Month: October 2022

(OCT 25, 2022—GAINESVILLE, GA) Gainesville Theatre Alliance is proud to present Urinetown: The Musical, an amazing musical with a terrible title, November 11-19 at Brenau University’s Hosch Theatre.

In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides he’s had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom! Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, this Tony-Award winning hit musical is an irreverent satire in which no one is safe from scrutiny.

Directed by Brenau University Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre and BFA Musical Theatre Program Coordinator Michael Jablonski, Urinetown is inspired by the works of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill and satirizes capitalism and social irresponsibility. “The show explores themes such as revolutionary uprising, hope and fear, capitalist greed, and political corruption: all of which are issues of present day,” says Jablonski. “Urinetown pays homage to the classical musical theatre styles and traditions while making fun of the musical theatre genre itself. It’s a darkly comical and satirical experience for audiences to engage with.”

For tickets or more information, visit GainesvilleTheatreAlliance.org or call the GTA Box Office at 678-717-3624.

(OCT 3, 2022—GAINESVILLE, GA) Gainesville Theatre Alliance audiences will recognize a familiar face stepping into the role of Artistic Director. Zechariah Pierce, Associate Director of University of North Georgia’s newly-formed School of Communication, Film & Theatre and GTA alumnus, has recently been appointed to the role of GTA Artistic Director. Pierce graduated with an MFA in Theatre pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University and acts professionally on both stage and screen. His focus in teaching centers around acting as it pertains to both the live and digital platforms, while also using pedagogies steeped in mask, clown, and physical comedy to teach movement-based techniques.

Pierce is looking to the future with hopes for a return to normalcy after the disruption of the last two years. “I hope to bring back our season subscription model, a revitalized Theatre Wings organization with new membership, more student engagement in our production leadership, and continued growth for our beloved theatrical season,” Pierce says.

GTA’s continued collaboration between UNG and Brenau University will also be enhanced by the creation of UNG’s new School of Communication, Film & Theatre. “We discovered during our digital productions of The Tempest and Songs for a New World that we had a thriving Film department right next door that was eager to continue collaborating,” Pierce says. “This directly translates into more opportunities for our students, but it will also provide more events that are open to the general public.”

GTA’s 2022-23 season is now underway, and promises to be one of the most exciting yet, mixing classic stories with modern musicals.

• GTA New Works Festival
  October 20-23, 2022 at the University of North Georgia-Gainesville’s Ed Cabell Theatre
  The GTA New Works Festival introduces GTA audiences to the next generation of stories for the American theatre. Staged readings of new plays from GTA students and alumni include JJ and the Nauts by Dellan Short, Spoonful of Chaos by Halli Rider, Thicker than Water by Justin Williams, and GTA Shorts, an evening of short plays written and directed by GTA students. These readings are free to the public.
• Urinetown: The Musical, music and lyrics by Mark Hollman, book and lyrics by Greg Kotis
  November 11-19, 2022 at Brenau University’s Hosch Theatre
  In a not-so distant, drought-stricken future, a malevolent company profits by charging admission for a basic need. Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, this Tony-Award winning musical is an irreverent satire in which no one is safe from scrutiny.
• Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
  February 10-18, 2022 at Brenau University’s Hosch Theatre
  Shaw’s Nobel Prize-winning dramatization of a Cockney flower girl’s metamorphosis into a lady is both a fantasy and a platform for his views on social class, money, and women’s independence. This classic comedic play inspired the musical My Fair Lady.
• John & Jen, lyrics by Tom Greenwald, music by Andrew Lippa, book by Tom Greenwald and Andrew Lippa
  March 2-5, 2023 at the University of North Georgia-Gainesville’s Ed Cabell Theatre
  This small but powerful musical explores the dynamics of family relationships, set against the background of a changing America between 1950 and 1990. John & Jen is a gem of a show brimming with intelligence, wit, and beautiful melodies.
• 1984, adapted by Robert Owens, Wilton E. Hall Jr., and William A. Miles Jr. from the novel by George Orwell
  April 14-22, 2023 at the University of North Georgia-Gainesville’s Ed Cabell Theatre
  This stage adaptation of Orwell’s classic dystopian world is true to the novel in which Orwell depicts a society where Big Brother is always watching—where everything that is not prohibited is compulsory. 1984 is a cautionary tale of an omnipresent government.

Tickets for Urinetown: The Musical are on sale now. Other productions will go on sale four weeks before each opening. Patrons should check the GTA website or sign up for the GTA email list to be notified when tickets are available.