Community Calendar

Curated by Essential’s Founding Artistic Director, Peter Hardy, himself a national award-winning playwright who’s had over 30 productions of his work done around the country and has had plays chosen for the National Playwrights’ Conference and the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival and received playwriting awards from the National Playwrights’ Conference, the Festival of Southern Theatre and the New Southern Theatre Festival.

All Bare Essentials readings are free and open to the public. Be sure to stay after for exciting conversation with the director, cast and playwright!

The Exhibit by Ozzy Rose Wagner (Aug 9)
Barbie Liberation Organization by Robert Fuson (Aug 10)
Shark Week by Anneka Rose (Aug 22)

South City Jazz presents Jazz Vocalist LORI WILLIAMS at St. James Live! This event is hosted by West Byrd.

World Premiere opens Friday, August 5, 2022

A play about hope, shining a light on the darkest corners of grief – Winner of the 2022 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award.

A Complicated Hope was developed by Theatrical Outfit & Working Title Playwrights here in Atlanta and won the Mildred and Albert Panowski Playwriting Award by the Forest Roberts Theatre at Northern Michigan University in 2021 and the Charles M. Getchell New Play Award through The Southeastern Theatre Conference in 2022. This will be the play’s first professional production.

*Masks required for all audience members.

Performance Schedule
Thursday August 4 (8pm) Preview performance
Friday August 5 (8pm) Opening Night
Saturday August 6 (8pm) Neighborhood Night
Sunday August 7 (2pm)
Friday August 12 (8pm)
Sunday August 14 (7pm)
Monday August 15 (8pm) Industry Night
Saturday August 20 (8pm)
Sunday August 21 (2pm)
Tuesday August 23 (8pm) Industry Night
Thursday August 25 (8pm)
Sunday August 28 (2pm)

Cast:
Arnie: Burke Brown

Rose Marie: Camille Monae

Marie: Nicole Rose

Artistic Team:
Playwright: John Mabey
Director: Ellen McQueen
Stage Manager: Audrae Peterson
Assistant Stage Manager: Ashley Freeman
Scenic Designer: Gabrielle S. Stephenson
Lighting Designer: Harley Gould
Sound Designer: Josh Cambell
Costume Designer: Erin Magner
Props Designer: Dionna D. Davis

Greetings! We’ll be performing our Jazz and Latin Jazz repertoire, in support of our local African American businesses, and the metro Atlanta Jazz community. This is a reoccurring event every Friday at 7:30pm start time. Thanks for your unwavering support!

World Premiere opens Friday, July 29, 2022

A satiric drama that explores internet journalism, social media, and the culture of outrage – Co-Winner of the 2020 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award.

*Masks required for all audience members.

erformance Schedule
Thursday July 28 (8pm) Preview performance
Friday July 29 (8pm) Opening Night
Saturday July 30 (8pm) Neighborhood Night
Sunday August 7 (7pm)
Monday August 8 (8pm) Industry Night
Thursday August 11 (8pm)
Saturday August 13 (8pm)
Sunday August 14 (2pm)
Friday August 19 (8pm)
Sunday August 21 (7pm)
Wednesday August 24 (8pm)
Friday August 26 (8pm)
Saturday August 27 (8pm)

Cast:
Rina: Hannah Morris
Ellie: Ellie Styron
Val: Daryl Patrice
Henny: Alejandro Gutierrez
Blair: Anna Fontaine
Neil, Offstage Voice: David Soyka
Marlen, Jude, Whitt: Jeff Hathcoat
Ari, Everett, Host: Matthew Ferro
Tay, Corrie, Kennedy: Kelly Nguyen
Rina Understudy: Holly Tatem
Val/Eddie Understudy: Marita McKee
Ensemble Swing: Daniel Carter Brown

Artistic Team:
Playwright: Daniel Carter Brown
Director: Peter Hardy
Stage Manager: Adam Weisman
Assistant Stage Manager: Daija Brooks
Fight Choreographer: Kristin Storla
Scenic Designer: Gabrielle S. Stephenson
Lighting Designer: Harley Gould
Sound Designer: Frederick Philp
Sound Design Consultant: Kacie Willis
Costume Designer: Savannah Cobb
Props Designer: Dionna D. Davis

Curated by Essential’s Founding Artistic Director, Peter Hardy, himself a national award-winning playwright who’s had over 30 productions of his work done around the country and has had plays chosen for the National Playwrights’ Conference and the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival and received playwriting awards from the National Playwrights’ Conference, the Festival of Southern Theatre and the New Southern Theatre Festival.

All Bare Essentials readings are free and open to the public. Be sure to stay after for exciting conversation with the director, cast and playwright!

The Exhibit by Ozzy Rose Wagner (Aug 9)
Barbie Liberation Organization by Robert Fuson (Aug 10)
Shark Week by Anneka Rose (Aug 22)

World Premiere opens Friday, August 5, 2022

A play about hope, shining a light on the darkest corners of grief – Winner of the 2022 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award.

A Complicated Hope was developed by Theatrical Outfit & Working Title Playwrights here in Atlanta and won the Mildred and Albert Panowski Playwriting Award by the Forest Roberts Theatre at Northern Michigan University in 2021 and the Charles M. Getchell New Play Award through The Southeastern Theatre Conference in 2022. This will be the play’s first professional production.

*Masks required for all audience members.

Performance Schedule
Thursday August 4 (8pm) Preview performance
Friday August 5 (8pm) Opening Night
Saturday August 6 (8pm) Neighborhood Night
Sunday August 7 (2pm)
Friday August 12 (8pm)
Sunday August 14 (7pm)
Monday August 15 (8pm) Industry Night
Saturday August 20 (8pm)
Sunday August 21 (2pm)
Tuesday August 23 (8pm) Industry Night
Thursday August 25 (8pm)
Sunday August 28 (2pm)

Cast:
Arnie: Burke Brown

Rose Marie: Camille Monae

Marie: Nicole Rose

Artistic Team:
Playwright: John Mabey
Director: Ellen McQueen
Stage Manager: Audrae Peterson
Assistant Stage Manager: Ashley Freeman
Scenic Designer: Gabrielle S. Stephenson
Lighting Designer: Harley Gould
Sound Designer: Josh Cambell
Costume Designer: Erin Magner
Props Designer: Dionna D. Davis

People often go through a season in life that is unplanned and unexpected and are left feeling hopeless and full of unanswered questions. At the Atlanta Divorce Law Group, we see this with many of our clients going through a divorce. This is why we are partnering with Kathleen Shack, a licensed marriage and family therapist, to offer the Happily Ever After Divorce Virtual Support Group. If you would like more information about the support group or the Atlanta Divorce Law Group, please email office@atldivorcegroup.com or visit our website to RSVP for the virtual webinar.

World Premiere opens Friday, July 29, 2022

A satiric drama that explores internet journalism, social media, and the culture of outrage – Co-Winner of the 2020 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award.

*Masks required for all audience members.

erformance Schedule
Thursday July 28 (8pm) Preview performance
Friday July 29 (8pm) Opening Night
Saturday July 30 (8pm) Neighborhood Night
Sunday August 7 (7pm)
Monday August 8 (8pm) Industry Night
Thursday August 11 (8pm)
Saturday August 13 (8pm)
Sunday August 14 (2pm)
Friday August 19 (8pm)
Sunday August 21 (7pm)
Wednesday August 24 (8pm)
Friday August 26 (8pm)
Saturday August 27 (8pm)

Cast:
Rina: Hannah Morris
Ellie: Ellie Styron
Val: Daryl Patrice
Henny: Alejandro Gutierrez
Blair: Anna Fontaine
Neil, Offstage Voice: David Soyka
Marlen, Jude, Whitt: Jeff Hathcoat
Ari, Everett, Host: Matthew Ferro
Tay, Corrie, Kennedy: Kelly Nguyen
Rina Understudy: Holly Tatem
Val/Eddie Understudy: Marita McKee
Ensemble Swing: Daniel Carter Brown

Artistic Team:
Playwright: Daniel Carter Brown
Director: Peter Hardy
Stage Manager: Adam Weisman
Assistant Stage Manager: Daija Brooks
Fight Choreographer: Kristin Storla
Scenic Designer: Gabrielle S. Stephenson
Lighting Designer: Harley Gould
Sound Designer: Frederick Philp
Sound Design Consultant: Kacie Willis
Costume Designer: Savannah Cobb
Props Designer: Dionna D. Davis

Curated by Essential’s Founding Artistic Director, Peter Hardy, himself a national award-winning playwright who’s had over 30 productions of his work done around the country and has had plays chosen for the National Playwrights’ Conference and the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival and received playwriting awards from the National Playwrights’ Conference, the Festival of Southern Theatre and the New Southern Theatre Festival.

All Bare Essentials readings are free and open to the public. Be sure to stay after for exciting conversation with the director, cast and playwright!

The Exhibit by Ozzy Rose Wagner (Aug 9)
Barbie Liberation Organization by Robert Fuson (Aug 10)
Shark Week by Anneka Rose (Aug 22)