ABOUT TOWN: Atlanta Fringe Festival returns to our streets
And the Silver Scream Spook Show wants to show you an art collection with a grisly twist
Over the course of six days during the first week of June, the Atlanta Fringe Festival will host a total of 28 performance groups presenting a whole bunch of live theater, dance, puppetry, magic, comedy and storytelling at seven locales in Little Five Points, East Atlanta Village and Old Fourth Ward. Among the highlights are free family-friendly shows at East Atlanta Kids Club; a free preview performance at 7 Stages in which protagonists of all the shows get three minutes each to impress the audience; the Atlanta Street Fringe around Little 5 Points Village dedicated to busking and street performers; and a benefit show titled Five/5ths of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, also at 7 Stages. Additionally, the Fringe Audio podcasting network will feature storytelling and radio plays by local and national artists. “This is one of the most dynamic line-ups we’ve ever hosted,” Fringe Festival Director Diana Brown says. “We have put together a group of exceptional artists from across the globe ready to engage audiences for days of eccentric, inspiring performances. It’s overwhelming … but in the best way.”
There are plenty of other things happening too, including the aforementioned Spook Show. See below:
Ongoing
Three Decades of Democracy: South African Works on Paper’‘, High Museum —__The end of apartheid in 1994 is being commemorated with an installation of South African prints made by artists who toiled under the country’s oppressive regime. Denied the right to attend university art programs, many Black artists at the time were able to find alternative, informal schools in which to develop their talents. One such place was Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre (founded by Lutheran missionaries in rural KwaZulu-Natal province) from which Sam Nhlengethwa graduated in 1978. A lithograph, shown here, depicts his passion for jazz culture. Kay Hassan, Billy Mandindi, John Mufangelo and Ruzani Nemasetoni are among the other masterful artists in this first-rate show.
$23.50. Free for members and children under six. High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree Street, Atlanta 30309. 404-733-4400 high.org
Through Sun., Sep. 8
Animationland, Children’s Museum of Atlanta — Kids can come to grips with the intricacies of animation in this hands-on exhibit that features a sketching studio, storyboarding techniques, a sound effects booth and the ability to plan and act in a stop-motion production. A quirky cast of characters is provided for inspiration, as are props and various backdrops. The vibrant, whimsical exhibit allows kids - and adults - to get lost in the creative process, says Executive Director Edwin Link. “Animation is a captivating blend of art, math and science, so while kids will be delighted to see their creations come to life, parents will love that the exhibit gets their gears turning. In a movie town like Atlanta, it’s especially exciting to get families playing with the moving image.”
Prices vary. 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Closed on Wednesdays. See website for more details. Children’s Museum of Atlanta, 275 Centennial Olympic Park Drive, Atlanta 30313. 404-659-5437 childrensmuseumatlanta.org
Through Sun., Jun. 23
Blues For An Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage, Actor’s Express —Abortion, birth control, Prohibition and homosexuality are all topics in Pearl Cleage’s landmark play, first seen in 1995, and set in Depression-era Harlem.
“Cleage isn’t afraid to wear her theater geekery on her sleeve, stuffing an old-fashioned melodrama with sly winks to Ibsen and Tennessee Williams, but the issues she addresses are freshly resonant in a new depression rife with social conservatism,” Claire Armitstead wrote in The Guardian in 2022.
The cast features Tiffany Denise Hobbs, Christopher Hampton, Jontavious Johnson, and Kenisha Johnson, and they are directed by Amanda Washington.
$25 - $45; student tickets are $20; discounts for seniors 65+, groups and active or retired military. Actor’s Express, 887 West Marietta Street, # J-107 Atlanta 30318. 404-607-7469. tickets@actorsexpress.com actors-express.com
Tue., Jun. 4 - Sun., Jun. 9
Les Misérables, Fox Theatre — Composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, this musical version of Victor Hugo’s classic 1862 novel premiered in Paris in 1980, in French, and was then adapted into English for its London debut five years later, where it’s been running ever since; the initial Broadway run lasted from 1987 to 2003. Other productions have proliferated globally. This means it’s already been seen by a gajillion people. The New York Times called the award-winning show “Thrilling, spectacular and unforgettable.”
In the current national tour, Nick Cartell portrays the fugitive ‘Jean Valjean’ with Preston Truman Boyd as ‘Inspector Javert.’ They are joined by Matt Crowle as ‘Thénardier,’ Victoria Huston-Elem as ‘Madame Thénardier,’ Haley Dortch as ‘Fantine,’ Devin Archer as ‘Enjolras,’ Mya Rena Hunter as ‘Éponine,’ Jake David Smith as ‘Marius’ and Delaney Guyer as ‘Cosette.’ Sky Vaux Fuller and Olivia Grace O’Sullivan alternate in the role of ‘Little Cosette/Young Éponine.’ Henry Kirk and Milo Maharlika alternate in the role of ‘Gavroche.’
$34+ Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree Street, Atlanta 30308. 855-285-8499 foxtheatre.org
Thu., Jun. 6
The WhiskyX, Guardian Works at Echo Street West — More than 120 individual whiskies and other spirits from more than 60 producers are on offer in this jolly affair. Add to the mix a cigar lounge, food trucks, a game area, and free haircuts and beard trims from a (hopefully sober) barber. Mexican-American troubadour Wyatt Flores will do a live set towards the end of the evening. Cheers.
$75 General Admission; $125 VIP; $200 VIP Platinum; 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Guardian Works, 775 Echo Street, Atlanta 30318 tixr.com
Fri., Jun. 7 - Sun., Jun. 20
The Wash, Synchronicity Theatre —The Wash depicts one of the one of the most significant interracial labor disputes since the Civil War in which Black laundresses — all former slaves — challenged the status quo and fought, successfully, for better working conditions. As a result of the Atlanta Washerwomen Strike of 1881, wages were raised for most Black female workers and they were then recognized, up to a point, as a crucial element in the local economy, gaining a measure of respect and autonomy in the process. Playwright Kelundra Smith is a theater critic and arts journalist who says she wants to write about people with “lofty ambitions.” This premiere is directed by Brenda Porter and produced in collaboration with Impact Theatre Atlanta.
$35 for Adults; $30 for Students & Seniors. Reserved Tickets: $45 for Adults, $40 for Students & Seniors. Synchronicity Theatre, 1545 Peachtree Street #102, Atlanta 30309. synchrotheatre.com
Sun., Jun. 9 - Tue., Jul. 9
Kofo Duro: Ideas of Ourselves! We Echo Forever, Limelight Gallery — Kofo Duro describes herself as a multifaceted creative entrepreneur who writes music and launched a jewelry and apparel firm in 2020. A recent graduate of Georgia State University, the Nigerian-born artist, raised in Ireland, says her current work explores the emotional spectrum and how the processes of maturing shape self-image. Duro, 25, curated this exhibition at Limelight featuring half a dozen female artists of color. Among them are Nine Wells, Imouttafilm (aka Tyler Wilson) and Niy5h. The artwork spans the mediums of painting, photography, video, sculpture, textiles, digital art and fashion design. “I selected artists whose work I felt truly reflected the central ideas of identity, internal exploration and growth,” she says.
Free entry. Limelight Gallery (within Binders Art), 3330 Piedmont Road #18, Atlanta 30305 bindersart.com
Thu., Jun. 13 - Sat., Jun. 22
Hands on a Hardbody, Marietta Theatre Company — Phish frontman Trey Anastasio and songwriter Amanda Green co-wrote this “hilarious and heartfelt” musical, along with librettist Doug Wright, in which contestants stand for days in the Texas sun with their hands on a new pick-up truck in order to win the damn thing; the last one standing gets it. Producers say it’s inspired by a true story and has a “fresh, roots-rock vibe.”
$23.75 - $45.00. Rated PG-13. Marietta Theatre Company at New Theatre in the Square, 11 Whitlock Avenue, Marietta 30060. mariettatheatre.tix.com #mariettatheatre
Sat., Jun. 15
Dr. Morte’s Silver Scream Spook Show presents Horror of Dracula and Jimimi Fowlkes Art Gallery, Plaza Theatre — Eminent horror actor Christopher Lee, who often played the role of Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula during his lengthy career, is the subject of Dr. Morte’s latest Silver Scream Spook Show, taking place at the Plaza Theatre for one night in June. What’s unusual about this installment is the inclusion of a gallery of paintings by a mysterious local artist named Jimimi Fowlkes who reportedly used some of her own blood to depict Lee on canvas numerous times. Ever-vigilant Spook Show co-creators Madeline Brumby and Shane Morton acquired the 200-plus paintings from a neighbor who had inherited the works and was planning to discard them.
According to Brumby, Fowlkes was a quiet, enigmatic presence in the Morningside neighborhood where she lived for decades with her husband, a scientist. Fowlkes’ obsession with Lee was her main artistic passion and she spent more than 30 years capturing his portrait on canvas with acrylic paints, and sometimes, her own blood. In the diary entries she penned alongside her paintings, she described her fascination with the actor: “What beauty illuminates the face. Such joy to be permitted to spend my days contemplating that face.”
Brumby says Fowlkes rarely talked about her work or showed any of it to anyone. Giselle Malluche, the neighbor who assisted Fowlkes throughout the final years of her life, was bequeathed the artist’s entire output, and will be taking $40 donations to her favorite charity for each painting sold. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own one of these original, weird works of art for a small charitable donation,” says Brumby, adding that Professor Morte will interview Malluche about Fowlkes and her art and discuss his own obsession with Lee and the classic Hammer films.
In addition to the eerie gallery, Horror of Dracula (1958), starring Lee with Peter Cushing as Dr. Van Helsing, will be shown in 35mm “in its ultimate gory glory” on the venue’s big screen. This was the first of 10 times Lee portrayed Dracula on screen, and critical reception from trade publications was positive. “Its shock impact is, in fact, so great that it may well be considered as one of the best horror films ever made,” a Harrison’s Report pundit wrote. “What makes this picture superior is the expert treatment that takes full advantage of the story’s shock values.” Esteemed film critic Vincent Canby noted: “It’s chillingly realistic in detail (and at times as gory as the law allows). The physical production is first rate, including the settings, costumes, Eastman Color photography and special effects.”
$20 for movie tickets. Paintings are $40, and proceeds will benefit changesforhumanity.org. The gallery opens at 6 p.m. and the movie starts at 9:30 p.m. Plaza Theatre, 1049 Ponce De Leon Avenue, Atlanta 30306. 470-410-1939. plazaatlanta.com
Sat., Jun. 15 - Sat., Jul. 27
After Dark by Sussana Coffey, Knock Twice by Kole Nichols & Blank, and Cold Coffee Corner by In Kyoung Chun, Whitespace Gallery — “In the hours after dark, I can see what is mine to paint,” writes figurative painter Sussana Coffey about her latest show in the 1893 carriage house known as Whitespace. “As night falls, places, persons, things that seem familiar, ordinary or well-known, take on different appearances. These are simple, after-sunset mysteries.” Coffey’s motifs are self-portraiture, landscape, still life and illustration of classical literature.
The second exhibition this month, titled Knock Twice, features the etchings and paintings of multi-disciplinary artist Kole Nichols, accompanied by a “transient and surreal” musical score by artist Terrence Wimberly. Nichols’ work “explores physical architectural thresholds as metaphorical representations of a psychological and emotional journey of transition.” To find out what that actually means, you’ll have to visit the show.
Next up is a more rudimentary offering, Blank and Cold Coffee Corner by In Kyoung Chun, showing rather charmingly the artist’s daily retreat and everyday activities occurring within it. Born in Seoul, Chun’s work includes sculpture that has been displayed publicly at the Peachtree Center Plaza in downtown Atlanta, the campus of Emory University, the Industrial City Plaza of Brooklyn and Atlanta’s Goat Farm Arts Center.
Free entry. Whitespace Gallery, 814 Edgewood Avenue, Atlanta 30307. 404-688-1892 whitespace814.com
Fri., Jun. 28
An Evening With Dad’s Garage, Smyrna Community Center — The improv troupe of Dad’s Garage is stepping out of its comfort zone in the Old Fourth Ward to perform a show in Smyrna for one evening. Dad’s singular style of comedy relies on audience participation, making each show unique. “Everything you see on stage is unscripted, made up in that moment, totally original,” the blurb says. The show is designed for those over 18 years of age and will be split into two 45-minute segments, with an intermission in the middle.
$35. 7 p.m. Smyrna Community Center’s Magnolia Room, 200 Village Green Circle, Smyrna 30080. smyrnaartscouncil.com
Opening Fri., Jun. 21
T. REX, Fernbank Museum’s Giant Screen Theater — In a scientific expedition spanning New Zealand, Florida, Montana and North Dakota, this 3D film probes the origins of the Tyrannosaurus rex and fellow dinosaurs “while delivering on the quintessential promises of a T. rex cinematic experience — the dinky arms, super senses, rex-on-rex fights, pack hunts, baby rexlings, a climactic face-off with a three-horned nemesis, giant pterosaurs, the extinction cataclysm, and much, much more,” says director David Clark.
$25.95 for adults, $24.95 for seniors, $23.95 for children ages 3-12, free for children ages 2 and younger, and free for members. Fernbank Museum, 767 Clifton Road, Atlanta 30307. 404-929-6381 fernbankmuseum.org
Fri., Jun. 21, Sat., Jun. 22, Sun., Jun. 23
Neon Brush: Sip & Paint Workshop In the Dark, Westside Cultural Arts Center — It’s not exactly ‘in the dark.’ It’s a purplish black light fluorescent neon-lit setting in which you can paint whatever you like —- regardless of skill level — and drink booze (or not) while flashing your luminescent teeth at all and sundry. They supply all the art materials; the drinks, including non-alcoholic ones, are available for a price. An artist will be on hand to guide the whole process and music will be blasting. Wear something you won’t mind getting dirty, although aprons will be handed out. Sessions last 90 minutes and take place on one weekend in June and one in July. The place is ADA compliant. Doors open 15 minutes before start time and late entry is not allowed, nor is anyone under 21. Have at it!
$34. Jun. 21, 22, 23 & Jul. 12, 13, 14 at 6 p.m. & 8:15 p.m. Westside Cultural Arts Center, 760 10th Street, Atlanta 30318 feverup.com
Fri., Jun. 21 – Sun., Dec. 1
Tyler Mitchell: Idyllic Space, High Museum — When you’re just 23 and an aspiring photographer, getting to shoot Beyoncé for the cover of Vogue can be a life-altering experience. That’s what happened to Atlanta native Tyler Mitchell, whose picture of the singer is now ensconced in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. His retrospective at the High has examples of images he shot for Vogue, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Givenchy, and others. “Since achieving widespread recognition, Tyler Mitchell has continued to gain many deserved accolades for his beautiful and poignant photographs, which we are proud to present in his first exhibition in Atlanta,” says Rand Suffolk, the High’s director. “This collaboration among our curatorial staff is a testament to the connectivity in our collections and also exemplifies the museum’s commitment to celebrating artists from our region whose work is making an impact on a global scale.”
$23.50. Free for members and children under six. High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree Street, Atlanta 30309. 404-733-4400 high.org