What is Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre. How does it contribute to Atlanta’s arts scene. What productions are coming up in their 20th anniversary season. Why is their “Reclaiming Ours” theme significant for the theatre’s mission.
The Legacy and Mission of Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre
Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre has been a cornerstone of Atlanta’s vibrant arts community for two decades. Founded by renowned Broadway director Kenny Leon, the theatre has consistently championed Black artistic expression while fostering dialogue on important social issues. As it celebrates its 20th anniversary season, True Colors continues to push boundaries and create meaningful theatrical experiences.
A Leading Voice in Regional Theatre
True Colors has established itself as a leading regional theatre that prioritizes Black voices and stories. Through powerful productions and innovative programming, the company has:
- Provided a platform for both established and emerging Black artists
- Tackled complex social issues through thought-provoking performances
- Engaged the Atlanta community through outreach and education initiatives
- Contributed to the city’s reputation as a cultural hub in the Southeast
The 20th Anniversary Season: “Reclaiming Ours”
For its milestone 20th season, True Colors has chosen the theme “Reclaiming Ours.” This powerful concept speaks to the theatre’s commitment to honoring its past while shaping the future of Black theatre in Atlanta and beyond.
The Significance of “Reclaiming Ours”
Why is the “Reclaiming Ours” theme so important? It represents:
- A celebration of True Colors’ achievements over the past two decades
- A recommitment to the theatre’s core mission of centering Black artistic expression
- An acknowledgment of the ongoing work needed to ensure diverse voices are heard in the arts
- A call to action for the Atlanta community to support and engage with Black theatre
Upcoming Productions at True Colors Theatre
True Colors’ 20th anniversary season promises a diverse lineup of productions that showcase the breadth and depth of Black theatrical experiences.
The Wiz: A Uniquely Atlantan Reimagining
One of the most anticipated productions of the season is a fresh take on the beloved musical “The Wiz.” What makes this version special?
- Directed by Brian Jordan Jr., star of Tyler Perry’s “Sistas” on BET
- Features an all-local cast and creative team
- Incorporates elements of Atlanta culture throughout the production
- Utilizes a multigenerational cast, reimagining True Colors’ past youth-focused productions
This “lemon pepper Wiz” promises to be a uniquely Atlantan experience, with local flavors infused into the costumes, sets, and overall production design. It’s a perfect example of how True Colors continues to innovate and celebrate its home city.
True Colors’ Impact on Atlanta’s Theatre Scene
How has True Colors influenced the broader Atlanta theatre community over the past 20 years? The company’s impact can be seen in several key areas:
Nurturing Local Talent
True Colors has consistently provided opportunities for Atlanta-based actors, directors, and designers to showcase their talents. By prioritizing local artists, the theatre has helped to:
- Strengthen Atlanta’s artistic community
- Retain talented individuals who might otherwise leave for larger markets
- Create a unique theatrical voice that reflects the city’s character
Addressing Social Issues Through Art
Throughout its history, True Colors has used its platform to spark important conversations about race, identity, and social justice. This commitment to thought-provoking theatre has:
- Challenged audiences to confront difficult topics
- Provided a space for marginalized voices to be heard
- Contributed to Atlanta’s reputation as a progressive cultural center
The Importance of Supporting Black Theatre in Atlanta
As True Colors celebrates its 20th anniversary, it’s crucial to recognize the ongoing need for support of Black theatre in Atlanta and beyond. Why is this support so vital?
Preserving and Promoting Black Cultural Heritage
Black theatre plays a critical role in:
- Documenting and sharing Black experiences and stories
- Providing a platform for Black playwrights, actors, and directors
- Challenging stereotypes and promoting nuanced representations of Black life
- Inspiring future generations of Black artists
Enriching Atlanta’s Cultural Landscape
Supporting Black theatre contributes to the overall health of Atlanta’s arts scene by:
- Increasing diversity in theatrical offerings
- Attracting a wider range of audiences to the theatre
- Fostering cross-cultural understanding and dialogue
- Enhancing Atlanta’s reputation as a cultural destination
True Colors’ Educational Initiatives and Community Outreach
Beyond its mainstage productions, True Colors has developed a range of programs aimed at educating and engaging the community. These initiatives play a crucial role in fulfilling the theatre’s mission.
The Next Narrative Monologue Competition
One of True Colors’ most impactful educational programs is the Next Narrative Monologue Competition. How does this program benefit young artists?
- Provides a platform for high school students to showcase their talents
- Introduces students to contemporary works by Black playwrights
- Offers mentorship and professional development opportunities
- Cultivates the next generation of theatre artists and audiences
True Talk: Fostering Dialogue Beyond the Stage
True Colors’ commitment to meaningful conversation extends beyond its productions through events like the upcoming True Talk: “Reclaiming Ours: Honoring Legacies, Shaping Futures.” These events:
- Bring together artists, community leaders, and audiences
- Explore important social and cultural topics
- Provide context and deeper understanding of the theatre’s work
- Strengthen connections between True Colors and the Atlanta community
The Future of True Colors Theatre
As True Colors enters its third decade, what can audiences expect from this vital Atlanta institution?
Continued Innovation and Growth
True Colors is poised to:
- Expand its reach and impact within the Atlanta community
- Develop new works that push the boundaries of contemporary theatre
- Forge partnerships with other cultural organizations
- Adapt to changing audience preferences and technological advancements
Addressing Industry Challenges
Like many arts organizations, True Colors faces ongoing challenges, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. How is the theatre working to ensure its long-term sustainability?
- Diversifying funding sources through grants and individual donations
- Exploring innovative ticketing and subscription models
- Advocating for increased support of the arts at local and national levels
- Collaborating with other theatres to address industry-wide issues
As True Colors Theatre embarks on its next chapter, it remains committed to its founding principles of artistic excellence, community engagement, and social impact. By continuing to “reclaim” its place in Atlanta’s cultural landscape, True Colors ensures that Black voices and stories will remain at the forefront of the city’s theatrical experiences for years to come.
Atlanta Theater and Broadway | Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre
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Home – Joy and PainRebekah Wortman2023-06-08T15:04:07-04:00
Upcoming True Colors Productions
Written by: Rachel Lynett
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Written by: William F. Brown and Charlie Smalls
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Written by: Alonzo D. Lamont, Jr.
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Upcoming True Colors Productions
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SHOW DATES AND TICKETS
SHOW DATES AND TICKETS
The Wiz!
Full Cast
Directed by Brian Jordan, Jr., star of Tyler Perry’s Sistas on BET, and brought to life by an all-local cast and creative team, this “lemon pepper Wiz” is uniquely Atlantan. Elements of the ATL will be present throughout the show–in costumes, sets, projections, and more.
In this 20th Anniversary season of “Reclaiming Ours,” True Colors reimagines its past productions of The Wiz, which featured all-youth casts, with a multigenerational cast of talented actors, singers, and dancers.
Bring the whole family to experience The Wiz as only Atlanta’s own True Colors can do it.
GET YOUR TICKETS
GET YOUR TICKETS
Reclaiming Ours
Honoring Legacies, Shaping Futures
Date: Tuesday, June 20th, 2023
Time: 7:00pm
Address: Paschal’s Restaurant
180 Northside Drive SW, Atlanta, GA 30313
In celebration of True Color’s 20th anniversary, WABE’s 75th anniversary, and Paschal’s 75th anniversary, these staples of Atlanta invite you to come out for a can’t-miss True Talk: “Reclaiming Ours: Honoring Legacies, Shaping Futures.” This special event will feature can’t-miss performances by True Colors’ cast of The Wiz, so don’t miss it!
MORE INFORMATION HERE
MORE INFORMATION HERE
An Open Letter from the Metro Atlanta Arts Community in the Wake of the Lyric’s Closing
On Tuesday, March 7th, we were devastated to hear that the Atlanta Lyric Theatre has shut down after 42 seasons.
Not only is its closing a loss for our vibrant industry, it is also an indicator that if left unchecked, the crisis in the theatre and arts sectors caused by the COVID-19 shutdowns will continue to ravage our community.
Arts and theatre companies across the country are at an inflection point. Now is the time to act to ensure theatre and the arts stay at the center of Metro Atlanta communities.
READ THE FULL LETTER HERE
READ THE FULL LETTER HERE
“Reclaiming Ours”
The Sankofa Seasons
“Reclaiming Ours”, the theme for True Colors’ 20th Anniversary Season, speaks to the accomplishments of the past that have made True Colors what we are today – a leading regional theatre that centers Black artistic expression and that creates space for honest dialogue on issues that affect our human community.
MORE ABOUT “RECLAIMING OURS”
ABOUT “RECLAIMING OURS”
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Thank You Sponsors
Season Sponsors:
The Wish Foundation
David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund
Jordan and Kristen Silton
Next Narrative Monologue Competition Sponsors:
John H.
& Wilhelmina D. Harland Charitable Foundation, Inc.
Sartain Lanier Family Foundation
PR Consultants:
Season Sponsors:
The Wish Foundation
David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund
Jordan and Kristen Silton
Next Narrative Monologue Competition Sponsors:
John H. & Wilhelmina D. Harland Charitable Foundation, Inc.
Sartain Lanier Family Foundation
PR Consultants:
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the world’s first surviving septuple twins
These four boys and three girls are considered a medical miracle. They are all twins, and they all managed to save their lives. Scientists have named the twins the mysterious word “septulet”. See photos in our material.
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On November 19, 1997, Bobbie McCaughey and her husband Kenny from Iowa made headlines.
The couple became the first parents known to science, who gave birth to seven children at once, each of whom survived.
The kids were named Kenny Jr., Alexis, Natalie, Kelsey, Nathan, Brandon and Joel . Babies at birth weighed from 1.13 to 1.54 kilograms.
Brandon served in the army, the other six went to college. They have an older sister, 19-year-old Michaela, who is married and lives nearby. In 2017, seven children became aunts and uncles when Mikayla gave birth to a son after getting married in 2015. Natalie was the first of seven children to get married in May 2019of the year. Brandon also got married in August 2019.
“It’s going to be a pretty big life change,” admits their mom, Bobby. No wonder: the house in which eight children grew up will be empty at once.
How did it happen that Bobby and Kenny became parents of many children? After the birth of Michaela, they were unable to have a second child, and they went for in vitro fertilization.
Seven embryos took root, and since the couple is quite religious, they decided to keep them all.
Of course, they tried to dissuade them from this risky venture – but everything went relatively well, the kids managed to get out. True, two of them – Nathan and Alexis – were born with cerebral palsy, and they had to be operated on so that the guys could walk.
Nathan has been forced to learn to walk unaided day by day, Alexis still uses a walker. True, this year she was the second captain of the school cheerleading team.
An unusual family was actively helped by charitable organizations: they were given a house with seven bedrooms, the kids got the opportunity to eat for free and go on vacation. When they were born, several universities offered them free education when they grew up. The family once met with President George W. Bush.
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“I was always afraid that, looking at our work, the guys would think that this was enough for a beautiful life,” Kenny told the Des Moines Register newspaper.
— I gradually explained to them what the truth of life is. There was no way I could afford to buy such a house with my salary. If you want to get something, you have to work hard for it.”
Kenny Sr. works for a metal coating company. Bobby is a teacher-defectologist and, in addition to raising eight children, teaches children with special needs. Like her husband, she always tried to instill in her children a love of work.
Alexis is going to study to be an educator, Natalie is going to be an elementary school teacher, Kenny Jr is going to be a construction worker. Nathan and Joel will be programmers. Kelsey sings in the state choir and dreams of a musical career.
“We consider ourselves best friends, not just siblings,” says Alexis.
The untold truth about South Park
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- The untold truth about South Park
South Park (South Park) is as vital and relevant now as it was in 1997, when creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone introduced unforgettable characters like the moralizing Stan, Cartman’s nightmare child, and the ever-dying Kenny.
The comedy duo went on to make the 2004 film Team America: World Police and the hit Broadway musical Book of Mormon, but we’ll take a look at the cartoon that started it all.
It all started with a viral video
When Parker and Stone were first studying film at the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1992, they used construction paper, glue, and a very old 8mm camera to create a raw animated short called ” The Spirit of Christmas” (also known as “Jesus vs. Frosty”). Featuring a group of foul-mouthed Colorado kids (sound familiar?), it was a hit at a campus screening. But Parker and Stone didn’t really care until they moved to Los Angeles and their indie movie Cannibal! The Musical didn’t catch the attention of FOX CEO Brian Graden at 1993. He liked The Spirit of Christmas so much that he made 100 VHS copies and sent them as greeting cards. Two years later, Graden gave the guys $2,000 to make another one, and they came up with “Jesus vs. Santa,” which quickly and secretly sold out around town.
George Clooney was said to have given away 300 copies to his powerful friends, and within a year several television networks asked Parker and Stone for permission to air the clip.
Many of the characters are based on real people
They were told to “write what you know”, but Parker and Stone tend to write about who they know. They drew inspiration from their own lives, creating many of the residents of “South Park”: Cartman’s mom Liana (known for her promiscuity) is named after Parker’s ex-fiancee; Butters is based on the duo’s childhood friend and South Park animation director Eric Stof; and Cartman is named after their high school friend Matt Karpman. Even Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poop is taken from Parker’s childhood. When he forgot to flush the toilet, his father would warn him that Mr. Hankey would crawl out of the toilet and eat him.
They create episodes very quickly
While it can take almost a year for another animated series to produce one episode with huge overseas animation work, the average episode of South Park has a super fast production schedule of just six days.
This means the show can comment on breaking news almost as quickly as a TV show like Saturday Night Live or Last Week Tonight, but the process can be exhausting. Often returning a completed episode the same day it’s supposed to air, Parker and Stone lead a team that writes, records, and animates with a program called Maya. And unlike many other shows that have been running for 20 years, the creators of South Park are extremely active in operations day in and day out. Stone is coordinating production, Parker is leading the writing and also provides most of the voices for the characters. They only missed a deadline once: in 2013, when their studios lost power.
Why did Kenny have to die?
refers to South Park’s concept of killing main character Kenny in every episode, only to bring him back alive and well at the start of the next. It’s funny and innovative, but not entirely original. Parker and Stone took the idea from the 90s MTV sci-fi cartoon Aeon Flux, in which the master spy dies in most episodes.
The duo also took inspiration from a childhood friend named Kenny, who skipped school so often that it was rumored he had died. In the cartoon, Kenny doesn’t always die in later seasons, although he was almost constantly killed for a while in Season 5 until Parker decided to bring him back. Kenny is alive!
Parker and Stone don’t do it alone
Most episodes only credit Trey Parker and Matt Stone (or sometimes just Parker) as writers, but South Park has a large staff of writers and consultants. Many famous names have appeared in the writers’ room during this time: Bill Hader, doing magic tricks on “Saturday Night Live” and developing a film career by writing the screenplay for “South Park”; Kristen Schaal (“Bob’s Diner”, “The Last Man on Earth”) wrote a dozen episodes in 2007; Book of Mormon co-author Robert Lopez was an uncredited consultant; and even legendary sitcom creator Norman Lear (creator of All in the Family and Good Times) stopped by at the age of 81.
Lear served as creative consultant for the episode where the boys learn that Earth is just a bunch of reality shows created by aliens. Obviously, the man who invented Archie Bunker also brought us turd-like taco ice cream.
Timmy!
Timmy is a wheelchair-bound boy suffering from an indeterminate condition that includes elements of paralysis and Tourette’s syndrome (he has many tics and can only say “Timmy!”), but Comedy Central did not immediately want to include this character in South Park. The executives were concerned that Parker and Stone were making fun of people with cognitive disabilities, but the duo countered that the other kids in South Park would treat him like one of the gang. Fans immediately embraced the character, and Parker stated that people started screaming “Timmy!” at him on the street instead of “Oh my God, they killed Kenny!”. South Park, which featured Timmy (and later another physically rejected character, Jimmy), was praised by many critics for its exposure of the problems limited people face.
