Tag Archive for: play

PERFORMANCE JAM ATL PRESENTS DETROIT BY LISA D’AMOUR AT PULLMAN YARDS 

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 4/8/26

Limited Two-Week Run Begins April 24 Through May 03, 2026

Tickets On Sale Now

DETROIT, Lisa D’Amour’s dark comedy Pulitzer Prize finalist play about a fractious, frightened America, examined through the eyes of suburban neighbors, and featuring members of Performance Jam, will run from April 24 to May 3, 2026 at Pullman Yards. 

Known for its sold-out, “not to be missed” production of THE SEAGULL in the fall of 2024, Performance Jam is a creative hub for local Atlanta actors, writers, and filmmakers to gather and explore. The group was co-founded by actress Vivian Bang, known for her Sundance feature White Rabbit, Netflix rom-com Always Be My Maybe, and, most recently, HBO’s satire The Parenting.

When many are questioning what it means to be American and struggling with financial and emotional instability, DETROIT reflects this moment of fractured individuation, times of generative automation and constant social media, a precipice between generations, disillusionment with systems, and ways of life that are disappearing.

Set in a suburban backyard, Mary and Ben invite their new neighbors, Kenny and Sharon, for a barbecue. Worried about their Home Depot/TJ Maxx purchases and their future, they learn that the souls’ deepest need is to rub shoulders with the unexpected, come what may. Is Sharon an unstable kook or a prophet? Some of her most profound lines ask, “Are we twigs floating down a stream? Or are we carpenters building a house?” Producing DETROIT allows us to purge these fears through entanglement, art, and creativity. It brings the contradictions of human nature to the surface with humor, pain, and great compassion. It’s a spark that can burn down houses and ignite true transformation.

DETROIT is co-directed by Vivian Bang and Fiona Campbell. The cast features Vivian Bang, Love Floyd, Eric Whitten, Dan Cutts, and Craig Anton. Technical Design by Mason C Brown. Movement Consulting by Erin O’Connor. Set and Prop Design by Zoe Kruse.

This limited two-week run begins April 24 through May 3, 2026.  Friday and Saturday performances begin promptly at 8p, and Sunday performances begin at 3p. For full details and ticket options, including pre-show barbecue and drink purchase, guests can go HERE. DETROIT is produced by Performance Jam. Stay connected on Instagram @PerformanceJam.

Pullman Yards is located at 225 Rogers St NE. Atlanta, GA 30317. For more information on Pullman Yards, visit pullmanyards.com. Stay connected on Instagram @PrattPullmanDistrict and Facebook at www.facebook.com/PrattPullmanDistrict.

BACK FOR AN ENCORE: HORIZON THEATRE PRESENTS I CARRY YOUR HEART WITH ME FROM JANUARY 30 – FEBRUARY 15

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/2/26

Return engagement of acclaimed play starring Atlanta Suzi Award-winner Carolyn Cook

Press Opening on February 6

“It’s both entertaining and engrossing, doing what good theatre is supposed to do – leave you thinking and contemplating your own life as you walk out of the theatre.”

BroadwayWorld

 Horizon Theatre Company continues its 2025-2026 season with an encore performance of I Carry Your Heart With Me by Jennifer Blackmer, starring Carolyn Cook in her 2025 Suzi Award winning performance. The surprise hit of last season, Horizon reprises the play January 30 – February 15 (press opening February 6) and then brings it to Savannah Repertory Theatre in Savannah, Georgia, Feb 26-March 8. Winner of the prestigious 2024 Steinberg/ATCA New Play Citation, the play centers on Esther, a stenographer inside a top-secret Vietnam-era debriefing room, who has a picture-perfect world until she encounters an airman whose story quite literally changes her life. As she captures the stories of noncommissioned officer and POWs freshly back from the front lines, Esther finds herself smack dab in the middle of a troubling investigation. 

With plenty of twists and turns along the way, this taut, suspenseful play delivers a powerful emotional impact. The production’s strong audience response and critical reception have helped propel Jennifer Blackmer’s powerful solo work to new stages across the region.

“This play lingered with audiences in a way that was impossible to ignore,” said Carolyn Cook. “The response to the first run made it clear that Esther’s story was still unfolding for people, and that there was more to be explored. Returning to the role offers a chance to deepen the work and continue the conversation the play began with Atlanta audiences.”

In this solo play, Carolyn Cook (Suzi Award for Best Actor for Horizon’s I Carry Your Heart With Me, Time Stands Still, and Horizon’s solo show The Syringa Tree as well as Best Supporting Actress for Citizens Market) commands the stage as Esther Shannon, looking back on her formative time in her early 20s as a government stenographer for the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. Raised in a military family, Esther is now the new girl and best typist on the base, where she meets attractive officer Andy, who wines and dines her. Like her mother and grandmother before her, she seems destined to become a military wife and mother. Longing to make her father proud and to make a bigger difference, she thinks about taking her skills to Vietnam instead. Andy persuades her to stay stateside by pulling strings to get her a top-security clearance job on the base. Tasked with transcribing debriefings of POWs and non-commissioned officers returning from the front lines, she records their fractured memories of the war which seep into her and change her perspective on the world. Then Esther encounters a POW helicopter pilot whose story has a deep impact on her, ultimately causing a clash with her official duties and complicating her life. As she becomes entangled in an investigation, Esther grapples with her future in a suspenseful and emotionally charged journey.

“The play was particularly meaningful to military veterans and their families in this story that honors their sacrifice and service,” said director Lisa Adler. “And this time, we are offering heavily discounted tickets to veterans, active duty and military families as a thank you for their service.”

A blend of fact and fiction, the play is inspired by playwright Jennifer Blackmer’s mother’s real-life experiences as a young stenographer with a similar job on the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base during the Vietnam War. Blackmer’s mother revealed some of her experiences to her daughter before she passed away suddenly in her early 60s, leaving the playwright to put together the pieces and imagine the rest of her story. Jennifer Blackmer’s plays have been produced Off-Broadway and across the country, and she serves as Professor of Theatre and Executive Director of the Virginia B. Ball Center for Creative Inquiry at Ball State University. Blackmer was in residence at Horizon in 2023 as one of the lead mentors in Horizon’s New South Young Playwrights Festival.

Directed by Horizon Theatre’s Co-Artistic Director Lisa Adler, the 2026 production reunites her with one of her favorite collaborators, the talented Carolyn Cook. Adler has directed Cook in many productions over the past three decades, including her acclaimed performance in the solo play The Syringa Tree, which played at Horizon and toured venues in the Southeast, as well as her award-winning performances in Time Stands Still and Skylight. The world of the play is created with an evocative, poetic set by resident designers Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay, shaped by lights from resident lighting designer Mary Parker and supported by projections from Victoria Nation (Horizon’s Amelie and Madeline’s Christmas) with sound by Whitney Leonard. The productions meticulous pacing and emotional resonance have struck a chord with audiences, with one calling it “a must-see play.”

Performances begin January 30, with a press opening on February 6. Performances are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 5 p.m. A special 2 p.m. performance will take place Sunday, February 8 (Super Bowl Sunday), with an additional 2 p.m. Wednesday matinee on February 11. Tickets start at $40* on Wednesdays and Thursdays and $45* for Friday nights, Saturday nights and weekend matinees. Prices rise as performances fill up, so patrons are encouraged to order early for the best prices and availability. Best deals are for subscribers – 25-35% off. Students under 25 can get $15* tickets with valid student ID. Veterans, active duty, and military families can reserve two $20* tickets for any performance by emailing their military ID, their contact info and requested performance date to boxoffice@horizontheatre.com.*Sales Tax and a small fee are added onto all ticket orders. Single ticket seating is general admission, with a reserved seating section for season subscribers. There is limited accessible seating for those needing mobility accommodations, and it must be reserved by phone. For tickets and more information, visit horizontheatre.com or call the Box Office at 404.584.7450.

THE OUTSIDERS IS COMING TO THE FOX THEATRE IN ATLANTA FOR A LIMITED ONE-WEEK ENGAGEMENT, NOV 25-30

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 9/17/25

Tickets go on sale Sept. 12

Regions Bank Broadway in Atlanta announces that single tickets for the Tony Award® winning Best Musical, THE OUTSIDERS, based on the seminal novel by S.E. Hinton and Francis Ford Coppola’s landmark motion picture, will go on sale Friday, Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. THE OUTSIDERS will play a one-week engagement from Nov. 25 – 30 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta as a part of the Regions Bank Broadway in Atlanta 2025/2026 season. Tickets are available at the box office at 660 Peachtree Street NE, by visiting foxtheatre.org/theoutsiders or by calling 855-285-8499. Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by contacting sales@foxtheatre.org.

THE OUTSIDERS will play for a one-week engagement from Nov. 25 – 30. The performance schedule is:

Tuesday                                                7:30 p.m.

Wednesday                                          1:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m.

Friday                                                   8 p.m.

Saturday                                               2 p.m., 8 p.m.

Sunday                                                 1 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

**There will be no show on Thursday, Nov. 27 in observance of Thanksgiving.

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967, Ponyboy Curtis, his best friend Johnny Cade and their Greaser family of ‘outsiders’ battle with their affluent rivals, the Socs. THE OUTSIDERS navigates the complexities of self-discovery as the Greasers dream about who they want to become in a world that may never accept them. With a dynamic original score, THE OUTSIDERS is a story of friendship, family, belonging…and the realization that there is still “lots of good in the world.”

The winner of four 2024 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, THE OUTSIDERS features a book by Tony Award nominee Adam Rapp with Tony Award winner Justin Levine, music and lyrics by Tony Award nominees Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance) and Justin Levine, music supervision, orchestration & arrangements by Justin Levine, choreography by Tony Award nominees Rick Kuperman & Jeff Kuperman and is directed by Tony Award winner Danya Taymor. 

THE OUTSIDERS features Scenography by Tony Award nominees AMP featuring Tatiana Kahvegian, Costume Design by Sarafina Bush, Lighting Design by Tony Award winner Brian MacDevitt, Sound Design by Tony Award winner Cody Spencer, Projection Design by Tony Award winner Hana S. Kim, Special Effects Design by Jeremy Chernick & Lillis Meeh, Hair & Wig Design by Alberto “Albee” Alvarado, Makeup Design by Tishonna Ferguson, Sound Effects Specialist Taylor Bense, Creative Consultant Jack Viertel. Speech Text & Dialect Coach Gigi Buffington, Sensitivity Specialist Ann C James. Music Supervision & Additional Orchestrations by Tony Award nominee Matt Hinkley, Music Direction by Remy Kurs. Production Supervision by Beverly Jenkins, Production Stage Management by Edmond O’Neal. Casting is by The TRC Company/Xavier Rubiano, CSA.

THE OUTSIDERS opened on Broadway on April 11, 2024, to rave reviews and continues to play to sold out houses at the Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th Street). The New York Post proclaims THE OUTSIDERS as “THE BEST NEW MUSICAL OF THE SEASON.” “STUNNING THINGS ARE HAPPENING ON THE STAGE OF THE JACOBS THEATER. Electrifying. Astonishing. Endlessly effective. THE OUTSIDERS has been made with so much love and sincerity. It is fair to call it golden.” says The New York Times. Entertainment Weekly says, “THE OUTSIDERS has a heart of gold and THE POWER TO INSPIRE AN ENTIRE GENERATION.” “AN EXHILARATING WORLD OF MOVEMENT WITH HIGH-OCTANE CHOREOGRAPHY,” states New York Magazine. Time Out New York calls it “RAW AND MORE PULSE-POUNDING than anything else on Broadway right now.”

THE OUTSIDERS is produced on tour by The Araca Group, American Zoetrope, Olympus Theatricals, Sue Gilad & Larry Rogowsky, Angelina Jolie, Betsy Dollinger, Jonathan & Michelle Clay, Cristina Marie Vivenzio, The Shubert Organization, LaChanze & Marylee Fairbanks, Debra Martin Chase, Sony Music Masterworks, Jamestown Revival Theater, Jennifer & Jonathan Allan Soros, Tanninger Entertainment, Tamlyn Brooke Shusterman, Mistry Theatrical Ventures, Galt & Irvin Productions, Tulsa Clarks, Paul & Margaret Liljenquist, Bob & Claire Patterson, Voltron Global Media, James L. Nederlander, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, The John Gore Organization, Independent Presenters Network, Stephen Lindsay & Brett Sirota, Jeffrey Finn, Playhouse Square, ASR Productions, Indelible InK, Lionheart Productions, The Broadway Investor’s Club, Starhawk Productions, Distant Rumble, GTR Productions, Green Leaf Partnership, Michael & Elizabeth Venuti, Leslie Kavanaugh, Deborah & Dave Smith, Belle Productions, Chas & Jen Grossman, Rungnapa & Jim Teague, Michael & Molly Schroeder, Casey & Chelsea Baugh, Jim & Emily Flautt, Jon L. Morris, Becky Winkler, William Moran Hickey Jr. & William Moran Hickey III, Melissa Chamberlain & Michael McCartney, Wavelength Productions, Rob O’Neill & Shane Snow, Eric Stine, Rachel Weinstein, Cornice Productions and La Jolla Playhouse.

The Grammy-nominated Original Broadway Cast Recording of THE OUTSIDERSfrom Sony Masterworks Broadway is now available at https://theoutsidersbroadway.lnk.to/castalbum.

The world premiere of THE OUTSIDERS was produced by La Jolla Playhouse, Christopher Ashley, Artistic Director and Debby Buchholz, Managing Director, in March 2023.

For more information, please visitOutsidersMusical.com.

Follow THE OUTSIDERS on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

HORIZON THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS ATLANTA PREMIERE OF THE HEART SELLERS: OCT 10 – NOV 9

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 9/1/25

Tender immigrant comedy about food, friendship and finding your people comes to Inman Park

“…a little piece of magic, a respite in the storm, a reminder of good in the world.” – BroadwayWorld

Horizon Theatre’s highly anticipated 2025/2026 season will open this October with the Atlanta debut of The Heart Sellers, presented in partnership with East by Southeast, set to play Oct. 10 – Nov. 9 (with a press opening on Oct. 17). It’s Thanksgiving, 1973. The turkey’s frozen solid, the wine is flowing, and two young immigrant women—one from Korea, one from the Philippines—are navigating life in America with no recipe to follow.  What starts as a kitchen disaster becomes a funny, heartfelt night of honesty, laughter, confessions — and friendship.  A sharp, tender comedy about connection, identity and finding your people when you need them most.  The Heart Sellers at Horizon Theatre will star Michelle Pokopac (Horizon’s The Game and The Wolves) as Jane.

“The Heart Sellers is full of laughter, warmth and honesty, while also honoring the challenges and resilience of the immigrant experience,” said Horizon Theatre Co-Artistic/Producing Director Lisa Adler. “We are excited to share this story in partnership with East by Southeast, amplifying Asian American voices and experiences on our stage.”

Written by award-winning playwright Lloyd Suh (The Chinese Lady, The Far County), The Heart Sellers introduces audiences to Jane, a Korean immigrant, and Luna, who is from the Philippines. Both are 23, recent immigrants, married to medical residents and feeling adrift in 1970s America. The pair meet by chance at a grocery store and strike up a friendship, which sees Luna invites herself over to Jane’s apartment for a disastrous Thanksgiving feast. What begins as awkward small talk becomes a night of deep conversation over glasses of wine, with the women bonding over shared dreams of going to Disneyland, learning to drive, throwing parties and discovering independence. Together, they reminisce about what they’ve left behind, what they hope for and what it means to belong in a country still new to them.

The Heart Sellers premiered at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre in 2023 and has since won national praise for its humor and heart. Critics have celebrated it as “a moving homage to friendship” and “a tender snapshot of two women embracing new lives while finding strength in each other.”

The play will be directed by guest director Michelle Chan, who recently helmed Suh’s The Chinese Lady at the Asolo Repertory Theatre. The cozy apartment set will be designed by Horizon’s resident set designers Moriah and Isabel Curley-Clay, who also designed The Heart Sellers for Florida Studio Theatre last season, and Horizon resident lighting designer Mary Parker.

Performances begin Friday, Oct. 10 at 8 p.m., with a Press Opening on Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. Performances are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 5 p.m., running through Nov. 9. Special Wednesday matinees are scheduled for Oct. 22 and Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. Seating is general admission with a reserved seating section for subscribers. Season tickets are now on sale starting at $150 for a 5-play season.  General admission tickets start at $45 (Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. $50 for all Saturday and Sunday performances). Ticket prices include all fees and taxes. Prices rise as performances fill up, so patrons are encouraged to order early for the best prices and availability. Full-time students under 25 can get $20 tickets with valid student ID by calling the box office or at the door if tickets are available. There is limited accessible seating for those needing mobility accommodation, and it must be reserved by phone. For tickets and more information, visit horizontheatre.com or call the Box Office at 404.584.7450.

HORIZON THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS ATLANTA PREMIERE OF LAUGHS IN SPANISH – MAY 23 TO JUNE 22

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/22/25

Latin-infused comedy to play at Inman Park theatre

“A great show… I can see the play itself becoming a new American Classic.” – Broadway World

Part telenovela, part whodunnit, Laughs in Spanish comes to Horizon Theatre May 23 – June 22. High stakes Art Basel is about to begin in Miami, and the art has vanished from Mariana’s trendy modern art gallery! Chaos erupts—and so does laughter— in this fast-paced comedy. Artist and intern Caro and her policeman boyfriend are scrambling to find the thief or replace the art when Mari’s larger-than-life movie-star mother shows up, stealing the spotlight yet again. Then a past girl-crush arrives, and things get even more complicado. Laughs in Spanish is a joyous celebration of Latinx creativity, messy love, mothers and daughters, and the beautiful challenge of finding your place—and your people. This production is performed in English.

“Laughs in Spanish is a vibrant, heartfelt comedy that shines a light on the joy and chaos of a Latinx family and identity,” said Horizon Theatre Co-Artistic/Producing Director Lisa Adler. “It’s fresh, funny and full of heart—perfect for anyone who loves a good laugh with a lot of soul.”

At the helm of this cafecito-infused comedy is Erika Miranda, a Mexican-Norwegian actor, producer, director and founder of the Atlanta-based, incubative production company Cafecito Productions.  Erika is also an alumna of the Horizon Apprentice Company and was last seen on the Horizon stage in The Wolves. 

“Laughs in Spanish is a joyful comedy about art, identity and the beautiful chaos of being a daughter… or a mother… or a lover,” Director Erika Miranda explains. “Set in a Miami art gallery during the frenzy of Art Basel, the play kicks off with the entire exhibit being robbed and everyone pointing fingers. But the real drama is not just the missing art—it’s the emotional masterpieces we’re all trying to restore at home. The characters remind us that love isn’t always neat, vulnerability is never easy, and sometimes — rather than say ‘I love you,’ ‘I need you’ or ‘I believe in you’— we build cinematic empires and embark on life-altering adventures.  It’s heartfelt, hilarious and alive with the messy magic that unfolds when we begin to see our mothers not just as parents, but as people. Come for the laughs. Stay for the catharsis. Call your mother after.”

Miranda’s company’s first production, Mi Casa, which was first performed at Horizon during the Apprentice Company, can be found on all HBO platforms. Films produced by Cafecito Productions have been screened at festivals across the country, including Cleveland International and Palm Springs Short Fest. Trailer [Trash] Magic, Erika’s directorial debut, won the GA Film Impact Grant and premiered at LALIFF in 2024. Erika was also named One of the Amazing Women in Film by Oz Magazine (2023) and one of Georgia’s Top Industry Influencers by Georgia Entertainment (2024).  Erika is also first Executive Producer of SheATL Arts (of SheNY), a festival that mentors up-and-coming women playwrights.

In Laughs in Spanish, the stakes are high for young Miami gallery owner, Mariana (Ana Miramontes, seen regionally in productions at Houston’s Alley Theatre, Theatre Squared and Florida Studio Theatre), when art goes missing on the eve of Art Basel. Her artist intern, MFA student Caro (Lorena Guillen Castillo, SheATL, BFA NYU Tisch) and Caro’s policeman boyfriend Juan (Marcello Audino, City Springs’ Legally Blonde, Theatrical Outfit’s Clyde’s, Aurora’s The Play That Goes Wrong) are onsite to help through the panic while also uncovering some surprises of their own.  When Mariana’s movie-star mother (Denise Arribas, Horizon’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike and The Book Club Play) and a past girl-crush (Mabel Thomas, BA Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) show up, the complications rise in this fast-paced comedy about art and success, love and romance, and mothers and daughters.

Performances begin Friday, May 23 at 8 p.m., with a Press Opening on May 30 at 8 p.m. Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 5 p.m., running through June 22.  Wednesday performances are May 28 and June 4 at 8 p.m. and June 11 and 18 at 2 p.m. There will be no Saturday matinee on June 7.  Seating is general admission with a reserved seating section for subscribers. General admission tickets start at $35 on Wednesdays and Thursdays and $40 for all weekend performances. Prices rise as performances fill up, so patrons are encouraged to order early for the best prices and availability.  Full-time students under 25 can get $20 tickets with valid student ID by calling the box office or at the door if tickets are available.  There is limited accessible seating for those needing mobility accommodation, and it must be reserved by phone. For tickets and more information, visit horizontheatre.com or call the Box Office at 404.584.7450. Horizon Theatre is in Iman Park/Little Five Points at 1083 Austin Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

HORIZON THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS WILD WITH HAPPY AUG 16 – SEPT 15

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/15/24

A wild ride of love, loss and laughs from award-winning actor and playwright Colman Domingo

“Wonderfully joyous, sweet, funny adventure” -Broadway World

 Horizon Theatre continues its spectacular 40th season with the outrageously funny and immensely touching comedy Wild With Happy, playing Aug. 16 – Sept. 15 (press opening August 23). ​ This Off-Broadway hit from Academy Award nominee Colman Domingo follows the adventures of Gil, a man on a mission to find the perfect resting place for his mother. ​ When Gil’s beloved mom passes way, Gil returns home and decides to have her cremated – despite his opinionated Aunt Glo’s demands for a traditional funeral. Then his high-spirited best friend takes him on an unexpected road trip with his mother’s ashes as a furious Aunt Glo follows in hot pursuit with the sensitive funeral director in tow. ​ With bold twists and turns, an amazing Atlanta cast and a journey that might just lead to the happiest place on earth, Wild With Happy is a wild ride full of love, loss and lots of laughs.

“We’re so thrilled we get to bring Wild With Happy to Atlanta audiences.” said Horizon Theatre Co-Artistic/Producing Director Lisa Adler. “This comedy runs the gamut of emotions – joy, hilarity, grief, absurdity – and takes audience members on a whirlwind journey right along with the characters. ​ It’s deeply profound and impactful while also being absurdly funny.”

Wild With Happy tells the story of Gil (Enoch King, Horizon’s The Light, Suzi Award winner for Alliance’s Toni Stone), the Yale-educated, loving son, who’s just lost his beloved mother, Adelaide (Tonia Jackson, Horizon’s Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery, Theatrical Outfit Clyde’s), a joyous spirit who clings to hope and happy endings. ​ Gil returns home to Philadelphia with the intention of finding the right send-off for his mom on their limited budget, and not yet dealing with his loss. ​ A series of hilarious detours takes Gil and his flamboyant best friend Mo (Brad Raymond, Horizon’s Nobody Loves You, Alliance’s The Preacher’s Wife) on a multi-state escapade with an urn of ashes to bring his mother to her final resting place: the one place on earth that made her “wild with happy.”With Adelaide’s outrageous, strong-willed sister, Aunt Glo, (also played by Tonia Jackson, who takes a turn as both sisters), insisting on a proper burial and church service, she and Terry (Markell Williams, Horizon’s Sweet Water Taste), the charming funeral director who has fallen for Gil, chase after the getaway car, leading to an uproarious, deeply touching journey. ​ Along the way, Gil learns to embrace his grief, celebrate his mother’s memory and find his own path to happiness. ​ Wild With Happy is a joyful, whimsical tale that reminds us that even in our darkest moments, there’s always room for laughter, love and a bit of magic.

Based loosely around his own experiences, Wild With Happy is playwright and actor Colman Domingo’s fourth work. ​ It premiered at the Public Theatre in the NYC, was produced at regional theatres throughout the country and was recently released as an Audible podcast, performed by a cast including Colman himself and Oprah Winfrey. ​ Although best known as a Broadway and film actor, Oscar-nominated for his work in the title role of Rustin, his writing career has blossomed. ​ His plays and musicals include Dot (published by Samuel French), Wild with Happy (published by Dramatist Play Service), A Boy and His Soul (published by Oberon Books), the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical Summer: The Donna Summer Musical and Geffen Playhouse’s groundbreaking musical Light’s Out: Nat King Cole. His plays have been produced by The Public Theater, Vineyard, La Jolla Playhouse, Humana Festival of New American Plays, New York Stage and Film, A.C.T, The Tricycle Theater in London and Brisbane Powerhouse in Australia, among others.

Back again for the 20th year is the award-winning director Thomas W. Jones II who has been at the helm of some of Horizon’s best-loved shows, including The House That Will Not Stand, Blackberry Daze, Da Kink in My Hair, Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery and so many more. Here, he assembles a cast of his favorite actors, all veterans of Horizon and other Atlanta stages, and now also all over the screen in the many TV series shooting in Atlanta. ​ Resident scenic designers Moriah and Isabel Curley-Clay, projection and sound designer Matt Reynolds (Actor’s Express’ Cabaret), co-lighting designers Mary Parker (Horizon resident designer) and Mike Morin (MFA in Lighting Design, U of Alabama), and long-time Horizon costume designer L. Nyrobi Moss (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812) use their theatrical magic to move audiences swiftly and evocatively through the many locations.

Performances begin Aug. 16 at 8pm, with a Press Opening on Aug. 23 at 8pm. Performances are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. ​ The play runs through Sept. 15. ​ No matinee on Aug 17.Seating is general admission with a reserved seating section for subscribers. ​ General admission tickets start at $30 on Wednesdays and Thursdays and $35 for all weekend performances. Prices rise as performances fill up, so patrons are encouraged to order early for the best prices and availability. ​ Full-time students under 25 can get $20 tickets with valid student ID by calling the box office or purchase Student Rush Tickets 30 minutes before show time if seats are available. There is limited accessible seating for those needing mobility accommodation, and it must be reserved by phone. For tickets and more information, visit horizontheatre.com or call the Box Office at 404.584.7450.

Horizon Theatre’s 40th season continues after Wild With Happy! The rest of the season line-up includes the critically acclaimed West End musical Amélie, the 2024 Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award-nominated I Carry Your Heart With Me and the caper-telenovela Laughs in Spanish. Also to come this season are the returns of Madeline’s Christmas during the holiday season and Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 in January 2025. More information on the 24/25 Season can be found at horizontheatre.com/plays/mainstage. Season Subscriptions are on sale now, with 5 and 6-Show Packages starting at $80. Subscriptions can be purchased by filling out the online form and mailing or e-mailing it in (boxoffice@horizontheatre.com), or by calling the Box Office at 404.584-7450 x100. More information on subscriptions can be found at horizontheatre.com/tickets/subscriptions.

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT BY CITY SPRINGS THEATRE COMPANY

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/15/23

Acclaimed Cast “Springs” Into Byers Theatre for Opening “Knight,” March 10

Sandy Springs, GA, – City Springs Theatre Company (CSTC) has brought together a cast of acclaimed musical performance and comedic actors for MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT, presented by PNC Financial Services, its first production of 2023. The Tony Award® winning, riotous romp through the world of Monty Python will be performed March 10-26, 2023, in the Byers Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center (1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs).

The cast includes Broadway veterans David Rossetti (Broadway: Annie) as the not-so-brave Sir Robin, Billy Harrigan Tighe (Broadway: The Book of Mormon, Pippin) as Sir Galahad, and Kristine Reese (Broadway: Les Misérables) as the Lady of the Lake, and stars local favorite and City Springs Theatre Company regular Googie Uterhardt in the lead role of King Arthur.

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT also features Nick Walker-Jones as Sir Lancelot, Roberto Mendez as Patsy, Kyle Robert Garder as Sir Bedevere, and Tyler Pirrung as The Historian.

Cast members also include Grace Arnold, Danny Iktomi-Bevens, Tecia Chavez, Emmanuel Cologne, Leigh Ellen Jones, Imani Joseph, Emmanuel Kikoni, Paige McCormick, Robert Millerick, Hamilton Moore, Ryley Perry, and Charles Pruitt.

“Lovingly ripped off” from the 1975 classic comedy film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT hilariously retells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table in their search for the elusive Holy Grail, and how they “always look on the bright side of life.”Assisted in their journey by the glamorous Lady of the Lake, the knights sing and dance their way through medieval England, where they encounter cows, chorus girls, a killer rabbit, and assorted Frenchmen. With the book and lyrics written by Monty Python member Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez, the original 2005 Broadway production won three Tony Awards®, including Best Musical.

Lauded for being “resplendently silly” by the New York Times and as “a big, crowd-pleasing Broadway musical comedy” by Newsday, MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT led Variety to applaud that “the irreverent Arthurian romp’s brash, lunatic spirit is impossible to ignore and almost as hard to resist,” and The Telegraph to pronounce, “I suppose there are a few people who won’t enjoy ‘Spamalot.’ The chronically depressed, the criminally insane and the snootier drama critics may find it hard to raise a smile. The loss is all theirs, however, and I suspect everyone else will have an absolute ball.”

“Monty Python has been bringing laughter and delight to audiences for generations,” said Artistic Director Shuler Hensley. “We’re thrilled to have an incredible, entirely local cast with Broadway and National Tour experience, as well as some that have been a part of past City Springs Theatre Company productions. It’s a delightful way to kick off 2023 and guaranteed to be an incredible evening of fun and laughter for all patrons.”

Bringing together the City Springs Theatre Company’s first musical of 2023 is the creative team of Shane DeLancey (Director), Greg Matteson (Music Director), Liz LeGrande (Choreographer), John Clanton (Vocal Director), Dalton Hamilton (Lighting Designer), and Anthony Narcisso (Sound Designer). Set, costumes, and props provided by 3-D Theatricals. This production is stage managed by Shay Holihan.

All performances are held at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center’s Byers Theatre at 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs.

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT is included in current subscriber season packages. Individual tickets range from $37-$100 with discounts for seniors, students, groups, and active and retired military personnel, and are on sale now. Visit www.CitySpringsTheatre.com or call 404-477-4365 for more information. Two-show season subscription packages are also available for sale now that include the May performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS.

Performance Schedule

Friday, March 10 | 8:00pm

Saturday, March 11 | 2:00pm & 8:00pm

Sunday, March 12 | 2:00pm

Thursday, March 16| 8:00pm

Friday, March 17 | 8:00pm

Saturday, March 18 | 2:00pm & 8:00pm

Sunday, March 19 | 2:00pm

Thursday, March 23 | 8:00pm

Friday, March 24 | 8:00pm

Saturday, March 25 | 2:00pm & 8:00pm

Sunday, March 26 | 2:00pm

About City Springs Theatre Company:

City Springs Theatre Company is dedicated to entertaining, educating, and enriching lives by creating world-class theatre experiences and innovative arts education that drive cultural richness and economic vitality. Through Broadway-style musical theatre featuring regional and national artists, creating a broad range of arts education programs for the enrichment of the community, and providing entertaining and inspiring productions for diverse audiences, City Springs Theatre Company establishes Sandy Springs as a growing cultural center. City Springs Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit cultural organization.

For tickets and information call 404-477-4365 or visit www.CitySpringsTheatre.com.