Theatrical Outfit Announces 2022 – 2023 Season

Theatrical Outfit has announced its 2022 - 2023 Season - a truly game-changing year. With four gripping Mainstage productions and the continuations of Made In Atlanta, The Graham Martin Unexpected Play Festival, and The Welcome Table, the 2022 - 2023 Season at Theatrical Outfit will bring powerful, relevant, and thrilling live theatre to the heart of Downtown Atlanta. Not to mention, the realization of the "Heart of the City" Capital Campaign that will see the lobby of the Balzer Theater at Herren's fully renovated to include a full bar and ample space to connect before and after each electrifying production.

"This season is full of transformational ideas that will change the game for Theatrical Outfit," says Artistic Director Matt Torney. "From a dynamic Mainstage season filled with exciting collaborations to the launch of new community engagement, artist residencies, and play commissions, we want to put all of the best ideas we developed during the shutdown into practice. We want to offer TO as a home for artists right in the heart of our city and to catalyze all of our work to start important conversations in our community."

Their Mainstage season will feature four enthralling productions, all aimed at starting "conversations that matter" in Atlanta. After debuting in ATL as part of TO's Downtown Dialogues reading series last season, FLEX by Candrice Jones (September 7 - October 2, 2022) will be fully recognized in a co-world premiere with TheatreSquared. This adrenaline packed play about a high school basketball team explores the fierce strength of young black women in the South and what it means to be part of a team. Then, when TO's Downtown space closes for its major renovation, they will set up shop not too far away for The White Chip by Sean Daniels (January 25 - February 19, 2023) - a major co-production with Dad's Garage, performed at Dad's Garage and starring former TO Artistic Director, Tom Key! That's right! Daniels, an original founding member of Dad's will return home with this autobiographical comedy about the ups, downs, and in-betweens of alcoholism and recovery. This co-production will be followed by a two-week community tour to connect directly with people struggling with addiction, and the amazing organizations that serve them. Next, we return to the renovated Balzer Theater at Herren's for the Atlanta premiere of Tiny Beautiful Things - based on the book by Cheryl Strayed & adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos (March 29 - April 23, 2023). Booming with theatricality, this heartfelt and hilarious play about bestselling author Strayed's early days as an unpaid advice columnist demonstrates the healing power of empathy & will prove why it is one of the top produced shows in the country. Concluding the season is the highly anticipated Atlanta premiere of the Tony Award winning (and recently adapted film) The Humans by Stephen Karam (May 31 - June 25, 2023). Directed by Torney, this modern-day classic will explode onto the stage as one family's Thanksgiving is turned (and haunted) upside-down in what is sure to be the most buzzed about production of 2023 Atlanta season.

"As well as highlighting amazing playwriting, these shows all celebrate the resilience of the human spirit - showing how we overcome tough circumstances with the help of our family, friends, and community," says Torney. "What excites me most about the season are the partnerships we are building across the city, creating new ways to engage with Atlanta to deepen the impact of our work both on and off the stage."

In addition to a smart, authentic, vital Mainstage Season, Theatrical Outfit will continue its focus on new work and community engagement. On the new work front, TO is excited to announce the first major MADE IN ATLANTA COMMISSION: Young John Lewis - a hip-hop musical based on ten crucial years in the early life of John Lewis and his journey from farm boy to a major leader in the Civil Rights movement by the time he was 28. Written by hip-hop & spoken word playwright Psalmayene 24 with all original music composed by Eugene H. Russell IV, this new work is sure to become an ATL sensation. The new work does not stop there as TO will be announcing a second commission, a series of new play workshops, and details about a brand-new space - MADE IN ATLANTA New Play Lab. Additionally, there will be the return of the Graham Martin Unexpected Play Festival in partnership with Working Title Playwrights featuring readings of brand-new play by exciting Atlanta playwrights will return after a hugely successful run this current season. Then, on the engagement front, Theatrical Outfit will continue to expand by launching a major new partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Atlanta called Rhythm and Revision - a 6-week playwrighting & performance bootcamp developed by Associate Artistic Director, Addae Moon. Piloting this July, it will culminate in a live performance onstage at the Balzer Theatre. TO will also be partnering once again with other Atlanta non-profits for the third annual The Welcome Table and building special community focused events and conversations around each of its Mainstage productions.

"TO is solidifying our commitment to the development of new work under our exciting Made In Atlanta (MIA) programing," says Associate Artistic Director Addae Moon. "Starting with the development workshops of our commissioned musical on the younger years of John Lewis' life, MIA is paving the way to tell the stories of ATL. And, our passion for developing new voices extends to our community engagement programming as we pilot our Rhythm & Revision workshops in conjunction with Boys & Girls Club of metro Atlanta. These workshops will be focused on teaching poetry, playwriting, and spoken word performance to provide young people with the tools to tell their own stories."

Lastly, the time has come to announce the official timeline for the "Heart of the City" Capital Campaign renovations. TO's doors will literally come down from October 2022 - February 2023 as major renovations to the lobby begin. Complete with a reinvigorated front façade, a spacious seating area, and a full new bar, this new space will bring a whole new energy to the theatre and Downtown Atlanta. Patrons will connect in whole news ways both pre and post shows.

Theatrical Outfit is thrilled to continue welcoming audiences to the Balzer Theater at Herren's in the heart of Downtown Atlanta to tell the stories that start the conversations that matter. VIP Packages for the 2022 - 2023 Season are on sale NOW. They invite you to visit theatricaloutfit.org or call 678-528-1500 for more information.

FLEX

by Candrice Jones

Co-World Premiere with TheatreSquared

September 7 - October 2, 2022

"Brilliant, Beautiful Examination Of The Lives Of Young Black Women" - Diana Burbano for New Play Exchange

HIGH ADRENALINE. A powerful world premiere about swagger, determination and sticking together. It's 1997 and the WNBA is changing the game. Every player on Plainnole's Lady Train basketball team now dreams of going pro - but first, they'll have to navigate the pressures of being young, black, and female in rural Arkansas. Candrice Jones's adrenaline packed play about a high school basketball team explores the fierce strength of young black women in the South and what it means to be part of a team.

The White Chip

by Sean Daniels

Co-Production with Dad's Garage

Performed at Dad's Garage

January 25 - February 19, 2023

HIGH HUMOR. A hilarious and honest look at sobriety from Dad's Garage founding member, Sean Daniels. Steven is on top of the world: he's married, has good friends, and is steps away from his dream job running one of the hottest theaters in the country. He also happens to be an alcoholic spinning out of control. Follow his life from first sip to first love, critical hit to critical care, all the way to rock bottom, where he carves an unusual path to sobriety. Starring former Theatrical Outfit Artistic Director, Tom Key!

Tiny Beautiful Things

Based on the book by Cheryl Strayed

Adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos

March 29 - April 23, 2023

HIGH HEART. Based on the New York Times bestselling book by Cheryl Strayed (author of Wild) and adapted by Academy Award nominee Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Tiny Beautiful Things explores Strayed's time as the anonymous, unpaid, advice columnist Dear Sugar. While strangers on the internet tell her their most personal secrets (which they are terrified to even share with their own families), Strayed weaves together her own personal experiences to create a column full of light, laughter, and humanity.

The Humans

by Stephen Karam

Directed by Matt Torney

May 31 - June 25, 2023

HIGH DRAMA. Named the 'Best Play of 2016' by every major publication including NPR & TimeOut New York, The Humans takes a hopeful, heartbreaking, and humorous look at the decline of the American middle class, and one family's hopes and fears. Erik Blake has brought his family from Pennsylvania to celebrate Thanksgiving at his daughter's new apartment in the city, but as darkness falls, mysterious things start to happen, and family tensions reach a boiling point. The Humans is Tony Award winning & Pulitzer Prize finalist.

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