The AIB Network Celebrates 50 Years Of Connecting People
by BWW News Desk - January 07, 2019
Throughout 2019, the AIB Network (Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters), will commemorate 'Connecting People for 50 Years' with special programming and events. The 'Best of AIB,' a monthly series premiering January 3rd, will feature AIB's award-winning content. 'AIB Classics' is a weekly series premiering January 5 featuring programs from the AIB archives. AIB will also host a special 50th Anniversary Celebration on May 23, 2019.
by BWW News Desk - January 07, 2019
Throughout 2019, the AIB Network (Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters), will commemorate 'Connecting People for 50 Years' with special programming and events. The 'Best of AIB,' a monthly series premiering January 3rd, will feature AIB's award-winning content. 'AIB Classics' is a weekly series premiering January 5 featuring programs from the AIB archives. AIB will also host a special 50th Anniversary Celebration on May 23, 2019.
AN OCTOROON Announced At Actor's Express
by BWW News Desk - January 04, 2019
Actor's Express presents An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Directed by Donya K. Washington, Associate Producer at the Alliance Theatre, this wildly imaginative new work turns a 19th century melodrama on its ear in a riotous romp that hurls the antebellum south into direct collision with 21st century cultural politics. "Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is one of the most exciting playwrights writing for the American theatre today. This play uses crazy theatricality to cast a critical eye on the modern world through the lens of the past," says Artistic Director Freddie Ashley.
by BWW News Desk - January 04, 2019
Actor's Express presents An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Directed by Donya K. Washington, Associate Producer at the Alliance Theatre, this wildly imaginative new work turns a 19th century melodrama on its ear in a riotous romp that hurls the antebellum south into direct collision with 21st century cultural politics. "Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is one of the most exciting playwrights writing for the American theatre today. This play uses crazy theatricality to cast a critical eye on the modern world through the lens of the past," says Artistic Director Freddie Ashley.
Cameron Mackintosh, Lindsay Mendez, and More Will Appear At Junior Theater Festivals In Atlanta And Sacramento
by BWW News Desk - January 04, 2019
Disney Theatrical Productions President & Producer Thomas Schumacher, Frozen songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, Caissie Levy (Frozen on Broadway), legendary Broadway and West End producer (and Chairman of Music Theatre International) Sir Cameron Mackintosh, songwriting team Pasek & Paul, Taylor Iman Jones (Head Over Heels), Ryan McCarten (Heathers The Musical), Billy Jenkins ('The Crown,' 'Holmes & Watson'), Luca Padovan (School of Rock), and Isabella Russo (School of Rock) are some of the stars confirmed for the 2019 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Atlanta (#JTF), happening January 18-20, 2019 at The Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.
by BWW News Desk - January 04, 2019
Disney Theatrical Productions President & Producer Thomas Schumacher, Frozen songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, Caissie Levy (Frozen on Broadway), legendary Broadway and West End producer (and Chairman of Music Theatre International) Sir Cameron Mackintosh, songwriting team Pasek & Paul, Taylor Iman Jones (Head Over Heels), Ryan McCarten (Heathers The Musical), Billy Jenkins ('The Crown,' 'Holmes & Watson'), Luca Padovan (School of Rock), and Isabella Russo (School of Rock) are some of the stars confirmed for the 2019 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Atlanta (#JTF), happening January 18-20, 2019 at The Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.
LES MISERABLES Comes To Fox Theatre 2/26 - 3/3
by BWW News Desk - January 03, 2019
The classic sung-through musical, LES MISERABLES, is bringing France to Atlanta, Georgia from February 26th to March 3rd, 2019.
by BWW News Desk - January 03, 2019
The classic sung-through musical, LES MISERABLES, is bringing France to Atlanta, Georgia from February 26th to March 3rd, 2019.
Winners Announced for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Atlanta Awards
by BWW News Desk - January 03, 2019
We are pleased to announce the winners for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Atlanta Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Nominations were reader-submitted and voted on by you - the local theatergoers!
by BWW News Desk - January 03, 2019
We are pleased to announce the winners for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Atlanta Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Nominations were reader-submitted and voted on by you - the local theatergoers!
PAUL BUNYAN AND THE TALL TALE MEDICINE SHOW Comes to Center for Puppetry Arts
by BWW News Desk - January 03, 2019
It's time to saddle up for a 10-gallon historical hoedown. The Center for Puppetry Arts is rounding up some of America's most famous heroes and heroines to present a production packed with tall tales, twangy tunes (performed live) and glory stories of the American west.
by BWW News Desk - January 03, 2019
It's time to saddle up for a 10-gallon historical hoedown. The Center for Puppetry Arts is rounding up some of America's most famous heroes and heroines to present a production packed with tall tales, twangy tunes (performed live) and glory stories of the American west.
Horizon's Season Kicks Off with THE WOLVES
by BWW News Desk - January 02, 2019
Horizon Theatre Company is kicking off its 35th Anniversary Season with a 2017 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama! The Wolves, a groundbreaking new play by Sarah DeLappe, will hit the Little Five Points stage from January 25 through March 3, 2019. The anticipated Southeastern premiere will include a cast of 10 of Atlanta's best actresses showcasing their acting and athletic prowess as this powerful story takes to the stage.
by BWW News Desk - January 02, 2019
Horizon Theatre Company is kicking off its 35th Anniversary Season with a 2017 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama! The Wolves, a groundbreaking new play by Sarah DeLappe, will hit the Little Five Points stage from January 25 through March 3, 2019. The anticipated Southeastern premiere will include a cast of 10 of Atlanta's best actresses showcasing their acting and athletic prowess as this powerful story takes to the stage.
The Atlanta Shakespeare Company at The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse Presents LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST
by BWW News Desk - December 30, 2018
Can four young men attempt to honor their pledge to avoid the oppositesex, food, drink and sleep, for the sake of becoming more intellectual and contemplative? Not in Shakespeare's world and certainly not at the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse! After four young women arrive on the scene, the result is far from a blissful pondering of noble deeds and nobler thoughts. Join us for muscovites, masks and lessons about love in this lyrical comedy.
by BWW News Desk - December 30, 2018
Can four young men attempt to honor their pledge to avoid the oppositesex, food, drink and sleep, for the sake of becoming more intellectual and contemplative? Not in Shakespeare's world and certainly not at the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse! After four young women arrive on the scene, the result is far from a blissful pondering of noble deeds and nobler thoughts. Join us for muscovites, masks and lessons about love in this lyrical comedy.
Georgia Ensemble Theatre Presents MOONLIGHT & MAGNOLIAS
by BWW News Desk - December 28, 2018
Georgia Ensemble Theatre (GET),the professional North Fulton theatre company, will bring in the new year with its third mainstage show, the comedyMoonlight and Magnolias. Directed by GET Associate Artistic Director James Donadio, the production is graciously sponsored by Macys and will runJanuary 10 through January 27, 2019 at the companys home in the Roswell Cultural Arts Center.
by BWW News Desk - December 28, 2018
Georgia Ensemble Theatre (GET),the professional North Fulton theatre company, will bring in the new year with its third mainstage show, the comedyMoonlight and Magnolias. Directed by GET Associate Artistic Director James Donadio, the production is graciously sponsored by Macys and will runJanuary 10 through January 27, 2019 at the companys home in the Roswell Cultural Arts Center.
3rd Public Piano To Debut In East Cobb, 20th In The Atlanta Metro
by BWW News Desk - December 27, 2018
Play Me Again Pianos, a nonprofit aspiring to make metro Atlanta more musical through 88 public piano installations, will cut the ribbon on its newest donated piano Wednesday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m. at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center. The event is free and open to the public, and anyone is encouraged to play the piano, named Vincent, after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
by BWW News Desk - December 27, 2018
Play Me Again Pianos, a nonprofit aspiring to make metro Atlanta more musical through 88 public piano installations, will cut the ribbon on its newest donated piano Wednesday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m. at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center. The event is free and open to the public, and anyone is encouraged to play the piano, named Vincent, after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Gucci Mane & Friends Are Coming To Atlanta's Fox Theatre Today
by BWW News Desk - December 27, 2018
Atlantic recording artist Gucci Mane will wrap up another incredible year with a "Gucci Mane & Friends" holiday homecoming event, featuring a stacked lineup of special guests and set for December 27 at Atlanta's Fox Theatre.
by BWW News Desk - December 27, 2018
Atlantic recording artist Gucci Mane will wrap up another incredible year with a "Gucci Mane & Friends" holiday homecoming event, featuring a stacked lineup of special guests and set for December 27 at Atlanta's Fox Theatre.
Special Guests Announced For Gucci Mane & Friends At The Fox Theatre
by BWW News Desk - December 24, 2018
Atlantic recording artist Gucci Mane just announced a list of special guests that will be joining him on stage for his 'Gucci Mane & Friends' holiday show on December 27 at the Fox Theatre. Zaytoven, Young Dolph, Key Glock, Peewee Longway and HoodRich Pablo Juan will be performing alongside Gucci Mane and more guests to be announced in the coming days.
by BWW News Desk - December 24, 2018
Atlantic recording artist Gucci Mane just announced a list of special guests that will be joining him on stage for his 'Gucci Mane & Friends' holiday show on December 27 at the Fox Theatre. Zaytoven, Young Dolph, Key Glock, Peewee Longway and HoodRich Pablo Juan will be performing alongside Gucci Mane and more guests to be announced in the coming days.
Final Chance to Vote for the BWW Atlanta Awards!
by BWW Staff - December 24, 2018
It's the last week to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Atlanta Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.
by BWW Staff - December 24, 2018
It's the last week to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Atlanta Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.
Actor's Express to Present Go-Go's Broadway Musical HEAD OVER HEELS
by BWW News Desk - December 20, 2018
Actor's Express presents the outrageous musical Head Over Heels, featuring the songs of The Go-Go's, July 20 - August 25, 2019. Directed by Artistic Director Freddie Ashley, Actor's Express will stage one of the first post-Broadway productions of this bold new musical comedy. 'It's hard to imagine what we need right now more than joy. And that's what you get with Head Over Heels - pure, gleeful, unabashed joy,' Ashley says. 'It's one of the funniest musicals I've ever seen on Broadway and the infectious music of The Go-Go's is the perfect complement to James Magruder's razor-sharp script. You won't be able to stop smiling.'
by BWW News Desk - December 20, 2018
Actor's Express presents the outrageous musical Head Over Heels, featuring the songs of The Go-Go's, July 20 - August 25, 2019. Directed by Artistic Director Freddie Ashley, Actor's Express will stage one of the first post-Broadway productions of this bold new musical comedy. 'It's hard to imagine what we need right now more than joy. And that's what you get with Head Over Heels - pure, gleeful, unabashed joy,' Ashley says. 'It's one of the funniest musicals I've ever seen on Broadway and the infectious music of The Go-Go's is the perfect complement to James Magruder's razor-sharp script. You won't be able to stop smiling.'
Atlanta Opera's Company Premiere Of DEAD MAN WALKING Stars Jamie Barton
by BWW News Desk - December 20, 2018
This winter, The Atlanta Opera presents the company premiere of Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally's Dead Man Walking in an original production "of the very highest level" (Opera News) from General & Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun. Georgia native Jamie Barton - winner of the Beverly Sills Artist Award, Richard Tucker Award, and BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition - makes her eagerly anticipated role debut as Sister Helen Prejean, and Michael Mayes reprises the iconic portrayal of condemned murderer Joseph De Rocher that the composer himself has called "definitive," anchoring an all-star cast that also features Maria Zifchak, Wayne Tigges, Kevin Burdette, and Jay Hunter Morris. Marking the second presentation in Atlanta's mainstage season, the opera will be mounted in four performances led by Kentucky Opera principal conductor Joseph Mechavich at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre (Feb 2-10).
by BWW News Desk - December 20, 2018
This winter, The Atlanta Opera presents the company premiere of Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally's Dead Man Walking in an original production "of the very highest level" (Opera News) from General & Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun. Georgia native Jamie Barton - winner of the Beverly Sills Artist Award, Richard Tucker Award, and BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition - makes her eagerly anticipated role debut as Sister Helen Prejean, and Michael Mayes reprises the iconic portrayal of condemned murderer Joseph De Rocher that the composer himself has called "definitive," anchoring an all-star cast that also features Maria Zifchak, Wayne Tigges, Kevin Burdette, and Jay Hunter Morris. Marking the second presentation in Atlanta's mainstage season, the opera will be mounted in four performances led by Kentucky Opera principal conductor Joseph Mechavich at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre (Feb 2-10).
The Atlanta Lyric Presents YOUR HAPPY HOLIDAY
by BWW News Desk - December 20, 2018
Atlanta Lyric Theatre presents this brand new musical holiday spectacular December 20-23, 2018. A dazzling event featuring Atlanta's favorites, sparkling dance numbers and luxurious costumes, YOUR HAPPY HOLIDAY performs at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre (548 South Marietta Pkwy., Marietta). For tickets, reservations and group pricing visit www.AtlantaLyric.com or call 404-377-9948.
by BWW News Desk - December 20, 2018
Atlanta Lyric Theatre presents this brand new musical holiday spectacular December 20-23, 2018. A dazzling event featuring Atlanta's favorites, sparkling dance numbers and luxurious costumes, YOUR HAPPY HOLIDAY performs at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre (548 South Marietta Pkwy., Marietta). For tickets, reservations and group pricing visit www.AtlantaLyric.com or call 404-377-9948.
Atlanta Fringe Festival Announces Open Submissions For 2019
by BWW News Desk - December 19, 2018
After a successful return this summer, the Atlanta Fringe Festival is thrilled to announce open submissions for their 7th annual festival, taking place in June of 2019.
by BWW News Desk - December 19, 2018
After a successful return this summer, the Atlanta Fringe Festival is thrilled to announce open submissions for their 7th annual festival, taking place in June of 2019.
Core Dance To Present Niv Sheinfeld And Oren Laor's AMERICAN PLAYGROUND And THE THIRD DANCE
by BWW News Desk - December 19, 2018
Core Dance will continue its collaboration with international dance-makers Niv Sheinfeld and Oren Laor when it presents two works by the acclaimed Israeli choreographers: American Playground, a humorous, high-intensity homage to American culture, performed by Core Dance; and the U.S. Premiere of The Third Dance, performed and choreographed by Sheinfeld and Laor, that explores, through dance, the evolution of a relationship over time. The performances are January 31 - February 3, 2019 at 7:30 pm at 7 Stages in Atlanta.
by BWW News Desk - December 19, 2018
Core Dance will continue its collaboration with international dance-makers Niv Sheinfeld and Oren Laor when it presents two works by the acclaimed Israeli choreographers: American Playground, a humorous, high-intensity homage to American culture, performed by Core Dance; and the U.S. Premiere of The Third Dance, performed and choreographed by Sheinfeld and Laor, that explores, through dance, the evolution of a relationship over time. The performances are January 31 - February 3, 2019 at 7:30 pm at 7 Stages in Atlanta.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Returns To ATL For Its 60th Anniversary Season
by BWW News Desk - December 19, 2018
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the Fabulous Fox Theatre, February 21 - 24, 2019, as part of a 60th Anniversary North American tour, for six breathtaking performances that promise to uplift, unite and enlighten. Ailey's 32 incomparable dancers invite Atlantans to join in a celebration of Mr. Ailey through a variety of works celebrating his life and legacy. The engagement also includes a Family Matinee program on Saturday, February 23 at 2 p.m., which features a post-performance Q&A with the dancers.
by BWW News Desk - December 19, 2018
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the Fabulous Fox Theatre, February 21 - 24, 2019, as part of a 60th Anniversary North American tour, for six breathtaking performances that promise to uplift, unite and enlighten. Ailey's 32 incomparable dancers invite Atlantans to join in a celebration of Mr. Ailey through a variety of works celebrating his life and legacy. The engagement also includes a Family Matinee program on Saturday, February 23 at 2 p.m., which features a post-performance Q&A with the dancers.
Fox Theatre Presents PUDDLES PITY PARTY HOLIDAY JUBILEE; On Sale Today
by BWW News Desk - December 18, 2018
Puddles Pity Party, "the sad clown with the golden voice," will showcase his awe-inspiring vocals and comical candor at Atlanta's Fox Theatre today, December 18 at 7:30 p.m., for his first official holiday show 'Puddles Pity Party & Friends Holiday Jubilee.' A singularly special event, the Holiday Jubilee marks Puddles' first-ever headlining performance at the Fox and promises to be a joyous evening filled with holiday cheer and perhaps even a few tears of nostalgia. Puddles' show will include the implementation of The Fox's custom M.P. Moller pipe organ "Mighty Mo," which is the second-largest theater organ in the world, and a number of soon to be announced special guests that are near and dear to Puddles.
by BWW News Desk - December 18, 2018
Puddles Pity Party, "the sad clown with the golden voice," will showcase his awe-inspiring vocals and comical candor at Atlanta's Fox Theatre today, December 18 at 7:30 p.m., for his first official holiday show 'Puddles Pity Party & Friends Holiday Jubilee.' A singularly special event, the Holiday Jubilee marks Puddles' first-ever headlining performance at the Fox and promises to be a joyous evening filled with holiday cheer and perhaps even a few tears of nostalgia. Puddles' show will include the implementation of The Fox's custom M.P. Moller pipe organ "Mighty Mo," which is the second-largest theater organ in the world, and a number of soon to be announced special guests that are near and dear to Puddles.
Just Two Weeks Left To Vote for the 2018 BWW Atlanta Awards!
by BWW Staff - December 17, 2018
There's just two weeks left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Atlanta Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.
by BWW Staff - December 17, 2018
There's just two weeks left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Atlanta Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.
THE UNEXPECTED PLAY FESTIVAL Returns To Theatrical Outfit
by BWW News Desk - December 17, 2018
Welcome back to Theatrical Outfit's festival of play readings, The Unexpected Play Festival. Witness top notch talent bring characters and plots to vivid life as three new or newish scripts not only stir the soul but maybe even unsettle it. Think of it as TO Stage 2 - unpredictable and exciting fare that stretches The Outfit aesthetic in either content or form. Preview tomorrow's hit play today. This back-by-popular-demand programming runs January 14-15, 2019 continuing Theatrical Outfit's 2018-2019 Season of Beauty.
by BWW News Desk - December 17, 2018
Welcome back to Theatrical Outfit's festival of play readings, The Unexpected Play Festival. Witness top notch talent bring characters and plots to vivid life as three new or newish scripts not only stir the soul but maybe even unsettle it. Think of it as TO Stage 2 - unpredictable and exciting fare that stretches The Outfit aesthetic in either content or form. Preview tomorrow's hit play today. This back-by-popular-demand programming runs January 14-15, 2019 continuing Theatrical Outfit's 2018-2019 Season of Beauty.
Renowned Violinist Itzhak Perlman Will Perform At City Springs
by BWW News Desk - December 17, 2018
The City of Sandy Springs, in partnership with the Sandy Springs Society and the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, is proud to present a recital by renowned artist Itzhak Perlman at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 16, 2019. Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry but also his irrepressible joy of making music.
by BWW News Desk - December 17, 2018
The City of Sandy Springs, in partnership with the Sandy Springs Society and the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, is proud to present a recital by renowned artist Itzhak Perlman at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 16, 2019. Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry but also his irrepressible joy of making music.
BWW Review: THE CHRISTMAS CAROL EXPERIENCE at The Wren's Nest
by Amy Zipperer - December 16, 2018
There's a new immersive theatrical experience at the Wren's Nest Museum in Atlanta this month, and it's definitely going to ring your Christmas bell. From the mind of visionary Atlanta director Brian Clowdus comes The Christmas Carol Experience, an interactive holiday concoction that's two parts Christmas party and one part Dickensian storytelling. The storytelling component of the evening offers little more than a wave at Dickens' frumpy and heavy-handed holiday novella, A Christmas Carol. Instead, it relies on the audience to bring a bit of working knowledge of Ebenezer Scrooge, literary history's most famous mizer, while it, bolstered by an impressive cast of five actors, provides the perfect 19th-century atmospheric backdrop, courtesy of The Wren's Nest, one of Atlanta's oldest homes with ghost-story spookiness built right in, and an abundance of holiday cheer. Here's how it works: The audience, mourners at Jacob Marley's funeral with Christmas cocktails in hand, are free to travel about the open rooms of the museum. What happens next depends on which characters are in the room. If Ebenezer and his deliciously ghostly guide, Marley, are present, the rooms offer up newly reimagined versions of Ebenezer's encounters with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. If Ebenezer and Marley are not present, the rooms offer up interactive holiday cheer - maybe a singalong or a fun game. Newsflash: If you don't end up singing a solo in a room full of strangers before you leave, you did it wrong. This unusual rendering of the holiday classic demands only five actors, and each one is up to the challenge of providing a believable, up-close-and-personal experience. Of particular note are the performances of the beautifully Bah Humbug-gy Daniel Burns in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge and an incredibly talented Jordan Patrick in the role of the doomed-for-eternity Jacob Marley. Their laudable non-verbal storytelling skills nicely supplement the thin script, leaving the audience with a rich and satisfying experience. Lilliangina Quinones, Julie Trammel Key, and Rosie Gyselinck, all playing women from Scrooge's life who take on the roles of Ebenezer's Christmas ghosts, are, in addition to carrying their equal parts of the forward movement of the story, all up to the demanding task of leading rooms full of people through carols and games while remaining firmly rooted in the 19th-century sensibilities of their characters. The production is, unarguably, a pure sensory delight. The Wren's Nest, with its creaky floorboards and weather-stained walls and ceiling, is the important sixth character in this cast, and it is impressive in its role. In addition to the authentic Victorian oppressiveness that comes with the house, thick fog and eerie lighting aptly service the needs of the story and underscore the beauty of Clowdus's carefully crafted stage pictures. Here's a helpful tip: Follow Scrooge and Marley into the first room if you can. The experience is disorienting by nature, and following the story from beginning to end will likely quell some of the initial feelings of bewilderment you might face. But if Marley slams the door in your face while you are trying to enter that first room, as he did mine, don't fret. The story, as it is meant to do, will culminate in a softer and more charitable Scrooge, and it will leave you feeling the joy of the holiday season no matter the order in which you experience it.
by Amy Zipperer - December 16, 2018
There's a new immersive theatrical experience at the Wren's Nest Museum in Atlanta this month, and it's definitely going to ring your Christmas bell. From the mind of visionary Atlanta director Brian Clowdus comes The Christmas Carol Experience, an interactive holiday concoction that's two parts Christmas party and one part Dickensian storytelling. The storytelling component of the evening offers little more than a wave at Dickens' frumpy and heavy-handed holiday novella, A Christmas Carol. Instead, it relies on the audience to bring a bit of working knowledge of Ebenezer Scrooge, literary history's most famous mizer, while it, bolstered by an impressive cast of five actors, provides the perfect 19th-century atmospheric backdrop, courtesy of The Wren's Nest, one of Atlanta's oldest homes with ghost-story spookiness built right in, and an abundance of holiday cheer. Here's how it works: The audience, mourners at Jacob Marley's funeral with Christmas cocktails in hand, are free to travel about the open rooms of the museum. What happens next depends on which characters are in the room. If Ebenezer and his deliciously ghostly guide, Marley, are present, the rooms offer up newly reimagined versions of Ebenezer's encounters with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. If Ebenezer and Marley are not present, the rooms offer up interactive holiday cheer - maybe a singalong or a fun game. Newsflash: If you don't end up singing a solo in a room full of strangers before you leave, you did it wrong. This unusual rendering of the holiday classic demands only five actors, and each one is up to the challenge of providing a believable, up-close-and-personal experience. Of particular note are the performances of the beautifully Bah Humbug-gy Daniel Burns in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge and an incredibly talented Jordan Patrick in the role of the doomed-for-eternity Jacob Marley. Their laudable non-verbal storytelling skills nicely supplement the thin script, leaving the audience with a rich and satisfying experience. Lilliangina Quinones, Julie Trammel Key, and Rosie Gyselinck, all playing women from Scrooge's life who take on the roles of Ebenezer's Christmas ghosts, are, in addition to carrying their equal parts of the forward movement of the story, all up to the demanding task of leading rooms full of people through carols and games while remaining firmly rooted in the 19th-century sensibilities of their characters. The production is, unarguably, a pure sensory delight. The Wren's Nest, with its creaky floorboards and weather-stained walls and ceiling, is the important sixth character in this cast, and it is impressive in its role. In addition to the authentic Victorian oppressiveness that comes with the house, thick fog and eerie lighting aptly service the needs of the story and underscore the beauty of Clowdus's carefully crafted stage pictures. Here's a helpful tip: Follow Scrooge and Marley into the first room if you can. The experience is disorienting by nature, and following the story from beginning to end will likely quell some of the initial feelings of bewilderment you might face. But if Marley slams the door in your face while you are trying to enter that first room, as he did mine, don't fret. The story, as it is meant to do, will culminate in a softer and more charitable Scrooge, and it will leave you feeling the joy of the holiday season no matter the order in which you experience it.
BWW Review: Aurora Theatre's Jeremy Aggers Begins a New Holiday Tradition with THIS WONDERFUL LIFE
by Sally Henry - December 15, 2018
It's not Christmas until we hear 'every time a bell rings, and angel gets its wings' on NBC on Christmas Eve. In Atlanta, it won't be Christmas until you see THIS WONDERFUL LIFE at Aurora Theatre.
by Sally Henry - December 15, 2018
It's not Christmas until we hear 'every time a bell rings, and angel gets its wings' on NBC on Christmas Eve. In Atlanta, it won't be Christmas until you see THIS WONDERFUL LIFE at Aurora Theatre.
Videos
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Cherokee Theatre Company (5/8 - 5/17) | |
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CenterStage North Theatre (5/8 - 5/16) | |
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The Dragon King
Center For Puppetry Arts (1/14 - 1/25) | |
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MJ
Fox Theatre (1/27 - 2/1) | |
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