This story was originally published by ArtsATL.
Aurora Theatre’s 29th season commences in August, and the Lawrenceville company’s lineup includes two heartfelt and soulful classics, an uproarious comedy, a whimsical new musical and a well-loved holiday classic. The theater’s tagline for the season is “A feast for the soul.”
Kicking off the season is “The Color Purple,” originally a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker. The musical adaptation had its world premiere at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre in 2004, before transferring to Broadway the following year, eventually receiving a highly successful revival in 2015 and a film adaptation in 2023. Aurora Theatre’s production will run from August 15 to September 15.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Aurora Theatre
Credit: Photo courtesy of Aurora Theatre
The holidays will bring the return of Aurora’s “Christmas Canteen.” the long-running variety show consisting of musical performances, comedy routines and other assorted forms of entertainment. This year’s “Canteen” will open on November 29 and run through December 22, with direction by Katie Erin Chambers and choreography by Kari Twyman.
As part of Aurora’s New Musical Initiative, the theater will stage “King of Pangea,” a folk-rock musical about a college student who is left reeling after a devastating loss and retreats into the imaginary island he invented as a child. Book, music and lyrics are all written by Martin Storrow, who was inspired by his own real-life experiences. The piece was previously produced at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre New Musical Festival and will run from January 23 to February 16.
Ken Ludwig’s “The Gods of Comedy,” hitting the stage March 20 through April 13, is a farce in which a young classics professor discovers a lost, intact manuscript by Euripides — which his assistant misplaces. The assistant calls on the Greek Gods to save her, and, to her absolute shock, they appear. As a playwright, Ludwig is no stranger to Aurora; the theater previously produced his “Lend Me a Tenor,” “Moon Over Buffalo” and “A Fox on the Fairway.”
Finally, Aurora will wrap the 2024-25 season with the hit musical “Waitress.” Based on the 2007 film of the same name, the stage adaptation boasts a score by multiplatinum recording artist Sara Bareilles and a book by Jessie Nelson. The musical opened on Broadway in 2016 to rave reviews and has become a nationwide fan favorite. Directed by Amanda Wansa Morgan, the production runs May 22 to June 22.
Artistic Director Ann-Carol Pence — who will musically direct every show except “The Gods of Comedy” — said: “As we embark on a new season, it is with immense joy that we take you on an artistic journey. As always, we promise to continue elevating the voices of remarkable artists, many of whom call Atlanta home.”
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Luke Evans is an Atlanta-based writer, critic and dramaturge. He covers theater for ArtsATL and Broadway World Atlanta and has worked with theaters such as the Alliance, Actor’s Express, Out Front Theatre and Woodstock Arts. He’s a graduate of Oglethorpe University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree, and the University of Houston, where he earned his master’s.
Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
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