Off

ACT 2

  • Welcome Back Ya’ll

  • Morning Huddle 2

  • The Cookout

  • What’s Not to Love?

  • Morning Huddle 3

  • We Fightin’

  • Monolith

  • The Protest

  • Finale

CAST

  • Ariel Underwood

    Jerica

    LOREM IPSUM

  • Mary Patton

    Lynn

  • Nikko Griffin

    Bookie

  • Kammeron Frost

    Deja

  • Kayla Vogel

    Valerie

  • Ariana Hodes

    Mindi

  • Burgandie Roshjái

    Hutchins/Roots

  • Tangie Wyatt

    Mom/Roots

  • DeAndre Smith

    Dad/Roots

  • Sienna Glaze

    Remy/Roots

  • Jordan Whittaker

    Michael/Roots

  • Timothy Andrew Leonard

    James/Scott

  • Dev Marvelous

    John/Roots

  • Ian Meeker

    Iggy/Roots

CREATIVE TEAM

Assistant Director — Anita Anderson

Music Director — Stephen Felton

Choreographer — Julius “Eclypse” Jenkins

Production Stage Manager — Elijah Webster

Assistant Stage Manager — Chase Johnson

Sound Designer — Jake Tillmann

Costume Designer — Georgia Fried

Lighting Designer — Chris Lipstreu

Special thanks to Abby Sauer, Interim Stage Manager.

MUSICIANS

Keyboard 1— Stephen Felton

Keyboard 2 — Caleb Hixon

Guitar — Amir Martin

Base — Joe Memory

Drums — Stan Gin

Special thanks to Nick Federinko and Jake Sinsky, interim musicians.

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Matthew David Gellin

LOREM IPSUM

PLAYWRIGHT/COMPOSER’S NOTE

Kennen Butler

LOREM IPSUM

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

This production is made possible through the generous support of our funders and community partners. Thank you for helping us create and share new work that reflects the voices and experiences of our communities.

Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation

William O. Purdy, Jr. Foundation Fund

Greater Cincinnati Nonprofit News

YWCA Greater Cincinnati

With additional support from…