EARLYBIRD Festival Pass Discount

For a limited time, an additional $5 off the three show Essential Theatre Festival Pass will be available for online purchases using the discount code "EARLYBIRD"

An Any Performance 3 Show Festival Pass is available for only $50 [now $45] and a Value Pass good for each of the three shows on Sunday through Thursday

$45 [now $40].

Best Local Playwrights: Sunday Paper recognizes a few of Atlanta's talented playwrights.

The Essential Theatre wants to congratulate Lauren Gunderson for being named Best Local Playwright in the Sunday Paper's Reader's Poll -- and Valetta Anderson for being named runner-up!

Lauren won the Essential Theatre Playwriting Award in 2001 (for PARTS THEY CALL DEEP) and 2004 (for BACKGROUND). Valetta won in 2006, for LEAVING LIMBO.

All the best to both these writers, and may they have continued success in their field.

In the meantime, look out for our World Premiere production of Vynnie Meli's JIM CROW AND THE RHYTHM DARLINGS, winner of this year's contest. It'll be part of the 11th Annual Essential Theatre Festival, playing July 5 - August 2 at Actor's Express.

For more information, visit www.EssentialTheatre.com.

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Kudos for Essential Theatre Playwriting Award Winners Karla Jennings and Lauren Gunderson

The Essential Theatre wants to congratulate Atlanta playwright Karla Jennings on winning the Pillars Playwriting Prize for her script “The Smiles.” This award is sponsored by the Creative Writing Program in the Department of English, Speech and Journalism at Georgia College and State University. Karla will receive an honorarium of $2,000.00 and her play will be produced at the College.

The Essential Theatre chose Karla’s play “Images In Smoke” for production in 2000, making it the second winner of our annual competition for Georgia playwrights (though we weren’t officially calling it the Essential Theatre Playwriting Award yet). That production was named by Creative Loafing’s Curt Holman as being one of the fifteen best shows of that year.

Karla went on to win the Playwrights First Award (given by New York’s National Arts Club) for her play “The Ruby Vector.” We wish her all the best in her continued success.

In more good news for Essential Playwrights, Lauren Gunderson (winner of the 2001 and 2004 Essential Theatre Playwriting Awards, for “Parts They Call Deep” and “Background”) just had the World Premiere of her play “Emilie” at the very prestigious South Coast Repertory in California. Congratulations to Lauren as well!