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.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Horizon Theatre Company Closes 2011 Season with TREE by Julie Hébert
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.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Mama Mia Returns to the Fabulous Fox Theater Nov 2 - 6
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.
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.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Neil Berg's Broadway Holiday at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
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
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
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Theatre in the Square opens 30th season with a bit of nostalgia
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Atlanta Lyric Presents Tony-Award Winner “Thoroughly Modern Millie”
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
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
Friday, July 1, 2011
Alliance Theatre Collision Project Helps Teenagers Find Their Voice
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.
“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.
Monday, June 6, 2011
ROSE OF ATHENS THEATRE presents the hilarious… AS YOU LIKE IT “Shakespeare on the Lawn”
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.
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.
Monday, April 11, 2011
"Echoes from the South" from the Clayton State Theatre, Starting Apr. 13
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.
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.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Performances of The Little Foxes Canceled April 6-10
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.
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.
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