Programs

  • Horizon At Home Online Initiative

    DURING THE PAST YEAR AS OUR NATION HAS ADJUSTED TO THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, HORIZON HAS FOUND ITS VOICE IN A WIDE ARRAY OF VIRTUAL AND HYBRID OFFERINGS THAT HAVE ALLOWED OUR ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION TO STAY PRESENT IN THE LIVES OF OUR PATRONS AND REACH A WIDER AUDIENCE THAN IMAGINABLE IN PRE-PANDEMIC TIMES. WHILE WE WERE NOT ABLE TO OFFER PRODUCTIONS LIVE IN OUR THEATRE THIS YEAR, WE FOCUSED INSTEAD ON VIRTUAL WORK AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW WORKS AND NEW ARTISTS.HORIZON AT HOME IS OUR ONLINE STREAMING INITIATIVE, LAUNCHED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC IN MARCH 2020. IT INCLUDES VIRTUAL AND HYBRID PRODUCTIONS, ONLINE SHOWS AND EVENTS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING.UNDER HORIZON AT HOME, WE CREATED VIRTUAL PRODUCTIONS OF NEW WORKS THAT INCLUDED: COMPLETENESS, A ROMANTIC COMEDY ABOUT YOUNG SCIENTIST WRITTEN BY TONY AWARD WINNING WRITER ITAMAR MOSES; A SHOT: #A LOVE STORY INSPIRED BY BLACK LIVES MATTER BY GLORIA BOND CLUNIE HEADLINING OUR ELECTION EVE OFFERING; AND LOVE, M. BY CLARINDA ROSS, A WORLD PREMIERE FOR WORLD AIDS DAY WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER, AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION.HORIZONS NEW SOUTH PLAY FESTIVAL PROGRAM OF NEW WORKS BY WOMEN, ARTISTS OF COLOR AND WRITER/CREATORS FROM THE SOUTH WAS PART OF OUR HORIZON AT HOME PLATFORM THIS YEAR, AND IT EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY, CREATING PLAYS AND EVENTS FOR VIRTUAL/LIVE AUDIENCES.WE CREATED ORIGINAL CONTENT HYBRID PRODUCTIONS WHICH, THROUGH THE TECHNOLOGY WE MASTERED OVER THE YEAR, COMBINED LIVE, VIRTUAL AND PRE-RECORDED ELEMENTS. THE GHOSTS OF LITTLE FIVE POINTS: A VIRTUAL HALLOWEEN EXPERIENCE WAS A LIVE, INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE CREATED BY 20 OF ATLANTAS TOP WRITERS AND ACTORS. SOUTHBOUND: TRUE LIFE TALES FROM THE ATL AND BEYOND WAS A LIVE, ONLINE SERIES, PRODUCED AND CURATED BY TWO HORIZON ARTISTS, FEATURING LOCAL ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS FROM OUR COMMUNITY SHARING TRUE-LIFE STORIES, MUSIC AND SPOKEN WORD ON A THEME. EARTH LOVE BROUGHT TOGETHER OVER 50 LOCAL ARTISTS TO CREATE SHORT VIRTUAL WORKS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE PRESENTED IN A LIVE/VIRTUAL EVENT (EARTH LOVE) IN CELEBRATION OF EARTH DAY. AN EXCITING NEW PERFORMANCE PIECE BY EGYPTIAN-AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHT SUEHYLA EL-ATTAR, NOPE, THATS JUST MY FIRST NAME WAS WORKSHOPPED IN A SERIES OF INTERACTIVE, LIVE, CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN-ADVENTURE ZOOM EVENTS THAT ENGAGED AUDIENCES WHILE ALSO HELPING TO PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE LIVE STAGE DEBUT.WE INCREASED OUR OFFERINGS TO INCLUDE ONLINE ARTIST EVENTS WHICH FEATURED OUR FAMILY OF ACTORS AND DIRECTORS IN ONLINE SHOWS THAT SHOWCASED THEIR SKILLS AND TALENTS, INCLUDING COOKING ALA LALA COOKING AND URBAN GARDENING SHOW, SING WITH KEENA SINGING LESSONS, TOM TALKS COMMUNITY BASED INTERVIEWS WITH BLACK ARTISTS, AND A 21-DAY HOLIDAY TREATS HOLIDAY CELEBRATION WITH SHORT PERFORMANCES DAILY.HORIZON ALSO INCREASED ITS FOCUS ON COMMISSIONING NEW PLAYS FOR THE STAGE THIS YEAR. THOMAS W JONES, II (ARTISTIC ASSOCIATE) STARTED WORK ON A NEW MUSICAL ABOUT ATLANTAS HISTORIC ROYAL PEACOCK CLUB IN THE 1930S AND 40S. AND ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC PRODUCER, MARGUERITE HANNAH LAUNCHED THE NEW GEORGIA WOMAN PROJECT: BLACK WOMEN SPEAK. THIS MAJOR PROJECT COMMISSIONED 9 BLACK WOMEN PLAYWRIGHTS WITH ROOTS IN THE SOUTH TO WRITE THEIR OWN PLAYS EXPLORING AND CENTERING THE LIVES OF BLACK WOMEN TODAY, INSPIRED BY COFFEE CHAT CONVERSATIONS WITH 100+ BLACK WOMEN IN GEORGIA. THE WRITERS WERE CHOSEN FROM A LOCAL AND NATIONWIDE SEARCH AND A BWS COMMUNITY OF WOMEN WAS RECRUITED FROM THE METRO ATLANTA AREA TO PARTICIPATE IN ZOOM COFFEE CHATS FOR INSIGHT, GROUNDING AND SISTERHOOD WHICH BEGAN IN THE SUMMER OF 2021.HORIZONS COMMITMENT TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF THEATRE ARTISTS AND PLAYWRIGHTS CONTINUED WITH OUR NEW SOUTH YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL IN ITS 23RD YEAR AND 2ND YEAR AS A WEEKLONG VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE. 23 COLLEGE STUDENTS GATHERED FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR SEMINARS, TRAININGS AND READINGS OF THEIR WORKS. AND IN-SCHOOL PLAYWRITING RESIDENCIES FOR FIVE TITLE ONE SCHOOLS CONTINUED IN THE VIRTUAL SPACE LED BY PLAYWRIGHT SUEHYLA EL-ATTAR. WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW SCHOOL, AN INDEPENDENT NEARBY HIGH SCHOOL, LEADING THE DRAMA PROGRAM FOR THE SCHOOL.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2020 – Jun 30, 2021
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $557.9K

  • Program 1 [2024]

    IN THE SUMMER OF 2023, HORIZON KICKED OFF OUR 2023-24 SEASON WITH A SOLD-OUT RUN OF THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND BY MARCUS GARDLEY, DIRECTED BY HORIZON ARTISTIC ASSOCIATE THOMAS W. JONES II. THIS OBIE AWARD-WINNING PLAY FOCUSES ON BEARTRICE A FREE WOMAN OF COLOR AND HER THREE UNWED DAUGHTERS FACING CHANGING RACIAL DIVIDES AND AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE IN THE HOT NEW ORLEANS SUMMER OF 1812 AFTER THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF HER WHITE LOVER. A FAMILY DRAMA OF LOVE AND SURVIVAL TOLD IN A RICH AND LYRICAL RIVER OF WORDS, MUSIC, AND DANCE.IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023, WE PRODUCED THE WARM-HEARTED, OFFBEAT COMEDY ROOTED BY DEBORAH ZOE LAUFER ABOUT TWO SISTERS, FEATURING TWO VETERAN HORIZON ACTORS. A RECLUSIVE AMATEUR PLANT RESEARCHER AND YOU-TUBER WHO LIVES IN A TREEHOUSE AND HER WAITRESS SISTER SUDDENLY FIND STRANGERS CHANTING BENEATH HER TREE, TREATING HER LIKE A SPIRITUAL LEADER. THE PLAY ALSO SOLD-OUT MANY PERFORMANCES AND MESMERIZED AUDIENCES WITH OUR FULL TREE-HOUSE SET.FALL OF 2023 DAZZLED WITH THE PREMIERE OF NATASHA, PREMIERE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 BY DAVE MALLOY. FOR THIS CONTEMPORARY BROADWAY MUSICAL BASED ON A SLICE OF TOLSTOYS WAR & PEACE, WE TRANSFORMED THE THEATRE INTO AN IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH ACTOR/MUSICIANS SWIRLED THROUGH THE AUDIENCE FOR AN EXCITING AND VISCERAL EXPERIENCE. ARTISTIC ASSOCIATE HEIDI MCKERLEY DIRECTED A TALENTED ALANTA-BASED CAST OF 20 IN THIS SOLD-OUT MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA THAT THRILLED AUDIENCES, WAS THE RECIPIENT OF EIGHT LOCAL SUZI THEATRE AWARDS IN 2024, INCLUDING OUTSTANDING MUSICAL, AND WAS REMOUNTED TWICE AFTERWARDS (2024 AND 2025).OUR TWO POPULAR HOLIDAY PRODUCTIONS RETURNED FOR THE 2023 HOLIDAY SEASON. WE PARTNERED AGAIN WITH DADS GARAGE, ATLANTAS PREMIERE SOURCE FOR IMPROV, LEVITY, AND LAUGHTER FOR OVER 27 YEARS AND PRESENTED YALLMARK CHRISTMAS: AN IMPROVISED HOLIDAY MOVIE LIVE ONSTAGE, CO-CREATED BY DIRECTOR, PLAYWRIGHT AND BONAFIDE HALLMARK MOVIE SCREENWRITER TOPHER PAYNE, AND DADS GARAGE ENSEMBLE MEMBER AMBER NASH. TOPHER PAYNE RETURNED AS CREATOR/NARRATOR FOR EACH EVENINGS EXPERIENCES OF HOLIDAY IMPROV. AUDIENCE MEMBERS REMEMBERED THE HILARIOUS HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES OF 2022 AND RETURNED FOR ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL RUN OF LONG-FORM, INTERACTIVE IMPROV SHOWS WITH AN ROTATING ENSEMBLE CAST PLUS NIGHTLY SPECIAL GUEST HORIZON ACTORS, SELLING OUT MANY OF THE PERFORMANCES.HORIZONS SECOND HOLIDAY PRODUCTION WAS, MADELINES CHRISTMAS, OUR 13H YEAR OF THIS ANNUAL HOLIDAY EVENT FOR FAMILIES AND OUR FIRST YEAR BACK AFTER A 3-YEAR BREAK DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. LED BY DIRECTOR SPRING MASON OF ATLANTA CHILDRENS THEATRE, THIS UNIQUE PRODUCTION BRINGS TOGETHER TWENTY-EIGHT YOUNG ACTRESSES (8-12 YEARS OLD) WITH THREE PROFESSIONAL ACTORS IN A HOLIDAY ADVENTURE BASED ON THE CLASSIC CHILDRENS BOOK. DIVIDED INTO TWO CASTS, THESE YOUNG LADIES PERFORMED FORTY PERFORMANCES OVER THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, PARENTS PITCH IN BACKSTAGE, FRONT OF HOUSE AND WITH PR AND HELP THIS SPECIAL HOLIDAY EVENT BECOME A FULL-FAMILY AFFAIR. THE PRODUCTION BROUGHT AFFORDABLE, HIGH-QUALITY THEATRE FOR FAMILIES TO NEARLY 5,000, INCLUDING MANY SOLD-OUT SHOWS.2024 KICKED OFF WITH A RETURN OF SMASH-HIT NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812. DUE TO AUDIENCE DEMAND, THE PLAY RETURNED FOR AN ENCORE WITH THE ORIGINAL CAST. PERFORMING TO MORE SOLD-OUT CROWDS, MANY AUDIENCE MEMBERS RETURNED MULTIPLE TIMES, WITH SOME FANS SEEING THE PLAY MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES. THE RETURN OF THIS EXCEPTIONAL PRODUCTION CONCLUDED THE 2023-24 SEASON AS FUTURE SESAON PLANNING CONTINUED.WE BEGAN REHEARSALS FOR THE FIRST SHOW OF OUR 2024-25 SEASON IN MAY, THE GAME BY BEKAH BRUNSTETTER, WHICH OPENED AT THE END OF JUNE. THIS WAS THE SECOND PRODUCTION OF THIS PLAY BY THE ACCLAIMED WRITER OF HORIZONS HIT THE CAKE. THE GAME IS A COMEDY ABOUT A SUPPORT GROUP FOR WOMEN WHOSE PARTNERS ARE OBSESSED WITH AN ONLINE GAME.THIS YEAR SAW SOME PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE THEATRE. AUDIENCE WERE EXCITED TO DISCOVER NEW COMFORTABLE, PORTABLE SEATS REPLACING OUR OVER 100-YEAR-OLD SEATS. NEW LED LIGHTING INSTRUMENTS, CABLING AND SOUND EQUIPMENT WERE INSTALLED TO MODERNIZE OUR SYSTEM.HORIZONS COMMITMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PLAYS BY ARTISTS OF COLOR CONTINUED WITH OUR BLACK WOMEN SPEAK PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDED DRAMATURGY AND WORKSHOPS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS FOR 8 COMMISSIONED PLAYS BY THE BLACK SOUTHERN WOMEN PLAYWRIGHTS. THESE PLAYS WILL BE FURTHER DEVELOPED AND/OR PRODUCED IN 2024-26. "BLACK WOMEN SPEAK" IS PART OF OUR NEW SOUTH PLAYWORKS PROGRAM.HORIZONS COMMITMENT TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF PLAYWRIGHTS CONTINUED WITH OUR 26TH ANNUAL NEW SOUTH YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL, AN INTENSIVE, WEEK-LONG EXPERIENCE FOR A HIGHLY DIVERSE COHORT OF 23 COLLEGE STUDENTS, COMPETITIVELY SELECTED, OFFERED AT NO CHARGE TO THESE TALENTED YOUNG WRITERS. GATHERED FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE WRITERS ATTEND SEMINARS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS AND READINGS OF THEIR WORKS, ARE MENTORED BY VETERAN PLAYWRIGHTS AND SCREENWRITERS, AND CREATE NEW SHORT PLAYS THAT ARE PERFORMED AT THE END OF THE WEEK BY PROFESSIONAL ACTORS. OUR 26TH NSYPF WAS AGAIN IN PERSON AFTER 3 PANDEMIC YEARS AS A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE. WHILE SUCCESSFUL VIRTUALLY, WE WERE THRILLED TO RETURN TO THE IN-PERSON FESTIVAL AND THE CHANCE FOR THE PLAYWRIGHTS TO CONNECT AND LEARN LIVE AGAIN.WE AGAIN OFFERED FREE IN-SCHOOL PLAYWRITING RESIDENCIES FOR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS IN THE METRO ATLANTA AND NORTH GEORGIA AREA. LED BY PLAYWRIGHT AND TEACHING ARTISTS SUEHYLA EL-ATTAR YOUNG, THE PROGRAM INTRODUCES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PLAYWRITING AND FOCUSES ON EACH OF THEM WRITING THEIR OWN SHORT PLAY.WE CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW SCHOOL, AN INDEPENDENT NEARBY HIGH SCHOOL, LEADING THE DRAMA PROGRAM FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2023 – Jun 30, 2024
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.4M