New season of Theatrical Outfit offers depth and scope

Fans of classic literature, hip-hop and Atlanta history will find Theatrical Outfit’s new season to deliver on all that and more.

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For its 2024-25 season, Theatrical Outfit will bring four mainstage productions to our city, including an American classic, a holiday favorite, an Atlanta premiere of an acclaimed play and a world premiere hip-hop musical about a local pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement.

“I am so excited by the depth and scope of our season this year and the brilliant partners that are helping us connect to Atlanta audiences in new ways,” said Artistic Director Matt Torney in a statement.

Dominion Entertainment and the Breman Museum will co-produce two of the shows.

The season opens September 11 with the co-production with Dominion — Lorraine Hansberry’s classic drama A Raisin in the Sun. The cast will include Jen Harper, Cynthia Barker, Amari Cheatom, Marlon Andrew Burnley, Stephen Ruffin and Doyle Reynolds.

The play tells the story of the Younger family as they seek to relocate from the city to the suburbs in search of new opportunities and hope.

“A Raisin in the Sun is one of my all-time favorite American plays, and working with the team at Dominion Entertainment is going to ensure a stunning revival with an all-star Atlanta cast,” Torney said.

After a successful run last year, Philip Grecian’s adaptation of A Christmas Story will return November 20, again starring Tom Key as the narrator.

The Breman partnered with Theatrical Outfit last season on Remember This and will co-produce The Lehman Trilogy by Stefano Massini, adapted by playwright Ben Power. The play, running February 5 to March 2, documents the rise and fall of the Lehman Brothers’ investment firm.

Closing the season will be the world premiere of Young John Lewis, featuring music by Eugene H. Russell IV and a book and lyrics from Psalmayene 24. The show will span 10 crucial years in the life of the activist and politician.

Also, in March, Theatrical Outfit will sponsor Launchpad, a festival of works made in Atlanta by new artists who receive small commissions to develop material over a six-month period.

“As we reflect on the challenges and opportunities that come with producing live performance in the 21st century, we began to think about our own unique history as a theater, which began with nine young artists producing shows in an old laundromat on North Highland Avenue,” said Associate Artistic Director Addae Moon in a statement. “In the spirit of ‘reaching back’ to tap into the innovation and excitement at our inception, we’ve created Launchpad.”

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Benjamin Carr is an ArtsATL editor-at-large who has contributed to the publication since 2019 and is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association, the Dramatists Guild, the Atlanta Press Club and the Horror Writers Association. His writing has been featured in podcasts for iHeartMedia, onstage as part of the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival and online in The Guardian. His debut novel, Impacted, was published by The Story Plant.