The Essential Theatre congratulates James Beck on the World Premiere of his dark comedy BLEACH at the Lionheart Theatre in Norcross, running Feb. 10 – 19.  (Visit http://www.lionhearttheatre.org for details.)  Essential did some development work with James on this play, part of our ongoing mission of supporting new work by Georgia playwrights.  Here’s what James had to say about working with us:  “Peter led the group in a constructive feedback session that allowed me as the playwright to experience my play, to question it and to gather new creative energy to apply in crafting the work. Peter did a great job of understanding that the playwright has to solve the riddle of the play but offered,

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Just a reminder — the Essential Theatre is accepting short plays to be considered for this summer’s THE LOCAL project.  We want plays set at specific locations in Atlanta, and we’re accepting submissions through Jan. 15.  You can e-mail submissions to [email protected].  The plays can be in any style, can be realistic or not, and be set in the past or the present.  We’re hoping to get submissions about as many different real places in Atlanta as possible.  This project is meant to about Atlanta, the place we live, written by the people who live here.

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Essential Theatre seeks a talented graphics designer who enjoys theatre and is able to work for a small stipend and tickets.

The Essential Theatre has long been the leading champion of Georgia playwrights, producing and developing many new plays by local writers.  Coming up in 2012, we’ll be celebrating the 25th year of our existence by presenting our first-ever ALL GEORGIA PLAY FESTIVAL!
 
EVELYN IN PURGATORY by Topher Payne
World Premiere!
Five public school teachers are caught in the limbo of the disciplinary “Rubber Room”, waiting for their cases to be heard and their fates decided. 

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The Essential Theatre invites Georgia writers to submit short plays to be considered for THE LOCAL, a collaborative theatre project about the City of Atlanta to be developed and directed by Ellen McQueen, for production in the next Essential Theatre Play Festival (coming up in the summer of 2012).  A similar project is currently in development by Stagewrights, a company in Tampa, Florida.

All plays must be set at a specific location in the Metropolitan Atlanta area, and all of them must, in some way, touch upon the subject of homelessness.  The scripts do not have to be about the homeless (although they can be) and do not have to have homeless characters onstage (although they can). 

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We’re proud and happy to announce that the Essential Theatre’s production of Rita Dove’s THE DARKER FACE OF THE EARTH, directed by Betty Hart, has won the Metropolitan Atlanta Theater Award for Best Ensemble In A Play.  This is the thirteenth MAT Award that the Essential Theatre was won in the past four years.

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SALLY AND GLEN AT THE PALACE, written by Essential’s Artistic Director Peter Hardy, will be given a staged reading at the Tallapoosa Theatre Festival (located west of Atlanta) on August 27.  For more information
SALLY AND GLEN was a big hit with both critics and audiences when it was produced as part of the 2010 Essential Theatre Play Festival, ending up on “Best of the Year” lists for both The Sunday Paper and Atlanta Theater Buzz, while Hardy was Creative Loafing’s Critic’s Pick for Best Atlanta Playwright.

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The 2011 Essential Theatre Play Festival has one more week!  We close July 31.  Visit www.EssentialTheatre.com for tickets.
 
“I wish everyone in the Atlanta theatre scene would come out and see Essential’s fine work.”
Yolanda Asher (Founding Member of the Suzi Awards)

“I am so impressed with the amazing season you have put together.”
Paul Holly (Founding Member of the Suzi Awards)

“Congratulations on assembling another three diverse, thought-provoking and entertaining plays, wonderfully directed and acted by some of Atlanta’s best talent.”
Bill Murphey (Suzi Award-Winning Actor)

Monday,

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“Confessions are good for the soul – so they say. For many people, and families, bringing a secret into the light of day is a healing process. Like any family, the one in Essential Theatre’s Great Falls, holds its share of baggage and secrets.”
 
“The play takes the audience on a parallel emotional journey to the characters’ own trip through the scenic west. A play this emotional requires a talented cast and well-crafted dialogue. If a play is poorly written, great acting can save it and vice-versa. Audiences seeing Great Falls don’t have any worry; it excels in both.”

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There are a limited number of performances remainging to see Essential Theatre’s world premiere production of Theroun Patterson’s prize winning play, “A Thousand Circlets”. You don’t want to miss this one. 

“Essential Theatre’s production of Theroun Patterson’s A THOUSAND CIRCLETS is wonderful. Theroun Patterson’s writing is smart, funny, tender, painful, and absolutely real.”
Jo Howarth Noonan

“A Thousand Circlets is powerful and well played. The complex family dynamic reminds me of Long Days Journey into Night.”
Rebecca B. Rogers

“Theroun Patterson’s A Thousand Circlets is another artistic coup for the Essential Theatre’s Play Festival.

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“So enjoyed Great Falls last night. Ellen McQueen’s superb direction led two very talented, “new on the Atlanta scene” actors down the road to discovery. Thanks for the trip! Great work!” Paul Holly


“People! Go see GREAT FALLS and all the wonderful plays at Essential Theatre! GREAT FALLS is amazing! Ashleigh Hoppe rocked it!” Bree Dawn Shannon

“Saw Great Falls tonight. Not to be missed. Great story great characters wonderful performances and as usual inspired directing. See it. ” Jayson Smith

“Congrats on the Great Falls emotional roller coaster,

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