Author Archives: jennifer

Miss Bennett is back!

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Returning at Theatrical Outfit November 21 – December 23, 2018, this holiday hit by Decatur native and Essential veteran playwright Lauren Gunderson features Amelia Fischer (Dispossessed, 2016 Essential Theatre Play Festival) in the title role. The production team is peppered with other familiar Essential names, including Lee Osorio and Galen Crawley in the cast, Alex Riviere (lighting design) and Barbara Gantt O’Haley (production stage manager).

“When my co-author Margot Melcon and I started Miss Bennet, we wanted to create a holiday story for everyone that explores the complexities of family and love.

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Curious Reveries

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Ashley Anderson, last seen on Essential’s stage in the title role of the box office hit Ada and the Memory Engine by Lauren Gunderson, can currently be seen in an entirely different kind of performance at The Space in Smyrna.  Just four performances remain of the exciting show Curious Reverie, created by Havoc Movement Company, “…a self-described ‘action-circus theatre’ group whose upcoming gallery show is as likely to appeal to lovers of fairy tales as to fans of death-defying stunts.” You won’t want to miss it!

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Hallmark Movie Improv with Topher Payne

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Two shows for the price of one at Dad’s Garage! The first half is Dad’s classic long form improv show. The second half features Topher Payne, who is an Essential veteran, one of Atlanta’s premier playwrights and a (we’re totally being serious about this) Hallmark channel movie writer. Topher will narrate as the Dad’s gang improvise a Hallmark movie right before your eyes.

Shows on Dec 7 and Dec 21 at 10:30pm.
dadsgarage.com for tickets.

UPDATE:  Dec 28 added performance was a success:

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ATLANTA by Pamela Turner

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a post in The Dramatist Blog.

“September has always marked the moment of New Beginnings for me—under the turning leaves and crisping air in my Oregon home town all plans seemed grand, anything was possible, and folks were sure to be impressed by the latest revision of me. I was thinking about all that while taking in Rachel Graf Evans’ intelligently quirky play Built to Float at The Essential Theatre Play Festival in late August and then discussing it with the play director Peter Hardy. To put things into perspective, Hardy is also the Founding Artistic Director of the Essential which is celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year.

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We’ve been named Best New Play Incubator of 2018 by Atlanta Magazine!

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“Celebrating 20 seasons of developing new plays by Georgia playwrights, Essential Theatre has launched the careers of some of the nation’s most important contemporary writers.” -Atlanta Magazine

 

We’re so proud to have been named Best New Play Incubator of 2018 in December’s issue of Atlanta Magazine! It’s a heartwarming and inspiring way to round out an already pretty incredible year!

 

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7 Stages opens 40th season with iconic Waiting for Godot

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“Every time I see Godot, I become more convinced that its secret stars are Pozzo and Lucky (Bart Hansard and Matt Baum), the indelibly weird master and servant…Hansard makes a delightful comedic meal of the role, with dainty body language, infantile mood swings and puffed-up prideful moments.”
-Curt Holman, ArtsATL

Running now through October 14,  catch Essential family member Bart Hansard as Pozzo in 7 Stages’ 40th season opener, Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. Lots of other Essential friends have worked behind the scenes to bring this production to life as well: Efrem Whitaker (2010 Darker Face of the Earth and 2017 BeltLine &

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