Atlanta audiences will delight in premiere performances, as Aurora Theatre announces its 2016-2017 Peach State Federal Credit Union Signature Series.
Following a landmark 20th anniversary season, Georgia's second largest professional theater will once again bring Broadway-caliber productions of unsurpassed talent and theatrics to the charming downtown Lawrenceville square.
This season's diverse line-up features IN THE HEIGHTS, WOMEN IN JEOPARDY, THE MOUNTAINTOP, SPLIT IN THREE and the highly anticipated return of the celebrated holiday classic CHRISTMAS CANTEEN 2016. Led by co-founders Anthony Rodriguez and Ann-Carol Pence, the upcoming season offers something for theatergoers of all ages with its main stage mix of musicals, comedies and dramas!
"After our successful anniversary season, we are eager to continue forward with even greater productions this year, giving audiences a wide range of theater to enjoy," says Aurora Theatre Producing Artistic Director Anthony Rodriguez. "With many different themes present in this series - diversity, friendship and perseverance - our hope is that these performances not only provide entertainment, but educate and inspire people too!"
The upcoming Signature Series includes both original and co-production collaborations with local theatrical organizations, made possible by devoted donors and subscribers.
"Through the help of our many donors, sponsors and season subscribers, we have been able to build Aurora to the great organization it is today," says Associate Producer Ann-Carol Pence. "We owe it to them, our community, the many talented people that work tirelessly to make these shows successes and ourselves, to continue to produce compelling and powerful theater for our region."
IN THE HEIGHTS
July 21- August 28, 2016
The duo of Atlanta theaters that brought last season's smash-hit MEMPHIS partners once again for the Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning IN THE HEIGHTS! A co-production with Theatrical Outfit, the highly acclaimed musical is a universal story of a vibrant Latin community in New York's Washington Heights, a place where the coffee from Usnavi's corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. While his neighborhood is on the brink of change - full of hopes, dreams and pressures - the biggest struggles lie in deciding which traditions to keep and which to leave behind, as they create a permanent home of their own.
WOMEN IN JEOPARDY
September 29- October 23, 2016
When divorcees Mary and Jo receive suspicious vibes from their friend Liz's new dentist boyfriend, they set out on a quest to discover the hidden truths of his potential dark past. Are they being too critical due to the recent disappearance of his oral hygienist, or does the dashing doctor actually have something to hide? A combination of Thelma and Louise meets The First Wives Club; WOMEN IN JEOPARDY is a fun, flirtatious and laugh-out-loud comedy about the happenings of two middle-aged women when they trade in their wine glasses for a pair of spy glasses!
CHRISTMAS CANTEEN 2016
November 17- December 23, 2016
An Aurora Theatre original and Gwinnett's longest-running theatrical holiday tradition, CHRISTMAS CANTEEN 2016 returns to the Aurora stage this November for its 21st season run! An audience favorite, this nostalgic musical revue is a Winter Wonderland that just keeps getting better! Sketch comedy mixed with theatrical numbers and singing galore, CHRISTMAS CANTEEN 2016is a variety show that should be on every person's Christmas list!
THE MOUNTAINTOP
January 12- February 12, 2017
After delivering his memorable I've Been to the Mountaintop speech, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. retires to his room at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis and orders a cup of coffee. When Camae, the mysterious maid with a much greater mission in mind arrives, the lightning from their conversation crackles more than the storm brewing outside. THE MOUNTAINTOP poignantly re-imagines Dr. King's final moments on earth, as he confronts his destiny and legacy.
SPLIT IN THREE
May 4-28, 2017
It's 1969, and the Supreme Court is forcing the last segregated school system in rural Mississippi to integrate. Two white sisters, Nola and Nell, are caught in the middle of a national fervor as the deadline draws near. As if tensions aren't high enough, their long-lost Yankee half-sister arrives unexpectedly at their doorstep. Faced with the difficult new reality of their blended world, nothing is black and white in this southern fried comedy about the bond of sisterhood.
The 2016-2017 series will also offer a new musical, March 9- April 16, which will be announced soon!
Ticket prices for the 2016-2017 Signature Series vary by performance. Season subscribers have the opportunity to select preferred seating starting now, whereas single-show tickets go on sale to the public starting July 5. For more information on the series or to become a season subscriber, visit auroratheatre.com, or call the Box Office at 678.226.6222.
Videos