From its larger cities to smaller towns, Georgia offers plenty of theatrical entertainment. The Peach State is home to prestigious theater houses where visitors can experience any number of plays, from Shakespeare to more modern playwrights like Tom Stoppard.
Historic Hotspots
A number of Georgia's theater houses and companies have been established for many years. The oldest is the Savannah Theatre, which was designed by renowned architect William Jay, and debuted in 1818. Among the theatrical greats who trod its boards are Sarah Bernhardt, Tyrone Power, Lillian Russell, Oscar Wilde, and W.C. Fields. Several fires over the years prompted renovations to the building, and the latest round in 2002 restored it to a 1940s Art Deco style. Currently, the theater produces musical shows such as Broadway on Bull Street, a tuneful revue of Broadway favorites.
The official State Theatre of Georgia, the Springer Opera House in Columbus, first lifted the curtains on its stage in 1871. In a short time, it became known throughout the country as the best theater between Washington, D.C., and New Orleans. Edwin Booth, Lillie Langtry, Will Rogers, and Ethel Barrymore all appeared on the Springer's stage. After the Great Depression decimated theatrical touring companies, the building became a movie house. Saved from demolition in 1964, it was restored to its former opulent glory and reopened the following year as a performing arts center. Visitors will find a wide variety of productions on its calendar, including cutting-edge plays, Broadway favorites, and children's theater.
Another prestigious venue is the Fox Theatre, whose building design is said to take the breath away of those who enter its doors. The Fox Theatre has been running since 1929. Its history includes performances by the Atlanta Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and even Mick Jagger. In 1946, it served as the location for the debut of the controversial Disney film Song of the South. Today, this Atlanta treasure presents a mix of performing arts, including theater and opera.
Athens is home to the Morton Theatre, which was the first vaudeville theater in the United States to be owned by an African American. It was financed, owned and operated by Monroe Bowers Morton, and served as Athens' hot-spot of African-American nightlife in the early 1900s. In the 1930s it was converted to a movie house, but it was shut down in the 1950s due to fire code violations. Today, it stands as a national landmark in Athens and is owned by the state. It was remodeled in the early 1990s and has served as the location of many successful play runs since.
Atlanta Metro Area
With almost half of the state's population residing in the Atlanta metropolitan area, it's no surprise that the city boasts the widest array of theatrical performances. Travelers can find detailed listings of upcoming productions through the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts.
One of the city's don't-miss stages is the Alliance Theatre, considered the top professional resident theater in the Southeast. Since 1968, the company has made a name for itself by developing new works with both established and emerging playwrights. World premieres produced at the theater include Pearl Cleage's Blues For an Alabama Sky and the Elton John/Tim Rice collaboration Aida, which moved to Broadway and won several Tony Awards in 2000. In 2007, the Alliance Theatre won a Regional Theatre Tony Award for Outstanding Achievement. The theater also holds acting classes and a youth theater project, which stages two of its own productions each season.
Another heralded Atlanta theater is Actor's Express, founded in 1988. The company's mission to mount original, daring plays with new perspectives has earned it the reputation as the city's most innovative theater. Recent productions include The Last Five Years, Some Men, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
For a taste of Elizabethan-style theater, head to the New American Shakespeare Tavern, home of the Atlanta Shakespeare Company. Prior to each show, the tavern serves a full menu of food and drinks with a British slant. Most productions are Shakespearean plays, though the company also stages other period classics and related plays, such as Peter Shaffer's Lettice and Lovage. The Atlanta Shakespeare Company traveled to London in 1995 and performed at the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the first American company to do so.
Mountain Region
In north Georgia, the Appalachians create the state's mountain region. Even though none of the Peach State's larger cities are located in the region, travelers will still find many theatrical options here.
The Holly Theatre, located in Dahlonega, has been hosting plays and acting troupes since 1947. Located in a building listed as a National Historic Site, the Holly's year-round season presents classic plays, musicals, dinner theater, and children's theater.
In Cartersville, the Grand Theatre presents a variety of performing arts, including theater. Another community group in town, The Pump House Players, perform at the Legion Theatre. Other community theaters in the region include the Rome Little Theatre and the Blue Ridge Community Theater, both named for their respective towns.
A unique dinner theater experience can be had at the Public Square Opera House in the 1902 Stock Exchange building in Adairsville. This lovingly restored building hosts period plays like The King and I, It's a Wonderful Life, and Little Women to enhance the feeling of stepping back in time. For more dinner theater, try the professional Blackbear Dinner Theatre in Helen, which produces a lot of musicals.
The Coast
Most of the theater offerings in Georgia's coastal region are found in Savannah. However, Brunswick's community company, The Island Players, produces four mainstage shows (two of them musicals) during their season, which runs from October to May.
Prior to 2007, the aforementioned Savannah Theatre was one of few theaters producing shows in the city regularly. The community group Little Theatre of Savannah has also presented plays since 1950. As well, the Cultural Arts Theatre produces non-mainstream shows like Bat Boy the Musical and The Laramie Project, and the Savannah Children's Theatre began in 2004; however, all have a more limited calendar. But 2007 proved to be a watershed year, with several new theatrical ventures popping up.
The most ambitious of these new theaters is the ARK Theatre, which opened with the goal of presenting plays every night of the year. The Savannah Actor's Theatre runs the space, performing their own shows three weekends per month, with a mix of new plays, classics, and local works. Other area groups perform at the ARK as well. Also debuting were the Savannah Community Theatre and History Theatre, which writes and presents plays delving into Savannah's heritage.
Historic South
In between the mountains and coast, covering central and eastern Georgia, is the Historic South region. Its largest cities, Augusta and Macon, both boast many places where visitors can enjoy live theater. Some of the region's smaller towns, like Dublin and Athens, will also fit the playbill.
Augusta's offerings include the Augusta Opera, the community-based Augusta Players, and productions by Augusta State University's theater department. Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre, whose season runs all year, earned an Irving Berlin Award for Programming Excellence. Le Chat Noir also presents a full season, while the Imperial Theatre presents a variety of performing arts, including occasional plays.
Visitors to Macon will find a similar selection of theaters. Theatre Macon, Douglass Theatre, Macon Little Theatre, and the Grand Opera House are among the city's best-known theater venues.
Southern Rivers
In addition to its Springer Opera House, the Southern Rivers region in southwest Georgia can lay claim to two other proud playhouses. The Rylander Theatre in Americus premiered in 1921, presenting both live theater and motion pictures. Though dubbed "the finest playhouse south of Atlanta," it closed in 1951 and sat abandoned for 40 years. A $4.8 million renovation brought the theater back to life, and it's now once again a stunning setting with state-of-the-art technology. The Sumter Players perform in the theater, as well as produce a touring show.
Cotton Hall in Colquitt serves as home base for Swamp Gravy, the Official Folklife Play of Georgia. Since 1992, this celebration of Georgia's rural culture has returned each year with a new script and original songs, all based on true stories from community members. Having garnered national attention, the show graced the stage at Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center in 1996. Other shows visitors may catch at Cotton Hall include May-Haw and Cotton Hall Christmas.
Of course, many more theaters can be found in both the Southern Rivers region and the state at large. Whether you prefer Shakespeare, opera, musicals, or contemporary drama, there's a theater in Georgia waiting for you.
