JIM CROW AND THE RHYTHM DARLINGS by Vynnie Meli. World Premiere. Directed by Betty Hart
Featuring: Rachel Bodenstein, Enisha Brewster, Daniel Burnley, DeAndrea Crawford, Nadir Mateen, Delesa Sims

It’s World War Two, and with so many men going off to serve, the previously all-male world of jazz is opening up to women for the first time. The International Rhythm Darlings are an all-female African-American band touring the Deep South, which would be a tough situation in the best of times … but now they’ve got a last-minute replacement in the group, a white Jewish woman,

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Plagued A Love Story
Book and lyrics by Vynnie Meli [2009 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award Winner]
Music by Casey Filiaci

Congratulations are out to JIM CROW AND THE RHYTHM DARLINGS playwright Vynnie Meli. Her musical, PLAGUED will be part of this year’s prestigious New York Music Theatre Festival. Well done Vynnie. You can see her play JIM CROW AND THE RHYTHM DARLINGS as part of this year’s Essential Theatre Festival.

Cinderella celebrates her 20th anniversary to a man who isn’t always so charming. And Cinderella’s daughter, Dust Bunny, takes on an even greater challenge: the Bubonic Plague. Dust Bunny has to say goodbye to the handsome chronicler,

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The Essential Theatre is pleased to announce that the Georgia Poetry Society will be holding a poetry reading July 25th at 7 pm prior to the 8pm performance of Ice Glen by Joan Ackermann. Your ticket for Ice Glen will serve as admission to both events.

The Georgia Poetry Society was founded in 1979 for the purpose of bringing into community poets and poetry lovers in the state of Georgia. If you are passionate about poetry, you’ve found the right place!

We welcome members from anywhere, but our quarterly meetings are held in various locations throughout the state of Georgia.

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Photos by Brenda Messick

FOOD FOR FISH by Adam Szymkowicz, opening July 5. Regional Premiere.
Directed by Peter Hardy

Featuring: Kelly Criss, Kate Graham, Eve Krueger, Brent Nicholas Rose, Charles Swint and Sarah Falkenburg Wallace.

Bobbie is a lonely young man living in New York, trying to write about three sisters who long to escape the city and return to their childhood home of New Jersey … or is he really just an imaginary character in the mind of Sylvia, the youngest sister? Middle sister Alice is hopelessly in love with the husband of her older sister,

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http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/The-Essential-Theatre/15257139165?ref=ts

Now that’s a mouthful. With only 925 more fans, Facebook will allow us to become http://www.facebook.com/EssentialTheatre. [not yet active] We need your help to put an end to the awful URL above. Take a second click on the link and click “Become a Fan” along the left side of the page. We plan to have special Facebook fan discounts as well as discounts for those who follow us on Twitter @ATL_Essential

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In just a few weeks, the 11th Annual Essential Theatre Play Festival will be opening, playing for the first time at the King Plow Art Center in the Actor’s Express space. We’ll be running July 5-August 2 — please visit www.EssentialTheatre.com for details or follow us on Twitter ATL_Essential for the latest information.

FOOD FOR FISH by Adam Szymkowicz, opening July 5. Regional Premiere.
Directed by Peter Hardy
Featuring: Kelly Criss, Kate Graham, Eve Krueger, Brent Nicholas Rose, Charles Swint and Sarah Falkenburg Wallace.
Bobbie is a lonely young man living in New York,

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Check out the 2009 festival cast and crew.

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For a limited time, an additional $5 off the three show Essential Theatre Festival Pass will be available for online purchases using the discount code “EARLYBIRD”

An Any Performance 3 Show Festival Pass is available for only $50 [now $45] and a Value Pass good for each of the three shows on Sunday through Thursday
$45 [now $40].

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The Essential Theatre wants to congratulate Lauren Gunderson for being named Best Local Playwright in the Sunday Paper’s Reader’s Poll — and Valetta Anderson for being named runner-up!

Lauren won the Essential Theatre Playwriting Award in 2001 (for PARTS THEY CALL DEEP) and 2004 (for BACKGROUND). Valetta won in 2006, for LEAVING LIMBO.

All the best to both these writers, and may they have continued success in their field.

In the meantime, look out for our World Premiere production of Vynnie Meli’s JIM CROW AND THE RHYTHM DARLINGS, winner of this year’s contest. It’ll be part of the 11th Annual Essential Theatre Festival,

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