ATLANTA’S ALLIANCE THEATRE ANNOUNCES THE PRODUCTIONS OF ITS 54th SEASON
The 2022/23 season is comprised of nine productions featuring:
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS
A spectacular new musical based on the critically acclaimed and best-selling novel by Sara Gruen,
with book by Rick Elice, score by PigPen Theatre Co., and direction by Jessica Stone
THE HOT WING KING
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and directed for the first time by playwright Katori Hall
THE MANY WONDROUS REALITIES OF JASMINE STARR-KIDD
Winner of the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition,
written by Stephen Brown
And two world premiere musicals for youth and family audiences —
THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY inspired by the book by Oliver Jeffers, and
THE BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY, inspired by the early life and influences of
musical icon Jimi Hendrix
ATLANTA, April 13, 2022 — Atlanta’s nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre, Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Managing Director Mike Schleifer, are pleased to announce the productions of the Alliance’s 54th season. The new season will feature nine productions including four world premieres on its two stages, The Coca-Cola Stage and Hertz Stage.
"Our upcoming season is a celebration of joy, and all the varied places and circumstances in which we find it,” said Susan V. Booth, Jennings Hertz Artistic Director. “While each story is unique, the human ability to find hope and joy is universal and powerful. Join us for these remarkable and inspiring stories."
The 54th season on The Coca-Cola Stage begins in September with the acclaimed play EVERYBODY. With EVERYBODY, Pulitzer Prize finalist and Obie Award-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins has created an irreverent, rollicking, uproarious ride that asks BIG questions of all who see it. The Alliance’s production will be co-directed by Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and BOLD Associate Artistic Director Tinashe Kajese-Bolden.
For the holidays, the Alliance will present the timeless family story, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, for the second time with its new production design and staging. Following its inaugural run last season, the new adaptation was described in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as “high art of the season… a nostalgic feast for the eyes.” And ArtsATL encouraged audiences to, “bring your kids, bring your friends, bring a rapacious billionaire if you know one…it’s certain they’ll enjoy the Alliance’s production.” The Alliance will also produce A GIFT OF LOVE WITH ADAM L. MCKNIGHT. McKnight will delight audiences nightly with a mix of original songs and holiday classics performed in a variety of styles like jazz, R&B, Gospel, and pop.
In January 2023, the Alliance will produce the regional premiere of THE HOT WING KING. Winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, THE HOT WING KING is a fierce new comedy about the risks and rewards of celebrating who you are. Directed for the first time by its award-winning playwright Katori Hall, THE HOT WING KING has been called “flavorful and bitingly funny” by New York Stage Review, and “a delicious new play to be applauded and savored” by Talkin’ Broadway.
Following on the Hertz Stage, the Alliance will produce the world premiere of the 19th winner of the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, THE MANY WONDROUS REALITIES OF JASMINE STARR-KIDD, by Stephen Brown of The Juilliard School. JASMINE STARR-KIDD is a delightful story of second chances and accepting what we can’t change. Past winners of the Alliance/Kendeda Playwriting Competition have become some of today’s most exciting playwrights and writers, including Tarell Alvin McCraney, whose play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue inspired the 2017 Academy Award-winning film for Best Picture, Moonlight; Mike Lew (Tiger Style!), 2018 winner of the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award for an Emerging American Playwright; and Jiréh Breon Holder, whose winning play Too Heavy For Your Pocket received multiple productions including an Off-Broadway run in 2017.
Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Susan V. Booth will then direct LONELY PLANET by Steven Dietz. Described as “an entertaining, powerful, and heartfelt experience that should not be missed” (DC Metro), LONELY PLANET is an intimate portrait of two friends navigating life at the height of an epidemic. Written almost 30 years ago, Dietz’s funny, hopeful, and deeply human play continues to ring true as a commentary on the value of friendship and community during uncertain times.
Closing the season on The Coca-Cola Stage in the Summer of 2023, the Alliance will produce the world premiere musical, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. Based on the critically acclaimed and best-selling novel by Sara Gruen, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is an adventure filled with romance, deception, and a little bit of magic, all under the big top of a traveling circus. Brought to theatrical life by an internationally acclaimed and innovative creative team, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS will reignite your dreams of running away with the circus. This world premiere musical is directed by Jessica Stone (Kimberly Akimbo), with a book by Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher), and a score by the award-winning PigPen Theatre Co.
The Alliance will produce two world-premiere musicals for youth and families beginning with THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY, playing on the Hertz Stage, July 13 – August 14, 2022. Inspired by award-winning children's book author Oliver Jeffers' hilarious book, THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY celebrates the joy of reading and the insatiable appetite for knowledge. THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY is presented in partnership with the High Museum of Art’s exhibition Oliver Jeffers: 15 Years of Picturing Books. The Alliance will also co-produce THE BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY inspired by the early life and influences of musical icon Jimi Hendrix. Told with vibrant music and daring imagination, this new family musical inspires audiences to dream big when it matters most. THE BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY is a co-production with Seattle Children’s Theatre.
In addition to these nine productions, the Alliance Theatre’s Kathy & Ken Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young will produce four plays developed specifically for newborns through five-year-olds and their families. These productions include the bilingual play, THE LIZARD AND EL SOL; the charming play about courage, DO YOU LOVE THE DARK?; the holiday celebration (KNOCK, KNOCK); and the world premiere, ALL SMILES, which is currently being developed in partnership with the Marcus Autism Center and joyfully explores the different ways all of us show, share, and process our emotions.
When possible, live performances of the 54th season will be filmed and made available for streaming on the Alliance Theatre’s streaming platform, Alliance Theatre Anywhere.
NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT
The Alliance will continue its important work developing new plays through its Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition and its Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab.
The Alliance is pleased to announce the finalists of the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition. These plays will receive developmental workshops and staged readings as part of the Alliance/Kendeda Week celebrating news works in 2023. The finalists of the 2022/23 season are:
- Ruth and Lydia, by Jamie Rubenstein, Hunter College
- Ridgway, by Charlie O’Leary, University of Iowa
- Memorial, by Adam Ashraf El-Sayigh and Arianna Gayle Stucki, Brooklyn College
- How to Bruise Gracefully, by Brittany Fisher, The Juilliard School
The Alliance is also pleased to announce the artistic projects chosen for its 8th Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab. These projects will receive $10,000 to use toward further exploration and development, as well as access to the Alliance’s artistic, education, and production staffs, and rehearsal spaces. The lab projects will be presented in free performances in the Spring of 2023. The projects are:
- Daughter House 5, Lead Artist: Jeff Mather; Supporting Artists: Marquetta Johnson and John Edward Doyle, Jr.
- Man of Wood, Man of Fire, Lead Artist: Dwight Andrews; Supporting Artists: Louis Massiah and Ben Polite
- Trojan Women, Lead Artist: Frankie Mulinix; Supporting Artists: Jase Wingate and Humlao Evans
Memberships for the Alliance’s 54th season are on sale now. For more information, visit alliancetheatre.org/memberships.
Single tickets will go on sale in July 2022. Single tickets for THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY are on sale now. Visit alliancetheatre.org/next for updates.
Digital assets including show art and photos of the renovated Coca-Cola Stage are available for download here – download assets.
SPONSORS
The 2022/23 Alliance Series is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company. The 2022/23 Family Series is sponsored by Delta Air Lines, Inc. The Alliance’s production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL is presented by Chick-fil-A.
2022/23 SEASON
THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY (World premiere, Musical)
July 13 - August 14, 2022
Hertz Stage at Alliance Theatre
Book by Madhuri Shekar
Music by Christian Magby
Lyrics by Christian Albright
Directed by Jamil Jude
Inspired by the book "The Incredible Book Eating Boy" by Oliver Jeffers
Henry loves books. But he hates reading them. Because books are so full of... words! Annoying, complicated, indecipherable words! Then one day he discovers the most amazing alternative to reading - eating the books whole. By chowing down, chomping, and literally digesting the contents of whole libraries, Henry gets smarter, and smarter and smarter... until his tummy doesn't feel so good. A story about literally biting off more than you can chew, this new musical celebrates the joy of reading and the insatiable appetite for knowledge. Inspired by award-winning children's book author Oliver Jeffers' hilarious book,The Incredible Book Eating Boy promises to leave you full! For tickets and information, visit www.alliancetheatre.org/bookeatingboy.
EVERYBODY
September 2 – October 2, 2022
The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre
By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Co-Directed by Susan V. Booth & Tinashe Kajese-Bolden
Described as “one of this country’s most original and illuminating writers” by The New York Times, Pulitzer Prize finalist and Obie Award winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins has created an irreverent, rollicking, uproarious ride that asks BIG questions of all who see it. In EVERYBODY, Everybody is a happy person, a free person, a person who believes nothing but the best lies ahead. Then Death comes calling, and Everybody must go on a journey to find what has had lasting significance in his lifetime. Inspired by the 15th century play Everyman, EVERYBODY explores the meaning of life and the roles we play along the way. In keeping with life’s random twists and turns, the play’s performers draw names on stage each night to determine which actor will play each character in that performance. Remixing the archetypal medieval morality play into an explosive experiment of wit and emotion, EVERYBODY is a “sunny, stunning journey from life to death” that “fills the heart in a new and unexpected way” (DC Theatre Scene & The New Yorker). For tickets and information, visit alliancetheatre.org/everybody.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
November 12 – December 24, 2022
The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by David H. Bell
Directed by Leora Morris
The Alliance Theatre’s beloved production A CHRISTMAS CAROL returns to The Coca-Cola Stage with its stunning new adaptation, featuring a brilliantly reimagined set design and striking new costumes. Described as “high art of the season… a nostalgic feast for the eyes,” by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, audiences will be transported to the streets of London to revisit the timeless redemption story of Ebenezer Scrooge, told with beautiful live music and an all-star cast. Join the Alliance Theatre for one of Atlanta’s most treasured holiday traditions. For tickets and info, visit alliancetheatre.org/carol.
A GIFT OF LOVE WITH ADAM L. MCKNIGHT
December 7 – 23, 2022
Hertz Stage at Alliance Theatre
Spend an evening with Adam L. McKnight as he opens his heart and soul on a musical journey with uplifting original songs and holiday classics. Performing all styles of music, from R&B to Gospel, Pop, and even Opera, Adam amazes and astounds audiences with his natural ability to sing. For tickets and information, visit alliancetheatre.org/giftoflove.
THE HOT WING KING (Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama)
February 10 – March 5, 2023
The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre
Written and Directed by Katori Hall
Winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, THE HOT WING KING is a fierce new comedy about the risks and rewards of celebrating who you are. It’s time for Memphis’s annual “Hot Wang Festival,” and Cordell knows he has the wings that’ll make him king. Supported by his beau Dwayne and best friends who serve as his fry crew “The New Wing Order,” the group settles in for a fun night of pre-competition prep. But when a family emergency forces Dwayne’s troubled nephew into the mix, it quickly becomes a recipe for disaster. Suddenly, the first-place trophy isn’t the only thing that Cordell risks losing. Making its regional debut at Alliance Theatre and directed for the first time by its award-winning playwright Katori Hall, THE HOT WING KING has been called “flavorful and bitingly funny” by New York Stage Review, and “a delicious new play to be applauded and savored” by Talkin’ Broadway. For tickets and info, visit alliancetheatre.org/hotwingking.
THE MANY WONDROUS REALITIES OF JASMINE STARR-KIDD (Winner of the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, World Premiere)
March 1 – 26, 2023
Hertz Stage at Alliance Theatre
By Stephen Brown
Jasmine Starr-Kidd is a 12-year-old computer genius who can hack into the AT&T mainframe, build an artificially-intelligent friend named Grace, and convince the Department of Defense to send her high-powered lasers. But when she realizes that time travel is a lot easier to figure out than trying to convince her parents to get back together (no matter how many statistics she shows them), she decides to take matters into her own hands. Winner of the 2022/23 Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, THE MANY WONDROUS REALITIES OF JASMINE STARR-KIDD is a heartwarming story of second chances and learning that sometimes the things you can't change are the things that should have happened all along. For tickets and info, visit alliancetheatre.org/jasmine.
THE BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY (World premiere; Musical)
April 1 – 16, 2023
The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre
Book by Idris Goodwin
Music by Eugene H. Russell IV and Divinity Roxx
Directed by Tim Bond
Set in the heart of Seattle to the rhythms that shaped a generation, THE BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY is inspired by the early life and influences of musical icon Jimi Hendrix. In the early era of rock n roll music, we see a young Black boy conjure his creativity as a budding guitarist. Guided by the spirit of music itself, the Boy learns to find harmony inside the challenging noises of his life. Told with vibrant music and daring imagination, this new family musical inspires us to dream big when it matters most. Commissioned by Seattle Children’s Theatre in partnership with Alliance Theatre, this highly theatrical play by Idris Goodwin celebrates all the young artists who follow their muse. For tickets and info, visit alliancetheatre.org/sky.
LONELY PLANET
April 26 – May 21, 2023
Hertz Stage at Alliance Theatre
By Steven Dietz
Directed by Susan V. Booth
Described as “an entertaining, powerful, and heartfelt experience that should not be missed” (DC Metro), LONELY PLANET is an intimate portrait of two friends navigating life at the height of an epidemic. Shop owner Jody becomes increasingly fearful of the world outside and the dangers it poses, refusing to leave his shop. While Carl, his spirited friend, begins filling the store with a variety of mysterious chairs. Written almost 30 years ago, Steven Dietz’s funny, hopeful, and deeply human play about an epidemic in our nation’s history continues to ring true as a commentary on the value of friendship and community during uncertain times. For tickets and info, visit alliancetheatre.org/lonelyplanet.
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS (World Premiere, Musical)
Summer 2023
The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre
Book by Rick Elice
Music and Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co.
Based on the Novel by Sara Gruen
Directed by Jessica Stone
Based on the critically acclaimed and best-selling novel, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS takes you on an adventure filled with romance, deception, and a little bit of magic, all under the big top of a traveling circus.
Running towards a new life, Jacob Jankowski hitches a ride on a mysterious train. He finds himself in the heart of a traveling circus, the Benzini Bros Most Spectacular Show On Earth, with a new job, a new home, and a new family. When charismatic ringmaster August brings Rosie the elephant on as the new star attraction, Jacob and August’s wife Marlena join forces to train her. As Jacob and Marlena’s shared compassion develops into love, August’s cruel nature surfaces, threatening to derail Jacob’s life once more.
Brought to theatrical life by an internationally acclaimed and innovative creative team, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS will reignite your dreams of running away with the circus. This world premiere musical is directed by Jessica Stone (Kimberly Akimbo), with a book by Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher), and a score by the award-winning PigPen Theatre Co. This adventure of love, family and belonging speaks to us all. For tickets and info, visit alliancetheatre.org/waterforelephants.
KATHY & KEN BERNHARDT THEATRE FOR THE VERY YOUNG
DO YOU LOVE THE DARK?
September 28 – November 16, 2022
Selig Family Blackbox Theatre at Alliance Theatre
Original direction by Alexis Woodard
Based on Do You Love the Dark? written by Maya Lawrence and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie and commissioned by the Alliance Theatre in partnership with the Mayor's Summer Reading Club
Inspired by the Mayor's Summer Reading Club original book by Maya Lawrence and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, Do You Love the Dark?follows a young girl during a sleepless night trying to conquer her biggest fear of all: the dark! This interactive play invites the audience on an unforgettable journey to not only conquer the fear of the unknown, but to transform it into love. Join us for this humungous hug of a play and discover all the good love glowing in the dark! For tickets and information, visit alliancetheatre.org/lovedark.
(KNOCK, KNOCK)
November 30 – December 23, 2022
Selig Family Blackbox Theatre at Alliance Theatre
Created and directed by Olivia Aston Bosworth & Samantha Provenzano
Come in from out of the cold and celebrate community, family, and warmth this holiday season! Welcome to The Apartment Building. Below us, above us, and beside us, the residents are preparing for the holidays and trying to stay warm. Join us on a floor-to-floor adventure, meeting and celebrating with a variety of friends who all call The Apartment Building home. Surprises hide behind each door — all you need to do is (Knock, Knock). For tickets and information, visit alliancetheatre.org/knock.
ALL SMILES
January 25 – March 5, 2023
Selig Family Blackbox Theatre at Alliance Theatre and touring options available
Created and directed by Tinashe Kajese-Bolden
How do you smile? With your mouth or with your eyes? Does it show on your face or just on the inside? We all have different ways of showing, sharing & processing our emotions. So, when we send a smile to a friend, how is it received? What happens if it gets returned to sender? Created in partnership with the Marcus Center for Autism, this delightful show explores how all smiles are different. For tickets and info, visit alliancetheatre.org/allsmiles.
THE LIZARD AND EL SOL
March 15 – April 30, 2023
Selig Family Blackbox Theatre at Alliance Theatre and touring options available
Directed by Rosemary Newcott
An interactive adventure based on a famous Mexican folktale about a time when El Sol (the Sun) disappeared from the sky. Young ones and their caregivers will help the tenacious Lizard find the sleepy El Sol and finally coax him out of his hiding place. With colorful puppets and bright Mexican inspired music and dance, this journey culminates in a grand festival celebrating the joy of sunshine and friendship! For tickets and info, visit alliancetheatre.org/lizardandelsol.
