Fri. Jul 1: "A Sleeping Country" Talkback with Sleep Expert Dr. Michael Rinow

Join in the brief discussion on the evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders with Dr. Michael Rinow, director of the Northside Hospital Sleep Center.

Dr. Rinow is a native of Upstate New York, Dr. Rinow received his Medical Degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He completed his Medical Residency and Pulmonary Fellowship at SUNY at Buffalo. After working as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at SUNYAB for 10 years, he was the Medical Director for the Critical Care Units and Respiratory therapy departments at a community hospital in Western NY. He moved to Atlanta in 1997 and worked as a Pulmonologist/Critical Care physician for Kaiser Permanente. He has been involved in the care of sleep medicine patients for over 30 years. He is boarded in Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.

JOIN OUR $13 for 13 YEARS CAMPAIGN

What do you do when you simply can't sleep?

Julia Fracassi can't get to sleep. Her insomnia has ruined the relationship with her boyfriend and has made her miserable. With guidance from her friend Dr. Midge, she embarks on a hilarious journey to Venice to find answers. Come along for the journey. Learn More.

Dr. Midge's recommendations are anything but orthodox. So, we'd like to ask for your help. Please post comments with your suggestions. Dr. Midge will consider all your suggestions and offer two free tickets to any Essential Theatre Festival performance for the best advice. We need your advice prior to July 4th, so we can help Julia get a good night's sleep.

Local actor Theroun Patterson is successfully making the transition to award-winning playwright.

One of the more disconcerting recent developments on the Atlanta theater scene is Theroun Patterson’s decision to stop acting, at the relatively prime age of 37. Read More



Video Interview with Essenial Theatre 2011 Playwriting Award Winner, Theroun D'Arcy Patterson

The 2011 Bare Essentials Reading Series

June 13

“CITATIONS” by Josh Harmon

Directed by Barbara Hawkins-Scott

A famous and successful historian is accused of plagiarism, and all those close to her rally to her defense – except for her teenage son.  By the author of “Bad Jews”, Playwright In Residence at Actor’s Express.

July 20

“A PAIN IN THE NECK” by Rachel Teagle

Directed by Dina Shadwell

Mina thinks her girlfriend might be cheating on her -- with a man, which would be bad enough, but he could also be a vampire, which would really suck.  (Sorry.)  This dark comedy was a finalist in the 2011 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award competition.

July 26

“MY BROTHER’S KNIFE” by Joshua Mikel

Directed by Amber Bradshaw

Wayne just wants to kill himself, but this psychotic deputy sheriff takes him prisoner, tormenting him and forcing him to play old rock and roll tunes.  What is going on here?  This surreal journey into the past was a finalist in the 2011 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award competition.

July 27

“THE SPINS” by Sara Crawford

Directed by Curtis Krick

Music always sounds better on vinyl, and the spinning of a record on a turntable is echoed by the drunken emotional vertigo of a young woman haunted by the death of her musician brother.  Written by Creative Loafing’s Reader’s Choice for Best Local Songwriter, this play was a finalist in the 2011 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award competition.

Take Action Against High Gas Prices

Buy your Essential Theatre Flex Pass and Save Even More
Get a Flex Pass between now and June 15th and in addition to the savings up to 50%, we will pay for gas. Enter the code "GAS" when you purchase your Flex Pass and you save $5.

Flex Pass FAQ

How does the Flex Pass work?
When you purchase a three, six or ten ticket Flex Pass, you can use those tickets however you wish. You can bring a big party on one night or divide your tickets across multiple performances. You can use them all for one play, or you can use your pass to see all three plays at different times.

Are all Flex Passes good for the same number of admissions? If so, what is that number?
No, you can get a Flex Pass good for 3, 6, or 10 tickets. This will be reflected both in the name of the Flex Pass and its price.

Are there restrictions on which performances the Flex Passes are good for?
There are no blackout dates or restrictions, and you can even wait until a few hours before a performance to get your tickets online. In order to redeem the tickets on your Flex Pass, you MUST reserve tickets online, however!

How do I redeem my Flex Pass for tickets to see a show?
To redeem your Flex Pass for tickets to a particular performance, simply visit OvationTix online and redeem as many tickets as you're ready to reserve at that time, up to the number of remaining tickets on your Flex Pass, of course.

What if I purchase the ten ticket Flex Pass, but I only want to reserve one or two of the tickets now?
You don't need to reserve all your tickets at a single visit. You can visit the website again to select your remaining tickets. You just use them when you need them. For example, if you buy a ten ticket Flex Pass, you can see one performance by yourself and later choose to use your remaining tickets to come back with eight friends on another night. Whenever you want, simply go online and choose up to your remaining number of tickets for whichever show you want to see.

Do I need to actually make a reservation, or can I just present my Flex Pass at the box office?
The box office is not able to redeem or sell Flex Passes directly at the time of a performance. You MUST redeem your Flex Pass online prior to arriving at the theatre. If you have difficulty, you can call OvationTix at 866.811.4111. While the box office is unable to process or sell Flex Passes at the time of the performance, you may redeem your Flex Pass up until a few hours before whatever show you'd like to attend, by logging in online.

What if I haven't used all the tickets on my Flex Pass by the time the Festival ends?
If you find you cannot use all the tickets on your Flex Pass, you can donate any remaining tickets as a tax-deductible donation by notifying us at Info@EssentialTheatre.com

Once I've bought a single ticket for a Festival show, can I later decide to buy a Flex Pass and get a refund for the regular ticket I've already purchased?
No, single tickets can't be credited to a Flex Pass once they've been purchased separately. So get your Flex Pass today and start saving!

Play Reading: CITATIONS by Joshua Elias Harmon, Monday June 13, 7:30pm

CITATIONS by Joshua Elias Harmon, Actors Express Playwright in Residence, reading directed by Barbara Hawkins-Scott

Essential Theatre @ Actors Express, Monday June 13, 7:30pm 

Cooper's senior year of high school turns chaotic when his mother, a major American historian, is accused of plagiarism. A play about academic honesty, Hamlet, and growing up.

Joshua Elias Harmon (Playwright) His plays include A Boy Named Alice, Bad Jews, Citations, Love in the Time of Channukah, Princess Bubonic, and a new adaptation of Emile Zola's novel Therese Raquin. His work has been produced and developed by Ars Nova, Hangar Theatre, The Lark, Prospect Theater Company, Future Tenant, and Actor's Express, where he was the 2010-2011 National New Play Network's Playwright-in-Residence. Honors include the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize for ComicPlaywriting (2nd Place), a MacDowell Colony Fellowship, Atlantic Center for the Arts Residency, Eudora Welty Foundation Fellowship, two Shubert Foundation Fellowships and a Kennedy Center Playwriting Fellowship at the O'Neill Playwrights Conference. Education: Northwestern (BA), Carnegie Mellon (MFA).
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Suggested donation $5

DaVinci's Pizzeria Supports the Arts, Now You Need to Support DaVinci's.

Great Pizza, Great Theatre, It's What's Essential. 

 

Print this coupon and take it to DaVinci's Pizzeria and  20% of your tab will be donated to support this year's Essential Theatre Festival. 

The term Pizzaiolo originated in Old World Italy.  In the old villages, there were many places to find pizza in the markets.  But every village had one that stood out in a unique way, and generally, the person driving that shop was referred to a Pizzaiolo.  Each Pizzaiolo was considered to be a master pie maker.
     
Nowadays, the term Pizzaiolo is loosely translated as “pizza chef”.  DaVinci’s Pizzeria was founded in the tradition of the Pizzaiolo.   A Pizzaiolo was a person of integrity, respect, and humility in the community.  We apply their philosophies of hard work, quality meats, and fresh produce, and adhere to the commitment that fresh does tastes best.
    
At Davinci’s, we strive to embody the spirit of the Pizzaiolo.  We honestly do things the old fashioned way.  Yes, it is a heck of a lot more work, but in the end, isn’t that what serving food is all about?