Horizon Theatre Blog

AJC EXCLUSIVE: Horizon takes Avenue Q to Piedmont Park!

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Horizon Theatre brings Avenue Q to Piedmont Park this summer.

ajc_logo_gradientAJC exclusive: Horizon’s ‘Avenue Q’ to take over Piedmont Park summer theater series

By Howard Pousner
The summer theater series in Piedmont Park, a favorite Atlanta rite since 2004, will continue despite the demise of its founder, Georgia Shakespeare.

The Atlanta-based Loridans Foundation, the series’ lead funder in recent years, is announcing today exclusively in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Horizon Theatre will remount its hit production of “Avenue Q” for five performances from June 3 to 7 at the Midtown park.

At least 900 seats will be available for free for each 7:30 p.m. performance. After the free tickets are distributed, a still-to-be-determined number of tickets will be available for purchase — $10 in advance online, $15 at the park. Limited VIP table seating also is being planned.

Working with the Piedmont Park Conservancy, the Loridans Foundation, which is providing the lead grant of $100,000, invited Horizon and five other theaters (Actors Express, Aurora, 7 Stages, Atlanta Shakespeare Company and Theatrical Outfit) to submit proposals.

Horizon was selected for “Avenue Q,” for which it scored seven Suzi Bass Awards (Atlanta’s Tonys) for its 2011 production of the musical-with-puppets co-created by “Frozen” songwriter Robert Lopez. The premiere staging and a 2012 encore both set box office records at long-time Little Five Points theater.

The Tony-winning musical’s lyrics and book convey a positive message about building a purpose-driven and community-connected life. Its bawdy script will be presented at Piedmont in its family-friendly school edition.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to expand our reach as a theater company and grow new audiences for Horizon,” said Horizon co-founder Lisa Adler in an exclusive interview with the AJC.

With support from the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund, Horizon created a detailed capitalization plan last year focused on expanding the troupe’s reach through performances in new venues and by creating projects with new partners.

“Our mission is to connect people, inspire hope and promote positive change through the stories of our times,” Adler said, “and we are looking for ways to do that on a larger scale.”

Toward that end, Horizon plans to transfer “Avenue Q” from the park to Oglethorpe University’s Conant Performing Arts Center, Georgia Shakespeare’s home until it went defunct late last year after a 29-year run. Horizon will stage the original adult version and school edition in rotating repertory there from June 12 to July 12.

Ticketing details for the Piedmont and Oglethorpe runs will be announced later.

WAFFLE HOUSE TELLS ALL!

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Ever wonder how Waffle House feels about Waffle House’s reputation, all things smothered, and the best of the worst happenings there? Well, thanks to Pat Warner, VP of Culture, we’ve got all the answers! Get ready for all of Waffle House’s secrets to be revealed! And to see a few of these stories play out in The Waffle Palace!

Q. It’s not just folks leaving the bars that show up during nontraditional breakfast hours for some breakfast food. Why do you think so many continue to call Waffle House the number one 24/7 eatery?

A. It all goes to our consistency and letting each restaurant take on its own personality. We have production systems where the waffle or patty melt you get in Atlanta is the same as you get in Austin. However, we realize we are in the people business and we want to let our people shine. While the food is consistent, we want each restaurant to have a personality. That is driven by the people on both sides of the counter – our Associates and Customers.

Q. Just like in The Waffle Palace, 3 AM is an interesting time at Waffle House. What has been the most memorable happening at Waffle House during these late night hours?

A. Being open 24 hours, you see a lot. I think most of the memorable happenings revolve around celebrities coming in late night. We had Kenny Chesney come in after a concert to a restaurant full of fans. He jumped on the grill and started cooking for them. After winning his second Masters, Bubba Watson came into an Augusta restaurant for his grilled cheese sandwich. Chris Rock stopped in recently while in Atlanta promoting his movie. The list goes on and on and on. One of the more memorable happenings is captured in The Waffle Palace and that is when Kid Rock came by to visit. Although his late night visit was national news, I like the fact that a few months later he came back to Waffle House, signed autographs for a couple of hours and raised $12,000 for a local shelter.

Q. Waffle House offers more than just food, especially after midnight. With entertainment and people-watching abound, is there a certain character that you’ve heard of that provided limitless amusement?

A. Well, we like to call it “Dinner and a Show.” We cook the dinner or breakfast, and our customers usually put on the show. I like to be at our Centennial Olympic Park restaurant when Dragon Con is in town. Talk about a people-watching paradise! Also, being in New Orleans during Mardi Gras is another people-watching opportunity.

Q. Some diners may have shied away from the attention of people driving cars through restaurants, rock stars behaving badly, or robberies gone a little awry, but not Waffle House. You all have embraced the negative, positive, and well, the strange. Do you think this unpretentious, straight forward, take-me-as-I-am attitude is what keeps everyone gravitating back to that black and yellow sign?

A. Our approach is that we are a 24-hour restaurant and things happen, we fix it and move on. I do think that take-me-as-I-am attitude endears us with our customers. The best example is the Kid Rock incident. Many companies would have gone into crisis mode and tried to get the story to go away. Instead, after some of the dust settled, we invited him back to another restaurant to do a charity event. It took a negative story and turned it into a positive.

Q. With late night eating, Waffle House has both the sweet tooth and the salty covered. What is the ratio between those who want those fluffy pecan waffles and those who want something smothered, covered, and scattered?

A. Hashbrowns edge out waffles as more popular on the menu. Coffee is by far the most popular item followed by hashbrowns and then waffles.

Q. Speaking of those famous hash browns, where did the lingo come from? And which seems to be the favorite of all the options?

A. Well, first of all like Beyoncé, Prince and Cher, our hashbrowns are epic celebrities where they are just called one word “hashbrowns” not “hash browns.” The toppings for hashbrowns evolved and really came from our customers. Back in the 1980s customers started asking for them to be scattered on the grill. Later we noticed more and more orders with onions and cheese. So in 1984 we put “scattered, smothered and covered” on the menu as an option for hashbrowns. And since then we’ve added toppings based on what we see our customers order. There is no big focus group or surveys, our hashbrowns have evolved organically based on how our customers order them. And yes, “Scattered, Smothered and Covered” is still the customer’s favorite.

Donate! Take the Elf Bucket Challenge!

Take the Elf Bucket Challenge, and make it rain for Horizon theatre this year! Thanks to your past support, we have had the best 30th anniversary season ever! In 2014, we received proclamations from Fulton County and the City of Atlanta recognizing our work to bring contemporary theatre to more than 700,000 patrons over three decades; celebrated 2 Suzi Award wins; produced world, Southeastern, and Atlanta premieres for over 37,000 patrons; and expanded our Young Playwrights programming to high schools in Fulton County.

NOW TAKE THE ELF BUCKET CHALLENGE AND HELP KICK OFF OUR 31st SEASON!

Here it is – the first news about our 31st season!! Ticket sales will only pay for half of what it costs to bring the amazing actors and plays that you love to our intimate stage. So, take the Elf Bucket Challenge and help us kick off the season with a gift to the Horizon Stars Annual Fund.

We start by brightening the new year with our runaway hit THE WAFFLE PALACE opening January 23! We are also thrilled to announce that we will be producing Christopher Durang’s Tony Award-winning new comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Then in the fall, look for our world premiere of A PLUS by Sean Lewis, a Horizon commissioned play about parents and teachers set in an Atlanta public school in a snowstorm! Stay tuned for more details about our other two productions – and a very special summer surprise!

We cannot produce the productions you love without YOU! Every dollar helps us pay the artists you love seeing on stage, build the incredible sets that offer new delights for each play, and provide tickets at such affordable prices for all.

Donate today to help us start our 31st season off!

Behind the Curtain with The Santaland Diaries cast!

No matter if you have seen The Santaland Diaries at Horizon Theatre every year for the past 16-years or are a first timer, the production continues to change, remain hilarious, and yet still cause many to shed a tiny tear at the end. It is a bawdy comedy filled with silliness and fun, but at the heart of it, it is about getting through the holiday craziness while still finding those rare occasions that make it all human again. With that in mind, we thought we’d give you a little insight into the people that play your favorite holiday characters. Find out what their favorite moments are, the things that make them giggle, and why the ladies love The Walrus!

Harold M. Leaver as Crumpet in the 2013 production of The Santaland Diaries. Photo credit: Greg Mooney.

Harold M. Leaver as Crumpet in the 2013 production of The Santaland Diaries. Photo credit: Greg Mooney.

Behind the Curtain with Harold M. Leaver (Crumpet):

Q. You have been with The Santaland Diaries from the start. How has the way you play Crumpet changed over the years?

A. The truth is, I have grown less cynical as I have gotten older. And that, I believe, has helped me get a little closer to the “truth” of the play each year the Horizon produces it. Also, I have to shave more often.

Q. It seems like something magical happens when you put on all those sequins and bells. What is your favorite part of donning the elf gear?

A. “I am Iron Man”. Not really. That’s Tony Stark (for now). I can hear the gasps, the whistles, the whispers of “Oh no” and “Poor fellow” as the pieces go on. While it has a general aura of humiliation about it, it is transformative… the elf costume provides the character of David with a sort of permission slip to broaden his behavior…it truly makes him “Crumpet.”

Q. What has been your favorite line to say?

A. I can’t reveal my favorite (Elf Union rules). Also, that always makes the other lines jealous.

Q. Crumpet has a lot of audience interaction during the show. Has there been a favorite moment from those interactions?

A. Yes. Woody, the fireman from Rome, GA. That was a good moment.

Lala Cochran as the female sidekick in the 2013 production of The Santaland Diaries. Photo credit: Greg Mooney.

Lala Cochran as the female sidekick in the 2013 production of The Santaland Diaries. Photo credit: Greg Mooney.

Behind the Curtain with Lala Cochran (female sidekick):

Q. Out of all the characters that you play during The Santaland Diaries, which one is your favorite to portray?

A. My favorite character would be Sleighbell, the flamenco dancer—she’s so serious about everything it’s just funny to me how serious she takes herself and her passion for music and dance. HA! I also love Gingersnap who doesn’t know how inappropriate she’s being with that candy cane, And Flakey, who really wants to make it in the downtown art scene, but doesn’t really that her work is just plain silly. 

Q. Your child star character is always a memorable one, which toddler ingénue has been the best to play?

A.  I kind of miss Honey Boo-Boo—or Bunny Hoo-Hoo as we called her. She really worked that North Pole flag/stripper pole! 

Q. Do you have a favorite moment that has stuck with you over the years that always causes you to chuckle?

A.  The moments that I love in the show are when we interact with the audience and they get tickled and enjoy the attention we give them.

Enoch King as the male sidekick in the 2013 production of The Santaland Diaries. Photo credit: Greg Mooney.

Enoch King as The Walrus in the 2013 production of The Santaland Diaries. Photo credit: Greg Mooney

Behind the Curtain with Enoch King (male sidekick):

Q. Out of all of the characters that you play during The Santaland Diaries, which one is your favorite to portray and why?

A. Favorite character: Santa Jerome. Just a fun, crass character to play. Jerome is like an abrasive, rowdy uncle. From the way he walks, talks, (and scratches) he brings tidings of comfort and joy.

Q. What do you enjoy more, the heels and lady wigs or the hulk?

 A. The hulk. He’s a sweet kid with asthma who really wants to BE the hulk. And the costume progression that we’ve had has been fun.

Q. How much of what you do on stage is improvised and how much is scripted?

 A. I guess you could call it “scripted improvisation”. I don’t think that’s a real term, but, ah well. Most of my lines are not in the original script. But we’ve done them all these years and they still get a good reaction, so we’ve kept them in. It’s a collaborative effort.  We see what works and what doesn’t and we make adjustments when needed. But we still keep true to the original script. The delivery and the energy we have onstage gives the impression it’s improv, but we’ve worked and rehearsed all the bits.

Q. After doing the show for almost ten years now, what is your favorite moment with audience interactions?

A. Good Lord. It’s been almost ten years? Wow. Well, my favorit…TEN YEARS  you say?! Gracious. I was young and dumb back then…a boy becoming a man. In fact, I remember one time…wait, what was the question? Favorite audience interaction! Definitely The Walrus. I love to hear how they react to seeing him for the first time. And the ladies love The Walrus. Ohhh yeahhh.

Meet SANTALAND DIARIES elfcappella coach, Tim Harland!

Elfcappella is definitely one of the favorite new additions to the The Santaland Diaries! And the man behind the harmonies, melodies, and arrangements is Tim Harland, who you may know as our group sales manager, but for The Santaland Diaries and Elfcappella he was the a cappella coach!

Tim Harland, a cappella coach.

Tim Harland, a cappella coach.

Check out our interview with him below about his experience doing a cappella, what the process was like creating the arrangements for The Santaland Diaries, and how they knew it would be funny! 

Q. How did you get started in a cappella?

A. I was fortunate enough to have gone to a public school that had a strong arts program. I had been a part of the choir for several years when I heard about the high school all-male a cappella group. I got in and have been hooked ever since, having sung with Dooley Noted at Emory University and now with Cloud 9 here in Atlanta!

Q. What was the process like when not only arranging the songs, but also the lyrics for Elfcappella in The Santaland Diaries?

A. Without getting too technical, it’s mostly just finding ways to build on the melodic line of the song; regular songs can rely on the different sounds of instruments to give them depth and texture, but since a cappella only uses the voice, you have to get a little creative with new harmonies and rhythms. As for the lyrics, I’ve had practice lampooning some of my dad’s favorite poems and songs to be about him getting older and balder for Father’s Day each year, so sitting down with these for just a verse and chorus was a breeze!

Q. The song lyrics mesh so well with The Santaland Diaries spirit of hilarity. Was the writing of the finalized lyrics a collaborative effort to ensure there would indeed be laughter?

A. Absolutely. The apprentices and I sat down when the idea was first floated by us, and we bounced ideas off of each other until I had enough to pull from. I would bring in some work, they would sing through it, and we would tweak things until we had a finished product.

Q. There is a small group of Horizon Theatre apprentices that sing the arrangements. Is it more difficult to do a cappella with a smaller group or is it easier with less singers?

A. This may not be universally true, but working with fewer singers was definitely a challenge for me. I’ve been spoiled with groups of 8-16 voices, so I’m more used to being able to write sprawling arrangements. Working with just 3 forced me to strip away to the bare bones, but I also had to make sure the pieces moved and were interesting to both listen to and sing.

Q. What is your favorite lyric that you created for Elfcappella?

A. I think just the idea to make “Let It Go” a song about going to the bathroom is my favorite bit, only because the chorus really didn’t have to be changed if I didn’t want it to — it fit so well!

To see Tim in a cappella action, check out his group Cloud 9 here! And to see Elfcappella, come see The Santaland Diaries!

Meet THE SANTALAND DIARIES Elfcappella!

If you’ve been a good girl or boy and have already seen The Santaland Diaries this year, then you know that we’ve added Elfcappella! An all-elf acappella group that sings you right into the show! The group is made up of apprentices from our 2014-2015 apprentice company.
And they were coached by our very own group sales manager/acappella extraordinaire, Tim Harland.

Interested in who was singing the “go pee now” version of Let It Go? Check out Elfcappella below!

Chaz-094Chaz Duffy is a recent magna cum laude graduate of High Point University and an Atlanta native who is thrilled to be a part of The Santaland Diaries. Over the last year Chaz has stayed busy with roles as Mr. Vaan Dan in The Diary of Anne Frank, Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods, Florizel in The Winter’s Tale and Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire. Chaz is also an alumnus of HPU’s male acappella group The Toccatatones, and last year was one of five nominees by the Contemporary Acappella Recording Association in the Best Male Soloist category. When he isn’t on stage, you may find him beat-boxing, perusing old leather-bound books, or taking a walk in the woods. Chaz would like to thank his parents, collaborators, and professors for helping him get this far, and the Horizon Theatre apprentices for where they will continue to take him.

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Justine Vadini is a member of Horizon Theatre’s Acting Apprentice Company. She is thrilled to make her professional theatre debut in The Santaland Diaries this year. Justine would like to thank her fellow apprentices and everyone else at Horizon for all of the inspiration and love they emanate. She would also like to thank her new home, Atlanta, for providing the same. Pray for ArtsTL!

AW HeadshotAbigail Williams is honored to be a part of the 2014-2015 Horizon Apprentice Company as an acting apprentice. Currently Abigail teaches private voice and piano lessons around the Atlanta area and is a drama coach and director at two private art schools located in Decatur and Cumming. She is thrilled to get to be a part of The Santaland Diaries this year and is so grateful for the opportunity to work with such a vibrant cast. She looks forward to performing with the rest of the apprentice company in the spring of 2015 in several One Acts and a selection of 10-Minute Plays written by the apprentice company playwrights! Details will be up on the Horizon website soon concerning these shows and she and the company would love to see you there!

hannah-webreadyHannah Church is proud to be a part of the Horizon 2014/2015 Apprentice Company as a Playwright. This is her first show with Horizon Theatre and she has had a blast in The Santaland Diaries! Professionally she has been a company member of the Roxy Regional Theatre for their last four seasons (Wendla-Spring Awakening, Juliet-R&J, & many other fun characters). She has also worked for the Round Barn Theatre (Minnie Faye-Hello Dolly), and she recently finished an International World Tour with Artspot Educational Theatre (Allegra-The Tower) that performed in eleven countries on four continents! As a Playwright she has written & produced two musical adaptations of her own: The Yellow Wallpaper & Spirit of the Sea. She graduated with a BFA from Rockford University. Many thanks to Jeff, Lisa, Marguerite, Kelly, & the rest of Horizon staff for this opportunity!

NEW TIMES ADDED FOR THE SANTALAND DIARIES!

The cast of The Santaland Diaries is back for another year! WITH MORE TIMES ADDED! Photo credit: Greg Mooney

The cast of The Santaland Diaries is back for another year! WITH MORE TIMES ADDED! Photo credit: Greg Mooney

As Crumpet would say… You elfin love us!
And since you do, we have added additional shows at 6 PM on Saturday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 20.
We are SOLD OUT for the 8:30 PM shows and want you all to be able to come see this Horizon Theatre holiday favorite! 

Tickets available now for the 6 PM shows on Saturday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 20!

GA Voice speaks to Harold M. Leaver about his long time run as Crumpet

Harold M. Leaver (Crumpet) and his sidekicks Lala Cochran and Enoch King. Photo credit: Greg Mooney.

Harold M. Leaver (Crumpet) and his sidekicks Lala Cochran and Enoch King. Photo credit: Greg Mooney.

Ever wonder what it’s like to play an elf for 16-years?

Well, thanks to The GA Voice, Harold M. Leaver is speaking out about the process,
the changes over the years,
and how this year’s production is multiplying the elf power!

Read the full interview here!

Congratulations Suzi Bass Award 2014 Recipients!

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Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play recipients, Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay, with Jeff Adler, co-artistic director and technical director of Horizon Theatre at The Suzi Bass Awards 2014.

The Suzi Bass Awards are always an exciting night for the Atlanta theatre community. They were extra exciting for us here at Horizon Theatre this year because we were nominated in 5 categories, and we are happy to announce that Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay won for Outstanding Scenic Design for a Play for Elemeno Pea. They designed a fantastically detailed and beautiful Martha’s Vineyard estate on the Horizon Theatre stage, and audiences and critics alike adored their talented work.

And on top of that Suehyla El-Attar received the Gene Gabriel Moore Playwriting Award for Third Country, which had its world premiere at Horizon Theatre. Third Country is a poignant play inspired by Clarkston, GA that delves into the issues of immigration, community, and the acceptance of change.

Congratulations to all the nominees and recipients! It was a wonderful year for theatre in Atlanta!