GTA Blog

(SEP 25, 2023—GAINESVILLE, GA) Gainesville Theatre Alliance invites audiences to a magical, enchanting world in its production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, dramatized by Joseph Robinette from the story by C.S. Lewis, October 7, 8 and 14 at Brenau University’s Pearce Auditorium.

The classic Narnia tale is presented as part of GTA’s Theatre for Young Audiences division, WonderQuest. Audiences will follow the adventures of the Pevensie siblings as they journey through the mysterious land of Narnia, discovering whimsical creatures, battling evil forces, and learning powerful lessons of courage, love, and sacrifice. The show is recommended for all ages.

Directed by GTA Artistic Director and Associate Director of UNG’s School of Communication, Film & Theatre Zechariah Pierce, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a timeless story that has captivated the imaginations of both young and old for generations. “I have fond memories of my mother reading this story to me as a young boy and now I have the innate pleasure of bringing it to the children (young and old) of our audiences,” says Pierce. “Perhaps the deep magic of this play can work its way through audiences and remain with them as Narnia has remained in my heart and mind through the last thirty years.”

Audiences are invited to attend the free Ice Cream Social which takes place after the October 8th 2:30 pm performance. Characters from the show will be in attendance and will be available for pictures.

Tickets for the show range from $8 to $15 and are available for purchase at GainesvilleTheatreAlliance.org or by calling the GTA Box Office at 678-717-3624.

(AUG 16, 2023—GAINESVILLE, GA) Gainesville Theatre Alliance proudly announces its 2023-24 season, promising an enchanting blend of drama, laughter, and magic. “We designed this season to be one that shares a little more levity and light to raise our hearts and minds, with perhaps a singular dip into the dramatic,” said Artistic Director Zechariah Pierce. “We want to invite patrons, both new and long-standing, to return to the theatre.”

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, dramatized by Joseph Robinette from the story by C.S. Lewis
October 7, 8 & 14, 2023 at Brenau University’s Pearce Auditorium
WonderQuest presents the classic Narnia tale. That master of imaginative enchantment, C.S. Lewis, has created a unique world and he invites children to walk into it and enjoy both surprise and adventure.

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, new book by Douglas Carter Beane, original book by Oscar Hammerstein II
November 10-18, 2023 at Brenau University’s Hosch Theatre
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella is the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical from the creators of South Pacific and The Sound of Music that’s delighting audiences with its surprisingly contemporary take on the classic tale.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller
February 16-24, 2024 at Brenau University’s Hosch Theatre
Winner of the 1953 Tony Award for Best Play. This captivating drama about the Puritan purge of witchcraft in old Salem is both a gripping historical play and a timely parable of our contemporary society.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin
April 12-20, 2024 at University of North Georgia-Gainesville’s Ed Cabell Theatre
Winner of the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has charmed audiences across the country with its effortless wit and humor. Featuring a fast-paced, wildly funny book by Rachel Sheinkin and a fresh, vibrant score by William Finn, this bee is one unforgettable experience.

Additionally, GTA is offering a special holiday add-on performance in December. An Actor’s Carol: One Clown’s Dickensian Marathon Toward Redemption, is adapted for the stage by David Weber, Tim Blewitt, & Zach Hilbun. This one-clown show will be performed by Georgia native David Weber at University of North Georgia-Gainesville’s Ed Cabell Theatre December 1-3, 2023. This kinetic production of Dicken’s cautionary tale is amplified with elements of clown, mime, and vaudeville techniques.

Tickets for all performances are on sale now. For the first time since 2019, GTA is thrilled to reintroduce season packages. Patrons can receive up to 20% off based on the number of shows they purchase. An Actor’s Carol is not eligible for package discounts. Tickets and season packages can be purchased online at GainesvilleTheatreAlliance.org or by contacting the box office at 678-717-3624.

(MAR 29, 2023—GAINESVILLE, GA) Gainesville Theatre Alliance ends its 2022-23 season with George Orwell’s 1984, April 14-22 at 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 and a theatrical event that is both powerful and disturbingly provocative. Orwell himself once said, “I do not believe that the kind of society I describe necessarily will arrive, but I believe that something resembling it could arrive. The moral to be drawn from the dangerous nightmare situation is a simple one: Don’t let it happen. It depends on you.”

The play is directed by GTA Artistic Director and Associate Director of University of North Georgia’s School of Communication, Film & Theatre Zechariah Pierce. The novel is surprisingly as topical to our current age as it was when Orwell published it in 1949. “At its core, 1984 is a story that continues to show its relevance,” Pierce said, “whether in holding a lens up to cultures of our past, or in how we continue to fall into patterns that reflect it in the current age.” Pierce’s vision for the show moves away from a political “us vs. them” statement and focuses on our society’s ever-encroaching relationship with social media. “I’m positing that we now live in a culture where we have become Big Brother and we are responsible for how it manifests in government,” said Pierce. “We have surrendered our freedom by giving power to those who can access our private lives at any time and use it to lord over us. Then we switch roles by taking the power ourselves and thusly abuse it. We’ve created a society in which we are all oppressed by the popular opinion of the day, and whosoever should go against it, will be immediately castigated and thrown out.”

1984 is adapted for the stage by Robert Owens, Wilton E. Hall, Jr. and William A. Miles, Jr., and will perform April 14-22 at UNG-Gainesville’s Ed Cabell Theatre, inside the UNG Performing Arts building. For tickets or more information, visit GainesvilleTheatreAlliance.org or call the GTA Box Office at 678-717-3624.

(FEB 6, 2023—GAINESVILLE, GA) Gainesville Theatre Alliance will present the small musical John & Jen, March 9-12 at the University of North Georgia-Gainesville’s Ed Cabell Theatre, inside UNG’s Performing Arts building.

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.

The musical is directed by guest artists Kristine Reese and Billy Tighe, who serve as co-directors of City Springs Theatre Company’s Pre-Professional Company and have extensive Broadway and National Tour credits. Directing John & Jen is significant for the pair because of the tie to parenthood. “As parents ourselves, we were particularly struck by the complexity and conflict of the second act and difficulties of how to portray the journey and emotions of being a parent,” they said. “Our goal is to illustrate the parental awakening that the ultimate and most difficult job is to raise them to leave you. Through this process we were able to reflect on our choices as parents, and the eventual choices we will be forced to make.”

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

(JAN 17, 2023—GAINESVILLE, GA) Gainesville Theatre Alliance continues its 2022-23 season with George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, February 10-18 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. Pygmalion skillfully blends social satire, philosophical wit, a heated battle of the sexes, and what is perhaps the greatest platonic love story ever committed to paper.

The play is special to director and University of North Georgia Professor of Theatre Elisa Carlson, who specializes in speech and dialects. “The character of Henry Higgins was based primarily on the dialectician Henry Sweet, who taught William Tilly, who taught Edith Skinner, who taught Susan Sweeney, who taught me,” she said. Carlson says audiences will enjoy “the sparkling wit, wisdom, and foolishness of characters so many people know and love, along with the big party scene with couples waltzing in fabulous clothes.”

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