Theatrical Outfit opens its 2026 season with the world premiere of “Bleeding Hearts,” a new play by Atlanta playwright Steve Yockey that blends farce, social satire, and a streak of menace.
Yockey, whose work has increasingly moved between theater and television—including “The Flight Attendant” and “Supernatural”—returns to his hometown with a script that examines the frictions of contemporary middle‑class life. The play follows Sloane Burke, whose uneasy domestic routine is disrupted when her husband brings home a drifter who may be dangerous. Their already strained household is further unsettled by a wealthy neighbor who treats the Burkes’ belongings as her own. What unfolds is a tightly wound comedy about class anxiety, moral blind spots, and the ways people misread one another.
The production is part of Theatrical Outfit’s “Made in Atlanta” initiative, a program focused on developing new work by local writers. In recent years, the program has yielded a hip‑hop musical about John Lewis that went on to win a Suzi Bass Award, a touring‑ready festival of new plays, and the premiere of “Flex,” which transferred to Lincoln Center.
Yockey’s return marks a continuation of his long relationship with Theatrical Outfit, which premiered his play “Venus” last season. His writing often blends dark humor with unease, using heightened situations to expose the pressures of contemporary life. Theatrical Outfit’s “Made in Atlanta” program functions as a counterweight to its steady rotation of American classics, highlighting the city’s growing community of playwrights.
The cast for Bleeding Hearts includes Josh Adams, Veronika Duerr, Christopher Hampton, Tony Larkin and Tess Malis Kincaid. Sean Daniels, formerly of Dad’s Garage, directs. The design team features Kat Conley (scenery), April Andrew Carswell (costumes), David Reingold (lighting), Dan Bauman (sound), and Sarah Beth “EssBee” Hester (special effects), with intimacy coordination by Bridget McCarthy.
The production runs Jan. 28 through Feb. 22 at the Balzer Theater at Herren’s. Tickets and additional information are available at theatricaloutfit.org or by phone at 678‑528‑1500.
Theatrical Outfit will open its 49th season with a new staging of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie at the Balzer Theater at Herren’s. The production marks a return of the Southern Gothic classic to Atlanta, with a design and casting approach that aims to reframe the play’s enduring themes for contemporary audiences.
The play, first staged in 1944, is widely regarded as Williams’ breakout work and a foundational piece of American memory drama. Set in a Depression-era St. Louis apartment, The Glass Menagerie follows the Wingfield family—Amanda, a faded Southern belle; her son Tom, a warehouse worker and aspiring poet; Laura, his reclusive sister; and Jim, the gentleman caller whose visit disrupts the fragile equilibrium of their lives.
Theatrical Outfit’s staging introduces a contemporary lens to The Glass Menagerie, emphasizing the play’s emotional architecture through stylized design and performance. Rather than leaning into period nostalgia, the production uses abstraction and contrast—particularly in lighting, sound, and scenic elements—to underscore the characters’ psychological isolation and yearning. Director Matt Torney’s approach centers on the tension between memory and reality, with a visual language that resists realism and invites audiences to inhabit Tom’s fractured recollections. This interpretive shift reframes the play not as a domestic tragedy, but as a meditation on escape, authorship, and the cost of tenderness.
Atlanta-based actor Terry Burrell will lead the cast as Amanda Wingfield, joined by Devon Hales as Laura, Stephen Ruffin as Tom, and Matt Mercurio as Jim. The production is directed by Matt Torney, with dramaturgy by Addae Moon.
The show runs from Oct. 29 through Nov. 23. Tickets and season packages are available at theatricaloutfit.org or by calling 678-528-1500.
“Young John Lewis” examines the ten crucial years in the early life of the congressman, and his journey from student activist to major leader in the Civil Rights movement – all by the time he was 28. Written by hip hop & spoken word playwright Psalmayene 24 and composed by Atlanta composer Eugene H. Russell IV, the play looks at how people’s convictions strengthen their courage and offers a fresh perspective on American history.
“Defiant optimism, radical love, and creative action—particularly during the pivotal years that we focus on in “Young John Lewis” are . . . examples for all of us,” said Psalmayene 24. “His life can be used as a roadmap to help navigate challenging times.”
“Being both an Atlanta native and a child of parents who marched with Dr. King, this show’s story resonates uniquely with me,” said Russell IV.
Thomas W Jones II (Passing Strange) returns to direct, choreograph, and lead an extremely talented group of Atlanta based designers, including: Dramaturgy by Addae Moon, Scenic Design by Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay, Costume Design by Jarrod Barnes, Lighting Design by Ben Rawson, Sound Design by Matt Reynolds, and Properties Design by Caroline Cook, with Gabby Peralta serving as Stage Manager.
The show runs at Theatrical Outfit in Atlanta from June 4-29. Tickets can be purchased at Theatrical Outfit.
“The Reservoir,” the 2023/24 Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition Finalist, will premiere on the Hertz Stage at the Alliance Theatre March 29-May 4.
Following an acclaimed presentation as a finalist for the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, The Reservoir will have its fully staged world premiere in a three-theater co-production with Denver Center for the Performing Arts and Geffen Playhouse.
Josh’s life is a mess. He’s come home to Denver from NYU to get his life together but can’t manage to stay sober. Desperate for camaraderie, he decides to bring his four loveable grandparents on his road to recovery. He drags them to Jazzercise class. He pressures them into playing memory games. He forces them to eat spinach by the handful. And eventually, when he can no longer help his grandparents, they begin to help him. Served up with outrageous humor and truth, The Reservoir reminds us that sometimes the path forward isn’t the one we expect.
The cast features Joyce Cohen (Denver Center for the Performing Arts: Benediction) as Irene, Atlanta-based actor Mark Kincaid (Alliance Theatre: Carapace) as Hank, Rodney Lizcano (DCPA: American Mariachi) as Hugo/Others, Vanessa Lock (Signature Theatre: Nest) as Patricia/Others, Philip Schneider (Yale University: Hamlet) as Josh, Lori Wilner (Broadway: Prayer for the French Republic) as Beverly, and Peter Van Wagner (DCPA: Choir Boy) as Shrimpy. Understudies include Mira Hirsch, R. Cameron Lee, Liam McKenna, and Michelle Neil.
Written by Jake Brasch and directed by Shelley Butler, “The Reservoir” runs on the Hertz Stage at Alliance Theatre March 29-May 4. Tickets are available at the Alliance Theatre.
“The Lehman Trilogy,” a quintuple Tony Award-winner in 2022, including for Best Play, is currently playing at Theatrical Outfit in Atlanta.
“Since the World Premiere at the National Theatre in London, “The Lehman Trilogy” has wowed audiences on Broadway and been performed all over the world,” says Matt Torney, Artistic Director of Theatrical Outfit. “It tells the story of the rise and fall of the Lehman Brothers bank, which was the first bank to fall in the financial collapse in 2008 but in a very unexpected way.”
The play begins with a young Jewish man, Henry Lehman, stepping off a boat onto a dock in New York City with only one piece of luggage. What follows is a story about brotherhood, economics, immigration and assimilation, the loss of identity, and how generations of Lehmans attempted to keep the business afloat through turbulent times in American history. The play captures the spirit that fueled American Capitalism and the Lehman dream of America, which grows in unexpected directions with each generation.
“At its heart,” says Torney, “the play is a story about three Jewish immigrants from a small town in Bavaria, and how each of them left their mark on their new adopted home.”
The play was sold out opening weekend and received rave reviews from attendees. A joint production of Theatrical Outfit and The Breman, the show is directed by Matt Torney and features some of Atlanta’s finest actors: Andrew Benator as Mayer Lehman, Brian Kurlander as Henry Lehman, and Eric Mendenhall as Emanuel Lehman. “The Lehman Trilogy” runs through March 5 at Theatrical Outfit. Tickets can be purchased at theatricaloutfit.org or jewishmuseumatl.com.
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The Grand Kyiv Ballet brings its first-ever national tour of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet The Nutcracker to Atlanta on Nov. 27 for one performance at Atlanta Symphony Hall. Twenty of the 35 world-class dancers are from Ukraine, and the choreography is by one of the country’s most famous ballet dancers, Valery Kovtun (1944-2005).
Principal Dancers Kateryna Kukhar and Alex Stoianov, a couple with two children who now call Seattle their temporary home due to the conflict in Ukraine, were continents away from their two children when the war erupted with no means of returning. They were in France, preparing for their final performance in Menton for Giselle before returning to Kyiv when they received news at 5 a.m. of bombings and the outbreak of war.
Alex and Kateryna landed in Seattle in large part to Vera Altunina and her family. Vera runs the International Ballet Academy in Bellevue, WA. This resilient couple undertook extraordinary efforts, with the help of friends and family, and worked tirelessly to evacuate their children from Ukraine.
Alex started the Grand Kyiv Ballet as an artistic home for dancers displaced by war.
ABOUT ALEX AND KATERYNA’S CAREERS
With an illustrious career at the renowned National Opera of Ukraine, Kukhar is a distinguished artist, holding the prestigious titles of People’s Artist of Ukraine and the Order of Princess Olga of the 3rd degree. Recognized for her versatility and exceptional technique, she has garnered international acclaim, captivating audiences with performances that resonate on a profound emotional level. Alex Stoianov, the Principal Dancer of the National Opera of Ukraine, also serves as the Artistic Director of the Grand Kyiv Ballet.
There were more than 200 ballet dancers who evacuated Ukraine do to the war with Russia. Alex has started four Ballet companies to bring work to many of those dancers displaced from Ukraine.
The two-act classical ballet The Nutcracker was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and first performed in 1892 and tells the story of a young girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve and fights the Mouse King. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be directed towards the renovation efforts of the Kyiv State Choreographic College in Kyiv.
The YouTube video is from the Broadway production:
“Amélie: the Musical,” a critically acclaimed musical from London’s West End based on the beloved French film Amélie comes to Horizon Theatre, October 4 – November 10. Amélie is a shy and imaginative young woman living in Paris. With a heart as big as her city, Amelie secretly improvises small but surprising acts of kindness that bring joy to those around her. But when a chance at love comes her way, Amélie realizes that to find happiness she’ll have to risk everything and say what’s in her heart. Audiences are invited to join Amélie as she discovers the extraordinary in the ordinary, touching hearts and inspiring dreams along the way in this enchanting new musical.
“Audiences worldwide fell in love with Amélie as a movie, and now it’s been adapted into a delightful, quirky, romantic and funny musical. We were in Paris for the Olympics this summer, and now we are bringing Paris to life on the Horizon stage this fall. It’s a story about finding beauty in the small moments and understanding that even the smallest gestures can have a significant impact on the world,” said Horizon Theatre Co-Artistic/Producing Director Lisa Adler. “We’re excited to share this magical tale and its message of hope, love and the power of human connection with our audience. And we’re thrilled that it will be led by the team that created our hit musical last season, Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812.”
Horizon’s production of Amélie will see many returning cast and creative team members from last season’s smash-hit Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, which was recently nominated for 15 Suzi Bass Awards and is set to return for another run later this season. Director and Horizon Artistic Associate Heidi McKerley returns to the helm as director of Amélie. In addition to Great Comet, Heidi has directed more than 35 Horizon projects over the past three decades to great acclaim. Other returning creative team members include Scenic Designers Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay, Music Director Holt McCarley, Assistant Music Director Bethany Irby, and Costume Designer Carrie Giglio. Returning Great Comet cast members include Anna Dvorak (Sonia) in the lead role of Amélie, joined by Daniel Burns (Pierre), Jordan Patrick (Anatole), Jeff McKerley (The Prince), Skyler Brown (Balaga), Eric Nabeth (Ensemble/Accordion), Miro Gomez (Ensemble/Cello) and Eden Mew (Ensemble) who all play supporting roles in Amelie, with most once again doubling on musical instruments.
Amélie playwright Craig Lucas is an acclaimed American playwright, screenwriter and director known for his diverse body of work that includes the Tony Award-nominated play Prelude to a Kiss and the film Longtime Companion. Amélie found its greatest success in London, where it charmed audiences and critics alike with its imaginative staging, enchanting score and a heartfelt portrayal of its titular character. The London production, praised for its innovative and intimate approach, won three Olivier Awards in 2020, including Best New Musical,solidifying its place as a modern theatrical gem.
Amélie tells the story of Amélie (Anna Dvorak, Horizon’s Great Comet), an extraordinary young French woman who lives quietly in the world, but loudly in her mind. After surviving a childhood with two neurotic parents who did not know how to show her their love, Raphael (Marcus Hopkins-Turner, Horizon’s Support Group for Men) and Amandine (Bethany Irby, Aurora Theatre’s Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), and only a goldfish—Fluffy for company, Amélie heads off to Paris on her own. She approaches her journey in the big city with joy, making friends with nearly everyone she meets. As a waitress at a café in Montmartre she has a quiet, happy life, spending time with her three co-workers: Suzanne (Chelcy Cutwright, Steel Magnolias, Springer Opera House), the café’s owner and a past circus performer; Georgette (Jennifer Alice Acker, Horizon’s The Game, Roe, Freaky Friday), a hypochondriac; and Gina (Jessica Miesel, Fox TV’s The Resident, Aurora’s Hands on A Hard Body), who obsessively rereads love letters from her late husband. Some of Amélie’s quirky customers include Joseph (Daniel Burns, Horizon’s Great Comet), a tough-on-the-outside customer who’s in love with Gina; Hipolito (Cameron Smith, Aurora Theatre’s Christmas Canteen), a poet; and Philomene (Kylie Dickinson), an airline hostess. When Amélie finds a child’s box of treasures in the floorboard of her house, she becomes determined to return it to its owner. With help from Dufayel (Jeff McKerley), a shut-in artist who’s obsessed with painting the same scene over and over, she returns it to Bretodeau (Marcus Hopkins-Turner, playing dual roles) who lived in her home as a child. After seeing the joy it brings him, Amélie resolves to do good for those around her in small, anonymous ways. But when Amélie meets young Nino (Jordan Patrick, Horizon’s Great Comet), she takes the biggest risk of her life – learning to love on her own. The cast of charming characters– both real and imaginary– who play a part in Amélie’s journey also includes the Gnome (Eric Nabeth Horizon’s Great Comet), Elton John (Miro Gomez, Horizon’s Great Comet) and Collignon (Skyler Brown, Horizon’s Great Comet), the local grocer
Performances begin Friday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m.Performances are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m., running through Nov. 10. Seating is general admission with a reserved seating section for subscribers. General admission tickets start at $40 on Wednesdays and Thursdays and $45 for all weekend performances. Prices rise as performances fill up, so patrons are encouraged to order early for the best prices and availability. Full-time students under 25 can get $20 tickets with valid student ID by calling the box office or at the door if tickets are available. There is limited accessible seating for those needing mobility accommodation, and it must be reserved by phone. For tickets and more information, visit horizontheatre.com or call the Box Office at 404.584.7450.
Video from The Public Theatre’s production:
THE CHINESE LADY
THE CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED PLAY BY PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST LLOYD SUH
WILL PLAY ON THE HERTZ STAGE
SEPTEMBER 18 – OCTOBER 18, 2024
THE CHINESE LADY WILL FEATURE KEIKO AGENA OF TV’S GILMORE GIRLS AND
REX LEE OF TV’S FRESH OFF THE BOAT
THE CHINESE LADY marks the return of Playwright & Pulitzer Prize finalist Lloyd Suh (Bina’s Six Apples) to the Alliance.
Inspired by the true story of Afong Moy, THE CHINESE LADY is a darkly poetic, yet whimsical portrait of our past seen through the eyes of a young Chinese woman. Afong – thought to be the first Chinese woman to step foot on U.S. soil – is only 14 years old when she’s brought to the United States in 1834 and put on display as “The Chinese Lady.” Decade after decade, she performs as a living exhibit, showing curious white visitors how she eats, what she wears, and how she walks on tiny bound feet. As time wears on, the lines between her performance and her identity begin to blur. Described as “moving and often sharply funny” (The New York Times), THE CHINESE LADY examines the ongoing struggle for empathy and understanding across cultural divides.
THE CHINESE LADY is deeply rooted in history and is concerned with a young person navigating the tumult of history towards a sense of self-actualization,” said Playwright Lloyd Suh. “When I first heard about Afong Moy, her story haunted me. Afterwards, I did a deep dive to find out as much as I could about her, because I needed to understand her story even just on a personal level.”
THE CHINESE LADY features actors Keiko Agena (TV: Gilmore Girls) as Afong Moy, and Rex Lee (TV: Entourage and Fresh Off the Boat) as Atung.
“Not only does the historical record completely ignore Afong Moy, but there is absolutely nothing on record that comes from her point of view,” said Suh. “My hope is that everyone has a personal reaction [that resonates with] their own personal history, their social location, their relationship with all of what came before and especially what is happening in the world on the particular day they might experience it.”
Tickets are available at the Alliance Theatre Box Office in person or by calling 404.733.4600, or by going online to www.alliancetheatre.org/chineselady.
VENUE INFORMATION:
Hertz Stage at Alliance Theatre
1280 Peachtree Street NE
SPONSOR INFORMATION:
The Hertz Stage series is sponsored by Warner Bros. Discovery. Additional support for THE CHINESE LADY is provided by the Home Depot Foundation.
CALENDAR LISTING SYNOPSIS:
THE CHINESE LADY
September 18 – October 13, 2024
Hertz Stage at Alliance Theatre
1280 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30309
By Lloyd Suh
Directed by Jess McLeod
Inspired by the true story of Afong Moy, The Chinese Lady is a darkly poetic, yet whimsical portrait of our past seen through the eyes of a young Chinese woman. Afong is only 14 years old when she’s brought to the United States in 1834 and displayed as “The Chinese Lady” – the first to step foot on U.S. soil. Decade after decade, she performs as a living exhibit, showing curious white visitors how she eats and what she wears as merchants sell tea and Chinoiserie in the lobby. As time wears on, the lines between her performance and her identity begin to blur. Described as “moving and often sharply funny” (The New York Times), The Chinese Lady examines the ongoing struggle for empathy and understanding across cultural divides. For tickets and info, visit www.alliancetheatre.org/chineselady.
