presents
The Breakup Variety Hour
Brava Theater, San Francisco
April 5th, 2025
Shot and Written by Story DeWeese
Ariana and the Rose delighted her audience at the Brava Theater in San Francisco on Saturday, April 5th with a one-woman show filled with powerful vocals, engaging storytelling, and razor-sharp wit. This was the first night of The Breakup Variety Tour, which spans from San Francisco to New York City throughout the month of April. During the performance, Ariana gave a multi-step masterclass on navigating breakups, which included blending vulnerability with strength and humor with raw emotion. The songs throughout the evening were unreleased, giving the audience a sneak peek into the album that will be coming soon. From the moment Ariana stepped on stage, it was clear that this wasn’t just another show. This was an experience that would leave its mark, an evening where music, storytelling, and unapologetic authenticity converged into something unforgettable.
Before the show began, Ariana provided every audience member a card and asked them to write down their craziest/funniest date story. Known for lifting up the voices of women and the LGBTQ+ community, the Brava Theater was the perfect setting for this intimate, participatory experience. Breaking down the stages of heartbreak (with parallels to the Seven Stages of Grief), Ariana helped the audience navigate breakups through song, dance, and storytelling. One of the most empowering aspects of the evening was when Ariana described how sharing her experiences online helped her find validation from other women, particularly in a space that often pits women against each other. After describing some of her own personal experiences with bad dates, Ariana read aloud anonymous stories from the cards the audience had written before the show. The laughter that followed created a deeper bond between her and the crowd, a shared moment of understanding. Ariana even led the audience in a breathing exercise that tied into her message of self-care and love.
Ariana’s contagious energy spilled into the crowd. Her precise movements, gestures and facial expressions helped bring each story to life. Every word was carefully chosen, drawing the audience deeper into her world. The songs were written as if they were poetry, and her storytelling was infused with vivid imagery that captivated the room. Although she navigated heavy themes like grief, loss, and the uncertainty of breakups, Ariana skillfully transformed these moments into relatable, comedic acts. Her vulnerability created a sense of community, leaving the audience feeling both heard and connected.
Ariana performed as if she was crafting a one-woman show for each audience member. She made eye contact, sang directly to individuals, and responded to their comments and reactions in real-time. At one point, she even taught the audience the chorus of one of her unreleased songs, leading them in call-and-response. It was a beautiful example of how an artist and audience can come together to create something special. Each show on this tour will be unique because it is crafted for beautiful moments of audience participation through the storytelling cards.
One audience member, Mariah Manzano, even noted, “I’ll be thinking about this show for a long time...” She described Ariana as the best singer she had seen perform in a while and was especially inspired by Ariana’s rich vocals.
Ariana ended on a hopeful note, flipping the commonly negative breakup narrative and showed the silver lining of breakups. She described how being in love, even when it leads to pain, “…is never a waste of time…” and that sometimes heartbreaks are the cracks that let the next best thing shine through—after going through heartbreak, we learn more about ourselves, our needs and our desires. Ultimately, heartbreaks are an investment in ourselves. Ariana encouraged everyone to remember that believing in love is all we can do in the end. This beautiful perspective showed the value in always getting closer to knowing one’s true self.
After the show, fans came up to Ariana to meet her and asked her to sign photos and cards for them. She graciously took the time to meet everyone and hear their stories. To one group whom thanked Ariana for her incredible performance and relevant message, Ariana replied that this show is for “the girls and they gays.”
The evening was a triumph of artistry, vulnerability, and humor, all while bringing together a sense of community in the audience. While the breakup stories were unique, the sense of loss and discomfort were not. It was a night that left the audience members feeling seen, heard, and empowered. Bold in its message, vulnerable in its execution, and funny in its delivery, Ariana’s performance was a powerful reminder of the importance of self-love and overcoming challenges by opening up to those around you and forming a deeper community.
