Showcasing Georgia’s Best Playwrights
August 9 – September 1
at 7Stages in Little Five Points
For our Silver Anniversary Festival we will continue our long tradition of bringing new work by Georgia playwrights to the stage by producing a repertory of two World Premiere productions, along with staged readings and other special presentations.
Opening the Festival on August 9 will be The Other Part of the Picture, a World Premiere by Essential’s Founding Artistic Director, Peter Hardy.
Entering the repertory on August 16 will be Emily McClain’s The Rock & The Hard Place, winner of the 2024 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award!
The Festival will also feature three evenings of staged readings of new Georgia plays in our Bare Essentials series, a partner presentation with Hush Harbor Lab, and other special presentations.
In the press:
August 8 interview on City Lights with Lois Reitzes
Essential Theatre Play Festival has encouraged the stages of playwriting for 25 years
Essential Believes It’s Critical to Give Georgia Playwrights Opportunities -Jim Farmer, AJC
The Essential Theatre Play Festival Celebrates 25 Years! -Broadway World
“Founding Artistic Director Peter Hardy’s goal to support Georgia playwrights from conception to full production has resulted in some of the best works of the last quarter century.” – Luke Evans, ArtsATL
“Essential Theatre has launched the careers of some of the nation’s most important contemporary writers.” – Atlanta Magazine
“Essential in more ways than one” – Creative Loafing
Audience Response:
“If you love Atlanta theatre, Essential always makes August the best part of summer.” – Pat Hurley
“This a wonderful festival. It’s great to have an organization supporting Georgia playwrights.” -Brenda Niforth
“Thank you Essential Theatre for making this platform available for Georgia writers and actors.”
“My favorite theatre to see…are the stories that I don’t expect. The stories that are new/old/different/weird and I have had that every time I’ve been to the festival.” – Casey Gardner Ford
“I really enjoyed the whole experience. Love the focus on Georgia writers.” – Marsha Moore Harding
You won’t want to miss ANY of what we’ve got in store for you at the 2024 Essential Theatre Play Festival:
Join Us!
August 9 – September 1
This summer, Essential Theatre returns to 7 Stages Theatre in Little Five Points.
7Stages Theatre, in the heart of Little Five Points
1105 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
2024 Festival Plays
The Other Part of the Picture
Opening the Festival on August 9 will be The Other Part of the Picture, a comic…
The Rock & The Hard Place
Entering the repertory on August 16 will be Emily McClain’s The Rock & The Hard Place,…
Fat Juliet, by Bridget McCarthy
For one night only on August 29, Essential Theatre presents Bridget McCarthy’s Fat Juliet. A…
Hush Harbor Lab: African Roscius: a black in the box play
One night only: August 22, 2024 at 7:30pm African Roscius: a black in the box…
Bare Essentials Play Reading Series
Join us on August 12, 20 and 27 at 7:30pm for developmental readings of four…
10 Minute Play Bootcamp Showcase
Join us on August 10 at 2pm for the dramatic conclusion of this year’s 10-Minute…
2024 Funders and Supporters
