Backstage Georgia

Cameron Mackintosh's NEW 25th Anniversary Production of Les Miserables is Coming to the Fox Theatre!

2012-01-25T16:28:00.000-05:00

The World's Longest-Running Musical Boubil and Schonberg's Les Miserable

TICKETS ON SALE FEBRUARY 5
ATLANTA PREMIERE ENGAGEMENT AT THE FOX THEATRE
APRIL 24-29

Tickets for Cameron Mackintosh’s new 25th anniversary production of Les Misérables will go on sale Sunday, February 5 for the premiere Atlanta engagement at The Fox Theatre, as part of the Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta 2011-12 season. The all new production of Les Misérables features glorious new staging and spectacular reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. Tickets start at $33. Tickets can be purchased through authorized ticket sellers at the Fox Theatre Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.broadwayinatlanta.com or by phone at 1-800-982-2787. Orders for groups of 15 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000. For more information on the production, engagement dates, and locations please visit www.LesMis.com. For a video sneak peek of the New 25th Anniversary Production of Les Misérables, please visit www.LesMis.com/watch.

The New York Times calls this Les Misérables “an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish.” The London Times hails the new show “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful and as good as the original.” The Star-Ledger says "a dynamically re-imagined hit. This Les Misérables has improved with age” and NY1-TV proclaims “this new production actually exceeds the original. The storytelling is clearer, the perspective grittier and the motivations more honest. Musical theatre fans can rejoice: Les Miz is born again.”

“I’m delighted that 25 years after Les Miz originally opened in London the audience for this marvelous show is bigger and younger than ever before,” said producer Cameron Mackintosh. “Over the years I have seen many successful but visually different productions, so it has been exciting to draw inspiration from the brilliant drawings and paintings of Victor Hugo himself, integrated with spectacular projections. The new Les Miz is a magnificent mix of dazzling images and epic staging, driving one of the greatest musical stories ever told.”

Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, Les Misérables is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit. The magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the classic songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” “One Day More,” “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” “Master Of The House” and many more.

Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer from the original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, additional material by James Fenton and original adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. The original Les Misérables orchestrations are by John Cameron with new orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke and additional orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe and Stephen Brooker. The production is directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell, designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo with costumes by Andreane Neofitou and additional costumes by Christine Rowlands, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Mick Potter, musical staging by Michael Ashcroft and projections by Fifty-Nine Productions.

Les Misérables originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on October 8, 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on December 4, 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen’s Theatre on April 3, 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses. When Les Misérables celebrated its 21st London birthday on October 8, 2006, it became the World’s Longest-Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by Cats in London’s West End.

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the legendary musical Les Misérables made theatrical history with an international first - three different productions in London at the same time. The Original Production (still playing to packed houses at the Queen’s Theatre), the acclaimed New 25th Anniversary Production at the Barbican (where the show originally premiered) and a celebratory concert at The O2 Arena. The O2 Concert was presented in over 500 cinemas throughout the United States on November 17, 2010 and is now available on Blu-ray DVD through Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

The Broadway production of Les Misérables originally opened at the Broadway Theatre on March 12, 1987 and transferred to the Imperial Theatre on October 17, 1990 running for 6,680 performances. The US National Tour began in November 1987 and visited over 150 cities before closing in St. Louis, MO in 2006. Broadway audiences welcomed Les Miz back to New York on November 9, 2006 where the show played the Broadhurst Theatre until its final performance on January 6, 2008. To date, Les Misérables remains the 3rd longest-running Broadway production of all time.

Seen by nearly 60 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals ever written, with new productions continually opening around the globe, with seven more currently scheduled. There have been 36 cast recordings of Les Misérables, including the multi-platinum London cast recording, the Grammy Award-winning Broadway cast and complete symphonic albums and the soon to be released live recording of the New 25th Anniversary Production. The video of the 10th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Gala Concert has sold millions of copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK. There are over 2,500 productions of the Les Misérables School’s Edition scheduled or being performed by over 125,000 school children in the UK, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools. Cameron Mackintosh is currently developing a film of Les Misérables with Working Title and Universal.

The performance schedule for Les Misérables at The Fox Theatre is:
Tuesday, April 24 8 p.m.
Wednesday, April 25 8 p.m.
Thursday, April 26 8 p.m.
Friday, April 27 8 p.m.
Saturday, April 28 2 p.m., 8 p.m.
Sunday, April 29 1 pm., 6:30 p.m.

About Broadway Across America
BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA (producer), part of the Key Brand Entertainment family of companies which includes Broadway.com, is owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman). Broadway Across America presents first-class touring musicals and plays across 40 North American cities. Broadway.com is the premier theater website for news, exclusive content and ticket sales. Under the supervision of Beth Williams (COO and Head of Production), Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse theatre. Current Broadway productions include How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying starring Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette, Million Dollar Quartet, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Jerusalem, Memphis, La Cage Aux Folles, the West End production of Million Dollar Quartet and the touring production of Dreamworks’ Madagascar Live! For more information, please visit BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com and Broadway.com.

Center for Puppetry Arts Launches Out-of-this-World Adventure with Space! January 26-March 11

2012-01-24T13:08:00.002-05:00

Extraterrestrial Guides Take Families on Educational Journey through the Solar System
This January, Center for Puppetry Arts invites families on an intergalactic journey of discovery. Space! takes the audience on a fun-filled rock-n-roll exploration of the cosmos. Performances will be January 26 through March 11.

A not-to-miss adventure, Space! blasts off with a rocking band of extraterrestrial musicians. Astronomy fans can learn out-of-this-world facts about planets, stars, meteors and more. They can feel the gravitational pull with Sir Isaac Newton, gaze at Saturn's rings with Galileo and rock out on the asteroid belt. Ever wonder what fuels the sun or where the planets got their names? Find out in this galactic trip filled with cosmic special effects and an eclectic musical score fit for a universe as vast and diverse as our own.

Space! is written and directed by Jon Ludwig with music composed by John Cerreta. Blending rod, shadow and blacklight puppetry with projections, this show offers a unique take on science for families, schools and other groups. Kids can bop along to 15 original songs, gaze with awe at hundreds of NASA images and get silly with a host of unusual characters.

Space!, part of the 2011-12 Family Series at Center for Puppetry Arts, will be presented in the Mainstage Theater January 26 through March 11. Show times are as follows:

January 26-March 4:

· Tuesday—Friday: 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
· Saturday: 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
· Sunday: 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

March 6-11

· Tuesday—Friday: 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
· Saturday: 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
· Sunday: 2:00 p.m.

Single show tickets include admission to the Museum Exhibits as well as the Create-A-Puppet Workshop, where kids can make their own Extraterrestrial Hand Puppet.

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR $9.25 (MEMBERS) AND $16.50 (NONMEMBERS) AND CAN BE PURCHASED ONLINE AT WWW.PUPPET.ORG OR BY CALLING THE TICKET SALES OFFICE AT 404-873-3391.

The Center for Puppetry Arts is supported in part by: Fulton County Arts Council • The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta • City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs • Georgia Council for the Arts • National Endowment for the Arts • WSB-TV Family 2 Family Project • AT&T The Real Yellow Pages • Regency Suites Hotel • For a complete list of the Center’s major supporters, please www.puppet.org.Center for Puppetry Arts® is a unique cultural treasure – a magical place where children and adults are educated, enlightened, and entertained. Since 1978, the Center has introduced millions of visitors to the wonder and art of puppetry and has touched the lives of many through enchanting performances, curriculum-based workshops, and the hands-on Museum as well as Distance Learning and Outreach programs. Center for Puppetry Arts is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization and is supported in part by contributions from corporations, foundations, government agencies, and individuals. Major funding is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council. These programs are supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. GCA also receives support from its partner agency, the National Endowment for the Arts. Major support is provided by the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs. The Center is a participant in the New Generations Program, funded by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation/The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and administered by Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for the American theatre. The Center is a Member of TCG. The Center also serves as headquarters of UNIMA-USA, the American branch of Union Internationale de la Marionnette, the international puppetry organization.

“Club Swing” at UWG’s Townsend Center Evokes Big Band Era

2012-01-10T17:58:00.000-05:00

Put on your dancing shoes and step back in time. Live Art 2012 at the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts takes you to the swing era on Jan. 21.

This is the fifth annual gala event, which brings unique and talented performers to the region. This year the Townsend Center presents Five by Design performing the musical revue “Club Swing.” The performance begins at 7:30 pm.

Backed by a live band, Five By Design puts on a show that is reminiscent of the ‘30s and ‘40s club scene. “Club Swing” follows the rise and fall of the big band era at the fictional Club Swing in the Hotel Crosby.

The Stork Club, the Copa, the Cocoanut Grove and Club Swing were formerly the hottest spots to see great entertainment. Only the once-magnificent Club Swing is left standing and now the wrecking ball is poised to strike her down. Can Joe Sullivan, the club’s bartender, prevent this tragedy from occurring? A long forgotten neon sign flares to life, illuminating palm trees and the art deco bar and magically restoring Club Swing to her former splendor.

From the frenetic opening with Benny Goodman’s “Bugle Call Rag” to the show’s blockbuster finale of Louis Prima’s “Sing, Sing, Sing,” “Club Swing” celebrates the songs, events and personalities that defined American popular culture during the swing era.

Tickets for this performance are $38. Visit or call the Townsend Center Box office, 678-839-4722, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.townsendcenter.org.

Five By Design’s signature harmonies have withstood the test of time in a career that spans more than twenty years. The group embraces the unforgettable melodies, lush harmonies and swinging rhythms that evoke the names of Miller, Mancini and Mercer. This nationally acclaimed vocal group has been the choice of symphony orchestras and performing art centers, delighting hundreds of thousands. Their performances showcase the group’s penchant for storytelling and the comedic. Their CDs include: “Radio Days,” “Club Swing,” “Stay Tuned” and “The Ultra Lounge Show.”

The Minnesota-based Five By Design includes Lorie Carpenter-Niska, Catherine Farr-Scott, Kurt Niska, Michael Swedberg and Terrence Niska. Four of the members have been singing together since 1986.

In addition to bringing high quality entertainment to Carrollton, Live Art supports the arts at the Townsend Center. It is not too late to become a Live Art sponsor. Sponsorship brings world-class entertainment to the west Georgia region . Live Art contributions sustain programming and outreach in the Townsend Center Professional Series. Sponsorship packages include name recognition in the playbills, hospitality prior to the performance, priority seating and admission to the cast party. For more information, contact the staff at the Townsend Center at 678-839-4722.

Horizon Theatre Company Closes 2011 Season with TREE by Julie Hébert

2011-08-25T19:26:00.000-04:00

A forbidden love affair. A sibling you never knew. This family tree drips with Spanish moss and mystery in Horizon Theatre Company’s 27th season closer, Tree by award-winning playwright Julie Hébert, running September 16 to October 16. Secrets are revealed when two strangers, siblings by blood, uncover their parents’ hidden truths and make the difficult choices to stop living in the footprints of others. The professional Southeastern premiere of Tree runs Wednesdays through Sundays at Horizon Theatre in Little Five Points (1083 Austin Avenues NE, 30307, corner of Euclid and Austin Avenues). Tree will have you on the edge of your seat as you unravel the mystery of this family tree!

The Story

In a stash of love letters, a mystery is born that brings Didi, a white professor of gender studies, all the way from the bayous of Baton Rouge to the Chicago home of Leo, a divorced African-American chef caring for his ailing mother and free-spirited daughter. When these two strangers discover they are connected by blood, they must bridge the divides of race, gender and culture to weave together a common history from the unreliable threads of an old woman’s memories. In our supposedly post-racial world, this play reminds us that sometimes we have to know where we’ve come from to know who we are.

About the Playwright and the Play

“I set out to write a play about race and ended up writing a play about family,” says playwright Julie Hebert about Tree, “About the inescapability of family, of being known over time, of recognizing yourself in others, of continuing relationships after betrayal and suffering. In my family (and the one in this play), we have profound differences in our belief systems, our politics, our ways of life... and yet we find a way to sit at the same table. We keep each other honest. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes painful – and so it is with this play.”

Julie is a writer and director who divides her time between the Hollywood television and film scene and the regional stage. Tree premiered to critical acclaim and sold out houses in Los Angeles, produced by Ensemble Studio Theater-LA in 2009, and received its second major production last spring at Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago. In its premiere productions, Tree has been called, “moving, sophisticated and authentic” by the Chicago Tribune and “wry, complex and tender” by the LA Times. LA Weekly wrote of the play, “Go! Riveting family drama…Julie Hebert is a lovely writer.”

First a playwright, Julie has written for some of television’s most popular dramas, including Numb3rs, ER and Third Watch. Julie also wrote screenplays for "Female Perversions", nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, and “Ruby’s Bucket of Blood”, a Showtime film based on Julie's play, starring Angela Bassett. She has directed episodes of The West Wing, ER, Third Watch and Numb3rs. Her first work as a playwright, TRUE BEAUTIES, won the Bay Area Critics Circle Award for Best Play. She followed that success with the much-acclaimed ALMOST ASLEEP, RUBY’S BUCKET OF BLOOD, and THE KNEE DESIRES THE DIRT, which won a PEN Center Award for Drama.

In 2009, Julie had three plays premiere: TOUCH THE WATER, a commission with Cornerstone Theater about environmental justice, was performed on the banks of the Los Angeles River; ST. JOAN AND THE DANCING SICKNESS was performed in rep at the Open Fist; and Tree in its world premiere at Ensemble Studio Theater-LA.

The Director & Cast

“Tree is funny, touching, and a perfect fit for Horizon mission of bringing diverse audiences together for smart and provocative stories of our times,” says Tree’s director and Horizon Co-Artistic/Producing Director Lisa Adler. “The play is a mystery, a ghost story and a family drama with plenty of humor that bridges generations and cultures.”

“It also touches on issues that matter to many or our audience members: What we give up for love and to keep our family together – and how it helps or haunts us; The difficulty of change as we grow into people we never expected to be; The twisted pasts that all families share and the ways in which we negotiate our differences; Children and grandchildren coping with aging relatives and the honest challenges and unexpected gifts of care-taking; Generational attitudes about race relations – pre-Civil rights, Civil Rights, and Post-Civil Rights – and how they affect our actions; Secrets – why we bury them and the consequences of doing so. We hope audiences will be engrossed in the story we weave, and also come out ready to share their own stories – experiences that relate to the play with each other, their families, and their friends.”

Tree brings together a dynamic onstage family of Atlanta-based professional actors, including some Horizon favorites. Playing the matriarch Mrs. Jessalyn Price whose memories are unearthed is the Suzi Award-winning Donna Biscoe, most recently seen in Theatrical Outfit’s The Green Book and at Horizon in the 2009 production A Cool Drink A Water. Her chief care-giver and son, Leo Price, is Geoffrey Williams last seen at Horizon in Blue and who will appear in Alliance Theatre’s God of Carnage in the coming winter. Megan Hayes from Horizon’s Charm School and The Perfect Prayer and who will return to The Santaland Diaries for her second year this holiday season will play Didi, the professor who comes searching to solve the mystery her father left in letters. Closing out the cast is Joy Brunson as Leo’s college student daughter JJPrice. Joy, a graduate of Spelman College, is making her professional theatre debut in Tree.

The Creative Team

Creating a blended world of the lush Louisiana Bayou of a woman’s memory and the reality of a Chicago home are a creative team of Horizon family favorites. Suzi Award winning scenic design duo Moriah and Isabel Curley-Clay, props mistress extraordinaire MC Park, and Suzi Award-winning resident lighting designer Mary Parker all return to Horizon where they all last worked together on the summer’s smash hit, Avenue Q. Costume designer Nyrobi Moss, who won a Suzi in 2010 for Horizon’s Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery and who recently designed Three Sistahs, returns for this contemporary ensemble play. Sound designer Thom Jenkins, another frequent Horizon collaborator, will design the atmospheric soundscape.

Critical Acclaim for Tree

“Hébert’s characters — profane and stubborn — have an ornery charm. Tree suggests that real families are the people who know you well enough to push you into becoming someone new." - Los Angeles Times

“Moving, sophisticated, authentic and clearly grounded in empathy for those of us who must navigate the territory of messy families” – Chicago Tribune

“Wry, complex and tender…gets everything right.” – LA Times, Critic’s Choice

“GO! Riveting family drama...Hébert is a lovely writer." – LA Weekly

“Julie’s work aims, certainly, for the heart, but it strikes more specifically, in the breath — the shock of breath when we become aware of all that animates us" –Todd London, New Dramatists

The Details

The play runs September 16 through October 16, Wed, Thurs and Fri at 8pm, Sat at 8:30pm and Sunday at 5pm. Sat at 3pm performances are Sept 24th and Oct 8th and others may be added. Tickets start as low as $20* (plus 8% sales tax) for general admission seats on weeknights. Prices are subject to availability, so get your tickets early for the best prices. Tickets and information are available at www.horizontheatre.com or 404-584-7450.

The Artistic Team/Cast

Directed by Lisa Adler

The Cast

Jessalyn Price Donna Biscoe*
Didi Marcantel Megan Hayes
JJ Price Joy Brunson
Leo Price Geoffrey Williams*
*Members of Actors Equity Association

Tree Creative Team

Scenic Designer Isabel & Moriah Curley-Clay
Costume Designer Nyrobi Moss
Light Designer Mary Parker
Sound Designer Thom Jenkins
Prop Designer MC Park
Stage Manager Rodney Lamar Williams*

Ticket Information **

Performances of Tree Sept 16 – Oct 16, 2011:
Tickets start at just $20
Wed, Thurs, & Fri 8 PM
Saturday Matinee, 3 PM (9/24 & 10/8, others TBA)
Saturday, 8:30 PM
Sunday, 5 PM
Opening Night, 8 PM (9/16)

**Ticket prices are subject to change. 8% sales tax will be added to all ticket orders. Internet convenience fee added to all online orders. No refunds, exchanges or late seating. Group discounts available for select performances.

Tickets may be purchased by calling the Box Office at 404.584.7450 or visiting tickets.horizontheatre.com. Horizon Theatre Company is located in Little Five Points at the corner of Euclid and Austin Avenues (1083 Austin Avenue). All seating is General Admission.

About Horizon Theatre Company
Horizon Theatre Company, 1083 Austin Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30307, connects people, inspires hope and promotes positive change through professional, contemporary theatre and the stories of our times. For more information about tickets, group sales, or to receive a season brochure, call 404.584.7450 or visit www.horizontheatre.com.
Horizon Theatre Company is grateful for the sponsorship by the Turner Voices initiative of Turner Broadcasting, who provides generous support to the 2011 season. Additional major funding is provided by the City of Atlanta, Office of Cultural Affairs and Fulton County Commission under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council. Horizon Theatre is also supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. The Council is a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Mama Mia Returns to the Fabulous Fox Theater Nov 2 - 6

2011-08-21T07:03:00.000-04:00

The Global Smash Hit Will Return for ONE WEEK ONLY!
Tickets on Sale August 28

Nov 2 - Nov 6; Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ MAMMA MIA!, the smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, returns to Atlanta in November as a special to the Broadway Across America – Atlanta 2011-12 season. Performances begin on November 2 and run through November 6 at The Fox Theatre.

Seen by over 45 million people around the world, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA!, is celebrating over 3,800 performances in its tenth smash hit year at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre and remains among Broadway’s top selling musicals. The current North American Tour has played over 3,000 performances in over 130 cities with 125 repeat visits. The original West End production of MAMMA MIA! is now in its twelfth year and has celebrated over 4,800 performances in London and the international tour has visited more than 50 foreign cities and been seen by 3.6 million people. The blockbuster feature film adaptation of MAMMA MIA!, produced by Judy Craymer and Gary Goetzman, is the most successful movie musical of all time grossing $600 million worldwide.

An independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island, Donna is about to let go of Sophie, the spirited daughter she’s raised alone. For Sophie’s wedding, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends—practical and no-nonsense Rosie and wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya - from her one-time backing band, Donna and the Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited three guests of her own.

On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk her down the aisle, she brings back three men from Donna’s past to the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic, magical hours, new love will bloom and old romances will be rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities.

Inspired by the storytelling magic of ABBA’s songs from “Dancing Queen” and “S.O.S.” to “Money, Money, Money” and “Take a Chance on Me,” MAMMA MIA! is a celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends and new family found.

The performance schedule for MAMMA MIA! at The Fox Theatre is:

Wednesday, November 2 8 p.m.
Thursday, November 3 8 p.m.
Friday, November 4 8 p.m.
Saturday, November 5 2 p.m., 8 p.m.
Sunday, November 6 1 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

Tickets for MAMMA MIA! go on sale August 28. Prices start at $33. Tickets can be purchased through authorized ticket sellers at The Fox Theatre Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-982-2787. Orders for groups of 15 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000.

Produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East and Björn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal, the creative team responsible for bringing MAMMA MIA! to theatrical life includes some of the most gifted and celebrated talents of musical theatre and opera. With music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, MAMMA MIA! is written by Catherine Johnson and directed by Phyllida Lloyd. MAMMA MIA! has choreography by Anthony Van Laast, production design by Mark Thompson, lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken, and musical supervision, additional material and arrangements by Martin Koch.

The special edition cast recording of MAMMA MIA! is available on Decca Broadway.

For information about MAMMA MIA! go to www.mammamianorthamerica.com.

Neil Berg's Broadway Holiday at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

2011-08-15T14:10:00.002-04:00

Nov 27, 2011 (Sun) 7:00 PM
Tickets on sale: Aug 19, 2011 (Fri) 10:00 AM

Cobb Energy Centre is doing its part to spread contagious holiday cheer by presenting Neil Berg's critically acclaimed musical revue Broadway Holiday. Broadway stars, along with musical director Neil Berg and backed by an all-star New band will take audiences on a journey through Broadway history with the music of Kander & Ebb, Rogers & Hammerstein, Lerner & Loewe, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and many more.

Neil Berg's Broadway Holiday brings the number one touring Broadway concert in North America ("100 Years of Broadway") and tailor's it for this very special holiday engagement at the Cobb Energy Centre. Broadway Holiday features hits ranging from classic shows such as My Fair Lady and South Pacific, through ground breakers like West Side Story and Chicago, to current blockbusters like Jersey Boys, and Wicked.

The show will also feature much loved holiday tunes such as White Christmas, We Need A Little Christmas, It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas, Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas, I'll Be Home For Christmas, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, and You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.

Tickets:
Ticketmaster $53.00 & $37.50 plus fees

Theatre in the Square opens 30th season with a bit of nostalgia

2011-07-28T21:29:00.002-04:00

August 7 - September 11, 2011
Opening Night: Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Theatre in the Square will open its 30th season with On Golden Pond, August 10 – September 11, 2011 on the Main Stage. On Golden Pond was the first production the theatre produced, in September 1982, in the space that is now Cool Beans Coffee. Tickets are on sale now online at theatreinthesquare.com and by phone at 770-422-8369.

Norman (Pete Thomasson) and Ethel Thayer (Judy Leavell) return to their summer home for the 48th time on Golden Pond in Maine only to have their normally quiet escape disrupted by a their daughter’s (Agnes Hardy) arrival with her fiancée, Bill (Chuck Horton), and his mouthy 13-year-old son, Billy (Elijah Marcano and Charlie Garland). The production is a heartwarming portrayal of family struggles, love, and relationships, but it is also very humorous, especially when Charlie (Bart Hansard), the mailman, is around.

“I thought it would be well to observe this milestone season by recalling how it all began – with this show and its impact on that first audience of Mariettans, mostly longtime or original residents. The buzz that first night was overwhelmingly positive and we knew that we had started something that could last, although we weren’t thinking 30 years out, of course,” says Co-Founder and Producing Director Palmer Wells. The play, which was written by Ernst Thompson, has won numerous awards both for its staged productions and the 1981 film that starred Katharine Hepburn and Henry Fonda. The artistic team behind this production includes director Heidi Cline McKerley, lighting designer Bradley Bergeron, set designer Seamus Bourne, costume designer Marie Estes, sound designer Thom Jenkins, dialect coach Kathleen McManus, and props designer Lindsay Moore.

To celebrate the 30th season, tickets to the performances Friday, August 12 and Sunday evening, August 14 will be 30% off when patrons ask for the 30th anniversary special. Preview tickets on August 7 and 9 are only $12. Regular tickets are $24 to $33 and are available at the Theatre in the Square Box Office by calling 770-422-8369 or online at theatreinthesquare.com. Discount rates are available for groups of 12 or more by calling 770-422-8369. Theatre in the Square is located off of historic Marietta Square at 11 Whitlock Ave.

Atlanta Lyric Presents Tony-Award Winner “Thoroughly Modern Millie”

2011-07-27T20:15:00.000-04:00

2002 Best Musical to Play the Strand Theatre in Marietta

The winner of six Tony Awards including Best Musical, “Thoroughly Modern Millie” was 2002's most awarded new show on Broadway.

Now the spectacular experience that is “Millie” is coming to The Strand Theatre (117 N. Park Square, Marietta) on the Marietta Square September 16th through October 2nd. This red-hot musical is kicking off Atlanta Lyric Theatre’s 32nd season. The production is directed by Lyric Artistic Director Brandt Blocker and choreographed by award winning choreographer Karen Hebert.

Based on the 1967 Oscar-winning film of the same name, “Thoroughly Modern Millie” takes audiences back to the height of the Jazz Age, when "moderns"- including a flapper named Millie Dillmount - were bobbing their hair, raising their hemlines, entering the workforce, and rewriting the rules of love. This singing, dancing, romancing musical takes place in Manhattan, 1922, with all the jazz-age razzmatazz you want in a big, bright, brand-new Broadway blockbuster. It's the story of a Midwestern girl who arrives in New York determined to take the town by storm. USA Today says “Millie” is "a thoroughly delightful experience." And as Time Out New York says, "you can't see this kind of whirling, transporting pop entertainment anywhere else!"

Starring as Millie Dillmount is Broadway and Lyric veteran Claci Miller (Broadway: Annie Get Your Gun; Alliance: Sister Act; Atlanta Lyric: Little Shop of Horrors, Cabaret, The It Girl). Maxim Gukhman (Indianapolis: Footloose; Fireside Theatre: Fiddler on the Roof; Atlanta Lyric: Rent) plays Jimmy Smith, a charming, care free young man who pines for Millie’s affection. However, Millie has set the standard of marrying her single, stuffed-shirt boss Trevor Graydon, III played by Bryant Smith (Gateway Playhouse: A Chorus Line; Jersey Productions: Once Upon a Mattress; Theatre in the Square: Stealing Dixie).

Jennifer Smiles Plumley (Alliance: The Game of Love and Chance; Theatre in the Square: The 1940’s Radio Hour; Atlanta Lyric: 42nd Street) plays Miss Dorothy Brown, friend of Mille and love interest of Trevor Graydon, III. Playing the mysterious and sinister Mrs. Meers, proprietress of the Hotel Priscilla, is Marcie Millard (Stage Door: Master Class; Georgia Ensmble: Forbidden Broadway; Atlanta Lyric: The It Girl). Mary Nye Bennett (Horizon: Avenue Q; Rocky Mountain Rep: Always Patsy Cline; Atlanta Lyric: 42nd Street) plays Miss Peg Flannery, the curmudgeonly head stenographer to Mr. Graydon. As Mrs. Meers’ Chinese henchmen are Jono Davis (Atlanta Lyric: Rent) as Ching Ho and Andy Danh (Atlanta Symphony: La Boheme) as Bun Foo.

Featured as Muzzy van Hossmere, the famed singer and bon vivant, is Atlanta chanteuse Marsha Dupree (Spoleto N.C: Too Marvelous for Words; Atlanta Lyric: Jerry’s Girls).

Others in the cast include Aaron Carter, Becca Potter, Becky Simmons, Brittanie Bagby Baker, Chris Lewis, Courtney Bowers, Elizabeth Neidel, Fenner Eaddy, Helen Varner, Matthew Lummus, Micahel Persson, Nathan Lubeck, Victoria Drothler and Zack Everhart.

With music direction by Blocker, “Thoroughly Modern Millie” features scenic design by Tommy Cox, costume design by Lindsey Paris, lighting design by Bradley Bergeron, make up and hair design by George Deavours, and sound design by Bobby Johnston.

A delightful valentine to the long-standing spirit of New York City and the people who seek to discover themselves there, this stage version of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” features 15 songs, including two from the 1967 film, four standards from the 1920s and nine new songs by Jeanine Tesori (music) and Dick Scanlan (lyrics).

All performances are held at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre at 117 N. Park Sq., on the historic Marietta Square.

For tickets and information call 404-377-9948 or visit www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com.

Performance Schedule

September 16, 17, 18
Friday & Sat. @ 8:00, Sun. @ 2:00
Sept. 22, 23, 24, 25
Thurs., Fri. & Sat. @ 8:00, Sun. @ 2:00
Sept. 29, 30 October 1 & 2, 2011
Thurs., Fri. & Sat. @ 8:00, Sat. & Sun. @ 2:00

Alliance Theatre Collision Project Helps Teenagers Find Their Voice

2011-07-01T14:31:00.002-04:00

For the past 10 years, the Alliance Theatre has collaborated with teenagers all across Atlanta, helping them to discover their unique voice through the Collision Project.

“The Collision Project was literally one of the very best programs I've ever participated in. The program had a great impact on the students as well, for it wasn't just a matter of teaching; it was a matter of sharing,” said Oyama, Collision playwright 2005 and nationally recognized artist and educator.

WHAT: For three weeks each summer, the Alliance Theatre assembles a diverse group of 20 teenagers from metro Atlanta to explore and unpack a classic text under the guidance of a professional playwright and director. Past playwrights include Michael Rohd, Janece Shaffer, Oyamo, Chay Yew, Mark Valdez, and Lauren Gunderson.

Through improvisational exercises, oral history, choreography, the individual performing talents they possess, and their writing, the teenagers create a new piece inspired by the classic text but perceived through their own utterly unique and contemporary prism. The Collision Project affords teens a unique theatrical experience and gives them ownership of a performance at the Alliance. It also gives students validity – confidence in their talents, strength for the future, and power in their decisions.

This summer marks the 10th Anniversary of this extraordinary program—the brainchild of Alliance Theatre Artistic Director Susan Booth. What better way to celebrate this milestone than to have NY Times bestselling author and renowned playwright Pearl Cleage working with our students as the resident playwright. Under the direction of Rosemary Newcott, the Sally G. Tomlinson Artistic Director of Theatre for Youth & Families, these students will wrestle with themes found in the Declaration of Independence, creating an original piece of theatre based on their interaction with this text.

“The Collision Project was an empowering experience where I discovered how truly powerful my young voice could be,” said Olivia Aston, Collision Project alumni 2004 and current Alliance Theatre employee.

Imagine being seventeen again. How expansive was your world? How predictable? Where was the wonder? What parts of you now, were being defined, then? Who were you before the hair grayed, before the feet narrowed, before the knees gave out and the tummy sagged – who were you? How did you believe? What did you believe? Who did you believe?

And when did you become conscious? Spiritually, emotionally and physically, when did your mind altering epiphanies come? And when they did come, did they wash over you? Did they chip away at you? Or, did they make you stronger, more dimensional, more desirous, more courageous…

PUBLIC PERFORMANCES

WHEN: Friday, July 15th at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 16th at 2:30 p.m. includes alumni post show discussion

WHERE: The Alliance Theatre Hertz Stage
RSVP for 2 free tickets:
mannie.rivers@woodruffcenter.org

Come witness this powerful theatrical experience as these young people discover their own voice on the Alliance Hertz Stage. This project is free to all participants through generous support from the Zeist Foundation and Georgia Pacific.

ROSE OF ATHENS THEATRE presents the hilarious… AS YOU LIKE IT “Shakespeare on the Lawn”

2011-06-06T21:57:00.000-04:00

FIVE DAYS ONLY!!! Performances are June 8-12 at 8:00 PM.

Shakespeare’s Comedy Returns to Ashford Manor for a Third Year

Rose of Athens Theatre enchants with Shakespeare’s fairy-tale comedy, As You Like It. Lisa Cesnik Ferguson, Producing Artistic Director of Rose of Athens puts on her director’s beret once again and leads the company through the Bard’s fun, and perilously clever language. “Bring your family and friends to picnic, then enjoy the romance, live music and Shakespeare’s zany comedy. With actors from Atlanta, Orlando, and Oconee and Clarke County, GA – it is a perfect way to spend an evening” Lisa’s fresh and fun approach to this amorously funny play will leave you rolling on the lawn! Look out for appearances of students from Rose of Athens Theatre Academy, as well. As You Like It follows the journey of the banished Rosalind and the lovesick Orlando, as well as the comical high jinks of the residents of Forest of Arden. Join Rose of Athens Theatre for an evening of love, hilarity, mischief and mistaken identities.

Featured Artists:

Orlando - Ben Reed

Adam/Corin - Richard Hoard

Oliver - Jef Holbrook

Charles/William - Bajo Sonubi

Celia - Paige Pulaski

Rosalind - Katie Sawhill

Touchstone - Jeremy Miller

Duchess Fredericka/Audrey- Danielle Bailey Miller

Duchess Signora - Judy Leavell* (actor’s equity association)

Amiens- Lauren Smith

Sylvius - Dillon Nelson

Le Beau/Jacques - Audey Lee

Phebe - Hannah Broom

Martext/Courtier - Kelly McGlaun Fields

Duke Frederick/ Duchess Signora Courtiers - Natalie Cline, Gina Hawkins, John Huie, Christina Gifford

Music composed by local musicians, Christina Gifford and Lauren Smith. Set design by Dillon Nelson, Costume Design by Tessa Turk-Baxter & Lighting Design by Regina Hawkins.

Production dates are June 8-12 at 8:00 PM at idyllic Ashford Manor in Watkinsville, GA. Tickets prices are $15.00 for adults, $12.00 for students, $5.00 for children 7-12 years old & FREE for children 6 years old & younger. Bring blankets, a picnic, and a friend and enjoy some of the finer things in life with the company of As You Like It.

At a Glance: As You Like It follows the journey of the banished Rosalind and the lovesick Orlando, as well as the comical high jinks of the residents of Forest of Arden. Join Rose of Athens Theatre for an evening of love, hilarity, mischief and mistaken identities.

What: Rose of Athens Theatre’s As You Like It by William Shakespeare.

Tickets: Tickets are $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for students, $5.00 for children 7-12 years old & FREE for children 6 years old & younger. Recommended for all ages.

Where: Ashford Manor- #5 Harden Hill Road Watkinsville, Georgia 30677

When: June 8-12 at 8:00 PM

Contact: For tickets or information call the Rose of Athens Theatre Box Office 706-340-9181 or E‑mail danielle@roseofathens.org, and visit www.roseofathens.org. Purchase tickets in advance online at www.athensmusic.net.

"Echoes from the South" from the Clayton State Theatre, Starting Apr. 13

2011-04-11T09:29:00.002-04:00

The Clayton State Theatre is presenting two student-written productions this spring. "Echoes from the South" will open with a preview on Wednesday, Apr. 13, with opening night on Thursday, Apr. 14 and subsequent performances on Apr. 15, Apr. 16, Apr. 22 and Apr. 23

The two productions are "The Witch’s Fee" by Levi Jelks, III, and "Great Grandmama’s Silver" by Adrienne Garcia. All shows start at 8 p.m. The house opens at 7:45 p.m. Admission is $5, Clayton State students are free with their Laker Card ID. Both productions are directed by Clayton State Assistant Professor of Theatre and Communication Shontelle Thrash.

In "The Witch's Fee” young “Dead-End” Charlie Mallory is a poor Louisiana boy who is out of luck and out of options. His misfortunes lead him into the boathouse of Miss Ophelia, the infamous bayou woman who is able to give Charlie everything that he wants; fame, wealth, power… but only if he is willing to give her a deadly payment.

Desperate, Charlie agrees and soon realizes that both the boathouse and Miss Ophelia are more dangerous than they appear and hold secrets that will eventually tie both of their fates together. Now that Charlie has everything that he wants, can he skip out on payment and keep the witch at the door when she comes knocking?

In "Great Grandmama’s Silver" Emma returns home, after a lengthy absence, to attend her mother’s funeral. While there, she is forced to confront her past in the form of three alter egos.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.

Performances of The Little Foxes Canceled April 6-10

2011-04-09T09:28:00.000-04:00

We're a bit late on this one! Condolences to the cast member.

Theatre in the Square has canceled performances of The Little Foxes April 6-10. Anyone with tickets may call the box office Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. to reschedule. There are seats available after recently extending the show until April 17. Performances will be Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. We apologize in advance. We have made this decision after finding out that a member of the cast's mother passed away on Wednesday afternoon. We ask for your patience and understanding as we make every attempt to best serve our patrons at this time.

Tickets exchanges can be made at no additional cost to the patron by calling 770-422-8369. Theatre in the Square is located off of the Historic Marietta Square at 11 Whitlock Ave.

World Premiere of Comedy Spoon Lake Blues Rounds Out Alliance Theatre’s Hertz Stage Series

2011-03-15T11:46:00.002-04:00

The comedy Spoon Lake Blues makes its World Premiere on the Alliance Theatre’s Hertz Stage April 1-24, 2011 with opening night scheduled for Wednesday, April 6. Written by former Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition finalist Josh Tobiessen, this exciting new work directed by Davis McCallum is certain to cleverly stimulate both the funny bones and the minds of Atlanta audiences.

The play follows the plight of two brothers who leave no stones, stereotypes or septic tanks unturned. Thinking burglary is a solution to saving their house from the bank, the pair steal a photograph of a woman who is everything they are is not—educated, wealthy, upwardly mobile and African-American. From that, a bold and brazen new caper is born.

“This explosive new comedy challenges the male-female relationship dynamic where the female is the more successful, driven individual who accepts the less-than ambitious male for who and what he is – and doesn’t try to change him,” said Jennings Hertz Jr. Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. “It’s overtly humorous.”

In a bold new play, Josh Tobiessen returns to the Alliance Theatre with his most recent work. Tobiessen wrote this piece after his 2007-2008 Kendeda finalist script, Election Day, received glowing reviews in its New York premiere. The production of Spoon Lake Blues marks the first time a Kendeda alumni returns to the Alliance Theatre.

The cast of Spoon Lake Blues features fresh talent, all making their Alliance Stage debuts, including Veronika Duerr as Abigail, Jimi Kocina as Brady, Lakisha Michelle May as Caitlin, and Luke Robertson as Denis.

Spoon Lake Blues will be performed on the Hertz Stage with previews beginning on Friday, April 1 at 8:00 p.m. Opening night is Wednesday, April 6. Performances continue through Sunday, April 24 with Tuesday through Saturday evening performances at 8:00 p.m. Weekend matinees are scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Sunday evening performances are at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $25 and are available at the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office by calling 404.733.5000 or online at alliancetheatre.org. Discount rates for groups of 10 or more are available by calling 404-733-4690. Discount rates are also available for members of the military, seniors and students. The Alliance Theatre is located at the Woodruff Arts Center, corner of Peachtree & 15th Street, in Midtown Atlanta.

About the Alliance Theatre

Atlanta’s nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre, recipient of the 2007 Regional Theatre Tony Award®, creates the powerful experience of shared theatre for diverse people of all ages. Under the leadership of Jennings Hertz, Jr. Artistic Director Susan V. Booth, the Alliance Theatre uses contemporary classics, field leading theatre artists and a commitment to premiere as the foundation for a national theatre with a local address. The theatre’s two stages host 200,000 adult and youth patrons each season, and the Alliance engages and educates students and teachers of all ages through its extensive training programs and commitment to providing a community forum for connection and dialogue.

The Alliance leads the national regional theatre field in the creation of significant American musicals and plays. This includes over 70 premieres that have enjoyed future lives in theatres across the country as well as Tony Award®-winning moves to Broadway: Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida and Alfred Uhry’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo. Following their Atlanta premieres, the Alliance transferred Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away to Broadway for a critically acclaimed Tony Award®-nominated run while Sister Act: the Musical will arrive on Broadway this season after its run on London’s West End. This season, the Alliance produced the World Premiere of Bring It On: The Musical. The Alliance also originated the national tours of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk.

The Alliance enjoys a national reputation for finding and developing Atlanta artists for the national stage, including New York Times bestseller Pearl Cleage whose The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years received its world premiere in the fall of 2010 at the Alliance. Further evidence of the Alliance’s commitment to new work is its nationally recognized National Graduate Playwriting Competition, a cutting-edge program introducing student playwrights to professional networks across the country while producing the world premiere of the winning student’s work here at the Alliance. Work by past Competition winners has gone on to be produced by theatres in New York, Chicago, London, San Francisco and beyond.

The Alliance continuously brings Atlanta the finest talent and finest art—proving once again that the Alliance is where great theatre lives. The Alliance Theatre is a division of the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia, which also houses the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art and Young Audiences.

www.alliancetheatre.org
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www.twitter.com/AllianceTheatre

Summer Camps will Take the Stage at Theatre in the Square

2011-03-10T10:30:00.002-05:00

Last fall, Theatre in the Square hired local educator and director, Susan Reid, to take on the role of Education Director. The winter acting classes for youth, teens and adults have been a huge success. Summer Camps will begin for grades 1-12 beginning in June. Each class will end in a performance on the Alley Stage. Prices for classes vary, for more information or to register, call Susan Reid at 770-422-8369 or email susan@theatreinthesquare.com.

As the new Education Director and Artistic Associate, Marietta resident, Susan Reid is already hard at work booking classes at the theatre. Susan has been a part of the Theatre in the Square family for many years as she has worked as a teaching artist and directed shows such as Rabbit Hole, crooked and A Piece of My Heart in the past. Susan most recently worked as the Education Director at Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville. “Susan brings the high caliber of experience and professionalism our patrons and students have come to expect. We have enjoyed her work as a guest artist and educator and now are thrilled that she has become a part of our team fulltime. We look forward to the innovative artistry that she will bring to T-Square's education programming as well as in her position as an artistic associate”, says Assistant Artistic Director, Jessica Phelps West.

Camp for grades 1-5 will take place July 5 – 15 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. In the Production Explosion, Jr. Camp, our youngest students will put on a production of a classic story. Each day, students will gain valuable experience as they spend time rehearsing, crafting costumes, and helping with set pieces. The 1-2 graders will perform The Little Red Hen and the 3-5 graders will perform James and the Giant Peach.

Camps for grades 6-8 will take place June 20 – July 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In our T-Square Middle School Company Camp, we introduce a wide variety of training techniques including acting, singing, dancing and improvisation.

Camps for high school students will take place July 18 – 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. T-Square High School Company Camp includes two-weeks of intense training that combines improvisation, dancing, singing and acting on stage.

All classes will take place at Theatre in the Square. Friends and family are invited to see a final performance that’s a little bit GLEE and a whole lot of FUN. There is a $25 one-time new student application fee. Families registering more than one individual at a time will have one ($25) application fee waived. A $100 non-refundable deposit is required for registration. For more information or to register for classes, call Theatre in the Square at 770-422-8369 or e-mail susan@theatreinthesquare.com. Theatre in the Square is located off of historic Marietta Square at 11 Whitlock Ave.

Main Street Players present Grace and Glorie

2011-03-07T13:29:00.002-05:00

This Thursday, March 10th through Sunday, March 20th, 2011, for Eight Performances only
A variation on the Broadway hit The Odd Couple, Tom Ziegler’s Grace and Glorie is a bittersweet comedy about two very different women who find a common ground in an unlikely meeting. While it is remarkably funny, it also brings up some powerful emotions that keep the two characters and the audience on an emotional roller coaster.

Grace and Glorie tells the tale of Grace (Nancy Gresham), a comfortably religious, cantankerous 90-year-old mountain woman, who has checked herself out of a hospital and returned to her native Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to die.

Her volunteer, do-gooder hospice worker, Glorie (Norma Richardson), is a sophisticated New York transplant with lots of big city baggage.

From this bond between two women, whose meeting in real life would be improbable, comes a comedy with great tenderness. The two women are polar opposites. Their verbal clashes set off comic sparks. The often-witty dialogue is great fun, accentuated by impeccable comic timing between Grace and Glorie.

Grace and Glorie, directed by Marian Sorensen, is honest, hopeful, sentimental, and filled with good humor. A crowd pleaser. The Main Street Players, 115 North Hill Street, Griffin, GA, bring Grace and Glorie to the stage March 10th through March 20th: Thursdays @ 7:30PM, Fridays @ 7:30PM, Saturdays @ 7:30PM and Sundays at 3:00PM.

Reprised from the highly successful run in 2007, Grace and Glorie was last seen at Main Street Players in November of that year with the same talented cast.

Ticket prices for Main Street Players: $20 adults, $15 senior (55 and up) tickets and $10 for student tickets with ID. Groups of ten or more receive a 10% discount.

For tickets and other information, please call 770-229-9916 or visit www.mainstreetplayers.org.

The Alliance Theatre Presents Beloved Children’s Musical Comedy HONK!

2011-02-24T18:43:00.000-05:00

2000 Olivier Award for Best Musical PlaysThe Alliance Stage March 5 - 20

The Alliance Theatre announces the beloved musical HONK! will begin performances on Saturday, March 5. Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved children’s fable The Ugly Duckling, HONK! Is the story of an odd looking baby duck, Ugly, and his quest to find his mother.

With an original book and lyrics by Anthony Drewe and music by George Stiles, the production is directed by Sally G. Tomlinson Artistic Director of Theatre for Youth Rosemary Newcott.

“For more than 150 years, this classic tale has taught children to embrace their inner beauty and not to judge others by their appearance,” said Newcott. “HONK! brings the story to life in the form of a musical which has been embraced by audiences all over the world. We’re thrilled to bring its magic to the children of Atlanta.”

HONK! will be performed on the Alliance Stage on weekends beginning Saturday, March 5, 2011 with a matinee at 2:30 p.m. and the opening night performance at 7:00 p.m. Performances continue through Sunday, March 20 with weekend matinees scheduled for Saturday, March 12 and Sundays, March 13 and 20 at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The second matinee on Saturday, March 19 will be performed at 4:00 p.m.

Tickets start at $20 and are available at the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office by calling 404.733.5000 or online at alliancetheatre.org. Discount rates for groups of 10 or more are available by calling 404-733-4690. Discount rates are also available for members of the military, seniors and students. The Alliance Theatre is located at the Woodruff Arts Center, corner of Peachtree & 15th Street, in Midtown Atlanta.

About the Alliance Theatre

Atlanta’s nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre, recipient of the 2007 Regional Theatre Tony Award®, creates the powerful experience of shared theatre for diverse people of all ages. Under the leadership of Jennings Hertz, Jr. Artistic Director Susan V. Booth, the Alliance Theatre uses contemporary classics, field leading theatre artists and a commitment to premiere as the foundation for a national theatre with a local address. The theatre’s two stages host 200,000 adult and youth patrons each season, and the Alliance engages and educates students and teachers of all ages through its extensive training programs and commitment to providing a community forum for connection and dialogue.

The Alliance leads the national regional theatre field in the creation of significant American musicals and plays. This includes over 70 premieres that have enjoyed future lives in theatres across the country as well as Tony Award®-winning moves to Broadway: Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida and Alfred Uhry’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo. Following their Atlanta premieres, the Alliance transferred Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away to Broadway for a critically acclaimed Tony Award®-nominated run while Sister Act: the Musical will arrive on Broadway this season after its run on London’s West End. The Alliance also originated the national tours of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk.

The Alliance enjoys a national reputation for finding and developing Atlanta artists for the national stage, including New York Times bestseller Pearl Cleage whose The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years received its world premiere in the fall of 2010 at the Alliance. Further evidence of the Alliance’s commitment to new work is its nationally recognized National Graduate Playwriting Competition, a cutting-edge program introducing student playwrights to professional networks across the country while producing the world premiere of the winning student’s work here at the Alliance. Work by past Competition winners has gone on to be produced by theatres in New York, Chicago, London, San Francisco and beyond.

The Alliance continuously brings Atlanta the finest talent and finest art—proving once again that the Alliance is where great theatre lives. The Alliance Theatre is a division of the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia, which also houses the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art and Young Audiences.
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Discover Broadway This Year, Journey through a Season of Hits in 2011-2012

2011-02-18T11:30:00.000-05:00

Broadway Across America – Atlanta Announces NEW Season as Fan Favorites and Acclaimed Premieres Trek to Atlanta

Broadway Across America – Atlanta welcomes theatre sojourners to discover Broadway through magical lands, bustling towns and cultural epicenters. Featuring four Tony Award® winning musicals, the 2011-2012 season lineup of Broadway sensations brings a series of imaginative worlds to The Fabulous Fox Theatre. Audiences will travel across the globe – and beyond – with the debuts of DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL, MEMPHIS and BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL paired with award-winning fan favorites LES MISÉRABLES and JERSEY BOYS.

Atlanta’s most ‘popular’ musical is flying back to The Fox Theater as a season special. WICKED, Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, will play a limited 4-week engagement in the fall.

Setting sail in November, the 2011-2012 season opens with the Atlanta debut of DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL, a whimsical voyage into Whoville – the perfectly charming backdrop for a classic family-friendly story of redemption with a lot of heart.

The touring production of rocking Broadway triumph MEMPHIS rolls into Atlanta in January. A smash hit and Tony Award® winning Best Musical, this electric journey through the airwaves tackles celebrity and taboo in the 1950s South.

Offering an inspiring tale from abroad, 10-time Tony Award-winner BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL takes audiences on a journey of discovering surprising passions. Coming in March and featuring music from the legendary Elton John, this glimpse into one boy’s triumph over the odds in his Northern England community, already torn apart by strike, proves universal motivation the world over.

LES MISÉRABLES is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit that has changed the face of musical theater. This brand new 25th anniversary production of the legendary musical comes to Atlanta this April with glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery currently selling out across America.

The season makes its last pit stop in the Northeast as Tony Award® winning JERSEY BOYS returns to the Atlanta stage in May. Taking audiences on a journey through the seasons of life is the rise and fall of ‘60s pop icons The Four Seasons.

DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL
November 29-December 4, 2011
The Fabulous Fox Theatre

Re-discover the magic of Dr. Seuss’ classic holiday tale as it comes to life on stage. Originally conceived by the three time Tony Award winning Director Jack O'Brien, the whimsical world of Whoville is beautifully realized by an A-list creative team in this delightful musical production. Featuring the hit songs “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas,” The Grinch discovers there’s more to Christmas than he bargained for in this heart-warming holiday classic. Max the Dog narrates as the mean and scheming Grinch, whose heart is "two sizes too small", decides to steal Christmas away from the holiday loving Whos. Don't miss this record-breaking Broadway hit this holiday season.

MEMPHIS
January 31-February 5, 2012
The Fabulous Fox Theatre

TURN UP THAT DIAL...From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes a hot new Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Inspired by actual events, MEMPHIS is about a white radio DJ who wants to change the world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break. Come along on their incredible journey to the ends of the airwaves – filled with laughter, soaring emotion and roof-raising rock 'n' roll. Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical, MEMPHIS features a Tony-winning book by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) and a Tony-winning original score with music by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan. Directing is Tony nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu), and choreography is by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys). Get ready to experience Broadway’s most exciting new destination... MEMPHIS!

BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL
March 14-25, 2012
The Fabulous Fox Theatre

ATLANTA IS ABOUT TO BE ELECTRIFIED BY BROADWAY’S “BEST MUSICAL OF THE DECADE.” Time Magazine. Thrilling audiences worldwide and winning ten 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, “THE BEST SHOW YOU WILL EVER SEE” (New York Post) is coming to Atlanta! BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL is a joyous celebration of one young boy’s triumph against the odds. Called “THE MOST INSPIRING SHOW I’VE SEEN IN YEARS” by Ben Brantley of The New York Times, the story follows Billy’s journey as he stumbles out of the boxing ring, into a ballet class and discovers his dream to dance. BILLY ELLIOT is brought to life by the Tony-winning creative team — director Stephen Daldry, choreographer Peter Darling and writer Lee Hall — along with music legend Elton John, who has written what the New York Post calls “HIS BEST SCORE YET!”. BILLY ELLIOT will enchant the dreamer in all of us.

LES MISÉRABLES
April 24-29, 2012
The Fabulous Fox Theatre

DREAM THE DREAM. Cameron Mackintosh presents a brand new 25th anniversary production of Boublil & Schönberg’s legendary musical, LES MISÉRABLES, with glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. This new production has been acclaimed by critics, fans and new audiences and is breaking box office records wherever it goes. The New York Times calls this LES MISÉRABLES “an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish.” The London Times hails the new show “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful.”

JERSEY BOYS
May 22-June 10, 2012
The Fabulous Fox Theatre

JERSEY BOYS is ‘Workin’ its way back to you,’ Atlanta! Following the smashing success of its Atlanta debut in 2009, with more than 92,000 patrons experiencing the show, this Broadway sensation is returning to the Fox Theatre. “IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE JERSEY BOYS ANYTHING BUT LOVE! A virtually seamless musical that transcends generational appeal!” – Wendell Brock for Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “THE MOST EXCITING MUSICAL PACKAGE BROADWAY HAS SEEN IN YEARS.” – The Chicago Tribune. “THE CROWD GOES WILD.” – The New York Times. “TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!” raves the New York Post for JERSEY BOYS, the 2006 Tony Award®-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were 30! JERSEY BOYS, winner of the 2006 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album and most recently, the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, features their hit songs “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “Oh What a Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” “IT WILL RUN FOR CENTURIES!” proclaims Time Magazine. The JERSEY BOYS creative team comprises two-time Tony Award®-winning director Des McAnuff, book writers Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, composer Bob Gaudio, lyricist Bob Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo.

WICKED*
September 14-October 9, 2011
The Fabulous Fox Theatre
*Season Special

Entertainment Weekly calls WICKED "the best musical of the decade,” and when it first played Atlanta in 2006, it broke box office records and sold out in record time. Winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards, WICKED is Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, a cultural phenomenon and was just named “the defining musical of the decade" by The New York Times. Long before that girl from Kansas arrives in Munchkinland, two girls meet in the land of Oz. One - born with emerald green skin - is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good makes for "the most complete and completely satisfying new musical in a long time" (USA Today).

The 2011-2012 Broadway Across America – Atlanta season includes:

DR. SEUSS’
HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS!
November 29-December 4, 2011

MEMPHIS
January 31-February 5, 2012

BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL
March 14-25, 2012

LES MISÉRABLES
April 24-29, 2012

JERSEY BOYS
May 22-June 10, 2012

The 2011-2012 Broadway Across America – Atlanta season special

WICKED
September 14-October 9, 2011

Broadway Across America – Atlanta’s 2012-2012 season packages are on sale now with prices ranging from $137—$400. Season ticket prices will vary depending on the number of shows chosen, the number of performances, show time, day of the week and seating location. New subscriptions may be ordered online at BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com, via phone by calling 1-800-278-4447 Monday through Friday, 10:00 am-5:00 pm; or via fax at 1-800-329-8587.

For current season subscribers, Broadway Across America – Atlanta will send renewal invoices via mail. For ease and convenience, Broadway Across America – Atlanta will also send renewal information via email and encourages patrons to subscribe online for the new season. Current season ticket holders who wish to guarantee their same seats must renew by April 8.

Broadway Across America – Atlanta is also offering a three -part installment payment plan this year to help ticket buyers with season purchases.

Tickets to individual shows in the 2011-2012 season are not available for purchase at this time. Single-show tickets typically go on sale to the general public 6-8 weeks prior to opening night. However, season ticket holders have the unique opportunity to purchase additional tickets before they go on sale to the public. For more information on the 2011-2012 season, or to order online, please visit www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com. Group reservations for individual shows for parties of 10, 15, 20 or more can be made at this time by calling 404-881-2000. Applicable group size will vary depending on the show.

Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (All times are subject to change.) An audio-described performance for the visually impaired and an American Sign Language-interpreted performance for the deaf are available for each pre-determined Saturday matinee of each presentation.

Broadway Across America: Owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman), Broadway Across America presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 43 North American cities. Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world. Broadway Across America most recently produced Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS on Broadway, while current and upcoming productions include WEST SIDE STORY, BLITHE SPIRIT, MINSKY’S, and the DeafWest production of PIPPIN. Broadway tours include DORA THE EXPLORER, FROST/NIXON, SPAMALOT, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. For more information or to purchase tickets through an authorized agent, please visit BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

Main Street Players Present Grace and Glorie

2011-02-18T10:45:00.002-05:00

Weekends, Thursday, March 10th through Sunday, March 20th, 2011, for Eight Performances only

A variation on the Broadway hit The Odd Couple, Tom Ziegler’s Grace and Glorie is a bittersweet comedy about two very different women who find a common ground in an unlikely meeting. While it is remarkably funny, it also brings up some powerful emotions that keep the two characters and the audience on an emotional roller coaster.

Grace and Glorie tells the tale of Grace (Nancy Gresham), a comfortably religious, cantankerous 90-year-old mountain woman, who has checked herself out of a hospital and returned to her native Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to die.

Her volunteer, do-gooder hospice worker, Glorie (Norma Richardson), is a sophisticated New York transplant with lots of big city baggage.

From this bond between two women, whose meeting in real life would be improbable, comes a comedy with great tenderness. The two women are polar opposites. Their verbal clashes set off comic sparks. The often-witty dialogue is great fun, accentuated by impeccable comic timing between Grace and Glorie.

Grace and Glorie, directed by Marian Sorensen, is honest, hopeful, sentimental, and filled with good humor. A crowd pleaser. The Main Street Players, 115 North Hill Street, Griffin, GA, bring Grace and Glorie to the stage March 10th through March 20th: Thursdays @ 7:30PM, Fridays @ 7:30PM, Saturdays @ 7:30PM and Sundays at 3:00PM.

Reprised from the highly successful run in 2007, Grace and Glorie was last seen at Main Street Players in November of that year with the same talented cast.

Ticket prices for Main Street Players: $20 adults, $15 senior (55 and up) tickets and $10 for student tickets with ID. Groups of ten or more receive a 10% discount.

For tickets and other information, please call 770-229-9916 or visit www.mainstreetplayers.org.
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Southside Theatre Guild Presents "Tuesdays with Morrie"

2011-02-18T10:23:00.000-05:00

Southside Theatre Guild in downtown Fairburn will present the award winning play “Tuesdays with Morrie” for two weekends, February 24 - March 6. Performances Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays begin at 8:00 pm. The Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 pm. Tickets $12 - $15. For more info, to purchase tickets, or to make your reservations, visit www.STGplays.com or call 770-969-0956.

"Tuesdays With Morrie", is adapted from Mitch Albom’s runaway bestseller of the same name. The touching, humorous and unforgettable true story shares the friendship between Mitch, an accomplished sports journalist and Morrie, his former college professor. Sixteen years after graduation, Mitch catches Morrie's appearance on a television news program and they reunite. What starts as a simple visit to say goodbye turns into a weekly pilgrimage and one final class on the meaning of life. (Was also adapted into a TV movie staring Jack Lemmon and Hank Anzaria.)

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English Company to Present Timeless Fable on War and Friendship

2011-02-08T20:19:00.000-05:00

Thingumajig Theatre presents “A November Day: A War Story” at Center for Puppetry Arts

Thingumajig Theatre of West Yorkshire, England, is soon to take the stage at the Center for Puppetry Arts to present its production, A November Day: A War Story, a timeless fable on war and friendship, set upon the backdrop of World War I. With the recent passing of Britain’s last WWI veterans, this production explores the timely question of how we remember this monumental time in modern history.

Britain’s Thingumajig Theatre uses a variety of performing arts to explore how a major event, like the Great War, passes from living memory into written history. The performers use hand, rod and shadow puppets, live music and a transforming set to tell the tale of a British soldier in WWI and his unexpected friendship with a stray dog.

This is the story of quite ordinary people living in an extraordinary era. As co-Artistic Director Kathy Kim describes: “Both my grandfather, John Bradley, and my great-grandfather, Foster Parrington, fought and were wounded on the Somme. I knew neither of these men as they died before I was born, but I know from family hearsay that they would not talk about their experiences at the front, and therefore the opportunity to find out about this first hand died with them. The play is in respect and remembrance for all those whose lives were affected by World War One, and is dedicated to the memory of John Bradley and Foster Parrington.”

Thingumajig Theatre is a visual theatre company based in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, England creating puppet plays for both family and adult audiences, and street theatre acts featuring highly-interactive giant puppets. Their first play, The Vertigo of Sheep was awarded an UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence, (America’s highest honor for Puppetry). A November Day: A War Story has played throughout the UK, and in Italy, and will visit the Dublin Puppet Festival this spring.

A November Day: A War Story, a 55 minute production, suitable for ages 10 and up, will be presented in the Center For Puppetry Arts’ Downstairs Theatre from Feb. 15th through 20th:

Tuesday – Friday at 11am (note; limited seats remain available for matinee performances)
Thursday – Saturday at 8pm
Sunday at 5pm
Friday Footnotes: An artist/audience talk-back will be held on Feb. 18th, following the performance
Saturday, February 19th: Andrew and Kathy Kim of Thingumajig Theatre will present a teen and adult workshop:
Turning History into Puppetry.

Tickets for the show are $25.00 and include admission to the performance and all museum exhibits. Tickets for the workshop are $25.00. Membership and group rates are available.

ORDER TICKETS ONLINE AT WWW.PUPPET.ORG OR CALL THE TICKET SALES OFFICE AT: 404-873-3391.

Theatre in the Square’s Hitchcock’s Mystery Thriller, The 39 Steps will extend for an additional week of performances

2011-02-08T11:42:00.000-05:00

Theatre in the Square has added six additional performances of The 39 Steps after having several sold out performances. The play, which is adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan and Alfred Hitchcock’s movie by the same title, will now have its final performance at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 27 on the Main Stage. Tickets are available at the Box Office by calling 770-422-8369 or online at www.theatreinthesquare.com.

The play, directed by Clint Thornton, is Suzi recommended and received soaring reviews. The two-time Tony® award winner, The 39 Steps, is a fast-paced thriller that follows Robert Hannay through London after being wrongly accused of committing a murder.

Performances are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. There is a Wednesday matinee at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 16 only. The play is recommended for ages 16 and up. Tickets are $24 to $33 and are available at the Theatre in the Square Box Office by calling 770-422-8369 or online at www.theatreinthesquare.com. Discount rates for are available for groups of 12 or more by calling 770-422-8369 x29. Theatre in the Square is located off of the Historic Marietta Square at 11 Whitlock Ave.

The Alliance Theatre Presents the World Premiere of Bring It On: The Musical

2011-01-18T16:17:00.000-05:00

Performances began on the 15th! Runs through Feb 20th

The Alliance Theatre announces the world premiere of Bring It On: The Musical, which debuted on the Alliance Stage January 15, 2011. The high-stakes world of competitive cheerleading meets the cutthroat rivalries of high school politics in this daring and explosive new musical comedy. The star-studded creative team behind the production has crafted an original with all new characters and storylines that is certain to surprise and delight audience members.

The team behind the world premiere of Bring It On: The Musical is an extraordinarily rare union of some of Broadway's most acclaimed, award-winning, young creators. With an original book by Tony Award® winner Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q), music and lyrics by Tony Award®-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights), music by Pulitzer and Tony Award®-winning composer Tom Kitt (Next to Normal) and lyrics by Broadway lyricist Amanda Green (High Fidelity), the production is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler (In the Heights).

“Kicking off 2011 with this world premiere is a prime example of the Alliance’s deep commitment to offering Atlanta the country’s first look at Broadway’s best and brightest creating new work at the top of their game,” said Susan V. Booth, Jenning Hertz, Jr. Alliance Theatre Artistic Director. “Welcoming a creative team of this magnitude to Atlanta is a gift both for and from the Alliance for our audiences and the community at large.”

Bring It On: The Musical is presented at the Alliance Theatre by a special arrangement with Universal Pictures Stage Productions/Glenn Ross, Beacon Communications/Armyan Bernstein & Charlie Lyons, and Kristin Caskey & Mike Isaacson, Executive Producers.

“From my first eye-opening moment stepping into the cheerleading world, I was instantly struck by the passion and raw emotion filling every athlete stepping out onto the competition mat. That live or die commitment was truly inspiring,” said director and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler. “The team of Bring It On: The Musical quickly saw a parallel between the passion on the cheerleading floor and the attitude of young people everywhere who felt their own passions burn within them. We quickly saw that our story was not about winning or losing, but our story was about finding out what was in your heart and following with all the truth, love and spirit that you could muster up. The path before us in life is definitely curvy, but if we live true to our heart, we all find out what "winning" means to each of us.”

The lead actors in Bring It On: The Musical include Amanda Lea LaVergne (Campbell), who recently performed in Grease and All Shook Up on Broadway; Adrienne Warren (Danielle), fresh from the recent national tour of Dreamgirls and Nick Blaemire (Randall), who appeared in the original Broadway production of Cry-Baby.

The all-star cast includes some of the nation’s most skilled competitive cheerleaders. Their combined achievements include over 25 national and 50 team titles in gymnastics and choreography. They were selected in part through a collaboration with Varsity, the global leader in competitive cheerleading. Among eight of the most notable are: Antwan Bethea, Michael Naone-Carter, Courtney Corbeille, Brooklyn Freitag, Melody Mills, Sheldon Tucker, David Ranck, and Lauren Whitt.

Members of the artistic design team that help bring this production to life on the Alliance stage are David Korins, set designer; Andrea Lauer, costume designer; Jason Lyons, lighting designer; Brian Ronan, sound designer. Tony Award® winner Alex Lacamoire serves as music supervisor for the production.

Bring It On: The Musical will be performed on the Alliance Stage with previews beginning Saturday, January 15, 2011 with opening night on Friday, January 28. The run will continue through Sunday, February 20. Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $25 and are available at the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office by calling404.733.5000 or online at alliancetheatre.org. Discount rates for groups of 10 or more are available by calling 404-733-4690. Discount rates are also available for members of the military, seniors and students. The Alliance Theatre is located at the Woodruff Arts Center, corner of Peachtree & 15th Street, in Midtown Atlanta.
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Georgia Ensemble Theatre Presents "Tokens of Affection" Jan 6 - 23

2011-01-02T17:18:00.000-05:00

Georgia Ensemble Theatre (GET), North Fulton’s only professional theatre company, will present the third production of its 18th “X-traordinary” Season with the world premiere of Tokens of Affection, by award-winning Atlanta Playwright Topher Payne, at the Theatre’s home in the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell, GA 30075. This production is generously sponsored by the Macy’s Foundation.

About the Play:

Playwright Topher Payne calls this new romantic comedy, “THE PARENT TRAP for grown-ups!” Tokens of Affection deals with “empty nesting,” the complications of romance, and family dysfunction. What is a husband to do when his wife of 37 years announces she’s leaving? Both seek solace at the homes of their grown children, to panicked and hilarious results.

Artistic Director Robert J. Farley says of producing this world premiere, “I am so excited about this play. Creating something from the ground up is always exhilarating and admittedly a bit scary. The journey with Topher Payne has been wonderful, and I’m thrilled for GET to get ‘bragging rights’ on this one, because I believe it’s going to ‘have legs!’”

About the Playwright/Director:

Topher Payne was this year’s selection for “Best Local Playwright” by the readers of Creative Loafing, and was voted “Best Local Writer” and “Best Actor” by the readers of The GA Voice. Process Theatre Company’s production of his play Above the Fold won the 2009 Metro Atlanta Theatre Award for Best Original Work and Best Play of the Year. He is a columnist for The GA Voice, Project Q Atlanta and Fenuxe Magazine. Favorite directing projects include productions of On Golden Pond, Impossible Marriage, and Stories I Ain’t Told Nobody Yet. In May, he will premiere the farce Lakebottom Proper at the State Theatre of Georgia, The Springer Opera House.

In his Director’s Notes for this play, Topher writes, “(As) my wedding day was approaching … I attempted to picture what the marriage I was committing to would look like several decades down the road. It scarcely seems possible that you could make a vow in your twenties and manage to live up to it in your seventies. Eventually I sorted out my thoughts the only way I know how: I wrote a play. My first love story. It began with a couple who have lived more years together than they did apart, who have somehow lost sight of what makes them work. Then more voices began to show up, and I realized it was a play about how we give our hearts to the variety of people God guides into our lives. And then there are misunderstandings and lots of messy complications.” He goes on to say of this GET production, “The cast of Tokens of Affection has done such incredible work capturing those seemingly contradictory aspects of relating to people we love: the challenges, and the laughter.”

About the Cast:

The cast of Tokens Affection features Judy Leavell (GET’s The Lady with All the Answers and Steel Magnolias), John Stephens (Theatre Gael Artistic Director, Conversations with My Wife at Theatre in the Square), Shelly McCook (Season’s Greetings and Twentieth Century at GET), Kelly Criss (River Rat & Cat and And Then They Came for Me tour at GET), Matthew Myers (Dracula at Aurora Theatre, Waiting for Godot at Theatre Gael), and Googie Uterhardt (You Can’t Take it With You at Theater Emory, Music Man and Little Shop of Horrors at Atlanta Lyric). The design team includes Stephanie Polhemus as Scenic Designer, Bryan Rosengrant as Lighting Designer, Linda Patterson as Costume Designer, and Jason Polhemus as Sound Designer. Topher Payne directs the show; and Hayley Brotherton is Stage Manager.

Tickets for Tokens of Affection:

Tokens of Affection runs January 6-23, 2011, with performances on Wednesdays at 7:30pm, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm. There will be two Saturday 4pm matinees: January 15 and 22. Tickets range in price from $23-$33, with student, senior and group discounts also available. Tickets may be purchased online at www.get.org or by calling GET at 770-641-1260. All performances will be at the Theatre’s home at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St., Roswell, GA 30075.

Next up at Georgia Ensemble Theatre: Inherit the Wind (Feb. 24-Mar. 13, 2011); and Forbidden Broadway (April 7-24, 2011).

For information and tickets, call 770-641-1260, or visit us online at www.get.org.
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Southside Theatre Guild Presents "Home for the Holidays"

2010-12-11T18:11:00.000-05:00

Southside Theatre Guild in downtown Fairburn announces a second performance of “Home for the Holidays”, featuring Robert Ray & Shea Johnson. The show will feature some of the world’s best-loved sacred songs of the season, performed to a contemporary beat. Enjoy an intimate evening of Christmas classics on Wednesday, December 22nd at 8:00 pm. (Dec. 21 show is sold out!) Tickets are $20 each and include a dessert after-party. For more info or to purchase tickets, www.STGplays.com or 1-800-838-3006.

SECOND SHOW ADDED - RESERVE EARLY - www.STGplays.com

Robert Ray and guest vocalist, Shea Johnson will perform an intimate evening of Christmas Classics on December 21st and 22nd at 8pm at Southside Theatre Guild in downtown Fairburn. The show, "Home for the Holidays" will feature some of the world's best-loved sacred songs of the season - performed to a contemporary beat, provided by jazz musicians - Rich Jones, Paul Fallat and John Willingham.

Also expect to hear Christmas standards such as "White Christmas", "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", "Winter Wonderland", "Jingle Bell Rock", "Favorite Things", "Silver Bells", "I've Got my Love to Keep me Warm" and "I'll be Home for Christmas". Add to the roster some new Holiday favorites like Celine Dion's "Don't Save it All for Christmas Day", Whitney Houston's "Joy", Bette Midler's "From a Distance", Amy Grant's "Grown Up Christmas Wish" and Newsong's "Christmas Shoes."

As you can see, this is the place to sit back and soak in some last minute Christmas Spirit. The show will run 80 minutes - without an intermission with a complimentary wine and dessert party immediately after. All seats $20 ($23.39 including tax and handling) www.STGplays.com or 1-800-838-3006

Robert Ray is no stranger to Holiday music having performed the Opening Number for three WSB-TV Christmas Parades. He directed and produced "The 75th Anniversary of the Fox Theatre" which was the highlight of the 2005 holiday season. Robert is a Palmetto native and graduated from Campbell High School in Fairburn prior to moving to New York and working as a broadway actor and award-winning cabaret artist.

Shea Johnson balances her time as a speech and drama teacher at Landmark Christian School with her work as a professional actress and singer. She is currently featured in Stone Mountain's holiday commercial and has performed leading roles at Atlanta Lyric Theatre and the Highland Playhouse. Shea resides in Newnan with her husband and daughter.

Ray's orchestra has performed for three Underground Atlanta Peach Drops and at seven "1st Night Atlanta Celebrations."

Theatrical Outfit Presents 'A Christmas Memory' Dec 15 - 23

2010-11-30T14:57:00.000-05:00

Tom Key’s beloved one-man stage adaptation of the Truman Capote classic offers an intimate alternative to local seasonal spectaculars

For an exclusive run of only nine performances this holiday season, Theatrical Outfit will feature Executive Artistic Director, Tom Key, on stage for his one-man show adaptation of Truman Capote’s cherished story, A Christmas Memory. The performance will consist of two acts—the first act of holiday music by bluegrass band, The Georgia Potlickers, will complement the second act’s theatrical narration by Key: “The actor, the words and the audience’s imagination is all you need. Reader’s theatre really invites the audience to let their imagination run free.” An Alabama native himself, Key narrates the semi-autobiographical tale of seven-year-old Alabama boy, Buddy, and his unique friendship with his elderly eccentric cousin, like “a lost pair of kites hurrying towards heaven." Comedic, realistic, and with childlike charisma, the adventures in A Christmas Memory offer an intimate holiday event for the entire family.

Much like last season’s Amahl and the Night Vistors, A Christmas Memory delivers the same simplicity and charm of holiday storytelling—as if the audience is being entertained in Key’s own home. In fact, Tom Key had not originally intended to fully adapt Capote’s work, but was encouraged to do so by his family and friends, for whom he had made a holiday tradition of performing the work. In 1973, Key was asked by the local YMCA in Knoxville, TN to perform his adaptation during graduate school. However, it was not until after his tour of Cotton Patch Gospel in 1982 that Key was approached by several regional theatre companies to take A Christmas Memory to the stage, including the Alliance Theatre in the late 1980s. Most notable of A Christmas Memory’s presentations is that it was the first work to be performed at Theatrical Outfit’s newly-renovated downtown home, The Balzer Theater at Herren’s, on December 16, 2004. Of this performance, Wendell Brock wrote, “That Key can evince so much whimsy and filigree from Capote’s tales is a testament to his gift as a storyteller.” “…[A Christmas Memory] remains a rich and evocative glimpse of the vanishing South—and a wise commentary on the intricacies of friendship, kindness and giving” (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2004); all warm and resonant notes of the holiday spirit.

Tickets are $15 - $30 and are available now. For more information about show times and tickets, call the Box Office at 678.528.1500 or visit www.theatricaloutfit.org. Box Office is open Tuesday – Friday from noon – 6:00pm and prior to all performances. Group rates available. Theatrical Outfit in The Balzer Theatre at Herren’s, 84 Luckie Street, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Atlanta Lyric to Stage Spectacular “42ND STREET”

2010-11-09T22:55:00.000-05:00

“Come and Meet Those Dancing Feet” at The Strand Theatre in Marietta

Atlanta Lyric Theatre, the metro area’s only local professional musical theatre company presents “42nd Street,” the ultimate Broadway musical which opens December 3rd and plays through the 19th at the historic Strand Theatre in Marietta. Tickets are $30-$45, with discounts for seniors, students, groups and four pack season tickets that offer a savings as low as 30%!

“42nd Street” is an unforgettable tap-‐dancing extravaganza with a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, lyrics by Al Dubin and music by Harry Warren that features such hits as “We’re In The Money,” “Shuffle Off To Buffalo,” “You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me,” and, of course, the title song!

The 1980 Broadway production won the Tony Award for Best Musical as did the 2001 Broadway revival for Best Revival. Based on the novel by Bradford Ropes and the subsequent 1933 film adaptation, “42nd Street” tells the story of a starry-eyed young actress named Peggy Sawyer who has come to audition for the new Julian Marsh musical that is about to open on Broadway. Unfortunately, Peggy can’t seem to work up the nerve to walk through the stage door until it’s too late--the audition is over. But not to worry! Peggy soon catches the eye of the famous director, and when the chorus turns up one girl short, Peggy gets her big break. But Peggy can’t seem to stay in the good graces of the show’s aging leading lady, Dorothy Brock, and on opening night, another Dancer accidentally pushes Peggy into Ms. Brock who falls and breaks her ankle. The furious director fires Peggy on the spot. Discouraged and ready to give up all her dreams of becoming a star, Peggy packs her bags and heads for the train station, but fate has other plans and Peggy may turn out to be a star yet!

Lyric Artistic Director Brandt Blocker directs, and nationally acclaimed choreographer Karen Hebert choreographs and stars as aging diva Dorothy Brock.

Starring in the role of Peggy Sawyer is Casey Leigh Thompson of Broadway’s “Legally Blonde.” Thompson was previously seen as Tiger Lilly in The Lyric’s “Peter Pan.” Playing Broadway director Julian Marsh is Atlanta’s award-winning actor Jeff McKerley who was in The Lyric’s “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Mikado,” and “Cinderella.” Last seen at Long Island’s Gateway Playhouse in “The Producers,” William James Daniels plays brash performer Billy Lawlor, while Atlanta’s Dustin Lewis and Mary Nye Bennett are featured as Broadway writers Bert Barry and Maggie Jones.

Others in the cast include Steve Hornibrook, Larry Ruth, Charles Green, Jason Kalish, Jennifer Smiles Plumley, Lauren Warnke, Courtney Godwin, Caroline Ann Freedlund, Becky Simmons, Becca Potter, Courtney Bowers, Elizabeth Neidel, Michael Malone, Michael McDonough, Aaron Carter, Fenner Eaddy, and Justin Thompson.

The design team for the show is led by scenic designer Lee Shiver; Jessica Coale is the lighting designer; Lindsey Paris is the costume coordinator; and Bobby Johnston is sound designer.

All performances are held at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre at 117 N. Park Sq., on the historic Marietta Square. For tickets and information call 404-377-9948 or visit www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com.

Performance Schedule

Dec 3, 4, 5 Friday & Sat. @ 8:00, Sun. @ 2:00

9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs., Fri. & Sat. @ 8:00, Sun. @ 2:00 16, 17, 18, &19, 2010
Thurs., Fri. & Sat. @ 8:00, Sat. & Sun. @ 2:00
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Broadway Across America-Atlanta Holiday Package Announced

2010-11-07T14:22:00.002-05:00

Help spread some Broadway magic with the gift that keeps giving all season long! The recently announced Broadway Across America – Atlanta Mini Season Package includes classics such as West Side Story and Hair, as well as a Tony Award nominated newcomer, Shrek the Musical, and the high-energy ballroom dancing spectacular, Burn the Floor.

“Our new holiday package enables theatre fans to gift an experience that will resonate throughout the year,” said Stephanie Parker, vice president of Broadway Across America – Atlanta. “This mini season line up features some of this season’s most anticipated shows at prices that can accommodate any budget.”

With packages starting as low as $52, reserving seats and spreading the joy to loved ones will be easier than ever for Atlantans. Tickets can be purchased through December 31 online anytime at www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com or by phone at 800-278-4447 (Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.).
Show dates include:

West Side Story
January 25 – 30, 2011

Burn the Floor
March 22 – 27, 2011

Shrek the Musical
April 26 – May 1, 2011

Hair
May 17 – 22, 2011

About Broadway Across America
Broadway Across America: Owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman), Broadway Across America presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 43 North American cities. Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world. Broadway Across America most recently produced Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS on Broadway, while current and upcoming productions include WEST SIDE STORY, BLITHE SPIRIT, MINSKY’S, and the DeafWest production of PIPPIN. Broadway tours include DORA THE EXPLORER, FROST/NIXON, SPAMALOT, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. For more information or to purchase tickets through an authorized agent, please visit BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

Clayton State Theatre Presents “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab”

2010-11-07T13:07:00.000-05:00

This November, the Clayton State Theatre brings audiences an original stage production, “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab” – an entirely student developed musical featuring an all-student cast.

Preview nights for “Everything Goes” are Nov. 9 and 10 with the musical running Nov. 11, Nov. 12 and Nov. 13, all at 8 p.m. in the Clayton State Theatre, located in room G132 in the University’s Arts & Sciences building.. General admission is $5. Clayton State students receive free admission with their LakerCard.

Fourteen Clayton State Theatre students began developing “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab” at the beginning of fall semester 2010. Under the tutelage of Clayton State Theatre Artistic Director Phillip DePoy, the students created the play’s title, characters, plot, and other elements through improvisation. The action centers on a 1920s speakeasy and features jazz numbers from that time period.

“The students did research on music in the 1920s, built a rough outline and improvised lines in class to create the script,” shares DePoy, who led theatre students in a similar creative process in 2005 when Clayton State Theatre produced its first student developed play, “Coffee Girl in a World of Good and Evil.” “This play, although weirdly close in theme to 1920s theatre, is really a parody that explores the foolishness and delight of that era of musical.”

Students in the cast of “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab” include Brian Bryant, Kristy Bryant, Tiffany McClanahan, Bryan Meadows, Adrienne Garcia, Kathryn Hayes, LaDonna Williams, Tristan Santiago, Anissa Sivik, Chelisa Williams, Cody Wilson, and Angel Woods. Clayton State senior and Fayetteville native Kalani Fraser – who graduates with her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Clayton State this December – is stage manager. Clayton State theatre graduate Marie Banks is assistant stage manager for the production.

Also assisting in the production of “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab” is Clayton State Director of Opera Dr. Kurt-Alexander Zeller, choreographer Nicole Livieratos and pianist and Clayton State alumnus Seth Davis. Adrienne Garcia, a cast member, created the murals as part of an internship.

“The process of developing a play drives some actors crazy, but other actors buy into it whole-heartedly,” says DePoy, recalling the support he received from the Clayton State student actors during both original Clayton State pieces in which he has been part. In addition to writing numerous plays himself, DePoy was the artistic director at Atlanta’s Theatrical Outfit when the theatre company developed a popular version of the British epic “Beowulf.”

For more information on “Everything Goes, Episode One: Big Max Takes a Cab,” contact DePoy at PhillipDePoy@clayton.edu or call (678) 466-4715.

Broadway Baby Comes Home to Help Foster Children

2010-11-04T13:10:00.000-04:00

Curtains Up, the non-profit performing arts company that mentors at-risk children to become confident and successful performers, invites the community to see their production of Annie at Onstage Atlanta on November 8 through November 13, 2010. Mary Stewart Sullivan, a Broadway performer, will star as the title role opposite Jennifer Salberg, founder of Curtains Up, as Miss Hannigan.

Jennifer started Curtains Up in 2004. She produces Broadway shows that inspire children and encourage them to reach for the stars. In addition, Curtains Up gives every child the opportunity to stand in the spotlight.

In 2005, Mary Stewart, at the age of four, learned how theatre could be fun and philanthropic from “Ms. Jen”. Thus, their magnetic force, which will be evident in Annie, began.

This year, with the help of her Curtains Up background, Mary Stewart landed the role and played Jojo in Seussical with the Atlanta School of the Performing Arts. During that production, the magic of Broadway struck. At eight years old, she received the call of a lifetime and was whisked away to perform as the daughter of Tony Award Winner Norbert Leo Butz in Enron, A true story of false profits. Mary Stewart returns to Atlanta to play Annie and help Curtains Up support foster children.

All of the ticket money from Annie will go to at-risk and foster children.

For tickets and more information please call 404-459-0409 or visit www.curtainsupinc.org
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Stop Dreaming and Come See Irving Berlin's White Christmas at the Fabulous Fox Theatre Nov 2 - 7

2010-10-26T22:15:00.000-04:00

"You’re sure to catch the spirit of the season when you come to see our big holiday musical, Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS,” states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars. “This delightful romantic musical comedy has it all…glorious Irving Berlin songs, spectacular dance numbers, and gorgeous sets and costumes. Bring your loved ones to the Fabulous Fox Theatre for a heart-warming celebration of Americana from November 2-7. Tickets are on sale NOW at all Ticketmaster locations, the Fox Theatre Box Office, by calling 800-982-2787 and online at www.ticketmaster.com.”

Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS is a delightful new musical based on the 1954 smash hit Paramount movie. It tells the story of two army buddies, Bob and Phil, who have a successful song- and-dance act after the war. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters to a Christmas gig at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by their former Army commander. The boys soon realize they are the only guests at the resort because there is no snow! In order to help the General, they come up with a scheme to bring in a crowd. They decide to stage their newest Broadway revue, as well as make a special television appeal to all their Army pals to show up on Christmas Eve. The show features classic Irving Berlin hits such as “Blue Skies,” “Sisters,” “Happy Holiday,” “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep,” “I Love a Piano” and the unforgettable title song, “White Christmas.”

Starring as crooner Bob Wallace is John Scherer. He most recently appeared on Broadway in Lovemusik, directed by the legendary Harold Prince. He also worked with Mr. Prince in 3hree at the Ahmanson in Los Angeles. He starred in the Broadway and film versions of Andrew Lloyd Webber's By Jeeves, written and directed by Sir Alan Ayckbourn. Other Broadway credits include Sunset Boulevard and The Most Happy Fella (NYC Opera). He toured nationally in 42nd Street and Cats. He received critical acclaim for his performance as George M at the Goodspeed Opera House. Film and television credits include The Shield, Crossing Jordan, Law and Order (all three series), Titus and The Guiding Light.

Amy Bodnar reprises the role of Betty Haynes after playing it at the Tony award winning Denver Center. On Broadway, Amy played Laurey in the recent revival of Oklahoma and was in the original production of Ragtime. She starred as Marguerite in the national tour of The Scarlet Pimpernel, as well as performing as Betty Schaefer in the Canadian company of Sunset Boulevard.

Denis Lambert plays the other half of Wallace & Davis as the dashing Phil Davis. He starred on Broadway in A Chorus Line and off-Broadway in Yank!, Zorba and Finian's Rainbow. His other credits include the 1st National Tours of A Chorus Line and The Producers.

Shannon M. O’Bryan stars as Betty’s sister and matchmaker, Judy Haynes. Her Broadway credits include: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, 42nd Street, City Center’s Encores!, productions of Face The Music, Follies and Of Thee I Sing. Other favorites include: Gypsy, Grease, American In Paris (with Leslie Caron), the 1st National Tour and Theater of the Stars production of 42nd Street.

Starring as the cheerful but nosey inn manager Martha is Ruth Williamson. Her Broadway credits include: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, La Cage Aux Folles, The Music Man (Outer Critics Nomination), Epic Proportions, Little Me , Guys & Dolls, Smile, Musical Comedy Murders, and Annie. She’s had roles in these movies: Evan Almighty, The Producers, Legally Blonde II, Family Man, Malcolm X, Foreign Student, Easy Six, Psycho Beach Party and Die Mommie, Die! Her television credits include Monk, Medium, The O.C., The Practice, ER, Star Trek: Enterprise, Law & Order, Hannah Montana and Mrs. Grubman on Nip/Tuck.

Erick Devine stars as the commanding General Waverly. His Broadway credits include: Ragtime, Sid Caesar & Co., Cats, Seussical and National Tours of Big River, Ragtime, Me & My Girl (Helen Hayes Award Nominee, D.C.), Grand Hotel, Annie Get Your Gun (with Cathy Rigby). He performed in A Sondheim Tribute at Carnegie Hall and Of Thee I Sing and Allegro at City Center's Encore! He directed Candide & HMS Pinafore (with Kristin Chenoweth), Anything Goes (with Kelli O'Hara), Annie Warbucks (with Gavin MacLeod) and The Unsinkable Molly Brown (with Cathy Rigby).

Tony Lawson will portray high powered producer Ralph Sheldrake and starring as the General’s adorable granddaughter Susan Waverly is 11 year-old actress Mary Peeples. Other cast members include Don Rey as the neurotic Stage Manager, Mike Nulty and James Young as the delightful Ezekiel Foster.
Ensemble members are: Adinah Alexander, Andrew Black, Scott Brateng, Melinda Cowan, Con O’Shea-Creal, Brandon Davidson, Jenny Florkowski, Megan Jimenz, Matthew Kirk, Janelle Neal, Amanda Paulson, Ashley Peacock, Kristyn Pope, Kelly Sheehan, Haley Swindal, Merrill West, and Richard Riaz Yoder.

Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS features Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin with Book by David Ives and Paul Blake and is based upon the Paramount Pictures film written for the screen by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama, and Melvin Frank.

This brand new production of Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS is produced by Atlanta’s Theater of the Stars. The show will have previews at the Municipal Auditorium in Chattanooga, TN on Oct 29-30 and then tour to the following cities:

Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA – Nov 2-7
            The Peace Center in Greenville, SC – Nov 9-14
The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, CT – Nov 16-21
            Proctors in Schenectady, NY – Nov 22-28
David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, FL - Nov 30-Dec 5
            Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, NC – Dec 7-12
            Broadway In Chicago at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago, IL – Dec 15-Jan 2

The creative team includes direction by Norb Joerder, choreography by Randy Skinner, scenic design by Anna Louizos, scenic supervision and adaptation by Kenneth Foy, lighting design by Ken Billington, and sound design by Peter Fitzgerald and Erich Bechtel. The tour is produced by agreement with R&H Theatricals, an Imagem Company. The official tour web site is: www.whitechristmasthemusical.com.

Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS will play the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta from November 2-7, 2010. Performances are Tuesday-Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 pm & 8 pm, and Sunday at 1:30 pm & 7 pm. Tickets are on sale NOW at Ticketmaster outlets, 800-982-2787 and www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices range from $25-$70. Special group rates are available through the Fox Theatre Group Sales Department at 404-881-2000.

Theater of the Stars celebrates its 58th Anniversary as one of the nation’s premier regional theater companies. A civic not-for-profit cultural treasure, Theater of the Stars is dedicated to presenting and producing the best in musical theater. To learn more about our history of excellence, visit www.theaterofthestars.com.
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Georgia Shakespeare is excited to announce... the Winner of the Search for Ralphie, Lead Role in 'A Christmas Story'

2010-10-26T21:48:00.000-04:00

“You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”

Georgia Shakespeare announces that the city-wide competition The Search for Ralphie has come to a pitch-perfect conclusion. After four open calls across the city, semi-finals and finals rounds, 13-year-old Cooper Driskell has been selected to portray Ralphie on stage in this December’s production of A Christmas Story. The competition also sought and found six other kids’ roles: Ralphie’s brother and his friends.

Georgia Shakespeare is thrilled to produce the regional premiere of A Christmas Story, directed by Drew Fracher, written by Philip Grecian, based on the motion picture “A Christmas Story” (© 1983 Turner Entertainment Co., Distributed by Warner Bros.), written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Rob Clark and based on the book In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd. The show runs December 7-26; evening performances begin at 7pm.

“The Search for Ralphie” took place across Atlanta over four successive weekends in September, beginning at the Decatur Book Festival, moving to Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta, then to Chocolate Perks in Duluth, and winding up at Bloomingdale’s Lenox Square. Overall, the judges saw over 150 auditions in this process.

"Auditions were a blast, all the kids did a tremendous job and made the decision process difficult in giving me so many possibilities!” says director Drew Fracher. “I'm so impressed with the quality of the casting pool here in Atlanta and can't wait to get started with our talented bunch."

The semi-finals brought ten “Ralphies” before the judges, and were conducted at the Atlanta Parent Magazine Family Block Party on October 9. On October 16 and 17, five “Ralphies” came before the judges at finals, conducted at Georgia Shakespeare.

The judges were radio and TV personalities Holly Firfer and Tom Sullivan; Atlanta-based actor Brad Sherrill; Whole World Improv Theatre’s Artistic Director Chip Powell; Georgia Shakespeare’s Producing Artistic Director Richard Garner and Education Director Allen O’Reilly, and A Christmas Story Director Drew Fracher.

The cast is announced:

Ralphie – Cooper Driskell
Randy – Ian L’Abate
Flick – Eric Broner
Scut Farkas – Whit Weinman
Schwartz – Giovanni Tortorici
Esther Jane – Shea Jones
Helen – Alice Garriga
Ralph (the narrator) – Allan Edwards*
The Old Man – Mark Kincaid*
Mother – Sherman Fracher*
Miss Shields – LaLa Cochran

*Indicates member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

Ralphie Parker wants just one thing for Christmas, just one thing: an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model BB Rifle with a Compass in the Stock. But can Ralphie survive the last several days before Christmas and overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles to his owning the precious Red Ryder BB gun? “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.”
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The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris November 26, 2010 – January 2, 2011

2010-10-12T16:04:00.000-04:00

Horizon Theatre reprises the outrageous holiday comedy The Santaland Diaries written by NPR comic genius David Sedaris. With more holiday sneer than cheer, this rebel without a Claus recounts the true-life tale of an out of work writer who must take a job as a Macy's Department Store elf.

Box office 404.584.7450 or visit http://www.horizontheatre.com.

TICKET INFORMATION*
Tuesday – Friday 8 PM: Tickets $25General, $40 VIP
Saturday 8:30 PM: Tickets $30 General, $45 VIP
Sunday 6 PM: Tickets $30 General, $45 VIP
*Ticket prices are subject to change. *8% sales tax will be added to all ticket orders. Group, Student & Senior discounts available
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Madeline’s Christmas at Horizon Theatre

2010-10-12T15:57:00.000-04:00

Based on the book by Ludwig Bemelmans
Book and lyrics by Jennifer Kirkeby
Music by Shirley Mier
December 11, 2010 – January 2, 2011

Back by popular demand: A family holiday musical based on the beloved Madeline books.

“In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines,” begins the story of Madeline. This holiday season will be unlike any other for Madeline and her friends. While on their morning walk with Miss Clavel, the girls come down with the flu, and as they take to their bed, many wonder if they will be able to go home for Christmas. With the arrival of a mysterious stranger, Madeline and the other girls get a holiday adventure beyond their wildest dreams. A musical play adapted from Ludwig Bemelmans’ delightful book. A holiday treat for the whole family! This charming musical adaptation will be sure to enchant audiences at Horizon Theatre Company this Holiday Season.

Box office 404.584.7450 or visit http://www.horizontheatre.com.

TICKET INFORMATION*
Adult $15 & Children $12
December 11, 2010 – January 2, 2011
Saturdays and Sundays @ 1:00 & 3:30 PM**
**no show on December 25th
School Day Performances:
Tuesday & Wednesday December 14th and 15th at 10:30 am
Weekday performances: Monday, December 13 @ 6:30 PM Tuesday-Wednesday, December 14-15 @ 10:30 AM Monday, December 20 @ 1:00, 3:30 & 6:30 PM Tuesday-Friday, December 21-24 @ 1:00, 3:30 PM Monday - Friday, December 27-31 @ 1:00, 3:30 PM *Ticket prices are subject to change. *8% sales tax will be added to all ticket orders. Group discounts available
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Broadway Across America - Atlanta and Dress for Success Hosting Drive During Dreamgirls

2010-10-12T13:24:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, Oct 13

Atlantans invited to spread some magic with donation and discounted tickets

Broadway Across America - Atlanta is partnering with Atlanta’s Professional Women’s Group, the job retention program of Dress for Success, to help make dreams come true for teenage girls throughout Atlanta during the engagement of DREAMGIRLS. On Wednesday, October 13 from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., members of Atlanta’s Professional Women’s Group will be onsite at Fox Theatre accepting donations of evening dresses and accessories.

When a donation is made, the donor will receive a voucher that can be exchanged at the Fox Theatre box office (660 Peachtree Street N.E.) for half-priced admission to DREAMGIRLS. Each half-price ticket will be valid for the best seat currently available in the top two tiers of tickets. Donors will get to experience the smash hit musical on October 13 for the bargain price of $16 or $23.

Each year the Professional Women’s Group plans a community service project. This year, members will collect and sort the formal attire and give the donations to various local organizations that provide prom gowns to teens who cannot afford to purchase them. They will also help the girls “shop” and get ready for their big night.

Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, DREAMGIRLS tells the story of an up-and-coming, 1960s singing girl group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. Hopeful talents Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson and Effie White are performing as The Dreamettes when ambitious agent Curtis Taylor, Jr. discovers them. He lands them a job as backup singers for the soul and rock ‘n’ roll sensation James “Thunder” Early and begins to guide their quickly rising career. However, when the beautiful Deena emerges as the star of the group rather than the full-voiced Effie, the girls are brought to personal and professional crossroads.
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Driving Miss Daisy at the Legacy Theatre, Tyrone

2010-10-12T10:16:00.000-04:00

Show Dates: October 15th-October 31st

Show Times: Friday-Saturday 8PM and Saturday-Sunday 3PM

Ticket Prices: Adults $25, Seniors 60 and older/Students 13 and older $22, and Children 12 and under $15

Group Rates: Groups with 20 people or more get tickets for only $20 per person! The group leader also receives a free ticket!

Join The Legacy Theatre for three more weekends of this amazing show! Winner of the 1988 Pulitzer Prize and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway play. A warm-hearted, humorous and affecting study of the unlikely relationship between an aging, crotchety white Southern lady, and a proud, soft-spoken black man. A long-running Off-Broadway success and an Academy Award-winning film. Rated PG.

To purchase tickets please visit www.thelegacytheatre.org, or call 404-895-1473

A Christmas Carol - Alliance Holds One Day Sale Oct 11

2010-10-05T21:54:00.000-04:00

Just like October has probably snuck up on you (yes, it's true, it's October), Christmas will be here before you know it. But Christmas doesn't really arrive in Atlanta until you've seen A Christmas Carol here at the Alliance.

To ensure that you get the best seats at the best prices for this year's edition, you'll want to mark your calendars for Monday, October 11, for our One Day Sale!

What is the One Day Sale?

On Monday, October 11, tickets to select performances of A Christmas Carol will be Buy One, Get One at 50% Off! Available performances are linked below. For this offer, please use Promo Code ONEDAYSALE. If purchasing online, please note that all tickets are listed as being 25% off - these savings are equivalent to buy one, get one 50% off. The One Day Sale offer is not valid on previously purchased tickets and it is based on availability.

Available Dates
November 26 at 8 p.m. »
November 27 at 2:30 p.m. »
November 27 at 8 p.m. »
November 28 at 2:30 p.m. »
November 28 at 7:30 p.m. »
December 3 at 8 p.m. »
December 5 at 7:30 p.m. »

Guests Help Solve Gwinnett Historic Courthouse Murder Mystery

2010-09-29T14:40:00.002-04:00

Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation will partner with Page2Stage Productions and Stacey Sparks Events to present “The Haunting on the Square,” a chilling murder mystery dinner event at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse. Leading up to Halloween, the event will take place 7:00-9:00pm on Fridays, including October 8, 15, 22, and 29.

Guests will explore designated areas of the Courthouse with paranormal guides. When spirits surface from a 100-year-old murder, it will be up to visitors to solve the mystery at the Courthouse. (Please note that all events and historical depictions for this murder mystery are fictional.)

Prior to the murder mystery event, the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse will serve a buffet dinner consisting of a penne pasta bar with options of grilled chicken, beef meatballs or grilled vegetables, as well as marinara or alfredo sauce. Italian salad, fresh parmesan, garlic bread, chocolate mousse dessert shooters, and tea and coffee service will also accompany the dinner.

This event features improvisation from Page2Stage performer favorites including Jason Caldwell, Kate Rasnick, Ariel Stewart, and Ilene Miller. Jonathan Strickland also joins the cast, the senior writer from HowStuffWorks.com and an Atlanta improv artist. Beth Peters, assistant director of Ghosts of Georgia Paranormal Investigations, consults on the project to create realistic elements of ghost hunting and encounters.

Admission is $30 per person for Gwinnett County residents, $50 per person for non-residents and is suitable for ages 16 and up. Reserved tables for 10 are also available for $250 (a $50 discount). Advanced registration is required. Gwinnett Historic Courthouse is located at 185 W Crogan Street in downtown Lawrenceville.

For more information and to register, call 770-822-5450 or visit www.gwinnettparks.com.

SCAD Performing Arts Department Opens 2010/11 Season with Tony Award-winning Play, “Art”

2010-09-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

October 21–24

Season continues with the introduction of SCAD’s improvisational theatre, a world-premiere dance piece, a multi-media adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” a comedy about an adolescent Charlie Brown, and the classic musical “Hair”

The SCAD performing arts department will kick off its 2010/11 season with the Tony Award-winning comedy, “Art,” by Yasmina Reza, adapted by Christopher Hampton and directed by Vivian Majkowski. The show will run at Arnold Hall Auditorium, 1810 Bull St., Thursday, Oct. 21–Saturday, Oct. 23 at 8 p.m., with a matinee Sunday, Oct. 24 at 3 p.m.

Reza’s 90-minute comedy is about three friends who find their friendship tested when one of them buys a very expensive white painting. His friends' surprising reactions touch off a series of personal confrontations. This witty, intelligent and often funny play explores the power of art to engage the imagination and the enduring bonds of friendship.

French playwright Yasmina Reza won the Tony Award for “Art,” which has been produced worldwide and translated into more than 30 languages. British playwright Christopher Hampton won an Academy Award for the screen adaptation of his play “Dangerous Liaisons” and was nominated for his adaptation of “Atonement.”

When ”Art “opened on Broadway, Ben Brantley of The New York Times called it a “very funny play,” and John Heilpern of New Yorker declared, “We can’t be friends anymore if you don’t enjoy ‘Art.’”

Tickets for “Art” are $15 for general admission; $10 for seniors, military and students; $5 with a valid SCAD ID; and free with valid SCAD ID on Thursday, Oct. 21 only. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Savannah box office window, located at the Trustees Theater, 216 E. Broughton St., by calling 912.525.5050, or by logging onto www.tickets.scadboxoffice.com.

2010/2011 SEASON

The 2010/2011 SCAD performing arts season will continue with:

• “The Improv Show,” SCAD performing arts’ first series of improvisational theater events. Nov. 11–14 at the Mondanaro Theater, 217 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

• “La Traversée,” a world premiere dance piece conceived and choreographed by Vincent Brosseau about the immigrant experience. Feb. 10–13, at the Lucas Theatre, 32 Abercorn St.

• “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, adapted from his novel of the same name, directed by SCAD performing arts artistic director Sharon Ott, a multimedia adaptation of the classic American novel about a futuristic world in which the media controls the masses, censorship prevails over intellect and books are illegal. March 9–13 at the Lucas Theatre, 32 Abercorn St.

• “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” by Bert Royal, directed by Mark Tymchysyn, a comedy about the “Peanuts” gang as typical angst-ridden teenagers, May 5–8, at the Mondanaro Theater, 217 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

• “Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical” with book/lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, music by Galt McDermott, directed by SCAD performing arts chair Michael Wainstein. “Hair” is one of the great American musicals of the 20th century, about the counter-culture sexual revolution and anti-Vietnam War movement of the ‘60s. May 12–22 at the Lucas Theatre, 32 Abercorn Street.

Center for Puppetry Arts Presents Charlotte’s Web, Opening September 30

2010-09-23T11:15:00.000-04:00

This month, E.B. White’s classic children’s book Charlotte’s Web hits the stage at the Center for Puppetry Arts. A celebration of compassion, friendship and ingenuity, this charming tale has captivated generations with its enduring story of the lengths to which friends will go to help each other. Adapted for the stage by Joseph Robinette, Charlotte’s Web presents the adventures of that terrific pig Wilbur and his barnyard friends through the magic of puppetry.

The story begins one morning on Mr. Arable’s farm where the family awakes to find that a litter of pigs has been born during the night. Farmer Arable is pleased with the pigs, except for the runt of the litter, which he considers to be small and worthless. The farmer wants to kill the pig, but Mr. Arable’s daughter, Fern, protests. Fern rescues the runt and names him Wilbur. Fern cares for Wilbur until he grows bigger and must be moved to her Uncle Homer’s farm.

On Homer Zuckerman’s farm, Wilbur, young and innocent, is confused and scared by the other animals on the farm. Wilbur misses the Arable farm - especially Fern - until he befriends Charlotte, a gray spider who lives above his pen in the barn. Charlotte is wise and teaches Wilbur about true friendship. When Wilbur finds out that he is being fattened up to be slaughtered, Charlotte uses her amazing ability to weave words into her web above Wilbur’s pen. The words describe Wilbur as “Some Pig,” “Radiant” and “Terrific.” The miracle in Zuckerman’s barn attracts the attention of the press. The news spreads quickly throughout the community about “Zuckerman’s Famous Pig.”

With Charlotte’s help, Wilbur becomes a celebrity and is saved from the slaughterhouse. Soon afterward, the time comes for Charlotte to lay her egg sac. After she accomplishes this, Charlotte becomes weak and dies. Wilbur is greatly saddened, but pledges to care for the egg sac until the baby spiders hatch. As Charlotte’s children emerge from the egg sac, Wilbur begins to understand that life is ongoing and ever-changing and that friends are never forgotten.

“Charlotte’s Web is a classic story that shows the courage, love, and respect that true friendship can inspire. These characters are timeless, hilarious, and very real” comments director Michael Haverty.

Dressed in black from head to toe, the show’s five puppeteers remain in the shadows as they manipulate their puppets in the lighted playing areas, a technique called “Czech Black” puppetry as Czech Black technique as it originated in the Czech Republic of Central Europe. The puppets in this show are controlled by a mechanism in back of their heads that the puppeteers use to make the characters turn their heads, look up and down and focus on objects and other characters.

Families can have fun exploring their creativity, before or after the show, in the Create-A-Puppet Workshop, where they can create their own Wilbur Pig Hand Puppet; admission is included in the All-Inclusive ticket cost.

Charlotte’s Web opens on September 30 and will host special preview days on September 28 and 29 at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. each day. The show will run September 30 through October 31 at the following times:

· Tuesday – Friday: 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
· Saturday: 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
· Sunday: 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

To welcome fall weather and the opening weekend of Charlotte’s Web, Center for Puppetry Arts will be transformed into a fun-filled fairground, with activities and entertainment for all. On Saturday, October 2 and Sunday, October 3, guests are invited to don their best costumes and enjoy FREE family-friendly amusement, while learning more about the world of puppetry. Visitors will have the opportunity to vote on a favorite puppet from the Center’s museum in the “Best of Show” competition. A blue ribbon will be awarded to the winning puppet, which will be announced on the Center’s Facebook fan page. Other entertainment will include a County Fair Photo Booth--complete with props like handlebar mustaches and a prize-winning apple pie-- and games with exciting prizes like free tickets, finger puppets and an autographed cast photo.

All-Inclusive Tickets for patrons two-years-old and older are $16.00 ($14.82 + tax) and include admission to the performance, Create-A-Puppet Workshop (or Create-A-Puppet To-Go Kit), and all museum exhibits. Membership and group rates are available. ORDER TICKETS ONLINE AT WWW.PUPPET.ORG OR CALL THE TICKET SALES OFFICE AT: 404-873-3391.

Charlotte’s Web is produced by special arrangement with DRAMATIC PUBLISHING, Woodstock, Illinois.
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High on list of things to do: Go see @PageantAtlanta

2010-09-20T15:26:00.000-04:00

I'm already laughing... and all I did was watch people TALK about seeing Pageant Atlanta at the 14th Street Playhouse! I know we've told you about it before on here, but we're hearing so many comments about the play that we had to share again. A bunch of our friends have been to see it and they are unanimous in their praise.

It's playing through October 24th so you have plenty of opportunities to see it once, or maybe twice! I think this one is going to become a cult fave based on what I'm hearing. I'll let you know 'cause I'm going to see it, too. www.PageantAtlanta.com for half-price ticket offer.

Here are a few people talking about seeing it:

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Georgia Shakespeare is Pleased to Announce The World Premiere of The Odyssey: a Journey Home

2010-09-16T20:54:00.000-04:00

Based on the work of Homer
Directed by Richard Garner
Adapted by Richard Garner and Georgia Shakespeare’s Associate Artists

Opening Night, October 8

Georgia Shakespeare announces the World Premiere of The Odyssey: the Journey Home, based on the work of Homer, adapted by Richard Garner and the Associate Artists of Georgia Shakespeare, and directed by Richard Garner. The show runs October 7-31 and there are several special events planned during the run to honor and raise awareness for veterans.

In celebration of the 25th Anniversary Season, Richard Garner, Producing Artistic Director, and Georgia Shakespeare kick off “The Icarus Project” a 10-year long program that will produce company-generated and/or company-adapted work, giving the company’s Associate Artists a vehicle through which they may flex different muscles and work from the other side of the table. The program launches with The Odyssey: a Journey Home.

In this clever adaptation of Homer’s breathtaking epic, the physical, psychological and emotional challenges Odysseus overcomes in his return from fighting the Trojan wars mirror those of the modern warrior. Returning from war is a journey that only begins with arriving home. The Odyssey: a Journey Home examines the issues around re-entry and explores the actuality of “coming home”.

“Our veterans arrive home in a matter of hours, versus Odysseus’ 10-year trip, but their journey doesn’t end at home’s threshold. In many ways, it is just beginning,” says Garner. “And yet, the parallels between Odysseus and today’s soldiers are stunning. It’s been a real eye-opener to explore this concept of warriors and to realize how very little has changed over these hundreds of years.”

The cast features Joe Knezevich (in his 12th season at Georgia Shakespeare) as Odysseus, Chris Kayser (21st season) as Zeus, Carolyn Cook (16th season) as Athena and Neal A. Ghant (6th season) as Poseidon, among others.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Free and Open to the Public:
On Saturday, October 30, at 4:30pm, The ArtReach Foundation, Inc., will host a symposium to discuss issues facing veterans today. The panel will also discuss the play and how Odysseus’ journey, and the demons he faced along the way, represent issues veterans are facing upon returning home currently. The panel consists of The ArtReach Foundation Founder and Executive Director, Susan Anderson; Psychiatrist and Chair of the Board of Directors of The ArtReach Foundation Christina O’Hara; and Georgia Shakespeare’s Producing Artistic Director and The Odyssey: a Journey Home director and adapter, Richard Garner.

Free and Discounted Tickets for Military Guests
Georgia Shakespeare will give away 50 tickets per performance to military personnel with a valid ID, on a first-come, first-served basis. Each military guest with an ID will be given two tickets, and the opportunity to purchase up to two more at the discounted rate of $15 each.
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Rent, the Modern Broadway Tour de Force, is Coming to the University of West Georgia

2010-09-12T18:38:00.000-04:00

Performances will run from Sept. 29 – Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m., with matinee performances Oct. 2 and Oct. 3 at 2:30 p.m. in UWG’s Townsend Center Mainstage Theatre. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, and free with a UWG Student ID.

Rent, written by the ever-inspiring Jonathan Larson, is the story of 20-something artists living the bohemian lifestyle in the lower east side of Manhattan in the early 1990s. Artists, filmmakers, and musicians, along with many other colorful characters, live in the throes of young love, passion and ambition with the unifying belief that “it’s better to burn out than fade away.” Larson was living proof to such a bold claim. Just before the debut of his masterpiece, Larson died at the age of 35, during the final rehearsal of Rent. Almost two decades later, this Pulitzer Prize winning musical is world-renowned, rendering Larson immortal through his art.

The UWG production will pay particular homage to the street artists of New York City in the late 1980s. For more information call (678) 839- 4722.

Horizon stages World Premiere of New South Play Festival "Night Blooms"

2010-09-07T22:56:00.000-04:00

Atlanta’s own Margaret Baldwin finds a local home for the World Premiere of Night Blooms at Horizon Theatre. On a historic night in 1965 Selma two families deal with conflicts and find their differences are not necessarily black and white, Night Blooms, Sept 24 - Oct 24, 2010.

Inspired by Baldwin’s own family history during this historic period in Selma, the playwright began development with a question: “How did people deal with generational conflicts within their own families at a time when massive change and social tensions are suddenly knocking on their front door?” Baldwin answers this by focusing the play on an “everyday family redefining their relationships on a night of historic change”.

Through Baldwin’s research into that period in Selma’s history, she found that few things are as simple as they might first appear. “The more you dig into it, the more you see the complexities of the individuals and their relationships with each other.”

Night Blooms is a product of the New South Play Festival where Horizon is at the forefront of developing and showcasing new work by Southern writers about who we are today in the New South. This World Premiere production is sponsored by the Macy’s Foundation.

About the Play

Two families – one white and one black – cope with change in Selma in 1965. On the day of the march, the Stafford household laughs, cries, celebrates a bloom, and waits for news when an unexpected freedom fighter appears on their doorstep. Night Blooms is a moving story of ordinary people and extraordinary change.

About Margaret Baldwin

Margaret Baldwin is a local playwright, director and performer. Born and raised in Atlanta, she has produced her plays, solo, and ensemble performance works throughout US. Her most recent play, Her Little House, received a National 2004 AT&T Onstage Award for its world premiere at Horizon Theatre Company. Other recent works on Atlanta stages include Alice Through the Wonderglass (2003), a play for young audiences commissioned and produced by Synchronicity Performance Group, and The Wet Nurse Sings, a solo work Margaret wrote and performed as part of Synchronicity’s Anton Acts Out (2002). The Wet Nurse Sings and another solo work, The Deepest Part of the Creek, will be published this spring in a book of monologues edited by the Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis, MN. Margaret has an MFA from the Iowa Playwrights Workshop and is a member of the Dramatists Guild.

The Artistic Team/Cast

Heading up the creative team is director Karen Robinson
Night Blooms Artistic Team
Scenic Designer Jeffrey Weber
Lighting Designer Mary Parker
Costume Designer Sydney Roberts
Sound Designer Tom Jenkins
Prop Designer Kate LaFoy

The Cast

Lucinda Carter - Jill Jane Clements*
Ruth Stafford - Lala Cochran
Lucy Stafford - Bethany Anne Lind
Shep Carter - Tom Thon*
Geneva Willis - Marguerite Hannah*
Raynelle Willis - Brittney London
Clayton Carter - Harrison Long*

*Member of Actors Equity Association

Ticket Information
Performances of Night Blooms, Sept 24 – Oct 24, 2010:
Wed & Thurs, 8 PM
Friday, 8 PM,
Saturday Matinee, 3 PM, (10/02, 10/09, 10/16)
Saturday, 8:30 PM
Sunday, 5 PM
Opening Night, 8 PM

Tickets range from $20-$35 and may be purchased by calling the Box Office at 404.584.7450 or visiting www.horizontheatre.com. Horizon Theatre Company is located in Little Five Points at the corner of Euclid and Austin Avenues (1083 Austin Avenue). All seating is General Admission. Groups of 10 or more receive $3 off per ticket. Reserved seating for groups of 25 or more is available. For more information on booking a group, call the box office at 404.584.7450.

About Horizon Theatre Company

Horizon Theatre Company, 1083 Austin Avenue, connects people to each other, the community and the world through professional, contemporary theater. For more information about tickets, group sales, or to receive a season brochure, call 404.584.7450 or visit www.horizontheatre.com.

Horizon Theatre Company is grateful for the sponsorship by the Turner Voices initiative of Turner Broadcasting, who provides generous support to the 2010 season. Additional major funding is provided by the Metro Atlanta Arts Fund, as well as the Fulton County Commission under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council. Horizon Theatre is also supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. The Council is a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding is provided by the City of Atlanta, Office of Cultural Affairs.
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Alliance Theatre Presents the World Premiere of 'The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years'

2010-09-07T22:37:00.000-04:00

October 20 – November 14, 2010

Alliance Theatre artistic director Susan V. Booth and New York Times best-selling author Pearl Cleage collaborate this fall on the world premiere of The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years. This romantic comedy takes a lighthearted look into one of Southern society’s grandest traditions, the annual cotillion. As the new African-American debutants prepare for their introduction into the exclusive Nacirema Society of Montgomery, Alabama, their strong-willed grandmothers work behind the scenes to manage young love, the revelation of old flames, and the glare of the national spotlight. The Nacirema Society boasts a combination of some of the nation’s finest actresses, including the Tony Award winning Trezana Beverly, Atlanta’s own Andrea Frye, and acclaimed television, film and stage actress Jasmine Guy.

The play, produced in partnership with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, will launch in Montgomery, Alabama on September 24th before continuing on to Atlanta for the October 27th opening. This unique collaboration between two of the southeast’s most iconic theaters underscores Atlanta’s commitment to developing nationally significant new plays that elevate and speak to the cultural heritage of our community. As Pearl Cleage’s first new play in over a decade, this lively production filled with love, intrigue and comedy, brings the famed novelist back to her playwriting roots.

“In recent years, I’ve witnessed an evolution in theater in which productions are relying less on stereotypes or cultural norms of a specific demographic, and more on telling stories of love, joy, loss, and everything in between that have universal appeal,” says Cleage. “I hope The Nacirema Society will encourage people to move beyond focusing simply on the political and social climate of this period in our nation’s history and enjoy a wonderful romantic comedy that appeals to audience members across all generations.”

The Nacirema Society is the third production in the Alliance’s 42nd season roster, following the lively Charles Dickens-inspired Twist, and Sammy and Me, a tribute to late world-class entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr.

“In a season ranging from world premiere musicals to Pulitzer worthy dramas, The Nacirema Society represents the best of what the Alliance does, and what the Alliance can do in partnership with one of our city’s leading artists,” said director Susan V. Booth. “To welcome the incomparable Pearl Cleage home to our stage with this sparkling new masterwork is a gift for our audiences, our communities and for all of us lucky enough to work on this project.”

Six of the eight performers in The Nacirema Society cast have Atlanta ties. In addition to the much beloved Jasmine Guy, who plays New York Times reporter Janet Logan, the cast includes award-winning actress Andrea Frye. She returns to the Alliance to play Catherine Green, one of the two family matriarchs for this production. Frye was most recently featured at the Alliance in sold out hit Jar the Floor. On stage in The Nacirema Society, she matches wits with Tony® Award winning actress Trazana Beverley, who plays the other matriarch Grace Dubose Dunbar.

Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., Oct. 20- Nov. 11, 2010 on the Alliance Theatre’s Alliance Stage. There are no Saturday matinees October 23 or 30. Tickets to The Nacirema Society are $20-$50 and may be purchased by calling the box office at 404.733.4600 (Mon. – Fri. 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sat. 12 p.m. – 8 p.m., Sun. 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.), or online at www.alliancetheatre.org.

Discounted rates for groups of 10 or more are available by calling 404.733.4690. Discounted rates are also available for members of the military, seniors and students. The Alliance Theatre is located at the Woodruff Arts Center, at the corner of Peachtree and 15th Street, in Midtown Atlanta.

Atlanta Lyric’s 31st Season To Open With “The Music Man”

2010-09-02T15:58:00.000-04:00

Tony Award-Winning Musical Plays the Strand Theatre in Marietta

Atlanta Lyric Theatre, the metro area’s only local professional musical theatre company, will kick off its 31st season with one of the most famous and popular musicals of all time, Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man,” playing September 17 through October 3 at The Strand Theatre on the Marietta Square. Tickets are $30-$45, with discounts for seniors, students, groups, and season tickets that offer a savings as low as 30%!

“The Music Man” won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1958, against stiff competition from “West Side Story.” It also won 4 other Tonys and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical, and ran for almost 1400 performances. The show has enjoyed two Broadway revivals and numerous high-profile productions around the world, including a Chinese translation staged in Bejing’s Central Opera Theater in 1987. It remains a popular standard that is produced by regional and community theaters everywhere. Atlanta Lyric Theatre’s production features a large cast of all ages and many songs that are part of our cultural heritage, like “Gary, Indiana,” “Till There Was You,” and “Seventy-Six Trombones.”

Alan Kilpatrick, who has been a favorite with Atlanta audiences for years, will play the role of fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill. Kilpatrick has been featured at The Lyric as Will Rogers in “The Will Rogers Follies,” Moonface Martin in “Anything Goes,” and recently as Wilbur Turnblad in “Hairspray.”

The Lyric is proud to introduce Atlanta newcomer Emily Stokes as the strong-minded, romantic Marian. Stokes recently completed her Masters of Music from Indiana University in Bloomington.

Others in the cast include Ingrid Cole, Googie Uterhardt, Marcie Millard, Robert Wayne, Mary Welch Rogers, Kathleen McCook, Kayce Grogan-Wallace, Al Dollar, Becca Potter, Alyssa Payne, Caroline Freedlund, Max River Roberts, Skylar Nicholson, Jenna Rohrbach, Hope Valls, Ian Baxter, Marcus Megahee, Kyle Haak, Mahalia Jackson, Becky Simmons, Justin Thompson, Katie Veldhuis, Matthew Pino and James Marshall.

Broadway’s Glenn Rainey, who is featured in the cast as Marcellus, directs “The Music Man”. Choreography is by Ricardo Aponte, with music direction by Michael Fauss. Costumes are by Lindsey Paris, lighting design by Bradley Bergeron, sound design by Bobby Johnston, and scenic design by Lyric Technical Director BJ Garmon.

All performances are held at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre at 117 N. Park Sq., on the historic Marietta Square.

For tickets and information call 404-377-9948 or visit www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com.
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Theatrical Outfit's World Premiere of 'A Confederacy of Dunces' Extended Through Sept 12

2010-08-26T22:21:00.000-04:00

Due to an overwhelming response, Theatrical Outfit will be extending the run of 2010 – 2011 season opener and world premiere, A Confederacy of Dunces, adapted for the stage by Tom Key and based upon the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by John Kennedy Toole. Since its opening, the production has garnered local, national, and international attention, including coverage by The Associated Press.

“Dripping with fun and chock full of delicious character tidbits by some of the best actors in town, ‘Dunces’ won’t disappoint”, says The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Wendell Brock.

Taking its title from a work by Irish satirist Jonathan Swift (“When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.”), A Confederacy of Dunces chronicles the extravagantly colorful, eccentric world of one Ignatius J. Reilly, perhaps one of literature’s most enduringly rendered anti-heroes. A lumbering, loutish, mountain of a man, Ignatius carries a volcanic vitriol for the modern era and is ever at the eruption point; with abandon, he spouts and spews his disdain of the social, racial, economic and religious states of contemporary America. When Ignatius does venture past Constantinople Street, he is forced to function in a culture he loathes, much like his oft-quoted idol, Roman philosopher Boethius. The ensuing string of jobs and outlandish events create a masterful portrait of a modern-day prophet bellowing in the wilderness.

For the performances on September 8th – 12th, ticket prices will increase to $35 for Friday and Saturday performances and $30 for Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday performances. For more information about show times and tickets, call the Box Office at 678.528.1500 or visit www.theatricaloutfit.org. Box Office is open Tuesday – Friday from noon – 6:00pm and prior to all performances. Group rates available. Theatrical Outfit, 84 Luckie Street, Atlanta, GA 30303.
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Legacy Studios is now registering for Fall 2010 classes!

2010-08-21T19:49:00.000-04:00

Legacy Studio offers semester-long classes for children Ages 5-18. We have classes in acting, improv, musical theatre, and music theatre dance Each class offers something different.

Classes begin August 24th

Schedule:

Tuesdays:
5:15-6:15 Acting/Improv (2nd-5th)

Wednesdays:
4:15-5:15 Music Theatre-An Evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein (2nd-5th)
5:15-6:15 Music Theatre-An Evening of Andrew Lloyd Webber (6th-12th)
6:15-7:15 Theatre Dance (2nd and up)
6:15-7:15 Acting/Improv (6th-12th)

Thursdays:
4:15-5:15 Music Theatre-An Evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein (2nd-5th)
5:15-6:15 Intro to Music Theatre-"Crazy for You" (2nd-8th)
No Classes the Week of November 21st (Thanksgiving Break)

Schedule is subject to change. A minimum of 10 students is needed in each class.

Pricing for Classes:

1st Class: $320/Semester $64/Month
Each additional class is Half Price!
$160/Semester $64/Month
Sibling Rates: $50 discount per student!

Legacy Studios is also offering a great opportunity for kids in Spring 2011. Legacy Studios will be putting on Dear Edwina-A Musical Comedy for Kids. To be eligible to be in Dear Edwina students must be in the Fall 2010 semester and the Winter 2011 semester.

Classes are filling up quickly.

To register your child please call the box office at 404-895-1473!! For more information please visit www.thelegacytheatre.org
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Main Street Players presents “The Dixie Swim Club”

2010-08-21T19:17:00.000-04:00

September 16th through September 26th, 2010

Five Southern women, whose friendships began years ago on their college swim team, set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships.

Free from husbands, kids and jobs, they meet at the same beach cottage on North Carolina’s Outer Banks to catch up, laugh and meddle in each other’s lives.

“The Dixie Swim Club” spotlights four of those weekends. During the play, the audience is exposed to the women at four different stages of their lives that span 33 years --- first when the women are 44 and then reintroduces them at 48, 54, and 77.

Main Street Players, 115 North Hill Street, Griffin, brings this Southern comedy to the stage, weekends, September 16th --- September 26th, 2010; Thursdays-Saturdays @ 7:30PM and Sundays @ 3:00PM.

New, lower ticket prices for Main Street Players: $20 adults walk up price, $15 adults in advance if they reserve on the web, $12 senior tickets and $10 for student tickets with ID.

Groups of ten or more receive a 10% discount.

For tickets and other information, please call 770-229-9916 or visit www.mainstreetplayers.org
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“All You Got To Do Is Dream” -- Dreamgirls Comes to Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theatre Oct 12-17

2010-08-18T17:07:00.000-04:00

Tickets on Sale Sunday, August 29

Producer John Breglio and Broadway Across America - Atlanta announced today that tickets for the smash hit musical DREAMGIRLS will go on sale Sunday, August 29 at 12 p.m. Ticket prices start at $18.00 and will be available at the Fox Theatre box office (660 Peachtree Street N.E.), all Ticketmaster outlets, by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-982-2787. Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000. The show will play the Fox Theatre from October 12-17 as part of the Broadway Across America – Atlanta 2010-2011 season.

Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, DREAMGIRLS tells the story of an up-and-coming, 1960s singing girl group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. Hopeful talents Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson and Effie White are performing as The Dreamettes when ambitious agent Curtis Taylor, Jr. discovers them. He lands them a job as backup singers for the soul and rock ‘n’ roll sensation James “Thunder” Early and begins to guide their quickly rising career. However, when the beautiful Deena emerges as the star of the group rather than the full-voiced Effie, the girls are brought to personal and professional crossroads.

DREAMGIRLS will introduce Moya Angela as Effie White and feature, as The Dreams, Syesha Mercado as Deena Jones, Adrienne Warren as Lorrell Robinson, and Margaret Hoffman as Michelle Morris with Chaz Lamar Shepherd as Curtis Taylor, Jr., Chester Gregory is James “Thunder” Early, Trevon Davis as C.C. White, Milton Craig Nealy as Marty Madison. At certain performances, Patrice Covington plays the role of Effie White. The cast of 26 also features Tallia Brinson, Felicia Boswell, Ronald Duncan, Talitha Farrow, Brittney Griffin, Robert Hartwell, Eric Jackson, Jared Joseph, Nikki Kimbrough, Grasan Kingsberry, Brittany Lewis, Douglas Lyons, Kimberly Marable, Jarran Muse, Amaker Smith, Marc Spaulding and Terrance Lemar Thomas.

DREAMGIRLS is directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom with co-choreography by Shane Sparks, scenic design by Robin Wagner, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington, sound design by Acme Sound Partners, and media design by Howard Werner for Lightswitch. DREAMGIRLS features music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen with additional material by Willie Reale. DREAMGIRLS is produced by John Breglio for Vienna Waits Productions.

The original Broadway production of DREAMGIRLS opened December 20, 1981, at the Imperial Theatre and won six Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards in 1982. It closed on Broadway August 11, 1985, after 1,521 performances. The original Broadway production was directed by Michael Bennett and choreographed by Bennett and Michael Peters. DREAMGIRLS was adapted into a motion picture by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, and opened in December 2006. The film won two Academy Awards, five Golden Globes, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2007 in addition to a Grammy Award for Best Song written for a Motion Picture (“Love You I Do”). The most popular song from the film, “Listen,” has been incorporated into the new stage version of DREAMGIRLS as a stirring Act II duet for Deena and Effie. This all-new production of DREAMGIRLS premiered at Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater in New York City on November 22, 2009, before embarking on an international tour.

DREAMGIRLS will play October 12 through October 17 at the Fox Theatre. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 6:30 p.m. with matinees Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at
1 p.m.

For more information, please visit the official DREAMGIRLS website at www.DreamgirlsOnStage.com

ABOUT BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA
Broadway Across America: Owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman), Broadway Across America presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 43 North American cities. Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world. Broadway Across America most recently produced Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS on Broadway, while current and upcoming productions include WEST SIDE STORY, BLITHE SPIRIT, MINSKY’S, and the DeafWest production of PIPPIN. Broadway tours include DORA THE EXPLORER, FROST/NIXON, SPAMALOT, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. For more information or to purchase tickets through an authorized agent go to BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

Four-Time Tony Award Nominated "9 to 5: The Musical" is Coming to Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theatre

2010-08-17T20:54:00.000-04:00

Sept 28 - Oct 3

“We are delighted to bring the new musical comedy, 9 to 5: The Musical to Atlanta,” states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars. “Not only does it feature songs by the one and only Dolly Parton, a cast of incredible actors including Dee Hoty, Mamie Parris, Joseph Mahowald and more...but the role of Doralee will be played by Georgia’s own Diana DeGarmo! Mark your calendar, stick a post-it on your dayrunner, or set an alert on your Android, but don’t miss this show at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from September 28-October 3. Tickets are on sale NOW at Ticketmaster outlets, 800-982-2787, www.ticketmaster.com and the Fox Theatre Box Office.”

9 to 5: The Musical was nominated for four 2009 Tony Awards® including Original Score and received a record breaking 15 Drama Desk nominations including Outstanding Musical. This new musical comedy, direct from Broadway, is based on the hit movie and features Dolly Parton's original hit title song along with her new Tony Award® and Grammy-nominated score.

9 TO 5: The Musical had its world premiere engagement in Los Angeles at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 and opened on Broadway at the Marriott Marquis Theatre on April 30, 2009.

9 to 5: The Musical marked the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist. “I couldn’t have asked for a better experience on my first Broadway show,” said Dolly Parton. ‘I’ve had the privilege of working with an amazing group of people who have become like family to me. I can’t wait for this show to hit the road so people across the country can see why I’m so proud of everyone involved.”

9 to 5: The Musical is a hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era. This is the story of three unlikely friends who conspire to take control of their company and learn there's nothing they can't do -- even in a man's world. Outrageous, thought-provoking and even a little romantic, 9 to 5: The Musical is about teaming up and taking care of business... it's about getting credit and getting even.

Dee Hoty will play the role of Violet. She has earned three Tony nominations for her starring roles in Footloose, The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public and The Will Rogers Follies. Dee starred on Broadway and in eight major U.S. cities as Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia! Performing on and off-Broadway, she toured the country and has been involved in many pre-Broadway workshops. She has appeared in “Law & Order”, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and numerous television and film appearances.

The role of Judy will be played by Mamie Parris whose Broadway credits include the Tony-Nominated revival of Ragtime, 110 In the Shade and the Tony-winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone. She turned the road pink in the First National Tour of Legally Blonde the Musical, has sung with the Radio City Rockettes, toured with country music icon Kenny Rogers, and participated in over a dozen readings with students of the BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop.

Joseph Mahowald is the unsuspecting Franklin Hart, Jr. Joseph has appeared on Broadway in title roles in Jekyll & Hyde, Javert in Les Miz and Chiefton O’Flaherty in The Pirate Queen. He has performed off-Broadway and in several national tours, was a soloist with major symphonies around the world and has been on all the NY soaps. Some of his extensive regional credits include being a founding member of the artistic company of Tennessee Repertory and appeared in leading roles in numerous productions.

Comic, actress and cabaret performer Kristine Zbornik has been cast for the role of Roz. Kristine performed on Broadway in A Catered Affair and Off-Broadway in Forbidden Broadway, Mama Mia and Man of LaMancha.

“American Idol” finalist, Diana DeGarmo has been cast in the role of Doralee Rhodes, made famous by the queen of country music and iconic songwriter, musician, movie star and entrepreneur Dolly Parton. Diana gained overnight fame, at age 16, as a runner-up on the third season of television’s No. 1 series, “American Idol”. Broadway credits include Hair, Hairspray and Brooklyn: The Musical and starred in the off-Broadway musical The Toxic Avenger. DeGarmo was born in Birmingham, AL, raised in Snellville, GA, and currently has a home and resides in Nashville where she continues to co-write and perform in and around the area.

Rounding out the cast is Jane Blass, Patrick Boyd, Paul Castree, Holly Davis, Janet Dickinson Madeleine Doherty, Marjorie Failoni, Gregg Goodbrod, K.J. Hippensteel, Jesse J.P. Johnson, Michelle Marmolejo, April Nixon, Ryah Nixon, Rick Pessagno, Wayne Schroder, Micah Shepard and Travis Waldschmidt.

WOR Radio said ‘You will love this show! 9 to 5 is a real 10!” Other reviewers agree. The Associated Press calls it “A certified crowd pleaser!” and the Daily News sums it up by saying “it shines! Dolly Parton’s songs are bouncy, big hearted, fresh & original. If you’re looking for a diversion, 9 to 5 will do the trick from 8 to 10:15!”

9 to 5: The Musical’s book is by Patricia Resnick (co-writer of the original screenplay). The touring production will be directed and choreographed by Tony nominated, Jeff Calhoun. "I met Dolly Parton as a chorus kid dancing in the film ‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’ only a few years after ‘9 to 5’ was already a hit movie. It was a thrill to work with her then and an honor and privilege to be entrusted to direct and choreograph this exciting new tour of 9 to 5: The Musical” said Mr. Calhoun. The co–choreographer is Lisa Stevens, scenic design by Ken Foy, costume design by five time Tony Award® winner, William Ivey Long, lighting design by Tony Award® and Drama Desk Award winner, Ken Billington, music supervision by Stephen Oremus and casting by Telsey + Company. For more information visit www.9to5themusical.com

9 to 5: The Musical will play the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta from September 28-October 3. Performances are Tuesday-Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 pm & 8 pm, and Sunday at 1:30 pm & 7 pm. Tickets are on sale NOW at Ticketmaster outlets, 800-982-2787 and www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices range from $25-$70. Special group rates are available through the Fox Theatre Group Sales Department at 404-881-2000.

Theater of the Stars celebrates its 58th Anniversary as one of the nation’s premier regional theater companies. A civic not-for-profit cultural treasure, Theater of the Stars is dedicated to presenting and producing the best in musical theater. To learn more about our history of excellence, visit www.theaterofthestars.com.

Camelot Theatre (Griffin, GA) Presents "The Wizard of Oz"

2010-08-17T15:15:00.000-04:00

Camelot Theatre presents the stage adaptation of the American musical fantasy film, “The Wizard of Oz,” August 20, 21 & 22 and August 27, 28 & 29 in the Enrichment Center (formerly the Orrs Elementary School), 205 Spalding Drive, located behind Home Depot one block off the Newnan Highway, Georgia Highway #16, just west of downtown Griffin.

“The Wizard of Oz” is based on the 1900 novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by Frank Baum. The 1939 film features July Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr and Frank Morgan, Billie Burke and Margaret Hamilton.

“The Wizard of Oz” premiered at the Strand Theatre in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin on August 12, 1939, and Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on August 15, 1939. The New York City premiere was at the Loew's Capitol Theater on August 17, 1939. The film was first shown on television November 3, 1956 on CBS.

“Over the years, it has become one of the best known of films of all times,” says producer/director Brad Fowler.

The Camelot Theatre production features: two Dorothy’s; a “human” dog; the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion; the Wizard; the Good Witch of the North and two Wicked Witches of the West; Aunt Em; Dorothy’s farm hand friends; eighteen Munchkins; four crows; three trees; twelve citizens of Oz; seven guards from Oz; eleven flying Monkeys and assorted ghosts.

For complete information, please call 678-469-2913 or visit www.camelottheatre.com.

"Guys and Dolls" Coming to The Fred in Peachtree City

2010-08-17T15:03:00.001-04:00

Rehearsals are well underway for the Twilight Theatre's production of "Guys and Dolls" to be presented at the Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheatre September 3-4 and 10-11 at 8 pm. Director Tammy Barton and Music Director Barbara Zellner have gathered an exciting cast from Fayette and Coweta Counties featuring brother and sister Jason Lindsey as Sky Masterson and Amanda Lindsey as Miss Adelaide. Also in the cast are Celia Sullivan and Anna Kate Spears, sharing the role of Sarah Brown, and Dustin McDonald as Nathan Detroit.

The popular Broadway musical "Guys and Dolls" tells the comic tale of gamblers, dancers, and missionaries who all meet on the streets of New York. Favorite songs from the show are "I'll Know When My Love Comes Along," "Marry the Man Today," and "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat." Dance numbers are being choreographed by Stacey Zellen of Newnan.

Tickets are available now at The Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater box office during normal business hours. For more information on the show or The Twilight Theatre go to www.thetwilighttheatre.com.

Legacy Studios (Fayette) is now registering for Fall 2010 classes!

2010-08-07T08:14:00.000-04:00

Legacy Studio offers semester-long classes for children Ages 5-18. We have classes in acting, improv, musical theatre, and music theatre dance! Each class offers something different!

Classes begin August 24th!

Schedule:

Tuesdays:
4:15-5:15 So You Wanna Be on Stage!! Intro to Music Theatre (5yrs-1st Grade)
5:15-6:15 Acting/Improv (2nd-5th)

Wednesdays:
4:15-5:15 Music Theatre-An Evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein (2nd-5th)
5:15-6:15 Music Theatre-An Evening of Andrew Lloyd Webber (6th-12th)
6:15-7:15 Theatre Dance (2nd and up)

6:15-7:15 Acting/Improv (6th-12th)

Thursdays:
4:15-5:15 Music Theatre-An Evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein (2nd-5th)
5:15-6:15 Intro to Music Theatre-"Crazy for You" (2nd-8th)

No Classes the Week of November 21st (Thanksgiving Break)

Schedule is subject to change. A minimum of 10 students is needed in each class.

Pricing for Classes:

1st Class: $320/Semester $64/Month

Each additional class is Half Price!

$160/Semester $64/Month

Sibling Rates: $50 discount per student!

Legacy Studios is also offering a great opportunity for kids in Spring 2011. Legacy Studios will be putting on Dear Edwina-A Musical Comedy for Kids! To be eligible to be in Dear Edwina students must be in the Fall 2010 semester and the Winter 2011 semester!

Classes are filling up quickly!

To register your child please call the box office at 404-895-1473!!

For more information please visit www.thelegacytheatre.org!

Whole World Improv Theatre Announces Around the Whole World Annual Fundraiser August 19, 2010

2010-08-06T11:42:00.000-04:00

Whole World Improv Theatre announces Around the Whole World, the annual fundraiser, Thursday, August 19, 2010 at Whole World Improv Theatre, 1216 Spring Street, Atlanta, GA 30309. The event celebrates the universal languages of laughter, food and wine and the evening’s activities include heavy appetizers, live and silent auctions, and a performance by Atlanta’s best improv comedy troupe. Tickets are $35 in advance, $50 after August 15.

Enjoy delectables from Hobnob Neighborhood Tavern, Atkins Park Tavern, Gilberts Food & Drink and Cypress Street Pint & Plate. Wines from around the world courtesy of Latour Simonnet Febvre Pinot Noir, France; Graham Beck Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa; Gascon Malbec, Argentina; Yalumba Cabernet, Australia. Beer sponsors include Fontana Candida, Kirin Beer, Fire Rock Pale Ale, Magners Irish Cider and Fat Tire Amber Ale, rounding out the beers from around the world selection.

While nibbling and sipping, guests can bid on items in the silent auction; later in the evening, Whole World Improv Theatre will perform an improv comedy show. The live auction will take place during intermission.

The exciting live auction includes the “Paris Deluxe Vacation Package” -- Paris Saint Germain and Ile Saint Louis – and there are no blackout dates for this fabulous trip! Two adult guests will enjoy a 7-night getaway to Paris. Stroll the charming Left Bank, Saint Germain and magical Ile Saint Louis with world-famous boutique shopping, quaint cafés, gourmet dining, the Eiffel Tower, the Latin Quarter and the gorgeous art collections at the Louvre Museum and the Musee d’Orsay. The winning bidder will choose their accommodations from among five deluxe private properties owned and managed by “Passionate For Paris”, the nation’s premier firm for private vacation property in Paris. Guests receive an exclusive “Insider’s Guide to the Best of Paris” and access to concierge-quality services for restaurant and tour reservations. Properties from which the winner may choose are The Empress Josephine, The Secret Island Treasure, The Saint Germain Suite, The Luxembourg Gardens/Pantheon, or The Panoramic Paris.

Appetizers, wine tasting and silent auction begin at 6:30pm. The Improv Show Begins at 8pm. The live auction will take place during intermission. Tickets purchased by August 15, 2010 are $35 per person; after that, tickets are $50 per person. Tickets are available online at www.wholeworldtheatre.com or by calling the box office: 404-817-PLAY (7529).

This event will sell out, so get your tickets now and support Atlanta's best improv troupe. All proceeds from the event benefit Whole World Improv Theatre, a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the state of Georgia.

For more information about Whole World Improv Theatre, please visit www.wholeworldtheatre.com.

To donate items to the silent auction, please contact Lauren Goins at lauren@wholeworldtheatre.com or 404.545.5603. All donations are tax deductible.

About Whole World Improv Theatre
Founded in Atlanta in 1993, Whole World Improv Theatre’s mission is to use theatre as a form of communication for all people and to serve as the most entertaining and dynamic improvisational comedy theatre in the Southeast. We offer a safe, creative home for actors and artists to express themselves freely and without judgment. We strive to offer affordable educational programs to children and adults that provide tools and philosophies intended to be useful both on and off the stage. We are committed to participating in the success of other non-profit companies and beneficial outreach programs that bring the Atlanta community together.

Theatrical Outfit Presents the World Premiere of A Confederacy of Dunces

2010-08-03T21:39:00.000-04:00

by John Kennedy Toole
Adapted for the stage by Tom Key, Aug 2010

In the 5th anniversary year of Hurricane Katrina, Tom Key and Theatrical Outfit stage a ‘home-cooked meal’ of 1960s New Orleans culture

From August 11 – September 5, 2010, Theatrical Outfit will present the world premiere of Tom Key’s stage adaptation of A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. Ever since becoming a 1980 publishing phenomenon and winner of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Toole’s grand farce, set in 1960s New Orleans, has enticed playwrights and filmmakers alike, but securing the rights to adapt the work has been a rare, much-coveted occurrence.

In the fall of 2008, Theatrical Outfit’s Executive Artistic Director, Tom Key, received an unexpected phone call from the book’s agent, who offered him the rights for a limited time. No stranger to adapting literary works to the stage, Key has enjoyed a successful string of adaptations, including Walker Percy’s Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Seminar and The Moviegoer, John Bunyan’s classic allegory Pilgrim’s Progress, a Reader's Theater extraction of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, and Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory (which will be revived at Theatrical Outfit, December 2010). Of the initial conversation Key recalls, “I was ecstatic. My antennae are always up for rich dialogue, which is the best soil for translating a piece to the stage, and A Confederacy of Dunces is so full of truth and brilliance and hilarity—there’s almost a comic button at the end of every scene.”

Taking its title from a work by Irish satirist Jonathan Swift (“When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.”), A Confederacy of Dunces chronicles the extravagantly colorful, eccentric world of one Ignatius J. Reilly, perhaps one of literature’s most enduringly rendered anti-heroes. A lumbering, loutish mountain of a man, Ignatius carries a volcanic vitriol for the modern era and is ever at the eruption point; with abandon, he spouts and spews his disdain of the social, racial, economic and religious states of contemporary America. When Ignatius does venture past Constantinople Street, he is forced to function in a culture he loathes, much like his oft-quoted idol, Roman philosopher Boethius. The ensuing string of jobs and outlandish events create a masterful portrait of a modern-day prophet bellowing in the wilderness. From the get-go, Ignatius is embroiled in a madcap misadventure that involves a lute string, a near-riot, and a rickety but lucky escape from the cops. Soon the seductive, seedy side of New Orleans itself joins a carnival cast of characters ranging from hapless Keystonian police officer Mancuso and cool-jive, street-smart Jones to porno-peddling barkeep Lana Lee and muscatel-swilling, bowling addict Santa Battaglia.

While the work is marked by inspired humor and biting satire, it also contains a pathos and profundity that keep its characters from becoming caricatures. Of Ignatius, Tom Key says, “He is genius with his verbiage, but he’s also disconnected from reality. Ignatius is presented in such a way that he’s almost impossible to like, but he so exposes the chronic hypocrisy that exists in the country that we have to pull for him…We want our geniuses to be corporate and well-adapted, so if we cast off the Reillys from our lives—our sometimes off-putting, unchecked natural human impulses—we’re the poorer for it as a society.”

Theatrical Outfit’s production of A Confederacy of Dunces will be directed by Richard Garner, Co-founder and Producing Artistic Director of the acclaimed theater Georgia Shakespeare Festival. Because of his long experience with mounting Shakespearean plays, Garner was Key’s immediate choice as director. Explains Key, “As Walker Percy has noted, A Confederacy of Dunces is a commedia ‘of Falstaffian proportions,’ and Richard, through his breathtaking imagination, knows how to capitalize on the strengths of live theater to deliver great literature to modern audiences in explosive, surprisingly complex ways.”

Of the challenges presented by the extensive New Orleans locations and the 25 characters to be played by 12 actors, Garner comments, “By fueling the audience's imaginations with a vivid lighting and sound design, we’ll provide just enough visual hints to make each space distinctive, while our real focus is to draw out all the glorious quirks for all the characters…this show is going to be an actor's dream with all the detailed vocal and physical work.” And an actor’s dream it is; up-and-coming Atlanta talent, Aaron Muñoz has been tapped to make his Theatrical Outfit debut as the modern-day prophet bellowing in the wilderness, Ignatius J. Reilly. Muñoz will be joined by a company of the well-loved Atlanta ‘who’s-who’ of comic actors and students from Kennesaw State University, who will be serving as ensemble members.

For more information about show times and tickets, call the Box Office at 678.528.1500 or visit www.theatricaloutfit.org. Box Office is open Tuesday – Friday from noon – 6:00pm and prior to all performances. Group rates available. Theatrical Outfit, 84 Luckie Street, Atlanta, GA 30303.
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About Theatrical Outfit
Theatrical Outfit entertains, educates and enlivens our audiences by producing classic and contemporary theater with an emphasis on work indigenous to the culture of the American South. The themes of spirituality and racial understanding are particularly resonant in our culture, and we are committed to giving them dramatic voice in the heart of downtown. Founded in 1976, Theatrical Outfit is dedicated to Atlanta-based artists of national caliber.

Theatrical Outfit is a not-for-profit 501 (c) 3 organization supported by private and public funding, along with ticket sales revenue. Major support is provided by the Fulton County Commission through the Fulton County Arts Council, the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs, Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund, the Georgia General Assembly through the Georgia Council for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Georgia Shakespeare is pleased to announce an added performance of Shrew: the Musical

2010-07-30T13:20:00.000-04:00

Sunday, August 8, 7pm

Due to overwhelming demand to see “the Atlanta theater community’s summer crowd-pleaser” (AJC), Georgia Shakespeare adds a performance of Shrew: the Musical to close the summer festival, Sunday, August 8, 7pm curtain. The festival continues in repertory through August 8, with opportunities to see each show - Shrew: the Musical, Love’s Labour’s Lost, King Lear and The Legend of the Sword in the Stone – between now and then. Don’t miss them!

Shrew: the Musical In repertory through August 8

A Georgia Shakespeare favorite returns! This musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is set in 1930s Miami. Petruchio and Kate sing, dance and match wits like Fred and Ginger. Conceived, adapted and directed by Associate Artist John R. Briggs, music and lyrics by John R. Briggs and Dennis West.

Cast: The Shrew: the Musical cast features the stellar company of Associate artists. Highlights include real-life husband and wife Joe Knezevich and Park Krausen in the leads as Kate and Petruchio; Ann Marie Gideon as Bianca; Atlanta favorites Chris Kayser (Grumio), Daniel Thomas May (Tranio), Tim McDonough (Gremio), Courtney Patterson (Widow), Neal A. Ghant (Lucentio) and Brian Kurlander (Hortensio).

Review Highlights

“Directed by Briggs and featuring the husband-and-wife team of Joe Knezevich and Park Krausen as Petruchio and Kate, Shrew is a delightful programming choice that goes down like bubbly and makes you wonder why the theater has kept this sparkling musical punch corked for so many years.” –Wendell Brock, Atlanta Journal Constitution

“Georgia Shakespeare’s Shrew: the Musical transports Shakespearean comedy to a glitzy 1930s Miami setting, with Broadway-style singing and dancing and heart-aching, show-stopping ballads. Even longtime Georgia Shakes fans might be astonished at the result: a rousing, laugh-packed performance with all the talent and polish of a big New York show.” –Louis Mayeux, ArtsCriticATL.com

“Longtime Georgia Shakespeare vets Knezevich and Krausen live up to the concept with impressive chops as singers and dancers. They should've been doing musicals long ago." –Curt Homan, Creative Loafing

Georgia Shakespeare is grateful for its sponsors
Season Sponsors: AirTran Airways, The Georgia Council for the Arts, Bank of America, Oglethorpe University; Media Sponsor: Reporter Newspapers
Summer Festival Sponsor: CornerCap Investment CounselShrew: the Musical Sponsor: Callner, Portnoy and Strawser PC; Media Sponsor: PBA:30, Reporter Newspapers

Annie Playing at The Legacy Theatre, Tyrone, GA Through Aug 1

2010-07-27T21:59:00.000-04:00

There is only one week left to see "Annie" at The Legacy Theatre. You do not want to miss this show that everyone is talking about!!

Performances: July 24th-August 1st

Shows Times: Tuesday-Saturday at 7:30PM and Saturday-Sunday at 3PM

Ticket Prices: Adults $25, Seniors 60 and older/Students 13 and older $22, and Children 12 and under $15

Group Rates: Group of 20 or more people get tickets for only $20 per person, and the group leader gets a comp ticket!

Leapin' LIzards! The popular comic strip heroine takes center stage at The Legacy in one of the world's best-loved musicals.

For more information please go to www.thelegacytheatre.org.
To purchase tickets please visit www.thelegacytheatre.org or call the box office at 404-895-1473!!
Visit our facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=249013795584&ref=ts

Last Chance to See Les Mis in Peachtree City This Weekend!

2010-07-26T16:24:00.000-04:00

The Twilight Theatre's production of Les Miserables: School Edition continues August 30 and 31 at The Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater in Peachtree City. This popular Broadway musical stars Robert Gould of Fayetteville, Michael Reep, Celia Sullivan, Erin Macke, Olivia Werneke, Olivia Ricker, and Nora Wilfong of Peachtree City, Anthony Spezzano of Tyrone, Paige Smith of Jonesboro, and Korey Echols of McDonough, along with a supporting cast of 70 students.

Les Miserables opened to rave reviews earlier this month. Robert Gould who play Jean Valjean, is a stand-out as a man who goes from prisoner to hero in this Victor Hugo story. The ABC Society, played by Paul Merrill, Ben Papac, Ross Wilcox, Tyler Green, Ethan Gallagher, Will Madden and Sean Kyle help tell this tale of men old and young attempting to make a difference in the world. A live orchestra provided by the Peachtree City Wind Ensemble, add to the experience of live theater under the stars.

The cast of Les Miserables has faced more than its share of challenges. Some of the final rehearsals were rained out and the sound board was struck by lightening. Despite these obstacles, Director Alison Chambers and Assistant Director Sarah Stitt managed to rally the cast and have produced an incredible experience for the audience.

Tickets for the August 30 and 31 performances are available from the Fred box office during normal business hours and an hour before the show. Gates open at 7:40 pm and the show starts at 8:00. Adavanced tickets can also be purchased for an additional fee at www.ticketalternative.com. For more information go to www.thetwilighttheatre.com.

Artist's Showcase of Atlanta to Showcase Clayton State Talent, Aug. 2

2010-07-26T15:05:00.002-04:00

The Clayton State Theatre will be showcased at the Artist's Showcase of Atlanta on Monday, Aug. 2 at 7:30 p.m., at 7 Stages, 1105 Euclid Ave., Atlanta.

A Shontelle Thrash (as in Clayton State Assistant Professor of Theatre/Communication Shontelle Thrash) Production, the Artist's Showcase will feature Clayton State University students Tristan Santiago, Jon Taylor and Brian Bryant, as well as May 2010 Clayton State graduate David Henry.

Clayton State's Bryan Meadows is also being showcased — the actors are performing three scenes that he wrote.

Admission is $5 at the door, with a reception to follow the performances (monologs and scenes) by a total of eight writers and 14 actors. Please note that there is adult content in the Showcase.

For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Thrash at artistsshowcase@live.com.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.

Theatre in the Square’s World Premiere is a gripping portrayal of locomotive thievery and a bit of Marietta history

2010-07-20T13:10:00.000-04:00

August 1 – September 12, 2010
Opening / Media Night: August 4, 2010

Theatre in the Square proudly celebrates the world premiere of Stealing Dixie, a play about one man’s plan to end the Civil War. Stealing Dixie, by Clayton State University’s Phillip DePoy, opens Wednesday, Aug. 4, at 8 p.m. on the Main Stage. Tickets are available at the Box Office by calling (770) 422-8369 or online at www.theatreinthesquare.com.

Stealing Dixie is a gripping portrayal of the great locomotive chase that centers around James Andrews’ plan to end the Civil War with hopes of no more bloodshed. As a part of his plan he meets in what is now known as the Kennesaw House, the location of the Marietta Museum of History, with Knight, a locomotive engineer, Parrott, a private in the Union Army who is armed and ready to kill, Ross, a Sgt. Major in the Union Army and Campbell, a fellow spy. This group of Union soldiers and sympathizers has come to be known as Andrews’ Raiders.

The success of the mission is all based on “THE PLAN” that Andrews developed after seeing the loss of so many lives at the battle of Shiloh. In the end, the plan to steal The General, a Confederate locomotive, was derailed by the train’s conductor, Fuller, who was determined to save his train.

Performances are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. There is a Wednesday matinee at 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 1 only, and preview performances on Sunday, August 1 at 7 p.m. and Tuesday, August 3 at 8 p.m. Student matinee performances are available, and the play is recommended for ages 16 and up.

Tickets are $24 to $33 and are available at the Theatre in the Square Box Office by calling (770) 422-8369 or online at www.theatreinthesquare.com. Discount rates for are available for of 12 or calling 770-422-8369 x29. Theatre in the Square is located off of the Historic Marietta Square at 11 Whitlock Ave., Marietta.

Playwright DePoy, director of the Clayton State Theatre at Clayton State University, and Edgar Award-winning author for his play Easy, demonstrates a poignant ability to capture history while giving a compassionate and challenging view of the Civil War.

“This play, Stealing Dixie, is not a documentary, though every effort has been made to be historically accurate within the dictates of a work of dramatic fiction” says DePoy.

Complete with Civil War period music, this world premiere comes to life as Andrews (Zechariah Pierce), Knight (Corey Bradberry), Parrott (Rob Lawhon), Ross (Scott DePoy), and Campbell (Bryant Smith) put the plan in motion. Other members of the cast of Stealing Dixie include Kylie Brown and Mary Lynn Owen.

Members of the artistic team that will bring this adventure to life on stage are director Jessica Phelps West, music director Phillip DePoy, set designer Dale Brubaker, lighting designer Ken Yunker, sound designer Thom Jenkins and costume designer Linda Patterson.

Now in its 29th season, Theatre in the Square is a professional, not-for-profit organization founded by Producing Director Palmer Wells and the late Michael Horne. As the largest professional theatre company in Cobb County, the theater reaches over 50,000 people a year via five Main stage shows, two holiday shows, a summer show, and a children’s show. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors made up of civic leaders from around the metro Atlanta area.

With an annual budget of over $1.6 million, the theatre draws the majority of its funding from ticket sales (about 65%), with support from foundations, corporations, city and state government, and individual gifts. The theater has a full-time staff of more than a dozen, and hires more than 140 artists (actors, directors, designers) annually. The theatre company has been based in historic Marietta Square since its founding in 1982.

Theatre in the Square has broad-based community support from the metro Atlanta region as well as Cobb County. More than 3,200 subscribers have a year-round commitment to the theater, and each play sells a healthy number of single tickets as well. Main Stage shows offer a Wednesday matinee option, which is usually filled with groups from local senior organizations as well as individual ticket buyers. At least one play a year features extensive daytime matinees for student groups. The theatre regularly receives accolades for the caliber of its work. In the spring of 2007, Wells was named a PBS Leader of the Arts. Last fall, the theatre received four Suzi Awards, for Best Production, Director, Actor and Actress.

Theatre in the Square is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts, the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, United Arts of Cobb, a coalition of Cobb County’s professional arts organizations, and the Cobb County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
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From Ed Sullivan to Abbey Road… RAIN: A Tribute to The Beatles - Returns to Fab Fox SEPT 17-19

2010-07-15T11:44:00.002-04:00

SEPT 17-19 FOR 5 SHOWS ONLY!!

GET BACK Atlanta! “Hey Jude, Lucy, Martha My Dear, Lovely Rita and all you Beatles fans... we’re delighted to help you get back to one of the most fab shows ever,” states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars. “The award-winning Beatles concert, RAIN: A Tribute to The Beatles, returns to Atlanta’s Fabulous Fox Theatre from September 17-19. Like The Beatles, the onstage members of RAIN are not only supreme musicians, but electrifying performers in their own right. You can see the show here before it makes its Broadway debut in October. Make plans today to experience RAIN with your loved ones and friends. Tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling 800-982-2787, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Fox Theatre Box Office.”

RAIN, the acclaimed Beatles concert, returns by popular demand! They look like them and they sound just like them! “The next best thing to seeing The Beatles,” raves the Denver Post. All the music and vocals are performed totally live! RAIN covers The Beatles from the earliest beginnings through the psychedelic late 60s and their long-haired hippie, hard-rocking rooftop days. RAIN is a multi-media, multi-dimensional experience...a fusion of historical footage and hilarious television commercials from the 1960s lights up video screens and live cameras zoom in for close-ups. “A thrilling bit of time-warping nostalgia…Boomer Heaven!” raves The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Uncanny! RAIN are a quartet of fine musicians in their own right…as The Beatles, they triumph!” cheers the Boston Herald. “An adoring Valentine to The Beatles,” declares the Washington Post. Sing along to such favorites as “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Come Together” and “Can’t Buy Me Love,” and relive Beatlemania from Ed Sullivan to Abbey Road!

RAIN covers the Fab Four from their very first Ed Sullivan Show appearance through the Abbey Road album, through the psychedelic late 60s and their long-haired hippie, hard-rocking rooftop days. RAIN is a multi-media, multi-dimensional experience...a fusion of historical footage and hilarious television commercials from the 1960s lights up video screens and live cameras zoom in for close-ups. RAIN boasts a repertoire of nearly 200 Beatlemaniac favorites, ranging from such beloved songs as “Yesterday” and “Hey Jude” to classic hits including “Revolution” and “Come Together.”

For the four longtime band members – Joey Curatolo (Paul McCartney), Joe Bithorn (George Harrison), Ralph Castelli (Ringo Starr) and Steve Landes (John Lennon), with a little help from their friend Mark Lewis (keyboards, percussion) – the music is first and foremost. For more than two decades, RAIN has distinguished itself by focusing on details, always being faithful to The Beatles with the ultimate goal of delivering a perfect note-for-note performance. All the music is performed live, with no pre-recorded tapes or sequences. For more information visit: www.raintribute.com

“On their feet, with arms raised high above their heads, all in the audience were swaying and singing along in blissed-out, nostalgia-powered unison!
-- Chicago Sun-Times

“The enraptured audience relives the soundtrack of its life!”
-- Chicago Tribune

"RAIN nails the full glory of those heavenly vocal harmonies and thrilled an all-ages crowd with note-perfect renditions of songs from the mightiest canon in all of popular music history." -- Buffalo News

“RAIN creates musical nirvana…makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up! A thrilling bit of time-warping nostalgia...Boomer Heaven!”
-- Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Uncanny! RAIN are a quartet of fine musicians in their own right…as The Beatles, they triumph!” -- The Boston Herald

“An adoring Valentine to The Beatles!” -- The Washington Post

“RAIN is a spectacular extravaganza…did the audience love it? Yeah, yeah, yeah!”
-- The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Parents (and grandparents) and kids were on their feet bopping like crazy!”
-- The Courier Post

RAIN will play the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta from September 17-19, 2010. Performances are Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 pm & 8 pm, and Sunday at 1:30 pm & 7 pm. Tickets are on sale NOW at all Ticketmaster outlets, at 800-982-2787 and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices range from $25-$65. Special group rates are available through the Fox Group Sales Dept. at 404-881-2000.

Theater of the Stars celebrates its 58th Anniversary as one of the nation’s premier regional theater companies. A civic not-for-profit cultural treasure, Theater of the Stars is dedicated to presenting and producing the best in musical theater. To learn more about our history of excellence, visit www.theaterofthestars.com.

The Twilight Theatre presents “Les Miserables: School Edition”, July 16, 17, 30, and 31

2010-07-12T11:23:00.000-04:00

July 16, 2010, 8 pm, Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater, PTC
July 17, 2010, 8 pm, Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater, PTC
July 30, 2010, 8 pm, Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater, PTC
July 31, 2010, 8 pm, Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater, PTC

The Twilight Theatre presents “Les Miserables: School Edition”, July 16, 17, 30, and 31 at 8 pm at the Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater in Peachtree City. Directed by Alison Chambers, “Les Miserables” is a story of the human yearning for freedom. The story, based on the novel by Victor Hugo, follows the life of Jean Valjean as he searches for freedom and redemption.

The show also chronicles the lives of the leaders of the Student Revolution of the 1830's in Paris when idealistic French students yearned for France to relive it's revolution and strive again for democracy and compassion for the poor. After years of Napoleonic Wars, the French people did not join the students as they expected. Few survived.

Victor Hugo remembered the Student Revolution in his famous book “Les Miserables” as he promoted a return to French democratic ideals during the 1880's. He visited the statue of Liberty when it was being built in Paris and wrote poetry in her honor. He and other Frenchmen of his generation believed that the United States was a model for democracy.

The cast of “Les Miserables: School Edition” will march in the Peachtree City 4th of July Parade to celebrate the ideals of liberty that were born in America. This is the largest cast ever for a Twilight Theatre show, with over 70 young cast members. Our Lady of Mercy High School student Robert Gould, as Jean Valjean, heads the all-star cast who come from schools in Fayette, Coweta, Clayton, Henry, and Spalding Counties.

Tickets are available at the Amphitheater box office on weekdays during normal business hours and before shows or on-line at www.TicketAlternative.com. Tables are available only through the box office. For more information, go to the Twilight Theatre website at www.thetwilighttheatre.com.
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Local Director Brings Les Miserables to Life

2010-07-11T08:29:00.001-04:00

For the second time in three years, the Artistic Director of the Twilight Theatre, Alison Chambers of Peachtree City, brings Les Miserables: School Edition to the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater in Peachtree City, July 16, 17,. 30, and 31 at 8 pm. Ms Chambers directs a cast of over 75 young performers in this Broadway favorite.

Ms. Chambers became interested in theater as a young girl. “I started playing the piano when I was 2 and singing shortly thereafter,” said Chambers. “Theatre was a logical progression from music. I started with musicals, but branched out into straight plays in my late teens.”

Local theater patrons will remember Alison Chambers as Maria in The Sound of Music, Laurie in Oklahoma, and Shelby in Steel Magnolias, among her many roles. “I am very fortunate to have parents who value the arts. They were always very encouraging of my music and did whatever they had to for me to be able to take lessons and perform. I even got them both on stage for the first time in Twilight's Sound of Music!

The opportunity to encourage young people's dreams strike a personal note for Chambers. “I almost quit theater altogether in high school because I had a director who told me, in front of a lot of people, that I had no talent and would never amount to anything. I'm glad I didn't listen. I think even back then the quickest way to get me to do something was to tell me I couldn't.”
Other teachers were more inspirational. “I also had some formidable teachers and directors over the years who took a young lady with very little self-confidence and taught me that with a lot of hard work, I could do anything. Music came naturally, but acting did not. It took me a very long time to start actually getting cast in shows, said Chambers.

“I kept working hard and was accepted to the FSU School of Music, one of the top 5 schools in the country. The big roles came after that. I think young people need to realize that you do have to work for these things,” continued Chambers. “ Even if it comes naturally to you, there's going to come a time when you're surrounded by others even more talented. You have to be willing to work hard and to keep going after failure to be in this business.”

Ms. Chambers, along with her parents Andy and Jeanne Chambers, and many friends and supporters helped start The Twilight Theatre in 2005. They wanted more local opportunities for Fayette County actors. “ When I came home from college, I was driving to Newnan, Fairburn, Henry County, and Atlanta to perform,” recalled Chambers. “Fayette County has an abundance of talent unlike anywhere I have ever seen, and yet we don't have a performing arts center to be the center-piece of local theater.”

Fayette County does have two beautiful Amphitheaters. Possibilities for outdoor theater became the inspiration for the name “The Twilight Theatre. According to Chambers, community theater creates opportunities for families to perform together. Les Miserables: School Edition features 12 families with 2 or more children or teens in the cast.

Many community and professional theater companies perform in small spaces. In contrast, The Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater is the largest stage in Georgia hosting musical theater. Three years ago, Les Miserables became the most successful show ever produced by Twilight. At that point, Chambers decided to repeat the show as summer-stock every 3 years.

Les Miserables is a show that reaches people of all ages and on so many different levels through the powerful story and music,” explained Chambers. “It's universal. It touches people because it portrays the human plight, the longing for freedom, and the power of love so truthfully and, sometimes, brutally. It has its happy moments, of course, but it's not your everyday sappy musical. It draws you in, and you care deeply about these people.”

Working with so many young people can be a challenge, but Chambers thinks it's worth it. “I want to give more young people the chance to experience this show. It's not every day that people their age get to play the raw emotion, longing, and passion of Les Miserables. It's a challenge that really fosters growth as musicians and actors. I'm not being overly dramatic when I say it changes people.”

“ Cast members in the 2007 show sent me notes telling me how they grew, how they appreciated what they'd been given (in life), and, how they wouldn't be the same,” remembers Chambers. “Seeing that impact made me want to continue to introduce it to new generations. I hope this cast learns a lot and has fun (participating in summer-stock at the Fred) and I hope it creates beautiful memories for families.”

Tickets for Les Miserables, directed by Alison Chambers, are now on sale at Fred Box Office at 201 McIntosh trail in Peachtree City during regular business hours, or for an additional fee at www.TicketAlternatives.com Tables are only available through the Amphitheater box office. For more information go to www.thetwilighttheatre.com.

Return Engagement of The Color Purple at the Fox Theatre Postponed to 2011

2010-07-07T20:37:00.002-04:00

Theater of the Stars announced today that the Atlanta engagement of THE COLOR PURPLE originally scheduled for August 18-22, 2010 has been postponed until June 15-19, 2011. “THE COLOR PURPLE has a special connection with Atlanta audiences that has resulted in sold out multi-week engagements in both 2008 and 2009,” states Nick Manos, president of Theater of the Stars. “In the spirit of continuing that unique relationship between the show and the audience, we have decided to bring the show back every two years (as we do in Atlanta for ANNIE, CATS and STOMP). We were hopeful to start this rotation in 2010 but a recent scheduling conflict has arisen for both the summers of 2010 and 2012. It was clear after consulting with the show’s producers and the management at the Fox that the best option was to look for a mutually available week in 2011 and postpone the show. We were lucky to find a prime slot available and have confirmed the show for the third week of June in 2011. The show schedule and pricing will remain the same.”

Ticket buyers have three options: They can keep their tickets and keep the same seats if they want to attend the same performance day and time next summer (i.e. keep a Sunday matinee ticket to go to the Sunday matinee on June 19, 2011), they can exchange their tickets for another performance of the show next year, or they can request a refund. All transactions will be handled at the point of original purchase. Questions can be directed to Theater of the Stars at (404) 252-8960.

From Ed Sullivan to Abbey Road… RAIN: A Tribute to The Beatles - Returns to Fab Fox SEPT 17-19

2010-06-30T13:13:00.000-04:00

GET BACK Atlanta! “Hey Jude, Lucy, Martha My Dear, Lovely Rita and all you Beatles fans... we’re delighted to help you get back to one of the most fab shows ever,” states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars. “The award-winning Beatles concert, RAIN: A Tribute to The Beatles, returns to Atlanta’s Fabulous Fox Theatre from September 17-19. Like The Beatles, the onstage members of RAIN are not only supreme musicians, but electrifying performers in their own right. You can see the show here before it makes its Broadway debut in October. Make plans today to experience RAIN with your loved ones and friends. Tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling 800-982-2787, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Fox Theatre Box Office.”

RAIN, the acclaimed Beatles concert, returns by popular demand! They look like them and they sound just like them! “The next best thing to seeing The Beatles,” raves the Denver Post. All the music and vocals are performed totally live! RAIN covers The Beatles from the earliest beginnings through the psychedelic late 60s and their long-haired hippie, hard-rocking rooftop days. RAIN is a multi-media, multi-dimensional experience...a fusion of historical footage and hilarious television commercials from the 1960s lights up video screens and live cameras zoom in for close-ups. “A thrilling bit of time-warping nostalgia…Boomer Heaven!” raves The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Uncanny! RAIN are a quartet of fine musicians in their own right…as The Beatles, they triumph!” cheers the Boston Herald. “An adoring Valentine to The Beatles,” declares the Washington Post. Sing along to such favorites as “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Come Together” and “Can’t Buy Me Love,” and relive Beatlemania from Ed Sullivan to Abbey Road!

RAIN covers the Fab Four from their very first Ed Sullivan Show appearance through the Abbey Road album, through the psychedelic late 60s and their long-haired hippie, hard-rocking rooftop days. RAIN is a multi-media, multi-dimensional experience...a fusion of historical footage and hilarious television commercials from the 1960s lights up video screens and live cameras zoom in for close-ups. RAIN boasts a repertoire of nearly 200 Beatlemaniac favorites, ranging from such beloved songs as “Yesterday” and “Hey Jude” to classic hits including “Revolution” and “Come Together.”

For the four longtime band members – Joey Curatolo (Paul McCartney), Joe Bithorn (George Harrison), Ralph Castelli (Ringo Starr) and Steve Landes (John Lennon), with a little help from their friend Mark Lewis (keyboards, percussion) – the music is first and foremost. For more than two decades, RAIN has distinguished itself by focusing on details, always being faithful to The Beatles with the ultimate goal of delivering a perfect note-for-note performance. All the music is performed live, with no pre-recorded tapes or sequences. For more information visit: www.raintribute.com

“On their feet, with arms raised high above their heads, all in the audience were swaying and singing along in blissed-out, nostalgia-powered unison! -- Chicago Sun-Times

“The enraptured audience relives the soundtrack of its life!”
-- Chicago Tribune

"RAIN nails the full glory of those heavenly vocal harmonies and thrilled an all-ages crowd with note-perfect renditions of songs from the mightiest canon in all of popular music history." -- Buffalo News

“RAIN creates musical nirvana…makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up! A thrilling bit of time-warping nostalgia...Boomer Heaven!”

-- Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Uncanny! RAIN are a quartet of fine musicians in their own right…as The Beatles, they triumph!” -- The Boston Herald

“An adoring Valentine to The Beatles!” -- The Washington Post

“RAIN is a spectacular extravaganza…did the audience love it? Yeah, yeah, yeah!”
-- The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Parents (and grandparents) and kids were on their feet bopping like crazy!”
-- The Courier Post

RAIN will play the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta from September 17-19, 2010. Performances are Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 pm & 8 pm, and Sunday at 1:30 pm & 7 pm. Tickets are on sale NOW at all Ticketmaster outlets, at 800-982-2787 and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices range from $25-$65. Special group rates are available through the Fox Group Sales Dept. at 404-881-2000.

Theater of the Stars celebrates its 58th Anniversary as one of the nation’s premier regional theater companies. A civic not-for-profit cultural treasure, Theater of the Stars is dedicated to presenting and producing the best in musical theater. To learn more about our history of excellence, visit www.theaterofthestars.com.

Newnan Theatre Presenting Psycho Beach Party

2010-06-30T13:11:00.000-04:00

The Newnan Community Theatre Company presents PSYCHO BEACH PARTY by Charles Busch, opening Thursday, July 8.

Can Florence "Chicklet" Forrest escape the clutches of her evil “Mommie Dearest,” win the respect of Malibu's reigning beach bum, overcome a pesky multiple-personality disorder, and learn to shoot the curl in time for the big luau? Or will Chicklet and her hormone-addled, pan-sexual surfer pals regain consciousness one morning on a desolate sand dune, naked and hairless from head to toe, the latest victims of the beach's unstoppable, serial-shaving dominatrix?

Welcome to Psycho Beach Party, a heavily spiked umbrella drink of a comedy from the warped mind of playwright Charles Busch.

This campy romp is directed by Newnan resident Jeff Allen with assistant director Nicole Walker. Performances begin Thursday, July 8 and run through July 18, with curtain times on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm.

PLEASE NOTE: This show contains sexual themes and adult language and is not recommended for children under age 13.

“Fiendishly funny! Zany!” Associated Press
“Gidget Goes Berserk!” New York Times
“Catch the wave of laughter.” Gannett Westchester Newspapers

Presented through special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. , NY, NY

The cast of PSYCHO BEACH PARTY:
Chicklet ..................................................................................... Amanda Hardie
Star Kat ................................................................................ Ryan Bermingham
Wade Lowman
Kanaka........................................................................................Alex Ferguson
Berdine........................................................................................... Ellen Dorrell
Yo Yo ............................................................................................ Drew Murray
Provoloney ........................................................................................ Nik Carleo
Marvel Ann....................................................................................... Liz Murphy
Bettina Barnes ........................................................................... Mandy Mitchell
Mrs. Forrest....................................................................................Karrie Jones
Nicky .............................................................................................. Drew Turner
Dee Dee...................................................................................... Adriana Yates

Ticket prices are $12 for adults, $10 for Seniors (60+) and Students, and $8 for children 12 and under.

Thursday night shows are 2-FOR-1 admission – bring a friend for free!

Reservations are recommended – visit our website at www.newnantheatre.org or call 770-683-6282.

Newnan Community Theatre Company is Newnan’s only live theatre, and is located at 24 1st Avenue in historic downtown Newnan. NCTC has been producing quality entertainment for over 30 years.

For media inquiries, please email NCTC Managing Director Dave Dorrell at managing-director@newnantheatre.org.

Georgia Shakespeare Presents King Lear

2010-06-30T13:01:00.001-04:00

directed by Sabin Epstein
by William Shakespeare
in repertory July 8 - August 7

A father puts the affections of his three daughters to the test when he chooses to divide his kingdom amongst them, promising the largest piece to the one who "doth love us most." The tragic consequences of his arrogance take their toll, and King Lear finds himself stripped of his grandeur and all that truly matters. Part intimate family drama, part epic journey of the human condition, King Lear is celebrated as one of the greatest works of Western literature.

Warning: King Lear contains brief nudity.

Buy Tickets

Featuring
Tim McDonough as King Lear
Chris Kayser as the Fool

Phantom Gives Back: Red Cross Blood Drive on June 25

2010-06-22T23:10:00.000-04:00

Atlantans Invited to Give the Gift of Life and Receive the Theatre Experience of a Lifetime

Making its last appearance in the Southeast, the farewell tour of The Phantom of the Opera is set to play at the Fox Theatre June 30-July 18. Before the show arrives, Atlanta-area residents are invited to help the community on June 25 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. by donating blood at the American Red Cross donor center on Monroe Drive. During that time, participating blood donors will receive a complimentary pair of tickets to the show’s farewell engagement at The Fox Theatre. 106.7 Atlanta’s True Oldies will also be on site from 9-11 a.m. for a two-hour remote.

WHAT: Phantom Gives Back: Red Cross Blood Drive

Need a reason to participate? Take a look at the following statistics courtesy of the American Red Cross:

· Shortages of blood often occur during summer holidays.
· Someone needs blood every two seconds in the U.S.
· Just one pint of blood can help save up to three lives!
· Type O is the most requested by hospitals.
· Approximately 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate – yet only 3% actually do!

WHEN: Friday, June 25
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

WHERE: American Red Cross
1955 Monroe Drive
Atlanta, GA 30324
404.607.1207

For more blood donation facts, visit the American Red Cross online at www.redcrossblood.org.

To learn more about The Phantom of the Opera and its final engagement in Atlanta, including ticket information, please visit www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/atlanta.
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Jasmine Guy to Make an Appearance During the Alliance Theatre’s 2010-11 Season

2010-06-21T13:47:00.000-04:00

Jasmine Guy, celebrated American star of television, film and Broadway, will join the cast of Pearl Cleage’s The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One-Hundred Years. This world premiere co-production will be directed by the Alliance’s own Susan V. Booth at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival Sept. 24 – Oct. 3 and then at the Alliance Theatre Oct. 20 – Nov. 14.

Jasmine Guy’s television credits include her memorable role as Whitley Gilbert on the Cosby Show spin-off, A Different World, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Living Single, Melrose Place, Touched By An Angel and The Vampire Diaries. Her film credits include Harlem Nights with Eddie Murphy, Spike Lee’s School Daze and Cats Don’t Dance while her Broadway credits include Crow in The Wiz, Mickey in Leader of the Pack, Betty Rizzo in Grease and Velma Kelly in Chicago.

Casting for the award-winning play August Osage County is almost complete! All roles in the play will be filled by local stars, led by Atlanta veteran Brenda Bynum as the matriarch Violet.

“The brilliance of August Osage County lies in its utterly dramatic capture of the beauty and horror of total familiarity,” notes Alliance Theatre Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. “Rather than trying to create that complicated sense of family with a roomful of strangers, we’ve opted to take grand advantage of the depth and history that Atlanta’s best actors share – and to combine the chemistry of 13 veterans with a Pulitzer and Tony Award winning script. It could be lightening in a bottle, if we get it right.”

In addition to Bynum, the cast includes such local talent as Andrew Benator (Mulan and Eurydice), Carolyn Cook (Merlin and Sight Unseen), Richard Garner (directed Eurydice), Bart Hansard (Tennis in Nablus and A Christmas Carol), Chris Kayser (A Christmas Carol and Eurydice), Tess Malis Kincaid (Moonlight and Magnolias and The Miracle Worker), Joe Knezevich (Tennis in Nablus and A Christmas Carol), and Diany Rodriguez (Middle School the Musical). The complete local cast will be announced in the weeks to follow.

More casting information will be announced in the near future!

(Note: this is info released back April... we just found a whole bunch of news that got slapped in the wrong folder, so we're posting anything that's not outdated, even if it did hit other news media earlier!)

Now in its 41st season, Atlanta’s nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre, recipient of the 2007 Regional Theatre Tony Award® and a leading national theatre, creates the powerful experience of shared theatre for diverse people on two stages for youth and adult audiences. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Susan V. Booth, the Alliance Theatre is a national theatre with a local address, reaching out annually to almost 200,000 patrons and members of the community. Known for its high artistic standards and national role in creating significant theatrical works, the Alliance launched three Tony Award-winning hits to Broadway: Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida and Alfred Uhry’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo. And, in a rare event for a regional theatre, it originated the national tour of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The theatre has premiered 60 works including adaptations of Carson McCullers’ The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky. Further evidence of the Alliance’s commitment to new work is found in its nationally recognized Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition, a cutting-edge program introducing student playwrights to professional networks while producing the world premiere of the winning student’s work. The Alliance Theatre also offers extensive education and outreach programs such as the Institute for Educators and the Collision Project for high school students. The Alliance continuously brings Atlanta the finest talent and finest art—proving once again that the Alliance is where great theatre lives. 404.733.4650 or www.alliancetheatre.org.

The Alliance Theatre is a division of the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia, which also includes the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art and Young Audiences.

Atlanta Lyric Theatre presents HAIRSPRAY

2010-06-21T11:57:00.000-04:00

Directed by Brandt Blocker, Choreography by Cindy Mora
July 23 – Aug 8 at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre (117 N. Park Square, Marietta, GA)

· Starring: Broadway’s Glenn Rainey, Alan Kilpatrick and featuring Caitlin Smith
· Tickets can be purchased by calling 404.377.9948 or visiting www.atlantalyrictheatre.com

HAIRSPRAY, Broadway's musical comedy phenomenon that inspired a major motion picture is coming to The Earl Smith Strand Theatre (117 N. Park Square, Marietta) July 23 – August 8! This fantastically fun musical, winner of eight 2003 Tony Awards including Best Musical, celebrated over 6 record-breaking years during its Broadway run.

Produced by Atlanta Lyric Theatre, HAIRSPRAY is affordably priced from $25 to $35 with discounts available for children, seniors, and students. Tickets are available at www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com, the Strand Theatre box office, or charge-by-phone at 404-377-9948. Group discounts for 10 or more people are available!

Audiences will be swept away to 1960s Baltimore in this international smash-hit musical, piled bouffant-high with laughter and romance—and enough deliriously tuneful songs to fill a nonstop platter party. It's HAIRSPRAY, live on stage, in living color!

It's 1962—the '50s are out and change is in the air. Baltimore's Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, has only one passion—to dance. She wins a spot on the local TV dance program, “The Corny Collins Show” and, overnight, is transformed from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity. But can a plus-size trendsetter in dance and fashion vanquish the program's reigning princess, win the heart of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a television show without denting her 'do? Only in HAIRSPRAY! Welcome to the '60s! HAIRSPRAY is based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, who served as a creative consultant on the musical comedy. It features a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan. HAIRSPRAY features an original score by Academy Award-nominated Marc Shaiman (who co-wrote the music and lyrics for the acclaimed animated musical, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut) and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

HAIRSPRAY stars Broadway’s Glenn Rainey as Tracy’s mother Edna, Alan Kilpatrick as her father Wilbur, Chase Todd as Link Larkin, Jevares C. Myrick as Seaweed, Nick Morrett as Corny Collins and features Caitlin Smith as Tracy. Others in the cast include Courtney Godwin, Alison Brannon, Kayce Grogan Wallace, Christy Baggett, Mary Nye Bennett, Jalise Wilson, Robert Wayne, Leigh Ellen Jones, Becky Simmons, Lauren Tatum, Bradley Renner, David Cory Smith, Elander Rosser, Jon Allen, and Marcus Bonham.

This production of HAIRSPRAY is directed by Lyric Artistic Director Brandt Blocker and choreographed by Cindy Mora. Scenic design is by Lee Shiver; the technical director is BJ Garmon; costume design is by Lindsey Paris; lighting design is by Bradley Bergeron; the sound design is by Bobby Johnston; and the wig and hair design is by Monty Schuth. HAIRSPRAY is produced Atlanta Lyric Theatre. For more information, visit www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com or call 404-377-9948.

Ticket Prices
$25 - $35

Performance Dates & Times

July 23,24,25 Friday & Sat. @ 8:00, Sun. @ 2:00
29,30,31, Aug 1 Thurs., Fri. & Sat. @ 8:00, Sun. @ 2:00
5,6,7,8 2010 Thurs., Fri. & Sat. @ 8:00, Sat. & Sun. @ 2:00
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Read our other Arts related blogs:
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http://georgiaswriter.blogspot.com/
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http://dancingacrossgeorgia.blogspot.com/
http://gaclicks.blogspot.com/
http://secallsforentries.blogspot.com/
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Love's Labour's Lost Opens Friday

2010-06-21T11:42:00.000-04:00

Shakespeare's romantic comedy continues our 25th Anniversary Summer Festival.

Love's Labour's Lost
by William Shakespeare
directed by Janice Akers

The King of Navarre and three of his gentlemen swear off the company of women to commit themselves to three years of devout study. But when the French Princess arrives at court with her ladies-in-waiting... Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans.

One of Shakespeare's most resonant romantic comedies, Love's Labour's Lost perfects a formula that the modern sitcom and cinema strives to achieve.

Love's Labour's Lost opens this Friday, June 25.

$12 preview performance on Thursday, June 24.

Buy tickets online now, or call our Box Office at 404.264.0020.

Starring Associate Artists Brad Sherrill and Carolyn Cook, the show also features Georgia Shakespeare favorites Daniel Thomas May, Courtney Patterson, Park Krausen, Neal A. Ghant, and newcomer Brian Kurlander as the King of Navarre.

Georgia Shakespeare
Conant Performing Arts Center
at Oglethorpe University
4484 Peachtree Rd NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30319-2797
404.264.0020

Love's Labour's Lost runs in repertory with Shrew: the Musical and King Lear through August 8. Visit our website to see a full rep schedule.

The Color Purple Returns to the Fabulous Fox from Aug 18 - 22

2010-06-20T21:19:00.000-04:00

“We are very proud to announce that THE COLOR PURPLE, The Musical about Love, will return to the Fox Theatre this summer for 8 performances only!” states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars. “Audiences adore this joyous and exuberant musical. Make plans now to bring your loved ones to see THE COLOR PURPLE at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from August 18-22. Tickets are on sale NOW at 800-982-2787 or www.ticketmaster.com.

This production of THE COLOR PURPLE, produced by Phoenix Entertainment ~ Joyful Noisemakers LLC, helmed by Stephen Kane and Michael McFadden, is the next phase in the life of the ground-breaking Broadway hit musical produced by Scott Sanders. The original Broadway musical opened on December 1, 2005, and was nominated for eleven Tony Awards®, including Best Musical. THE COLOR PURPLE ran for over two years on Broadway followed by a three year First National Tour.

THE COLOR PURPLE is based on the classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and the moving film by Steven Spielberg. It is the unforgettable and inspiring story of a woman named Celie, who finds the strength to triumph over adversity, and discover her unique voice in the world. With a joyous, GRAMMY®-nominated score featuring gospel, jazz, pop and the blues, THE COLOR PURPLE is about hope and the healing power of love.

Michael Kuchwara of the Associated Press described THE COLOR PURPLE as “a Roof-Raising story of triumph.” And Richard Corliss of TIME Magazine said, “[it is] a soaring, epic tale. It made a joyful noise in my heart.” Elysa Gardner from USA Today raved, “Pure heart! It celebrates the inspiring relationships of faith and love, A Broadway hit!”

THE COLOR PURPLE is directed by Gary Griffin and features a libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Grammy Award®-winning composers/lyricists Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, and choreography by Donald Byrd. Rounding out the creative team are Tony Award®-winner John Lee Beatty (sets), Paul Tazewell (costumes), Tony Award®-winner Brian MacDevitt (lighting), Craig Cassidy (sound design), Steven M. Bishop (Orchestrations/Arrangements), and Jasper Grant (Music Director).

Stephen Kane and Michael McFadden have long been principal partners of Phoenix Entertainment and collectively share theatrical touring credits spanning nearly three decades on four continents. Their production repertoire includes: Grease starring Frankie Avalon, The Will Rogers Follies starring Larry Gatlin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Gypsy, Man of La Mancha, The Pajama Game, Fame, Godspell, The Vagina Monologues, The King & I, Smokey Joe’s Café, Singin’ in the Rain, Buddy, Ring of Fire and Late Nite Catechism, among others.

The original cast recording is available on EMI/Angel Records.

For more information about THE COLOR PURPLE, please visit www.colorpurple.com

For production photography, please visit www.cmajormarketing.com. User code: purple Password: misscelie

THE COLOR PURPLE will play the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta from August 18-22, 2010. Performances are Wednesday-Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 11 am, 3:30 pm & 8 pm, and Sunday at 1:30 pm & 7 pm. Tickets are on sale NOW at all Ticketmaster outlets, at 800-982-2787 and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices range from $25-$80. Special group rates are available through the Fox Group Sales Dept. at 404-881-2000.

Theater of the Stars celebrates its 58th Anniversary as one of the nation’s premier regional theater companies. A civic not-for-profit cultural treasure, Theater of the Stars is dedicated to presenting and producing the best in musical theater. To learn more about our history of excellence, visit www.theaterofthestars.com.

MEAN GIRLS 2 Casting Call

2010-06-09T18:58:00.000-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Casting Director Bill Marinella, a 17-year industry veteran, announced today that he is in search of background talent for MEAN GIRLS 2, a Paramount Famous Productions release, shooting entirely in the Atlanta-area over the summer during July 2010.

The open call will be held, Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 9 am to 12 pm and Sunday, June 27, 2010 from 11 am to 2pm at

The Ernst and Young Building
Lower Level vacancy
at 55 Allen Plaza
Atlanta, Georgia 30308

-- Anyone with cool/ funky hairstyle, eyeglasses, or "Art Gallery" looks
-- High school sports fans, Mom and Dad types, with a Midwest feel
-- Casting ages 16 and up and "ALL LOOKS"
-- Mall rats, skater looks and preppies!
-- Real Cheerleaders and High School Jocks! Come in high school attire.
-- Looking for Asian-American and Latin-American actors for very featured
bit roles.

Wardrobe notes:
-- NO LOGOS of any kind please!
-- ABSOLUTELY NO RED, NO WHITE, NO BRIGHT COLORED CLOTHING
-- NO BUSY PRINTS/PATTERNS
-- Come in high school attire, jeans, ringer t-shirts, hoodies, skirts,
etc.
-- Backpacks, bookbags, beanies, kangols, eclectic outfits and
accessories
-- Please come in style, simple jewelry is best, with hair and make-up
camera ready

Plenty of free parking and bring headshots if you have them.

Please bring official state IDs (e.g., driver's license, birth certificate, U.S. Passport). School IDs are not sufficient.

For descriptions and photos of wardrobe and other fun stuff regarding extras casting on MEAN GIRLS 2, please follow our blog on the following link: http://extrasmg2.blogspot.com/ and join our Twitter casting blast for what we are seeking daily at http://twitter.com/AcmeCastingATL

About MEAN GIRLS 2: MEAN GIRLS 2 will be directed by the talented and accomplished Melanie Mayron.

Melanie Mayron won an Emmy for her role on the groundbreaking ABC drama thirtysomething. She has starred and co-starred in feature films, most notably Claudia Weill's Girlfriends, for which she won the Best Actress Award at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland and was nominated for a British Academy Award for Best Newcomer. She was seen in Costa Gavras' Missing along with Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek. She has forged an additional career as a director in movies and television, directing features like The Babysitter's Club and Slap Her She's French, as well as several made-for-TV movies and many episodic shows, including thirtysomething, Dawson's Creek, The Larry Sanders Show, Arliss, 90210, Lipstick Jungle, and Greek. She directed the pilot of State of Grace for ABC Family. Melanie was nominated for a Directors Guild Award for ABC's movie, Toothless, starring Kirstie Alley and Lynn Redgrave. Recently she has directed episodes of Cynthia Mort's critically acclaimed HBO series, Tell Me You Love Me, as well as, numerous episodes of the equally prestigious HBO series In Treatment, starring Gabriel Byrne. This season, Melanie has directed episodes of Ten Things I Hate About You, Drop Dead Diva, and Army Wives. Currently she is in production on the feature MEAN GIRLS 2 for Paramount Famous Productions. In addition, she and her chemist father have just launched Mayron's Goods' Baby Goods, a new line of Natural & Organic Skin Care products for babies.

Synopsis of MEAN GIRLS 2: The story revolves around a new high school student, Jo, who agrees to befriend an outcast, Abby, at the urging of Abby's wealthy father in exchange for paying all of Jo's costs for the college of her dreams. Jo and Abby team up to take on the school's "mean girls," the Plastics. The story becomes a high stakes battle of loyalty that ultimately comes to a head when one of our heroines finds out that her friendship has been bought and paid for.

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Theater of the Stars Announces Girls Auditions for the Tour of Irving Berlin's White Christmas

2010-06-08T09:53:00.000-04:00

Theater of the Stars will hold auditions for girls between the ages of 10-13 years old for a tour of Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS on Saturday, June 19 at 10 a.m. Registration is from 10-11 a.m. and you must be at registration in order to audition. These auditions are for Actors’ Equity and non-Equity actors. Call backs will take place later that afternoon. Audition location: Alliance Theatre, 1280 Peachtree Street, 3rd Floor, Atlanta, GA 30309.

Auditions are for the role of Susan Waverly (the General’s granddaughter). There will be 2 girls sharing this role on the tour and the exact performance schedule will be determined. Interested girls between the ages of 10-13 years old who sing and dance well should bring two copies of your headshot and resume. Head shots will not be returned. You must have these materials with you in order to audition. You should be prepared to sing “Let Me Sing And I’m Happy” from the show. An accompanist will be provided. Please wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to dance. Please note that if your child is selected for the show, she must participate in all rehearsals and performances.

In order to be cast in the tour of Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS you must be available from October 11, 2010 through January 2, 2011 and be able to make a commitment for this entire time period. Tentative schedule includes rehearsals in New York from October 11-23, Tech & Previews from October 25-31, an engagement in Atlanta at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from November 2-7, followed by performances in Greenville, Harford, Schenectady, Tampa, Charlotte and Chicago.

For more information, or to receive a registration form in advance, please contact Marguerite Daniel at Theater of the Stars at 404-252-8960 or marguerite@theaterofthestars.com
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Georgia Shakespeare Presents Shrew: The Musical

2010-06-07T21:34:00.000-04:00

Let Georgia Shakespeare put a spring in your step and a song in your heart with...

Shrew: the Musical
conceived & adapted by John R. Briggs
music & lyrics by John R. Briggs and Dennis West
original arrangements by Dennis West

The Bard's romantic comedy The Taming of the Shrew moves to 1930's Miami where Petruchio (Joe Knezevich) and Kate (Park Krausen) quip like Tracy and Hepburn and shuffle like Fred and Ginger.

Great classic theatre comes together with the modern day musical for this original adaptation by John R. Briggs and Dennis West. Filled with high-energy, toe-tapping musical numbers like "It's a Tough Job" and "Trouble's Comin'," it's fun for the whole family.

Shrew: the Musical opens this Friday, June 11, with $12 preview performances on both Wednesday and Thursday, June 9 and 10.

Buy tickets online now, or call the Box Office at 404.264.0020.

Starring Associate Artists (and real life spouses) Joe Knezevich and Park Krausen, the show also features Georgia Shakespeare favorites Chris Kayser, Allen O'Reilly, Courtney Patterson, Neal A. Ghant, and many more.
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"Drop Dead Diva", Lifetime's Hit Series Seeks Background Talent

2010-05-06T13:10:00.000-04:00

Casting Director Bill Marinella, a 17-year industry veteran, announced today that he is in search of background talent for the second season of the Lifetime hit comedy series from Sony Pictures Television “Drop Dead Diva,” which is filmed in and around Peachtree City, GA.

The open call will be held, Saturday, May 15th, 2010 from 9:00pm to 1:00pm & on Sunday, May 16th, 2010 from 11:00am to 3:00pm at Ashley Park Mall, located at 232 Newnan Crossing Bypass, Newnan. .

Specifically seeking:
to portray very chic and trendy 30-somethings
L.A. model types, 5’ 6’’ or taller (females)
male model looks must be 5’10”
upscale patrons with upscale suits / dresses with a polished look
to portray Attorneys and Defendants, character faces, come dressed to impress
Anyone with cool/ funky hairstyle, eyeglasses, tattoos, or “Art Gallery” look
Specifically looking for blonde men and women (tan a plus!)
Casting ages 18 and over “ALL LOOKS”

Wardrobe notes:

· ABSOLUTELY NO RED, NO WHITE and NO BUSY PRINTS/PATTERNS

· Colors we love for the professional looks are navy grey, black, olive, tan, maroon, beige, charcoal - think “GQ “ magazine type

· For “Nightlife” scenes - dresses with spaghetti straps, and stylish jeans for women, tops with jewel tones and color are good!

· Men with that “Entourage” feel, overdyed or dark upscale jeans and shirts with peak or notch collars and sport jackets and soft soled rubber dress shoes, and handsome, “chic suits” for play

· Please come in style, simple jewelry is best, with hair and make up camera ready

Plenty of free parking, bring a pen and headshots if you have them. Please know your wardrobe sizes (height, waist, inseam, shoe, etc.).

About DROP DEAD DIVA

When beautiful-but-vapid model wannabe Deb (Brooke D’Orsay) has a fatal car accident, she suddenly finds herself in front of Heaven’s gatekeeper, Fred (Ben Feldman), who declares her a self-centered “zero.” Outraged, she attempts to persuade Fred to return her to her shallow existence but is accidentally relegated to the body of the recently deceased Jane Bingum (Brooke Elliott). A brilliant, thoughtful and plus-size attorney with a loyal assistant (Margaret Cho), Jane has always lived in the shadow of her more comely colleagues whereas Deb has always relied on her external beauty. Now, by a twist of fate and a bolt of divine intervention, both personalities must learn to coexist in Jane’s plus-size frame in the ultimate showdown between brains and beauty. Drop Dead Diva is produced by Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television. Josh Berman (Bones, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) is creator and executive producer. Alex Taub (Eli Stone) joins Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Academy Award®-winning Chicago, Hairspray, Lifetime’s Living Proof) of Storyline Entertainment as executive producers.

West GA Children's Theatre Announces Regional Auditions for Ages 6 - Adult to Cast

2010-05-06T11:23:00.001-04:00

SHAKESPEARE'S A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

SATURDAY, MAY 22 - OPEN CALL 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

SUNDAY, MAY 23 - CALLBACKS 2:00-4:00 PM

Individual auditions by appointment, call 706-594-8042.

Production dates: September 17, 18, 19, & 24, 25, 26.

Rehearsals will be scheduled starting in August.

Special Shakespeare training workshops scheduled in July.

Coweta: Backstage Players to Perform "Hello Dolly!"

2010-05-03T19:41:00.000-04:00

The Backstage Players of Northgate Senior High are proud to present their annual spring musical production, “Hello Dolly!” The play will run three evenings: Thursday, May 13th, Friday, May 14th and Saturday, May 15th at The Centre For Performing and Visual Arts in Newnan. All shows start at 7 p.m.

“This should be a wonderful show – the students have been working so hard and rehearsing for a few months. Their energy levels are ‘at the top’ and we look forward to a great turn out for Hello, Dolly!” according to Drama Teacher Melanie Bruner.

“Hello Dolly!” is the story of Mrs. Dolly Levi’s efforts to marry Horace Vandergelder, the well-known half-a-millionaire and to send Horace’s money circulating among the people like rainwater, the way her late husband, Ephraim Levi, taught her. Along the way, Dolly succeeds in matching up the young and beautiful Widow Molloy with Vandergelder’s head clerk, Cornelius Hackle; Cornelius’ assistant , Barnaby Tucker, with Mrs. Molloy’s assistant, Minnie Fay; and the struggling artist, Ambrose Kemper, with Mr. Vandergelder’s weeping niece, Ermengarde. When everyone shows up at the swanky restaurant The Harmonia Gardens, mayhem ensues. Dolly is greeted by the waiters, cooks, doormen and wine stewards in one of the most famous songs in the history of American musical comedy, “Hello, Dolly!”

Classical musical numbers include “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” “Ribbons Down My Back,” “Before The Parade Passes By,” “Elegance,” “It Only Takes A Moment,” “So Long, Dearie,” and “Hello, Dolly!”

Coweta’s Centre For Performing Arts is located at 1523 Lower Fayetteville Road, Newnan, Georgia. Show dates are Thursday, May 13th, Friday, May 14th and Saturday, May 15th. All shows start at 7 p.m. The Centre staff opens the doors at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $5. for students and $8. for adults.

Information on the Arts Centre is available on their website www.thecentreonline.net.
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Orchestra Seats in First Ten Rows for Avenue Q Available for $25

2010-05-03T15:28:00.000-04:00

... day of performance only
... through a ticket lottery at Cobb Energy Centre Box Office

A limited number of seats in the first ten rows of the orchestra will be made available for $25 for every performance of AVENUE Q, the Tony® Award-winning musical, at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. The tickets go on sale at the Cobb Energy Centre box office, on the day of performance only, two hours prior to the show and are available through a ticket lottery with a limit of two tickets per person, while supplies last.

In keeping with thematic issues in the show such as living in New York with big dreams and a tiny bank account, the producers of the show are committed to offering these special priced seats in each city the show will play.

Since AVENUE Q’s opening Broadway and now on National tour, it has played to great critical and popular acclaim. AVENUE Q remains one of Broadway’s biggest and most enduring successes, playing to enthusiastic audiences 8 times a week in New York and now in your backyard!

The New York Times hailed AVENUE Q as "a breakthrough musical of a very different stripe. Savvy, sassy and delicious!" and Entertainment Weekly claimed it was "one of the funniest shows you're ever likely to see!"

AVENUE Q returns to Atlanta from May 18-23 at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. For general ticket information, call 800-982-2787 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Due to adult situations (like full-puppet nudity), AVENUE Q may be inappropriate for kids under 13.

The Atlanta Broadway Series, created in partnership by WH Management Group and Key Brand Entertainment, is a new series of blockbuster Broadway programming presented at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, a state-of-the-art venue that opened to popular and critical acclaim in September 2007.
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"Les Miserables" School Edition Auditions May 3rd and 4th

2010-04-30T13:26:00.000-04:00

The Twilight Theatre is proud to announce auditions for "Les Miserables", the School Edition. Auditions are open to ages 8-19, and show dates are July 16, 17, 30, and 31 at the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater in Peachtree City. Auditions will be held Monday, May 3 and Tuesday, May 4 at Fayetteville First United Methodist Church from 4:30 to 8:30. A large cast of 60-100 is required, and families are encouraged to audition together. Audition requirements and a character breakdown can be found on Twilight's website.

This is not the first time Twilight has mounted a production of "Les Miserables". In 2007, their highly acclaimed production resulted in Twilight being voted Fox 5's "Best Theatre 2007". Alison Chambers, Twilight's Artistic Director and the director of "Les Miserables", says the show is being brought back due to popular demand. "A lot of the kids involved last time said the show changed their lives and made them grow as an actor more than any other they have ever done. We made the decision that we should do this show every three years to give everyone we can the opportunity. It's not often that folks this age get to take part in such a vocally and emotionally demanding show - it's quite a challenge," Chambers states.

For more information on auditions, go to www.TheTwilightTheatre.com

Atlanta: You’re Hiding the Next Young Michael Jackson and Debbie Allen is Going to Find Him

2010-04-28T20:26:00.000-04:00

Debbie Allen, who is directing the Alliance Theatre’s new musical Twist this fall, will hold an open vocal call for Atlanta children this Saturday, May 1. Twist, a hot new musical twist on the Dickens classic Oliver Twist, tells the story of an orphan in New Orleans in the 1920s who finds family in the most unexpected places. The casting call will audition local children for a number of roles in the musical, including the title role of Twist, principle role of Pistol, and a children’s ensemble.

Debbie Allen, award-winning director/choreographer (Fame), returns to the Alliance for Twist, following her hugely successful Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (winner of the 2010 Olivier Award for Best Revival). She previously has directed at the Alliance in the 2000 production of Soul Possessed.

“Debbie is thrilled to see the newest young talent here in Atlanta,” said Jody Feldman, Alliance Theatre Associate Producer. “It’s not often that we get to showcase so many children in a show like this. This is a great opportunity for the talented young actors and actresses of Atlanta.” Twist will open the Alliance’s 2010-11 Season on September 1, 2010.

Auditions will be held May 1 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the Alliance Theatre. Sign ups begin at 9:00 AM on the third floor of the Memorial Arts Building, Woodruff Arts Center. Children will be asked to sing 16 bars of any pop/rock/gospel song at the audition. For more information, call the Alliance Theatre Audition Hotline at 404.733.4622.

Now in its 41st season, Atlanta’s nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre, recipient of the 2007 Regional Theatre Tony Award® and a leading national theatre, creates the powerful experience of shared theatre for diverse people on two stages for youth and adult audiences. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Susan V. Booth, the Alliance Theatre is a national theatre with a local address, reaching out annually to almost 200,000 patrons and members of the community. Known for its high artistic standards and national role in creating significant theatrical works, the Alliance launched three Tony Award-winning hits to Broadway: Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida and Alfred Uhry’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo. And, in a rare event for a regional theatre, it originated the national tour of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The theatre has premiered 60 works including adaptations of Carson McCullers’ The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky. Further evidence of the Alliance’s commitment to new work is found in its nationally recognized Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition, a cutting-edge program introducing student playwrights to professional networks while producing the world premiere of the winning student’s work. The Alliance Theatre also offers extensive education and outreach programs such as the Institute for Educators and the Collision Project for high school students. The Alliance continuously brings Atlanta the finest talent and finest art—proving once again that the Alliance is where great theatre lives. 404.733.4650 or www.alliancetheatre.org

The Alliance Theatre is a division of the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia, which also includes the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art and Young Audiences.
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Hypnotist Mike Harvey at Southside Theatre Guild

2010-04-26T22:42:00.000-04:00

Southside Theatre Guild in historic downtown Fairburn features Hypnotist Mike Harvey on Saturday, May 1st at 8:00 pm for a great night of fun and laughter where the audience watches and stars in this most enjoyable show. Tickets $15. For more info or to make your reservations, visit www.STGplays.com or call 770-969-0956.

Comedy night comes to Southside Theatre Guild for a great night of fun and laughter with the #1 comedy show in the south featuring Hypnotist Mike Harvey. The audience watches and stars in this most enjoyable show. Mike was on Panama City Beach every summer for 28 years , Carnival Cruise Lines 3 years and with the Comedy Zones for 15 years. Show is slightly PG so all ages are welcome.

Mike is a resident of Newnan (Coweta County).

Carrollton High Presents Thoroughly Modern Millie May 14 - 15

2010-04-26T16:08:00.000-04:00

Carrollton High School Performing Arts presents Thoroughly Modern Millie Friday, May 14 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 15 at 7:00 p.m. in the Mabry Center for the Arts at Carrollton High School. Directed by Brenda Sue Holcombe. Tickets are $10. Call 770-834-2116 or 770-834-7726 Ext. #5080 for more information or tickets.

Set in New York City in 1922, ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ concerns a young girl from Kansas who comes to New York in search of a new life for herself. Her grand plan is to find a job as a secretary for a wealthy man and then marry him. However, her plan goes completely awry. The owner of her dingy hotel kidnaps young girls to sell to the Far East; her wealthy boss is slow in proposing marriage; and the man she falls in love with doesn’t have a dime to his name – or so he tells her. Based on the popular movie, the stage version of 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' includes a full score of new songs and bright dance numbers.
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Tickets on Sale NOW for Mary Poppins!

2010-04-25T23:55:00.000-04:00

Performances Begin April 29, 2010 for 3 Weeks at the Fox Theatre

Broadway Across America – Atlanta and producers Thomas Schumacher of Disney Theatrical Productions and Cameron Mackintosh announced that Atlanta’s most eagerly awaited stage production will begin performances at the Fox Theatre on Thursday, April 29 for a limited engagement of 3 weeks through Sunday, May 16. The opening night is Friday, April 30 at 8 p.m. The entire original creative team has reunited to bring this magical story of the world’s most famous nanny to audiences around North America.

MARY POPPINS, a co-production of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, opened on Broadway on November 16, 2006. Based on P.L. Travers' cherished stories and the classic 1964 Walt Disney film, MARY POPPINS the stage play features the Academy Award®-winning music and lyrics of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The stage production has been created, in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh, by Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes, who has written the book, and the Olivier Award-winning team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who have composed new songs and additional music and lyrics.

Olivier Award-winning director Richard Eyre leads the award-winning creative team, with co-direction and choreography by Tony® and Olivier Award winner Matthew Bourne. MARY POPPINS features set and costume design by TonyÒ Award winner Bob Crowley, co-choreography by Olivier Award winner Stephen Mear, lighting design by Howard Harrison, orchestrations by William David Brohn, and music supervision by David Caddick. The tour’s creative team includes Tour Director Anthony Lyn, Associate Choreographer Geoffrey Garrett, and Music Director James Dodgson.

Consistently among the top-grossing shows on Broadway, MARY POPPINS continues in its 3rd smash year at the New Amsterdam Theatre and recently celebrated its 1000th performance – a milestone reached by only a rare few number of shows in Broadway history. The Broadway production has grossed over $152 million to date and been seen by over 1.8 million theatergoers.

Simultaneously, the show’s popularity grows around the globe. Following a successful three year run (December 2004 - January 2008) at the Prince Edward Theatre on London's West End, a U.K. tour of MARY POPPINS commenced in summer 2008 and concluded its acclaimed run in Cardiff in April 2009. The Australian production of MARY POPPINS will premiere in July 2010 at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne.

An open-ended run of MARY POPPINS will take residence at the Circus Theatre in Scheveningen, Holland, outside of Amsterdam. The show will open in April 2010 at the Circus Theatre following TARZAN’S record setting run there. MARY POPPINS will be produced in Holland by Stage Entertainment in association with Disney and Cameron Mackintosh.

In Atlanta, MARY POPPINS will play Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Matinees will play at 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Ticket prices range from $19.50 to $64.00. Special VIP/Premium Ticket Packages are available for $127.00 at select performances, and include premium seating and a complimentary souvenir program. Beginning Sunday, December 6 tickets will be available at the Fox Theater Box Office, and online at www.Ticketmaster.com. To charge tickets, call 1-800-982-2787. Orders for groups of 15 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000.

The Atlanta engagement of MARY POPPINS is presented by arrangement with Broadway Across America - Atlanta and is a subscription offering for the 2009-2010 season.

For more information, please visit www.MaryPoppinsTour.com

NCTC Announces Auditions for "Pscyho Beach Party"

2010-04-25T20:19:00.000-04:00

The campy comedy “Psycho Beach Party” by Charles Busch will be performed at the Newnan Community Theatre Company this summer. The play is a fun spoof of 1960s beach movies with a slight Hitchcock twist.

Auditions for the show are Sunday, May 9, and Monday, May 10, at the theatre. There are speaking roles for 12 males and females, ages 18-30. Additionally, dancers are needed to perform during set changes and one scene. Auditions will be from 7 to 9 pm. Actors may attend either evening to try out for a role.

"Psycho Beach Party" is being directed by Jeff Allen. The show dates are June 25, 26, 27 and July 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18. Show time is 8:00 pm on Friday and Saturdays and 2:30 on Sunday. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students/seniors, and $8 for children. “Psycho Beach Party” contains mature content. NCTC is located at 24 1st Avenue in downtown Newnan. For more information about the theatre and other upcoming events, visit their website at newnantheatre.org.

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Little House on the Prairie, The Musical, with Melissa Gilbert as Ma

2010-04-25T18:14:00.000-04:00

THE FOX THEATRE IN ATLANTA FROM JUNE 15-20 ONLY!

“We are delighted to present LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL,” states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars. “This exciting new show will bring back fond memories for so many of us who loved the books and the hit television series. Having the marvelous actress Melissa Gilbert performing in the role of Ma will add even more fun to the experience. This entertaining show is appropriate for all ages, so we encourage you to bring your families and friends and neighbors to join us at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from June 15-20.”

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL, a new musical based on the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series of classic American books, will arrive on June 15 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta for a one week engagement. Melissa Gilbert, who rose to fame as a child playing ‘Laura’ in the hugely successful NBC television series “Little House on the Prairie” during the 1970’s, now continues her legacy ‘on the prairie’ by taking on the role of Ma. LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL will also star Steve Blanchard as Pa and Kara Lindsay as Laura. Tickets for the Atlanta engagement of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL are on sale now and may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 800-982-2787, at www.ticketmaster.com, or by visiting the Fox Theatre box office. Group of 10 or more can get special rates by calling the Fox Group Sales Office at 404-881-2000.

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL with Gilbert, Blanchard and Lindsay, had its world premiere production in August, 2008 at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, where it shattered all box-office records and sold-out 12 consecutive weeks. Initiated for the stage by Adrianne Lobel (Frog and Toad) and Francesca Zambello, the show is directed by Zambello (Disney’s The Little Mermaid), with music by Academy Award® winner Rachel Portman (Emma), lyrics by Donna di Novelli and a book by Tony Award® winner Rachel Sheinkin (The 25TH Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee). Michele Lynch is choreographer and Kevin Stites is musical supervisor.

The producers of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL are Ben Sprecher, Amy Sprecher, Louise Forlenza, Bob Boyett, Jay Harris, William Franzblau, Tony Fusco, Larry Feinman, Peter W. Bezemes, Friendly Theatrical LLC, Jon B. Platt, Wendy Federman, Michael Filerman, Marc Schwartz, Karl Sydow and Nelle Nugent, in association with Bob Reich and Sharon Carr.

The production includes scenic design by Adrianne Lobel, lighting design by Mark McCullough, costumes by Tony Award winner Jess Goldstein, sound design by Carl Casella and wig/hair design by Charles LaPointe. Richard Carsey serves as music director, orchestrations are by Larry Hochman and dance and incidental music arrangements are by Michael Dansicker, with additional vocal and incidental music by Kevin Stites.

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL is the uplifting story of an American family forging a new life amidst the mighty challenges, heartbreaks, joys and triumphs that face them in the newly-settled heartland. It is also the story of young Laura Ingalls, as she begins her life as a young woman, finding purpose, and finding love. Above all, it is the celebration of the pioneering spirit and the core values on which this country was founded – a spirit that still resonates today.

LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE MUSICAL will play the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta from June 15-20, 2010. Performances are Tuesday-Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 pm & 8 pm, and Sunday at 1:30 pm & 7 pm. Tickets are on sale NOW at all Ticketmaster outlets, at 800-982-2787 and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices range from $25-$65. Special group rates are available through the Fox Group Sales Dept. at 404-881-2000.

Theater of the Stars celebrates its 58th Anniversary as one of the nation’s premier regional theater companies. A civic not-for-profit cultural treasure, Theater of the Stars is dedicated to presenting and producing the best in musical theater. To learn more about our history of excellence, visit www.theaterofthestars.com.

Here are bios for the principal cast and creative team:

MELISSA GILBERT (Caroline “Ma” Ingalls) Theatre: Off-Broadway: A Shayna Maidel (Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards); Regional: Love Letters (Canon Theater, LA); The Glass Menagerie (Chautauqua Theater Company); The Miracle Worker (Royal Poinciana Playhouse, Palm Beach); Bus Stop and Love Letters (Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville); Little House on the Prairie, the Musical (Guthrie). Television: Series lead in “Little House on the Prairie,” starred in more than 40 movies for television, including Emmy Award-winning The Miracle Worker, and more than a dozen television series, including “Nip/Tuck,” and “Sweet Justice.” Ms. Gilbert served as President of the Screen Actors Guild from 2001–05, and is currently the Standing Board Chair and Spokesperson for the Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition. Ms. Gilbert is also a New York Times best-selling author with the recent publication of her autobiography, Prairie Tale - A Memoir, from Simon & Schuster.

STEVE BLANCHARD (Charles “Pa” Ingalls). Broadway: Beauty and the Beast, Camelot, A Christmas Carol, The Three Musketeers; Off-Broadway: Frankenstein, Johnny Guitar, An Oak Tree; National tours: Camelot, Phantom of the Opera, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Repertory Theatre of St. Louis: Esmeralda; Baltimore’s CenterStage: Sleep of Reason; Charles Playhouse, Boston: The Threepenny Opera; Ford’s Theatre, Washington, D.C.: Hot Mikado, Godspell; Guthrie: Little House on the Prairie, the Musical; Paper Mill Playhouse: Chess; Theatre Under The Stars, Houston: Chess. Film/Television Law at Randado, Rapmaser Ronnie, Warlords 3000, “Third Watch,” “Law and Order,” “Ed,” “Police Story,” “Sunset Beat,” “One Life to Live,” “Guiding Light,” “Another World.”Original cast recordings Johnny Guitar, Sundown, Frankenstein; debut solo CD Northbound Train

KARA LINDSAY (Laura Ingalls). Theatre: Denver Center for the Performing Arts: Quilters; Guthrie: Little House on the Prairie, the Musical; 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle: Lone Star Love; West Virginia Public Theatre:Thoroughly Modern Millie, Beauty and the Beast, Cats, Hello, Dolly!; Carnegie Mellon University: Side Show, After Miss Julie, Hello Again, Oresteia. Training B.F.A., Acting/Musical Theater, Carnegie Mellon University

FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO (Director). Theatre Broadway: Disney’s The Little Mermaid; London: Royal Albert Hall: Showboat; West End: Napoleon; Raimund Theater, Vienna: a new musical based on Rebecca; Seattle Children’s Theatre: Tibet Through the Red Box; Bregenz’s floating stage: West Side Story; Guthrie: Little House on the Prairie, the Musical. Old Globe: First Wives Club, Skylight Music Theater: artistic director, 1984-91; Opera: Metropolitan Opera: An American Tragedy (world premiere), Cyrano de Bergerac (with Placido Domingo), Les Troyens; Teatro alla Scala: Cyrano; Washington National and San Francisco Operas: The Ring, San Francisco Opera: artistic advisor; Royal Albert Hall: La Bohème; The Bolshoi: Fiery Angel; Chicago Lyric Opera: Salome; Royal Opera House: Carmen, Don Giovanni; Paris Opera: Boris Godunov, War and Peace, Billy Budd, William Tell; Film War and Peace (ORF), Amahl and the Night Visitors (BBC), The Little Prince (BBC/PBS). Awards: Three Olivier Awards; two Evening Standard Awards for best musical and best opera; two French Grand Prix des Critiques; Japanese Golden Prize; Helpmann Award; Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres; Russian Federation’s medal for Service to Culture; the Palme d’Or in Germany; the Golden Mask in Russia. Education: Colgate University; Moscow University. www.francescazambello.com

RACHEL PORTMAN (Music). Theatre: Little House on the Prairie, the Musical. Film: Grey Gardens, The Duchess, Emma, The Cider House Rules, Chocolat, Infamous, The Manchurian Candidate, Oliver Twist, The Lake House, Nicholas Nickleby, Hart’s War, The Human Stain, Life is Sweet, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Beloved, Home Fries, Addicted to Love, Marvin’s Room, Only You, The Road to Wellville, Sirens, Benny & Joon, The Joy Luck Club, Used People, Smoke, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, Where Angels Fear to Tread. Opera/concert: The Little Prince, The Water Diviner’s Tale. Awards: Academy Award for Best Original Score for Emma; Academy Award nominations for The Cider House Rules and Chocolat; British Film Institute’s Young Composer of the Year Award.

DONNA DI NOVELLI (Lyrics). Musical Theater/Opera: Little House on the Prairie, the Musical (lyrics); Florida (book and lyrics) Lyric Opera Cleveland, Public Theater’s New Work Now, New York City Opera’s VOX; No God but Yearning (book and lyrics) Public Theater’s New Work Now, Joe’s Pub. Theater: The First Eff (stage play) Mark Taper Forum, Duende Arts. Dance: Twelve Dancing Princesses (text) Los Angeles Modern Dance and Ballet. Commissions: San Francisco Opera; Chanticleer; BBC. Publications New Monologues For Women by Women (Heinemann Press), NuMuse, Brown University. Awards: Manhattan Theatre Club Fellowship, Rockefeller Foundation residency in Bellagio, Italy; National Musical Theater Conference residency, the Mac Dowell Colony and the Atlantic Center for the Arts. Professional Affiliations: ASCAP, Dramatists Guild. Teaching: Bookwriting, Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts; Playwriting, National Theater Institute, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center; Visiting professor, Brown University. Training: M.F.A., Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts (Ira Gershwin Fellow); A.M., Brown University.

RACHEL SHEINKIN (Book) Recent work includes Broadway: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Tony, Drama Desk awards); Off Broadway: Striking 12 (Lucille Lortel nomination), off-off: Serenade. Regional: Guthrie, Little House on the Prairie, the Musical; Center Theater Group, Sleeping Beauty Wakes (Los Angeles Ovation Award); London: Blood Drive. Residencies, fellowships, commissions include: Eugene O’Neill National Theater Center, Baryshnikov Dance Foundation, MacDowell Colony, Manhattan Theatre Club, Deaf West, McCarter Theatre, Playwrights Horizons. Rachel is a volunteer mentor for TDF’s Open Doors program, a visiting instructor at Yale School of Drama, and adjunct faculty member of NYU’s Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program.

MICHELE LYNCH (Choreographer). Paper Mill Playhouse: Happy Days. Broadway: The Coast of Utopia (Choreographer), Hairspray and The Full Monty (Associate Choreographer), Urinetown (Asst. Choreographer). Off-Broadway: Everyday Rapture (Second Stage), NYMF: Idaho; Yale Rep: Rough Crossing; Guthrie: Little House on the Prairie; Asolo Theatre: Pride & Prejudice; Mark Taper Forum: 13; St Louis MUNY: Breakfast at Tiffany’s; Stanford Center for the Arts: Empire; North Carolina Theatre: South Pacific; Ford Center: Leading Ladies; has traveled around the world setting companies of Hairspray and The Full Monty. Film: CAMP. Awards: Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Happy Days at Goodspeed Opera House; Garland Award for 13.

KEVIN STITES (Music Supervision, Additional Vocals, Incidental Music). Broadway: Tale of Two Cities, Color Purple, Titanic, Sunset Boulevard, Pamela’s First Musical, Children and Art, Les Misérables, Threepenny Opera, Fiddler, Nine, Oklahoma!, On the Town. National tours: Color Purple, Martin Guerre, Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Titanic. Guest conductor: Grant Park Symphony, Guys and Dolls and Les Miserables at Hollywood Bowl. TV/Film: “Rosie Live,” Reefer Madness and others.
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The Hot New Musical Twist to Open the Alliance Theatre’s 2010-11 Season

2010-03-31T13:53:00.000-04:00

Travel to New Orleans 1928 for a triumphant story of love conquering adversity and of finding family in the most unexpected places. The Alliance Theatre is proud to bring Twist to the stage for its Atlanta debut. Inspired by Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, and in the rich musical tradition of Jelly’s Last Jam, this heart-warming musical brings award-winning director/choreographer Debbie Allen (Fame) back to the Alliance, following her hugely successful Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (winner of the 2010 Olivier Award for Best Revival).

Set in “the Paris of the South,” when the Roaring 20s were at their peak, Twist takes us on an orphan’s journey to find a place to belong and a family to love. Tony Award-nominee William F. Brown (writer of The Wiz) wrote the book for this new spin on the Charles Dickens’ tale, with music by Tena Clark (Grammy Award-winning songwriter) and Gary Prim; lyrics by Tena Clark. Twist will open the Alliance’s 2010-11 Season with its first performance Sept. 1, 2010 on the Alliance Stage.

“Having already assembled a season of high drama, Tony-winning artists and world premieres of all scales and styles, Twist really is the cherry on top,” said Susan V. Booth, Alliance Theatre Artistic Director. “We're so grateful to Atlanta for its support of our work and for joining us on this season’s national journey of American stories.”

Twist examines the deep emotions and human struggles of a young boy whose father was a black song-and-dance man and whose mother was a white woman of prominence. Guided by a fierce yearning for home, he travels through larger-than-life New Orleans, from the orphanage to a new life behind the red velvet curtain of The Jewel Box speakeasy. There he discovers the home he never had and the parents he never knew among a group of children surviving on the street.

“A very present character in Twist is the City of New Orleans—one of our country's greatest phoenix stories. Jazz Age New Orleans is about as juicy an American icon as you can imagine,” notes Booth, referring to next season’s celebration of American icons and American ideas.

So, why introduce Atlanta to Twist now? “Atlanta has proven time and again its appetite for new musical work—diving into big ideas with real delight,” explains Booth. “Twist's capacity to take the warm familiarity of Dickens' beloved tale of a child's search for home and make it bracingly fresh, contemporary and American was irresistible. And that it affords us an opportunity to welcome the dynamic force of nature that is Debbie Allen back to the Alliance just sweetened the deal.”

The following list provides run dates for each of the productions announced as part of the Alliance Theatre’s 2010-11 Season (in chronological order):

Twist Sept. 1 – Oct. 3 (opening night is Sept. 15)

Sammy & Me Oct. 1 – 24 (opening night is Oct. 6)

The Nacirema Society Requests . . . Oct. 20 – Nov. 14 (opening night is Oct. 27)

Middle School the Musical Oct. 23 – 30 (opening night is Oct. 25)

The Second City: Miracle on 1280

Peachtree Street Nov. 5 – Dec. 12 (opening night is Nov. 10)

A Christmas Carol Nov. 26 – Dec. 24 (opening night is Dec. 2)

Bring it on: the Musical Jan. 12 – Feb. 20 (opening night is Jan. 26)

Carapace Feb. 11 – Mar. 6 (opening night is Feb. 16)

Honk! Mar. 5 – 20 (opening night is Mar. 5)

Spoon Lake Blues Apr. 1 – 24 (opening night is Apr. 6)

August Osage County Apr. 13 – May 8 (opening night is Apr. 20)

Now in its 41st season, Atlanta’s nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre, recipient of the 2007 Regional Theatre Tony Award®, is the leading professional resident theatre of the Southeast, creating the powerful experience of shared theatre for diverse people on two stages for youth and adult audiences. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Susan V. Booth, the Alliance Theatre is a national theatre with a local address, reaching out annually to almost 200,000 patrons and members of the community. Known for its high artistic standards and national role in creating significant theatrical works, the Alliance launched three Tony Award-winning hits to Broadway: Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida and Alfred Uhry’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo. And, in a rare event for a regional theatre, it originated the national tour of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The theatre has premiered 60 works including adaptations of Carson McCullers’ The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky. Further evidence of the Alliance’s commitment to new work is found in its nationally recognized Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition, a cutting-edge program introducing student playwrights to professional networks while producing the world premiere of the winning student’s work. The Alliance Theatre also offers extensive education and outreach programs such as the Institute for Educators and the Collision Project for high school students. The Alliance continuously brings Atlanta the finest talent and finest art—proving once again that the Alliance is where great theatre lives. 404.733.4650 or www.alliancetheatre.org

The Alliance Theatre is a division of the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia, which also includes the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art and Young Audiences.
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Shake at the Lake is Back! May 5 - 9 in Piedmont Park

2010-03-28T19:32:00.000-04:00

Shake at the Lake 2010 will feature a week-long run of last summer's hit A Midsummer Night's Dream in the heart of Piedmont Park May 5 - 9.

As in years past, each performance is free, but tickets are required. For more information on ticket distribution, visit our blog.

Presented by Bank of America, this year's presentation of A Midsummer Night's Dream is directed by John Dillon and will feature some of Georgia Shakespeare's most beloved artists, including Chris Kayser (Bottom), Daniel Thomas May (Demetrius), and Tess Malis Kincaid (Titania).

"Because Shake at the Lake is our gift to the community, we rely wholly on corporate, foundation and individual support to make the event possible," says Producing Artistic Director, Richard Garner. "We are extremely grateful for our presenting sponsor, Bank of America, as well as the support of The Coca-Cola Company, CornerCap Investment Counsel, The Kendeda Fund, The Charles Loridans Foundation, and the Piedmont Park Conservancy. Without their philanthropic vision and earnest interest in the arts in our city, Shake at the Lake would not be possible."

Performances are nightly at 7:30pm, May 5 - 9, overlooking Lake Clara Meer near the park's 12th Street entrance.

Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of each performance beginning at 10am. Tickets are distributed from The Piedmont Park Visitor Center (just inside the 12th Street Entrance), and from Georgia Shakespeare's Box Office at The Conant Performing Arts Center. More info at 404.264.0020.

DON'T WAIT IN LINE! BECOME A SUBSCRIBER TODAY!
Subscribers may pre-order Shake at the Lake tickets beginning April 28. Subscribe to Georgia Shakespeare's 25th Anniversary Season online or call 404.264.0020.
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Fayette Coweta Family Theatre, Inc. Announces Auditions For Fiddler on the Roof, Jr.

2010-03-28T19:16:00.000-04:00

Fayette Coweta Family Theatre, Inc. will hold open auditions for their Spring Musical "Fiddler on the Roof, Jr." on Monday, March 29. Performers age 7 to 21 years will be cast in this show. Performances are scheduled for May 6-9 and the rehearsal schedule can be found by visiting www.fcft.net/FiddlerPractice. Those wishing to audition will be asked to learn a portion of a song from the show, a dance combination and cold read from the script. Ages 7 to 9 at 4:30 p.m. ages 10 to 14 at 5:45 p.m. and ages 15 to 21 at 7:15 p.m. Those young men wishing to audition for Tevye will be asked to sing a portion of "If I Were a Rich Man" in addition to the number we teach others auditioning. Auditions, rehearsals and performances will be at the Fayette YMCA Lodge House Theatre at 215 Huiet Road in Fayetteville. Please note that there will be a $175 production fee required from each person who is cast in the show. For more information regarding auditions, character list and descriptions or performances please visit www.fcft.net/aud or contact the director at 770-599-0051

Gwinnett County Middle School Theatre Students to Visit Clayton State “Improv” Class on April 29

2010-03-26T10:05:00.000-04:00

The last day of class for the spring 2010 semester at Clayton State University will be a special one for Phillip DePoy’s group of Improvisational Theatre students.

DePoy, the renowned director of the Clayton State Theatre and an assistant professor of Theatre, has arranged with Cynthia D. Samuels-Jackson to have her Radloff Middle School theatre arts students join his Improvisational Theatre class for a day.

With tongue firmly planted in cheek, DePoy describes the visit by Samuels-Jackson’s 45 Gwinnett County middle schoolers as an “invasion.” Actually, the Radloff students will be participating in improv scenes with Clayton State theatre majors.

“She was looking to expose her troupe to theatre on a collegiate level. I think we can do better,” says DePoy.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
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Phantom of the Opera Returns to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta

2010-03-15T16:17:00.000-04:00

The longest-running show in Broadway history!
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s International Award-Winning Musical
Directed by Harold Prince
Returns to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta
For Farewell Engagement June 30-July 25, 2010
Tickets On Sale March 21

The Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Theatre Company, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, directed by Harold Prince, returns to the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta for a farewell engagement beginning Wednesday, June 30 through Sunday, July 25. Tickets go on sale March 21 and can be purchased at the Fox Theatre box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-982-2787. Group orders 10 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is the most successful and longest continuously-running tour in U.S. history. The tour will play its final performance in Autumn 2010 at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles. The musical has been represented on the road since the First National began performances in Los Angeles in May 1989. Since that time, there have been three U.S. national touring productions. The First National Tour (Christine Company) played Los Angeles and San Francisco for a combined total run of almost 10 years, grossing $305,192,485 with 3,902 performances and 6.6 million patrons. The Second National Tour (Raoul Company) played major markets during an eight and a half year run, grossed $393,608,819 with 3,364 performances and 7.5 million patrons. The Third National Tour (Music Box Company) is the only production still currently touring the U.S. and has played over 7,000 performances and recently celebrated its Seventeenth Anniversary in December 2009.

With worldwide grosses estimated at over $5 billion, The Phantom of the Opera is the most successful entertainment venture of the twentieth century, surpassing such blockbuster films as Avatar, Titanic, Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park and Star Wars. The winner of seven Tony® Awards, including Best Musical, The Phantom of the Opera has been seen by over 100 million people in 144 cities in 27 countries. Worldwide, the show consistently plays to larger audiences and in longer engagements than any other musical in history. On January 9, 2006, The Phantom of the Opera became the longest-running show in Broadway history surpassing Cats’ record-holding run of 7,485 performances. The show celebrated an unprecedented milestone on January 26, 2008 when it reached its twentieth anniversary on Broadway.

Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.

The Phantom of the Opera had its world premiere on October 9, 1986 at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, winning every major British theatre award including the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards. The New York production opened on January 26, 1988 with a then-record advance of $18 million. The musical went on to sweep the 1988 Tony Awards, winning seven, including Best Musical. The Phantom of the Opera also won seven Drama Desk Awards and three Outer Critics Circle Awards. The original London cast recording was the first in British musical history to enter the charts at number one. It has since gone both gold and platinum in Britain and the United States, selling over 25 million copies.

The Phantom of the Opera will play Wednesday, June 30 through Sunday, July 25. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m. with matinees Saturdays at 2 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m. Ticket prices range from $17 to $64 and can be purchased beginning March 21 at the Fox Theatre box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-982-2787. Group orders 10 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000.

The Atlanta engagement of The Phantom of the Opera is welcomed by Broadway Across America – Atlanta and Theater of the Stars. It is a season special for Broadway Across America season tickets holders and a subscription offering for Theater of the Stars. Visit the official The Phantom of the Opera website at www.thephantomoftheopera.com.

Broadway Across America: Owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and led by Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman), Broadway Across America presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 42 North American cities. Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world. Current productions include A CATERED AFFAIR, PASSING STRANGE, SPAMALOT, GO DIEGO GO and THE BACKYARDIGANS. For more information or to purchase tickets through an authorized agent go to BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

Theater of the Stars celebrates its 58th Anniversary as one of the nation’s premier regional theater companies. A civic not-for-profit cultural treasure, Theater of the Stars is dedicated to presenting and producing the best in musical theater. To learn more about the history of excellence, visit www.theaterofthestars.com.

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Theater of the Stars Announces Children and Teen Auditions for The Sound of Music

2010-03-15T12:21:00.000-04:00

Theater of the Stars will hold auditions for children and teens between the ages of 7-17 for The Sound of Music on Saturday, April 10 at 10:00 a.m. These auditions are for Actors’ Equity and non-Equity actors. You must be in line no later than 11:00 am to be seen. Call backs will take place later that afternoon. Audition location: Atlanta Ballet, 1400 West Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30309.

We are looking for girls and boys who dance and sing well to be cast in the roles of the von Trapp Family Children. Please bring two copies of your headshot and resume. Bring your own sheet music and be prepared to sing 16 bars of music from a Broadway musical song that best shows off your voice. Musical accompaniment will be provided. No a cappella, pop or rock selections please. You should wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to dance if asked to attend call backs in the afternoon.

In order to be cast in The Sound of Music you must be available from August 9 through September 5 and be able to make a commitment for this entire time period. Tentative schedule includes rehearsals in New York from August 9-15, Tech & Previews in Tampa from August 17-22, performances in Atlanta at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from August 24-29 and performances in DC at Wolf Trap from August 31-September 5.

For more information or to receive a registration form in advance, please contact Marguerite Daniel at Theater of the Stars at 404-252-8960 or marguerite@theaterofthestars.com.

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www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
www.Hummingbird-Hollow.com
Twitter: @hhpotterystudio
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