Alliance Theatre scripts new outreach to develop projects, talent

The Alliance Theatre’s collaborations with glossy guests such as Barry Manilow, Stephen King and John Mellencamp grab headlines, but the city’s largest stage company meanwhile works with hundreds of local artists while presenting 11 plays a season.

The Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab program that the Alliance announced late last week will give local artists the opportunity to tap the troupe’s considerable resources in developing new works, some of which might even wind up as part of an Alliance season lineup.

As part of the new program, three small local artist groups per year will enjoy Alliance support in varied forms: monetary ($10,000 to further develop the works-in-progress), expertise (the chance to consult with the troupe’s artistic, educational and production staffs) and physical (spaces to rehearse and stage the works).

Calling the program “an investment in our local artist community,” Alliance artistic director Susan Booth announced the three initial projects that will be given showcase presentations, free to the public, Aug. 8-9 at the theater’s 200-seat Hertz Stage:

The Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab grew out of a series of national feedback sessions in which individual theater artists were asked by leaders of the country’s largest cultural institutions, well, what they wanted.

The answers came “loud and clear,” Booth said, especially when she brought the national dialogue initiated by the service organization Theatre Communications Group back to Atlanta.

Alliance leaders heard that the metro area’s theater artists yearned for an artistic home, wanted to be welcomed there “whether we’re on the payroll or not,” yet cherished their independence and the opportunity to create with fellow artists of their choosing.

The final piece of feedback, though, was Booth’s favorite: “We want to know what the heck goes on in there.”

Like other divisions of the Woodruff Arts Center, the nonprofit that so dominates Atlanta’s arts funding, the Alliance is aware of the envy of individual artists and smaller groups.

The Reiser Lab — a local bookend to the Alliance’s Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition, whose winning entry is presented at the Hertz each season — could start to change that.

A sign of the theater community’s buy-in is in the response to the open call the Alliance extended for Atlanta artists to submit developmental works for consideration of its first round of support. Expecting a handful of applications, the Alliance received 68, representing 204 artists.

A panel of five judges, including Booth and Alliance playwright in residence Pearl Cleage, made what the artistic director said were very difficult choices in selecting the three recipients.

“Our goal is that these amazing artists find lucrative, supportive, producing homes for their work,” Booth said.

As the Artists Lab organizer, the Alliance gets the right of first refusal.

“In my heart of hearts, I hope there’s a bloodbath,” Booth joked. “I hope (Theatrical Outfit producing artistic director) Tom Key and I are punching each other in the jaw, fighting over work that comes out of the lab.”

Booth said the Alliance is not only interested in identifying promising new work to stage but emerging talent it can collaborate with in the future.

“We want and need to be home to the field’s best artists wherever they live,” Booth said. “What’s glorious is when the field’s best artists also live here.”

Support for its launch year was provided by the David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund, the Charles Loridans Foundation, the Mark and Evelyn Trammell Foundation and the Woodruff Arts Center.

Booth announced that an undisclosed gift from longtime Atlanta arts patrons Margaret and Bob Reiser will keep the program going in perpetuity.

In fact, the Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab will begin accepting applications for its 2014-15 round at the end of this month, when submission information will be posted on the Alliance’s website. Deadline: Oct. 15.