Atlanta’s Arts & Entertainment Guide: Your Guide to the Best of Atlanta’s Cultural Scene
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| Fall 2022

Atlanta’s Arts & Entertainment Guide

Your Guide to the Best of Atlanta’s Cultural Scene



Welcome to Atlanta! You’ve chosen a city that has it all: charming

neighborhoods, quality schools, recreation options galore, exciting attractions and top-notch dining. In addition, it’s one of the nation’s leading centers of the arts, hosting the best of Broadway, a world-class symphony, a plethora of museums and galleries, rowdy standup comedy and much, much more. Our guide to the city’s arts and entertainment world is your backstage pass to something that will excite and inspire everyone in your family.

Legend:
Family: F
Adults: A
Teens: T
Date Night: D

Performing Arts

Alliance Theatre

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The Tony Award-winning Alliance continues to bring classic and groundbreaking plays to the Woodruff Arts Center. The 2022-23 productions include the Coca-Cola Stage Series’ “Everybody,” “A Christmas Carol,” “The Hot Wing King” and “Water for Elephants.” The Family Series will include “The Incredible Book Eating Boy,” “Roob and Noob” and “The Boy Who Kissed the Sky,” and the Alliance also has a series of plays for very young children. alliancetheatre.org

Georgia Tech Arts

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Georgia Tech Arts encompasses every aspect of the arts at Georgia Tech; the performance aspect includes both student and professional produc- tions of music, theater, dance and comedy. The program’s home is the Ferst Center for the Arts, which seats nearly 1,000. The 2022-23 Georgia Tech Arts performance series showcases work created by artists from across the globe. arts.gatech.edu

Atlanta Ballet

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One of the country’s premier dance companies, the Atlanta Ballet has brought the power and joy of dance to Atlanta for 93 years now. Its 2022-23 season will include “Balanchine Inspired,” the holiday classic “The Nutcracker,” “Midwinter Dreams,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Don Quixote” and “Significant Others.” atlantaballet.com

Atlanta Opera

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Founded in 1979, this acclaimed company presents both fresh imaginings of the classics and new works for a modern audience. For its 2022-23 season, it will stage “Bluebeard’s Castle,” “The Snowy Day,” “Madama Butterfly,” “Don Giovanni,” “Candide” and “Das Rheingold.” atlantaopera.org

Aurora Theatre

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Now in its 27th season, this Lawrenceville institution is the fastest-growing professional theater in the state, staging Broadway hits, contemporary theater, children’s programs and metro Atlanta’s only professional Spanish-language theatre, Teatro Aurora. Highlights for its upcoming season include “Mary Poppins,” “Kim’s Convenience,” “Summer: The Donna Summer Special” and the holiday favorite “Christmas Canteen.” auroratheatre.com

Regions Broadway in Atlanta

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The best of Broadway comes to the Southeast every year with the Regions Broadway in Atlanta series. This season, the curtain goes up on “Pretty Woman,” “Chicago,” “Anastasia,” “Hadestown,” “Riverdance” and “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” among others. broadwayinatlanta.com

Center for Puppetry Arts

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The center’s 2022-23 season will include “Contemporary Spotlight on Raymond Carr,” the holiday favorite “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” and the world premiere of “Tesla vs. Edison.” The Worlds of Puppetry Museum has puppets from theatre, TV and film, while the Jim Henson Collection is home to the beloved Muppets. The center also offers kids’ workshops that will turn your child into a budding puppeteer. puppet.org

Fox Theatre

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This Midtown landmark, a former 1920s movie palace known for its Moorish and Egyptian architecture, hosts performances in old-school grandeur. Daily tours showcase the venue’s history and must-see details – from Mighty Mo, the world’s largest working Moller theatre organ, to the lounges featuring the original furniture chosen by the wife of movie mogul William Fox, to the crystal “stars” twinkling overhead in the auditorium’s trompe l’oeil sky. foxtheatre.org

Georgia Ballet

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For its 63rd season, the Marietta-based Georgia Ballet presents “Peter Pan,” a holiday presentation of “The Nutcracker” and “Carmen Suite.” At The School of the Georgia Ballet, the company offers classes in three divisions: Primary Ballet Division, Recreational Division and Pre-Professional Ballet Division. georgiaballet.org

Marietta's New Theatre in the Square

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This landmark theatre presents established and new plays, comedy and films in Marietta’s historic Square district. Productions include “Little Shop of Horrors, “The Gift of the Magi 2.0” and “Frozen Jr.” The Summer Film Camp and Summer Performing Arts Camp introduce young people to the world of theatre and film. theatreinthesquare.net

Rialto Center for the Arts

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This 833-seat venue on the campus of Georgia State University is a premier venue for jazz, world music, theatre and dance. Among this season’s offerings are Arturo Sandoval, the 25th Annual Gala Holiday Concert and “Our Town: The Opera.” rialto.gsu.edu

Schwartz Center for Performing Arts

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Emory University’s Schwartz Center features an 800-seat concert hall that hosts eclectic music, dance and theater performances. This year’s series includes Music by Copland House featuring Susan Graham, Urban Bush Women: Legacy + Lineage + Liberation and the Maria Schneider Orchestra. arts.emory.edu

The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse

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Shakespeare Tavern presents Shakespeare and other classics, mounted as closely as possible to the versions in which they were originally presented. Café-style food and drinks are available before each performance. Upcoming productions include “Much Ado About Nothing,” “Macbeth,” “The Tempest” and Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” shakespearetavern.com

Spivey Hall

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Renowned for its exceptional acoustics, this 400-seat space on the campus of Clayton State University in Morrow is a great setting for live jazz and classical music. The upcoming season includes performances by the Georgia Musicale Group, violinist Joshua Bell and pianist Peter Dugan, Europa Galante with violinist Fabio Biondi and Wycliffe Gordon and the International All-Stars. spiveyhall.org

Visual Arts

Atlanta Contemporary

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This influential gallery spotlights important local, national and international contemporary artists in addition to commissioning new works. The center hosts lectures and events throughout the year, including the Contemporary Cocktails series and Contemporary Kids, a free interactive program that introduces children to art and artists. atlantacontemporary.org

High Museum of Art

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The High is renowned for its notable architecture, its extensive collection and largescale exhibits by Warhol, Monet and others. Upcoming exhibits include “Stephen Burks: Shelter in Place,” “Deanna Lawson” and “Rodin in the United States: Confronting the Modern.” High Frequency Fridays, held the first Friday of each month, feature music by the city’s top DJs, food and drink, art creation opportunities and docent-led tours, while Second Sundays include free admission and family-friendly programming. Summer art camps and monthly Toddler Thursdays let kids have fun discovering their inner artist. high.org

The Hudgens Center for Art and Learning

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Gwinnett County’s showcase for the visual arts, the center has presented exhibitions by masters such as Picasso, Rauschenberg and Miro, as well as new and local artists. The Children’s Art Zone invites handon participation with big, bright exhibits that blend art, music and science. Classes and workshops are available for all ages, and the Passport Adventures in Art Summer Camp offers sessions throughout the season. thehudgens.org

Jackson Fine Art

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This Buckhead gallery specializes in contemporary photography by leading national and international artists; past exhibits have showcased works by Elliot Erwitt, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Michael Kenna and many more. jacksonfineart.com

Living Walls

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Throughout Atlanta, this nonprofit has curated intentional, thought-provoking public art to drive social and economic change in the city’s urban spaces. Over 100 murals are scattered throughout the metro area from local, national and international artists. livingwallsatl.com

Museums & Special Attractions

Children's Museum of Atlanta

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Atlanta’s premier museum designed expressly for children offers innovative programming that sparks imagination and inspires discovery through play. The “Paw Patrol: Adventure Play” exhibit lets kids explore their unique talents, surmount challenges and help friends. childrensmuseumatlanta.org

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

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Fernbank brings science to life. Here you can experience the prehistoric, view cultural artifacts and participate in hands-on science. Take the adventure outside as you explore WildWoods and Fernbank Forest, and explore the amazing world in 2D and 3D at Fernbank’s Giant Screen Theater. On the second Friday of each month, Fernbank After Dark offers a changing variety of afterhours experiences, including exhibitions, live music, full bars, tapas menus, giant-screen films and all-new science demonstrations. fernbankmuseum.org

Gone with the Wind Museum

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Located in Marietta’s historic Brumby Hall, this museum is the only location known to display an original costume worn by Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara: the stunning silk bengaline gown worn in the honeymoon scene. Other items include Margaret Mitchell’s personal copies of the novel, items from the production of the film, and a display dedicated to the film’s African-American cast members. gwtwmarietta.com

Interactive Neighborhood for Kids

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Visitors to INK find a child-sized village designed for immersive, hands-on play. The younger crowd can choose roles to play in realworld situations, created on a small scale with authentic props and costumes that make the experience come to life. In addition, there are arts and crafts, play spaces, a music room and the Born Learning Trail for outside exploration. inkfun.org

Legoland Discovery Center Atlanta

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A dream come true for kids, and fun for parents, too! Peek behind the scenes in the Lego factory, pick up building tips from the Master Builder Academy, ride a chariot at Kingdom Quest or become part of the story at the 4D Cinema. Everyone will be intrigued by Miniland, a miniature Atlanta complete with tiny versions of the Fox Theatre, Stone Mountain and Centennial Olympic Park that even light up at night. legolanddiscoverycenter.com/atlanta

Southeastern Railway Museum

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The colorful story of the railroad in Atlanta and North Georgia history is on display here at Georgia’s official transportation history museum. Located in Duluth next to an active rail line, the 35-acre museum is home to historic railroad equipment, and many pieces are open for guests to climb aboard and explore. Buy a ticket to ride on a train made up of vintage cabooses or try a cab ride and join the engineer as he operates the train around the property. train-museum.org

Comedy

Atlanta Comedy Theatre

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Atlanta’s only upscale comedy club and venue, this intimate club in Norcross brings the best in standup to the ’burbs, with an executive chef menu on Friday and Saturday nights and upcoming acts like Michael Rappaport and D.L. Hughley onstage. atlantacomedytheater.com

Laughing Skull Lounge

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This staple in Atlanta comedy is located inside Midtown’s edgy Vortex Bar and Grill has brought international touring comedians but still features open mic nights for local talent. Past acts include Emo Philips and Rachel Feinstein, and future acts include Jim Florentine. laughingskulllounge.com

The Punchline

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The Punchline, Atlanta’s longest running and continuously operated comedy club, opened in 1982 and has hosted legends including Eddie Murphy, Jeff Foxworthy and Jerry Seinfeld. punchline.com

Dad's Garage

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Founded in 1995, Dad’s Garage is located in the historic Old Forth Ward neighborhood and is home to the best improv comedy Atlanta has to offer. Offering shows each weekend, it’s a great option for some latenight entertainment. dadsgarage.com

 

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