Show&Tell @ The Common

July 15, 2025 at 7 Stages

Doors – 6 PM, Stories – 7 PM

Remember the thrill of show-and-tell as a kid? We’re bringing it back—with a twist!

Grab an object that means something to you and get ready to tell us a 5-minute story. It could be your story’s star, a quirky sidekick, or just make a brief cameo—but it should hold a special place in your heart. Maybe it’s something that’s been with you forever, or maybe it’s brand new. The only rule? It matters to you.

No worries if your item is lost to time or too big to lug around (looking at you, childhood treehouse)—just bring a photo or paint us a vivid picture with your words!

Don’t have a story to share? No problem. Roll out those Kindergarten skills of curiosity and generosity and take on one of the most important roles of the evening: listener! Brush up on those listening ears—this time, you also get to judge. You (and the rest of the audience) will vote on whose story was the most compelling. The winner? They’ll walk away with bragging rights and a spot at the annual Show & Tell Showdown!

Storytellers – check out the guidelines at thecommonstage.org/st-guidelines

There is Another Way – Film Screening

July 19, 2025 at 5 PM – FREE / donations encouraged!

7 Stages Mainstage

In the midst of darkness, we discover who we truly are. There is Another Way tells the story of a group of visionaries who refuse to surrender to violence and injustice, and in doing so show that another path is possible – for them, for us, and for all humanity.  As we are all faced with essential questions about who we are, will we choose collective liberation, where the needs, rights, and safety of all are prioritized – in which our humanity comes first, knowing that no one is free until everyone is free. 

Combatants for Peace, nominated for two Nobel Peace Prizes, is an extraordinary bi-national group of former enemy combatants – Israelis and Palestinians – working together during an ongoing armed conflict. Confronted with the devastation and escalating violence of October 7th and the war in Gaza, the very core of the movement faces great challenges in showing that there is another way. The first question they must answer relates to their own beliefs…is this possible?

A follow up to the award-winning documentary Disturbing the Peace (2016), which is about questioning the narrative we are born into, There is Another Way is about choosing our future. It takes courage to walk a path even when you yourself feel overwhelmed and afraid—a path where you don’t know the final answer, only that it will emerge from standing in the grief of what we, as humanity, have experienced and created and find yourself unable to turn away.

This event is a fundraiser for the organization Combatants for Peace and is FREE to attend. The event will be oversold, so please arrive early to claim your seat or make a donation when reserving. 7 Stages will also be hosting a Service Saturday event from 2-5, so come by anytime!

All unclaimed tickets will be released 15 minutes before showing. Late seating will only be allowed if seats remain available. We will accommodate as many as possible.

After the film, we will make space for conversation and can share a recorded conversation with members of Combatants for Peace and the filmmaker. The conversation can offer more insight into the work being done for this non-violent movement but we also understand sometimes we need to talk through difficult things with our community. We will offer space for both.

Service Saturday May 17, 2025 from 2-5 PM

7 Stages welcomes you to another Service Saturday with: pop-up art, health resources, a clothing drive, blood drive, complimentary food, and lots of books!  In addition to our banned book library, we will be offering FREE books–Charles Yu’s Interior Chinatown.

This year’s BIG READ selection has inspired a wide variety of artistic responses including original dance from Spelman Improv classes, visual art from Midtown High School classes, a children’s musical by Clark University students, poetry, song, film and more!  

Vital conversations on stereotype, representation and the roles we play in society have fueled us all season long, so come celebrate the culmination with an Open Mic for pop up artistic responses and readings of scenes from the text. SHOW UP to share your story, vision, and voice!

Thanks to Little Free Contentious Library, Just a Touch Ministries, Fulton County Board of Health, NEA’s Big Read and other long standing partners for their complimentary services.

Our friends at LifeSouth Community Blood drive will be joining us for the day from 11am – 5pm, please give as you are able. Signups at https://donors.lifesouth.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/865811

Our friends at Essential Theatre invite all to a Celebration of Georgia Playwrights! Meet the 2025 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award Winner, Matt Hoffman, and celebrate Essential’s – and Georgia’s – rich theatre tradition and the community in which our playwrights grow and thrive. A toast will begin as we close out the Service Saturday offerings. More info at: https://www.essentialtheatre.com/2025-celebration-of-georgia-playwrights/

Writing Between the Frames: Poetry & Prose in Screenplay Form 

Inspired by Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu.

Celebrating National Poetry Month by promoting literacy and storytelling with the Big Read.

April 12, 2025 from  2-4pm at ArtsXchange (2148 Newnan St, Atlanta, GA 30344).

If your life were a movie, what genre would it be? What stereotypical role do you feel you’ve played in your life? In this workshop, participants play with structure, identity, and self-perception, mirroring the layered storytelling in Interior Chinatown. The screenplay format exposes the roles we unconsciously perform while allowing for both humor and deep reflection.

Theresa Davis, the facilitator of this generative workshop, is a published author and Literary Director of the ArtsXchange.

We will meet in the ArtsXchange library. Parking and entrance is located behind the building.

The fourth annual First Voices Festival is a multifaceted celebration of Indigenous cultures based in Atlanta, Georgia. Events include: Art of Activism, a night of storytelling, music and traditional foods; a two day outdoor Powwow; Say Their Names, a special staged presentation featuring film and live performance, and a screening of the documentary She Cried That Day. These events are brought to you by 7 Stages, Turtle Island Trading, Little 5 Points Cultural District, Zintkala Zi Powwow, Plaza Theatre and Out of Hand.

Event Schedule

Art of Activism – Stories from William Harjo and a shared meal

November 14, 2025 at 7:00pm

7 Stages Theatre – 1105 Euclid Ave NE Atlanta, GA

This event features storytelling and music with honored elder William Harjo, a Muscogee (Creek) elder who shares stories, music, and his fine flute crafting techniques across the country. Participants will engage in a shared meal and vital conversations around food traditions of the original people of this land.

A preshow reception in the lobby provided by food vendor and chef Tina Reyes (Apache) of Rez Juice brings us authentic sweet and savory Fry Bread and lemonade. The mainstage will then be filled with stories and songs around food and childhood connecting all through art and everyday life.

Powwow – outdoor family friendly celebration

November 15 and 16, 2025 from 10am to 5pm

1136 Austin Ave NE Atlanta, GA

This outdoor two day Powwow is presented by Zintkala Zi Powwow, led by Buffalo Yellowbird, a citizen of Oglala Lakota Nation. The Powwow includes traditional drummers and dancers, traditional foods, (fry bread, buffalo burgers, roasted corn, etc.), Indigenous vendors (jewelry, arts and crafts), demonstrations, and storytelling. Family friendly free event. Everyone is welcome! Click here to learn about Powwow etiquette.

Say Their Names – presentation in partnership with Out of Hand Theater

November 21, 2025 at 7:30pm

7 Stages Theatre – 1105 Euclid Ave NE Atlanta, GA

In partnership with Out of Hand Theater, this work in development will be presented as part of 7 Stages’ Home Brew Series. Written by Marcie Rendon (citizen of the White Earth Nation), Say Their Names began as a spoken word piece about the estimated 4,754 missing and murdered Indigenous women across the United States and Canada. It has evolved into a multi-media theater presentation using poetry and prose to document and address the historical, societal invisibilization of Native women and children. Delving into the community concerns that led Native communities to begin a public outcry about the ever increasing numbers, it is written to move people to question and take action on behalf of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (#mmiw).

This presentation features interwoven film and live performances of the script. It will be followed by a community conversation about the lack of media representation for victims in all marginalized communities, and how we can create a collective framework for continued dialogue, healing, and action.

She Cried That Day – Documentary Film Screening

November 28, 2025 at 7:00pm

Plaza Theatre – 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE Atlanta, GA

This special screening of the documentary She Cried That Day at Plaza Theatre features a post show dialogue with Director Amanda Erickson, who grew up in Peachtree City and earned her film degree at Georgia State University. She is a member of the San Carlos Apache, and her film is about missing and murdered Indigenous women in New Mexico.

Christine Means and her family have spent years questioning the circumstances surrounding her sister’s death. In 2019, a renewed sense of hope for justice places Christine at the center of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives movement in New Mexico. As she becomes a voice for her sister, we get an inside look into how this deadly crisis takes a toll on a family, a community and a state. This is a story of love, spirit, and the unwavering power of Indigenous Women and Allies who refuse to let their loved ones remain invisible in the eyes of the justice system. Click here to watch the trailer!

To learn more about the history of First Voices Festival CLICK HERE

Thanks to our sponsors for making the 2025 First Voices Festival possible:

SPECIAL THANKS TO :

Wrecking Bar, WRFG, Unsolicited Cooking, Atlanta Toolbank, Country Inn & Suites® by Radisson, Atlanta Downtown South at GSU, Java Lords, Inter Atlanta FC, Georgia Works, Emil’ Keme (K’iche’ Maya Nation), Wade Marbaugh with the E-Church, Kristen Manion Taylor, Christopher Escobar, Gary Seputis, Michael Denlinger, Anïsa Lewis, John Reynolds, Gabi Collard, George Kotler-Wallace, Kai Anwuzia, Nicolette Emmanuele, Josef “Wuzii” Anwuzia, Matt Brohammer, Tom Priester, Lucinda Armbrust-Kohler, Edwin Jamison and all of the volunteers who made First Voices Festival possible.

Service Saturday – March 29, 2025 from 2-5 PM – FREE!

– Open Mic including art bursts of Dorothy Bell’s new work in development Incarceration Plantation: The Musical.
– Educational materials, STD and drug testing, and reproductive resources from Fulton County Board of Health.
– Free food from Just a Touch Ministries.
– Free copies of Interior Chinatown  thanks to National Endowment for the Arts Big Read.
– Free banned books thanks to Little Free Contentious Library.
– Free Clothing.
– Self-care and wellness Goods from Hope’s Awakening Brew.
– Art installation by Balloon Blossoms.

Incarceration Plantation: The Musical – A Home Brew Series work in development

March 29, 2025 – 7 PM at 7 Stages – FREE

Incarceration Plantation: The Musical is a sister and brother’s creative journey, despite the walls that keep them apart. They reflect on more than 30 years of dealing with America’s prison system, its impact, and how systemic racism and the disproportionate sentencing of Black people perpetuates a form of modern slavery.

When Dorothy Victoria Bell was 14, her brother Roger Bell II committed a burglary, but was convicted for a murder that occurred after he left the scene. He was sentenced to three life terms after being convinced to take a plea deal. In 2020, he began sharing his poetry with Dorothy, and she helped him through the process of writing a book. Their continued communication and collaboration helped them get through some dark and terrifying times.

Inspired by classic musicals like The Wiz, Oklahoma and Mary Poppins, Dorothy adds a spoonful of sugar to make these stories more accessible. Dorothy explains “I am a singer, composer, musician and empath ready to sing the story out loud so that we can combat the narrative of fear and division through the power of art.” This story is about decades of incarceration, but it shines a light on the possibilities of hope and healing.

This production is part of 7 Stages’ Home Brew Series, a program that provides a platform and resources for works in development. While Home Brews offer support at any stage in the development process, this new production is in the seedling stage. This public sharing will offer audiences select new musical and movement compositions, letters between Dorothy and Roger, original poetry created behind bars and a sneak peak into the overall storyline.

Creator/Director – Dorothy Victoria Bell

Co-creator – Roger B. Bell II

Producer/Director – Heidi S Howard

Stage Manager/Choreographer/Performer – Kai Anwuzia

Creative Doula – Stephanie S. Scott

Holder of Stories/Memories – Michelle Barnard

Musician/Arranger – Khari Cabral Simmons

Audio/Projections – Josef (Wuzii) Anwuzia

Apprentices – Alisha Simmons, Aubrey Salm

Special thanks to Cleveland Jones, Azya Maxton, Ingrid Sibley, Madgie Abson (aka Mommy), Java Lords and Théâtre du Rêve (Theater of the Dream) 

Dorothy Victoria Bell is an Atlanta-based actor, director, singer, songwriter, and teaching artist who earned a degree in English from Clark Atlanta University and an MFA in Theater from Louisville University. Passionate about empowering people through art, Dorothy has taught and performed across the U.S., the Netherlands, and South Africa. As a healing artist, her vision is to inspire people to use art as a way to discover and share their personal stories, with a particular focus on helping those who are often unheard to find, embrace, and express their own voices. Since 2000, she has focused on multicultural and interdisciplinary art, integrating these methods into education as a teaching artist with 7 Stages and around Atlanta. She is thrilled to take on responsibilities as lead performance teacher and program coordinator for the 24-25 season Big Read program in schools and for Youth Creates 2025, summer theatre program for teens. She has taught at Clark Atlanta University, Clarkston Community Center, Midtown High School, The Globe Academy and Dekalb Elementary School of the Arts. Her stage credits include 7 Stages Theatre, Horizon Theatre, Push Push Theatre, and the Grahamstown Arts Festival.

Roger Bernard Bell II was born in Northwest Detroit in 1973 to Min. Roger B. Bell Sr. and Madgie L. Bell. He became a little brother to Laverne and would go on to become a big brother to four more sisters. After a very strict Christian upbringing and a move to Charlotte, North Carolina, Roger went on to grow into a rebellious teenager. He soon would drop out of high school and begin a life of evasion from, but also frequent run-ins, with the local law.

In March of 1992, Roger had accumulated several outstanding warrants for his arrest, and made the decision to go on the run, leaving Charlotte to stay with friends in Gastonia, N.C. However, this respite was short-lived because less than two weeks after he had arrived in Gastonia, Roger initiated a break-in at a home that resulted in the occupant being brutally sexually assaulted and then killed after Roger had left the scene.

Roger was arrested three days later, and after a 3 year stay in an old decrepit county jail, he bore witness to, and began living, a horrific nightmare of a life of incarceration in the State Prison system in North Carolina. Ignorant to the machinations of the criminal justice system in America, in March of 1995, Roger began to become educated on his place in this new environment, but he also started to recognize the devious philosophy of those who have built these warehouses that have been destroying families by trapping brothers, fathers, mothers, and sisters away for centuries.

To this date, Roger has served a total of 33 years,and eleven days. He has obtained certification in Industrial Sewing, Commercial Cleaning, Dental Technology I, II ,III, gained his GED, and over 50 supplemental continuing education course certificates through the Edovo and Hope University Education Programs. He wrote “Something I Felt Led to Say”, a memoir and poetic reflection of serving time in America’s Incarceration Plantation.

Roger’s case is currently being reviewed for parole consideration for the third time. He spends most of his time daily endeavoring to work to continue positive growth while preparing for a successful and joyful re-entry to freedom after his release.

Heidi S Howard is the Artistic Director at 7 Stages, and previously served as the Education Director and Production Manager for over a decade. She loves creating devised performances, directing new and classic plays, teaching arts-based curriculum, and collaborating with international, national, and local artists. By aligning education programs with all programming, she strives to create a brave space to connect everyday life to the creative process. Directing highlights include Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, Lee Nowell’s True North, Secretaries by the Five Lesbian Brothers, FML: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life by Sarah Gubbins, Lauren Gunderson’s The Revolutionists, Suehyla El Attar’s Doctor Devil & My Dad, and Michael Molina’s Mass Transit Muse. She has toured throughout the USA as well as to The Netherlands, Serbia, Israel and China.

Kai “Melody” Anwuzia is a multifaceted performance artist with specialties in dance/theatre/voice, educator and Youth Creates & Bootcamp Alum from Atlanta, GA. Growing up she spent the majority of her time dancing and traveling with Moving in the Spirit and 7 Stages for many years. She is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago majoring in music with a concentration in vocal performance she primarily sings R&B, Neo-Soul, Hip-Hop, and Gospel. Throughout her vocal career she has been privileged enough to study under some of the best in the industry including vocalist/voice over actor/vocal producer Jeff Morrow, gospel artist Jonathan McReynolds, vocalist/musician Cassandra O’Neal, and supporting vocalists/vocal producers/vocal coaches RAII & Whitney. She has performed in venues such as The Rialto Theater in Atlanta, Fox Theater in Atlanta, Metro Chicago, House of Blues Chicago, and Lincoln Hall in Chicago; while as an official member of Maverick City Music’s Gospel Choir was apart of a several tour dates during their “Kingdom” and “Kingdom Arena” tours in collaboration with Kirk Franklin. She is honored to be working with Atlanta royalty on this groundbreaking up and coming musical.

Stephanie S. Scott is the founder of The Ninakula Collective, an arts incubator created to assist artists in the development of projects that facilitate crisis-ending arts action. Over Stephanie’s 35+ year career in the arts, she has worked as a stage manager, production manager, and festival manager for numerous organizations including the Pan African Film Festival, Laurence Fishburne’s LOA Productions, Jomandi Productions, the National Black Arts Festival, 7 Stages, Theatrical Outfit, the Atlanta Jazz Festival and the Youth Ensemble of Atlanta. Stephanie also worked in film and television casting on projects including Malcolm X, HBO’s ROC, ABC’s Where I Live, What’s Love Got To Do With It, Cool Runnings, and The Inkwell. Stephanie holds a B.A. in English and drama from Spelman College, a M.Div. from the Interdenominational Theological Center, and an M.L.I.S. from Long Island University.

Michelle Barnard is a mom of a beautiful six and three year old and proud owner of Balloon Blossoms LLC! a company that creates memorable balloon art for every occasion. She is a personal trainer and yoga instructor with a focus on communal healing through movement. Dorothy’s best friend since 7th grade who, as a witness to Dorothy’s young life became the holder of her memories and a treasured support system.

In the 90’s, Atlanta was a melting pot for burgeoning soul music, house music DJ’s and an underground jazz scene. Khari Cabral Simmons stood at the point where all of these met, as an upcoming bassist and bandleader. It was in this creatively fertile environment that Khari made his start in music. He started playing bass for many of the artists in the scene, such as Bilal Sunni Ali (Sun Ra), Donnie (The Colored Section), Gaelle (Naked Music)and India.Arie. He also started to do recording sessions, playing on house music recordings, including a remix for KD Lang. After a few years of recording dance and soul music, Khari started looking to make his own vehicle for upbeat soulful music. It was then that he created Jiva. Jiva would go on to play all over the Atlanta area, performing alongside artists like Roy Ayers and Incognito.

While Khari Cabral & JIVA were making noise throughout the globe, Khari’s dear friend India Arie got signed to Motown Records. She asked Khari to become her touring bassist, and he accommodated the request. He spent years touring the world with India. Together, they performed on The Tonight Show, The Late Show, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Grammys, Saturday Night Live and many more. They also spent 3 months touring with Sade. After his success as a Grammy Award winning bassist, Khari was courted by NYC tastemakers, Giant Step Records. JIVA would go on to release 3 singles, an EP and a full length album,”Sun & Moon”, with Giant Step.

The era of Covid found Khari taking a break from playing live shows. That time also found Khari reflecting on the roots of his band. Watching the rise of D-Nice, the DJ that brought the nation together by playing upbeat soul music DJ-sets on Instagram, inspired Khari. After seeing so many people brought together through the music at the center of his soul, Khari began to write the next JIVA album. The result is the new Khari Cabral & JIVA album, “5”. Khari let his dear friend and leader of Incognito, Bluey, hear his first recorded songs. After hearing three songs, Bluey got Khari a recording deal with his label, Splash Blue Music. Holding down the main vocals for this album are Atlanta vocalists Cleveland Jones and Brenda Nicole Moorer. Joining them as guests singers are Lizz Wright, Artia Lockett and Lindsey Webster. Along with his all star rhythm section, Khari lays down the funk with the intent to bring us together again as one nation under a groove!

Josef “Wuzii” Anwuzia is a Nigerian-American saxophonist, music producer, and photographer with a deep passion for sound and a commitment to artistic integrity. Hailing from Chicago and having lived in Maryland, Wuzii brings a unique perspective to every creative endeavor. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago, Wuzii has spent the past nine years establishing a reputation as a skilled music producer and recording engineer in the Chicago scene. Known for a meticulous approach to crafting soundscapes, Wuzii holds both the art and the artist to the highest standard, believing in the power of authentic and meaningful creation. Beyond music, Wuzii is a dedicated photographer and has experience in videography, using these visual arts to further explore and express the world through a different lens. Whether capturing a perfect frame or composing a soulful track, Wuzii seeks to leave a lasting impression by honoring the art form in every project.

Alisha Simmons is a Caribbean-American theatremaker, arts administrator, and educator from Atlanta, Georgia. Their work prioritizes Black queer imagination as praxis and the power of community-based devised performance. Alisha received a B.A in Theater and Feminist, Gender, & Sexuality Studies from Wesleyan University. Recent credits include 7 Stages, The Tank NYC, The Public Theater, Oddfellows Playhouse, Olin Memorial Library, and the Wesleyan University Center for the Arts.

Aubrey Salm is a Tennessee native who recently moved to Georgia to pursue the arts. Adopted by two women, the concept of identity, culture, and humanity has always affected her as an African-American woman raised in a white family. Growing up exposed to movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood and the oldies radio station, she is inspired by the classics in her works as a visual artist. She earned her B.A. in video and film production from Middle Tennessee State University and is enthusiastic to continue to delve into the Atlanta theater scene!