This story was originally published by ArtsATL.
Synchronicity Theatre has announced its 26th season, running from fall to next summer. The season includes a co-production with Impact Theatre Atlanta of “The Wash,” a play written by ArtsATL editor-at-large Kelundra Smith, as well as other anticipated productions.
“Building a season is always a delicious conundrum, mixing stories and voices that uplift and enlighten,” Synchronicity artistic director Rachel May told ArtsATL. “I was inspired by the theatricality and magic in all of our family series shows, which are fantastical but rooted in authenticity and story. And partnering with Impact Theatre on the world premiere of Kelundra Smith’s ‘The Wash’ puts lively, fierce and powerful women center stage — just how we like it.”
Credit: Allen Cooley
Credit: Allen Cooley
“I can’t wait for Atlanta and the world to experience the comedy, joy and heart that winds all through ‘The Wash,’” Smith told ArtsATL. “This is a homegrown story, rooted in our history. Atlantans will recognize neighborhoods, people and places in it, including Summerhill, Wheat Street and Spelman College.”
The season also includes the North American premiere of “Home, I’m Darling,” written by Laura Wade, and a remount of “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon,” written by Taiwanese American author and illustrator Grace Lin and last staged at Synchronicity a decade ago. This season, the theater is partnering with the community organization East by Southeast to enrich the production’s Asian roots.
“East by Southeast is thrilled to be a community partner with Synchronicity for their production of ‘Where the Mountain Meets the Moon,’” East by Southeast founders Amee Vyas and Michelle Pokopac said in a statement. “We share a vision to foster community connections, especially when opportunities like this feature our Asian cultures and local Asian American and Pacific Islander artists. Inclusion begins with having a seat at the table, which is what we hope to see more of in Atlanta.”
“Something Moving: A Meditation on Maynard”
Credit: Willis Perry/AJC
Credit: Willis Perry/AJC
Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., has announced plans for the world premiere of Pearl Cleage’s “Something Moving: A Meditation on Maynard,” directed by Seema Sueko. Performances run Sept. 22 to Oct. 15. Cleage, who was Maynard Jackson’s speechwriter, said that her experiences were life changing and that she wanted to write about the late Atlanta mayor when she was invited to take part in the Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions The play received a developmental workshop and reading earlier this year.
“I wanted to look at that moment as a time when many different communities in Atlanta came together in a way they never had before to elect this man we all felt was absolutely the right person to lead us through this transition period,” Cleage said in a press release. “I wanted to ask myself and my audience: What makes a great leader? I wanted to explore what we as citizens owe those leaders once we identify them.”
Credit: Albert Trotman
Credit: Albert Trotman
“The Year of Extraordinary Travel”
The Old Smyrna Firehouse will host a limited engagement of a solo show, with a companion gallery exhibit by award-winning actor and photographer Becca McCoy.
“The Year of Extraordinary Travel” will have performances on Sept. 8 and 9, sponsored by the Smyrna Arts Council. Directed by Vickie Daignault, the play integrates literature and photography into traditional solo performance. “Especially after the pandemic stopped us from congregating for collective listening, I wanted to explore the various ways we tell and hear our stories,” McCoy said in a press release. “It is a play about possibility, and books and the theater are spaces of possibility.”
Stage Door Theatre grant
Stage Door Theatre in Dunwoody was recently awarded a 2024 Bridge Grant by the Georgia Council for the Arts, part of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. This first-round grant funding for fiscal year 2024 includes a total of 269 grants across 47 counties in three funding categories.
“We updated our mission, created impactful community engagement programs, maximized the full potential of our academy, diversified our revenue with new corporate partnerships and were intentional with our collaborations and programming to represent the entire community here in Dunwoody,” Stage Door producing arts director Justin Ball said in a press release.
Synchronicity’s incubator project
Synchronicity Theatre has announced the four works that have been selected as part of the new season’s Stripped Bare Arts Incubator Project. The works are “Coming Home to Roost” by Chris Lane on Nov. 15, “Day,” by Emma Yarbrough on Jan. 6, “Soft As It Began” by John Clarence Stewart on Feb. 21 and “Mosaka’s Travel” by Thulani Vereen on April 17. Performances are free at Synchronicity Theatre in Atlanta.
“We are thrilled to uplift new projects led by John Stewart, Chris Lane, Emma Yarbrough and Thulani Vereen,” Synchronicity producing artistic director Rachel May said in a statement. “This is an inspiring new cohort of creators, and we can’t wait to see the projects they bring to our stage.”
Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
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ArtsATL (www.artsatl.org), is a nonprofit organization that plays a critical role in educating and informing audiences about metro Atlanta’s arts and culture. Founded in 2009, ArtsATL’s goal is to help build a sustainable arts community contributing to the economic and cultural health of the city.
If you have any questions about this partnership or others, please contact Senior Manager of Partnerships Nicole Williams at nicole.williams@ajc.com.
