The following was spoken by playwright Frank Siera as an introduction to the staged reading of his play Poetic Licence at 7 Stages on April 13, 2026.

7 Stages Artistic Director Heidi S Howard talks with long-time collaborators Tim Miller‬ and Scott Turner Schofield ‬ about their lives and works. This conversation is in anticipation of a double-feature at the theatre: Miller’s performances of “A Body in the O” and a screening of Schofield’s film “Becoming a Man in 127 Easy Steps“.

Powwows are a beautiful celebration of Native American culture, community, and tradition. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a regular attendee, it’s important to follow the proper etiquette and rules out of respect for the Dancers, Drum groups, Elders, and the sacredness of the event.

When the Powwow or Grand Entry begins, you are expected to follow the rules and guidelines. Here’s what to expect:

• The Master of Ceremonies otherwise known as the MC will guide the Powwow, explain protocols, and let visitors know when participation is welcome. Please pay close attention, this helps to ensure everyone enjoys the experience respectfully.
• During Grand Entry, please stand and remove hats throughout the entire Grand Entry. The MC will announce when it begins and ends. Grand Entry is a moment of prayer, honor, and unity.
• Honor Veterans and Elders. Many Powwows include a veteran’s song or dance. When this happens, everyone is asked to stand and remove hats to show respect and gratitude.  Many people also take a stand for prayer songs.
• DO NOT enter the dance arbor. Once the arena (dance circle) has been blessed, please do not enter unless invited by the MC. Guests may join only during special dances. Dances such as:
• Intertribal Dances
• Round Dances
• Blanket Dances
• Honoring Dances

Participation opportunities:

• Veteran’s March
• Intertribal Dances
• Tiny Tot or Candy Dances (for the children)

Powwows welcome everyone to share in the celebration respectfully. If you’re unsure whether you may join a dance, simply ask a dancer, arena director, or the MC. They’ll gladly guide you.

• RESPECT the dancers and their Regalia. Do not call the regalia “costumes” as they’re a reflection of identity, family, spirituality, tradition, and culture.
• Do not touch Regalia without asking permission. This includes feathers, beadwork, and other sacred items.
• Use respectful language when talking about dancers, traditions, drums, and songs.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILMING:

• Always ask permission: If you wish to photograph or film an individual or group, ask for their consent first.
• Respect announcements: The MC will inform the crowd when photography / recording is not allowed, such as during prayers, certain songs or ceremonies.
• For professionals: If you plan to use images for commercial purposes, obtain written permission or a signed release form from the individual/s.

BEFORE YOU GO:

• Bring a chair: Seating is often limited. Please bring your own chair and be mindful that chairs placed under the arbor are reserved for the dancers. Chairs with shawls or blankets draped over them are also reserved.
• STAY SOBER AND DRUG FREE: Alcohol, drugs, and inappropriate behavior are strictly prohibited at all powwows.
• BE RESPECTFUL: Powwows are family-friendly events. Always use respectful languages and behaviors.

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

• Support Native Vendors and artists: Purchasing from vendors helps support local native business and communities and keeps traditions thriving.
• Be Mindful of Space: Avoid blocking the dancers, drums, or pathways.
• Come with a good heart: Powwows are a place of unity, healing, and celebration. Approach the event with openness, respect, and gratitude

Seeking professional actors, dancers, musicians of Indigenous descent.

“Say Their Names” – a live staged reading/developmental co-production between Out of Hand Theater and 7 Stages.

“Say Their Names“, written by Marcie Rendon (citizen of the White Earth Nation), is a multi-media presentation featuring interwoven film and live performances of the script, along with live drummers, dance and music. The goal is to raise awareness about  MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) and inspire audiences to take action to address the issue.

Working with identified partners in the Indigenous community, Out of Hand will create a framework to engage audiences in a discussion focused on Awareness, Amplification, and Action.

7 Stages will present this as part of the Home Brew Series New Works in Development Program during the First Voices Festival: A Celebration of Indigenous Cultures. 

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AUDITION DATE/TIME: 

Thursday, September 18, 2025

3pm – 7pm

Additional times may be available upon request. 

Auditions will take place at 7 Stages Theatre: 1105 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

Please complete this form by clicking here to schedule an AUDITION TIME.

—

Actors 

Looking for female presenting actors to perform the live staged reading of the script. 

Please bring a 2 minute monologue (spoken word, poetry or storytelling is welcome).

—

Musicians and Dancers

Looking for accompanying artists of any gender to perform as ensemble members. 

Please bring a sample of your work (limited to 2 minutes)

—

*NOTE: All selected performers should be available for rehearsals and performance during the week of November 17-21, 2025. Times TBD. Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

Please complete this form by clicking here to schedule an AUDITION TIME for the Live Staged Reading / Developmental Production of “Say Their Names” – a co-production between Out of Hand Theater and 7 Stages Theatre.

A Letter from Artistic Director Heidi S Howard

Greetings loves,

As Summer nears its end, I reflect on the resilience, courage, and breath of all those who share 7 Stages as a home. I am filled with gratitude for our artists, students, patrons, renters, board and staff who remain committed to representing a multilayered global community through fierce and brave storytelling.

This past season, Youth Creates led us into a season full of celebration, shared methods, vital conversations, and courage to continue to find light in the shadows of these dark times. The long-term commitment of supporting new work, and new methods of producing resulted in the innovative world première of What Are You? which we have been creating for over 5 years with Nicolette Emanuelle. Stay tuned for our most recent new work we began with our dear friend Dorothy Victoria Bell during our Home Brew Series presentation of Incarceration Plantation: The Musical! Both Dorothy and Nicolette are fiercely weird in the most beautiful and courageous ways with their truths and artistry. Further, our colleagues and partners with First Voices Festival celebrations, Service Saturdays and Art of Activism programs have grounded our work in the community, beyond the stage, with grace.

These relationships, dreamings, gatherings and work remind me every day that we must always strive to be stewards of culture. We must keep collaborating, keep creating, keep taking risks and keep loving loud. By imagining new ways to bring light to the darkness, we continue to forge the way for the future.

Sending big love, may we all hold onto creative hope, breath and the courage to persevere. Onward we roll.

~ Heidi & the 7 Stages family

7 Stages Productions

Dream Theory – Where dreams and nightmares collide

July 2024

An original production by the Youth Creates 2024 Ensemble.

From the young minds of Youth Creates comes a world of gods, mortals, and monsters. As two sibling gods start to drift apart, their realms are placed on the verge of a devastating war. Will these realms break apart, or will this story have a happily ever after?

Youth Creates is 7 Stages’ training program providing experiential learning and performance opportunities for teenagers. Through playwriting, design, and performance, students collaborate to create an original production. We will explore various techniques and skills, support your visions and ultimately celebrate by welcoming audiences to our world premiere!

Third Annual First Voices Festival

November 2024

7 Stages joined forces with Turtle Island Trading, Zintkala Zi PowWow, the L5P Business Association and Plaza Theatre in producing the third annual First Voices Festival, A Celebration of Indigenous Cultures. Activities included the world premiere of What Are You? by Nicolette Emanuelle, an outdoor PowWow with Native American performers and vendors, an Art of Activism dialogue with Muscogee (Creek) elder William Harjo, and a special screening of the documentary Bad River at Plaza Theatre.

What Are You?

November 2024

An exploration of what it means to be multi-racial in America. Created by Nicolette Emanuelle, who has roots in the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina, this original production delves into the complexities of racial identity through a blend of movement, music, and personal testimonies.

Creator Nicolette Emanuelle, with Meredith Gordon, Monica Martell, Jacque Pritz and Arthur McDaniel, confronts the relentless question “what are you?”, weaving together striking and moving commonalities found in interviews with other multi-racial individuals, highlighting their unique struggles and the beauty of their identities.

Incarceration Plantation – A Home Brew Series work in development

March 2025

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.

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.

Vital Conversations

Art of Activism at First Voices Festival

November 2024

An evening of conversation and a shared meal, kicking off a full weekend of festivities with special guest Muscogee (Creek) elder William Harjo and loaded Fry Bread dishes from Three Sisters Soulfood!

William is a storyteller and flute maker who has been a part of Powwows all over the country, including First Voices Festival for the last two years. This was a great opportunity to talk with someone with lots of knowledge about Powwows, traditional arts, and history.

Flip the Dirt

January 2025

With an open stage and an open mic, we welcomed the public to gather in dance, story, music, poetry, and performance; to sketch the future of our beloved community.

Artists Theresa Davis, Dana Lupton, Celeste Miller, Shannon Turner, and Charné Furcron guided artistic responses, and the event culminated in a dance party for healing, ritual, and release.

Art of Activism – Responses and Dialogue inspired by Charles Yu’s Interior Chinatown

March 2025

7 Stages brought together community experts, artists and patrons for a powerful conversation inspired by the book Interior Chinatown. By diving into this work, we could address representation and the reduction of the identities of people of color to stereotypes. 

The conversation was supported by the sharing of artistic responses from guest artists Dorothy Bell and Theresa Davis.

Writing Between the Frames – Poetry and prose in screenplay form

April 2025

This writing workshop hosted by Theresa Davis at ArtsXchange was inspired by the book Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. The event was a celebration of National Poetry Month, promoting literacy and storytelling with the Big Read.

“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 played with structure, identity, and self-perception, mirroring the layered storytelling in Interior Chinatown. The screenplay format exposed the roles we unconsciously perform while allowing for both humor and deep reflection.

7 Stages Collaborations

Supporting local artists through collaborative events.

Yallmark

An improvised parody of made-for-tv holiday movies received a full run at 7 Stages with Topher Payne, Amber Nash, and Kevin Gillese. Every night they took audience suggestions and used them to weave together a holiday romance that was equal parts homage and satire.

Southern Fried Bake-Off – Essential Theatre

In its second year, the Southern Fried Bake-Off was an exhilarating 24 hour play festival where participants wrote, rehearsed, and performed brand new plays based on a Bake-Off theme and a list of “ingredients,” then performed in front of a live audience. Playwrights and performers submitted and were selected randomly in a lottery.

Atlanta Fringe Festival 

The Atlanta Fringe Festival is an annual multidisciplinary performing arts event of galactic proportions. With more than 375 showtimes in 11 venues featuring everything from comedy and drama to dance, circus, magic, puppetry, and more, plus free Kids Fringe shows, free Street Fringe busking performances, and free Fringe Audio shows streaming online, there is truly something for everyone at the Fringe!

Service Saturdays

7 Stages regularly hosts Service Saturdays with the aim to help our community thrive by providing vital resources while bringing together local community-driven organizations under one roof. These free events also feature art pop-ups, open mics, and other creative activities.

Among the organizations we work with are Little Free Contentious Library, Just a Touch Ministries, Fulton County Board of Health, and LifeSouth Community Blood Centers.

Renovations/Improvements

Thanks to a Capital Improvement Grant from Georgia Council for the Arts, 7 Stages was able to make significant repairs to several areas of our theater.

• Back entrance canopy and loading door
• Second story canopy
• Bathroom wall panels
• Box office entrance

Click here for PDF Version of 2024/2025 Year in Review

ATLANTA, GA – 7 Stages will screen the documentary film “There is Another Way” on July 19, 2025 at 5:00 PM to benefit the organization at the center of the film: Combatants for Peace.

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?

“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?

“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 screening is a fundraiser for the organization Combatants for Peace and is free to attend. The event will be oversold, so 7 Stages asks guests to arrive early to claim their seat, or to make a donation when reserving. 7 Stages will also be hosting a Service Saturday event from 2-5, so guests are welcome any time after 2 PM. All unclaimed tickets will be released 15 minutes before showing. Late seating will only be allowed if seats remain available. 7 Stages will accommodate as many guests as possible.

This film contains real violence and disturbing situations.

More information: 7stages.org/shows/thereisanotherwayscreening/
Tickets (Free/Donation): eventbrite.com/e/there-is-another-way-tickets-1434711543849

About 7 Stages:

7 Stages brings local, national, and international emerging artwork of social, political, and spiritual importance to Atlanta audiences. Since 1979, artists of all kinds have found 7 Stages to be a haven for the development of new work.

7 Stages has resided on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Muscogee (Creek) people for over 43 years. While we produce content that spans nationally and internationally, it is essential for us to keep such inequities at the forefront of all that we do. We aim to honor these communities past, present and future through conversations, practices and programming that imagines and initiates what reparations look like for all. For every ticket sold, we include an Indigenous land use fee. The proceeds are donated to our Indigenous partners annually.

Our Mission: 7 Stages is a professional, non-profit theatre company devoted to engaging artists and audiences by focusing on the social, political, and spiritual values of contemporary culture. 7 Stages gives primary emphasis to international work and the support and development of new plays, new playwrights, and new methods of collaboration.

Our Vision: Our theatre will be a global center for the creation of vital conversations through collaborative performance.

Today, on Juneteenth, we celebrate the life and works of a great poet, playwright, champion of Black consciousness and resistance. Robert Earl Price worked with 7 Stages since the 1980’s alongside founders Del Hamilton and Faye Allen. His plays, like HUSH: Composing Blind Tom Wiggins and All Blues graced our stages with beautiful and challenging art. 

In 2020, 7 Stages produced a film inspired by Robert’s book Blood Flow, which was devised and directed by Ashley James, and edited by Robby Miles. Featuring community members Yeye Olori Loriyomi (Mama Yeye), Dorothy Victoria Bell & Family, Jaden Gustin & Family, Chantiane Smith & Family, Abigail Richards & Family, Destiny Renee, Tyra Watkins, Parris Sarter, Efrem Whitaker, Darrell Grant, Danny Simmons, Kat Newton, Charles Swint, and Dr. L. Nyrobi Moss. Selected poems and original music composed and performed by Dorothy Victoria Bell, Eugene H. Russell IV, and Robert Earl Price.

“Our goal is to create a multimedia artwork that reflects the continuous role of art as a force of resistance to crimes against humanity past, present and future. We offer, in the times of pandemic, a racial strife and economic exploitation and oppression. A war dance, a battle cry, a chant that challenges times in all tenses. And inspiring vision of our world that we cannot turn away from.” – Robert Earl Price on the production of the 2020 Film Blood Flow

In celebration of Juneteenth and Robert Earl Price’s life, the film Blood Flow is available to view all Summer.

In Robert’s memory, the people he knew and worked with have kind words:

“Before I’d met Mr. Price, I’d heard his name in my living room as a teenager as I explained the newest venture I was about to embark on with 7 Stages with my parents. ‘Robert Earl Price is a legend!’ they exclaimed and the more I thought about it the more I realized that he’d been a topic of discussion in that same living room for years. As an impressionable young black actor, I was in awe being in his presence during our first meeting, to only be greeted with such a kind, bold, and caring soul. I will always cherish the few moments we shared.” – Kai Anwuzia, 7 Stages Programs Manager

“It is possible Robert is among the writers of his generation that holds hands with persons of great spirit, and that his healing words are significant poems for our times.  Surely his various readings and public performances, especially in the American South, are part of the healing processes being employed by others who share his poetic visions.” – Del Hamilton, 7 Stages Founder

“I remember sitting with Robert and Del for hours in the evening while on tour for HUSH. We would drink a night cap of whisky while they told story after story after story. I listened with my full heart. Maybe intentionally, or not, together with Del, Robert was teaching me how to live …to dream …to create …to see the world of possibility through the power of art, despite the dark times. His lessons will continue to fuel my courage to tell the hard stories with love, rhythm, and beauty. Thank you Robert. Rest in power my dear friend and mentor. “ – Heidi S Howard, 7 Stages Artistic Director

Rest in Power 

Beloved poet & friend

Robert Earl Price  

4/4/42 – 4/16/25

Obituary – Robert Earl Price – Kent County News

Remembrance: Poet and playwright Robert Earl Price blended words, music, memory – ArtsATL

Archive of Robert Earl Price’s Productions at 7 Stages – GSU

Black Cat Bones for Seven Sons, 1988

Canes Theme, 1988 

Yarbird’s Vamp, 1990 

Blue Monk, 1996 

HUSH: Composing Blind Tom Wiggins, 2002 

HUSH: Composing Tom Wiggins, 2003- 2004 tour

Come on in My Kitchen, 2006 

All Blues, 2011 

Blood Flow – a film as part of Home Brew at Home 2020 

Let’s raise $100,000,000 and lift the arts in our region out of poverty.

Yep, you read that right. We’re going to raise 100 million dollars to stabilize our regional small and midsize arts organizations. 

It’s broken, let’s fix it.

Arts funding in Atlanta has been broken for decades, and a group of diverse arts leaders, Arts Capital | Atlanta,  have come together to try to fix it and undo some of the damage and inequities that have persisted.

The arts in Atlanta are thriving! There is so much going on all the time it is impossible to experience even half of it. We are lucky to live in the Cultural Capital of the South. However, the cost of this incredibly rich tapestry has been shouldered by artists and arts administrators at small and midsize arts organizations for far too long. The artists have told us loud and clear they are not willing to do it anymore, and they must be paid a living wage.

If Atlanta wants to continue to be a thriving beacon of culture for the south, it is going to have to figure out how to pay for it. To that end, over 20 arts organizations of all sizes and disciplines have been meeting weekly for 2 years to solve some of the systemic issues. We have been meeting with funders in our community with a strong history of arts support and have asked them to give even more, and to encourage their peers to also step up to assist. We are well on our way to success, and now we are asking our community to help lift our message.

If you love and support the diverse arts ecosystem in Atlanta, let’s be loud about it together! Atlanta has some amazing funders in the family foundation space, and we are grateful to each and every one. They have been giving consistently, but it is simply not enough to support all the incredible work in our community. There is an immense gap between the available funding and the work being done every day on stages, in galleries, studios, parks and just about every public space you can think of.

There is also immense wealth in our community, and we need to lift our voices and talk about the arts with friends, neighbors, the business community and the press—anyone who will listen. We have to lift this narrative that the arts in Atlanta are at a crossroads. If enough of us speak up about it, often enough and loud enough, chances are the right people with the right access and control will hear it and support this effort. We’re calling on you, Atlanta, to speak up for the arts. 

We know there are incredible challenges in our world these days and perhaps it seems there are other more urgent matters. As we like to say in the improv world, “Yes and…” We need the arts more than ever to make it through the atrocities we’re witnessing every day. Now is the time. Arts and Culture is under attack, along with our other constitutional rights. Lift your voice. Without the arts, it would just be the atrocities. We need the arts to survive. 

Over 200 arts orgs have been identified in Metro Atlanta, and after surveying them it became clear we need $100M to just get on stable ground.

Once our goal is met, we will not stop there. That won’t fix the systemic issue. We will continue to be loud and fundraise every year and create a new arts funding stream for long-term health, tapping the growing wealth in our community.

Georgia consistently ranks among the lowest funding per capita in the country. Currently about $0.14 per person. There are 8 states above $5 and 3 above $10! Even Alabama has over $1.50. It’s embarrassing! This year Fulton County, one of our largest funders, reduced the budget appropriations for Arts and Culture by almost 50%.

The American Rescue Plan propped up the arts community through covid and we almost had adequate funding for once. Georgia Council for the Arts had an additional $3,000,000 to award for a few years, and it still paled in comparison to other states. The Federal funding around the Employment Retention Tax Credit and the Shuttered Venue Operating Grant provided stability for arts organizations across the country for a short time. All of that funding has ended, while costs have grown exponentially.

The latest blow came May 2nd when the National Endowment for the Arts cancelled and rescinded hundreds, if not thousands (we’re still counting), of grants previously awarded across the country. AC|A is calculating the local impact but the national total is over $20M so far.

Join us in making some noise on behalf of the arts in our region.

• Visit https://www.artscapitalatlanta.org/ to learn more about the current state of the arts in Atlanta and sign up for the newsletter.
• Talk to your representatives about why the arts are important to you and your community.
• Encourage your community to support arts organizations by attending events, donating, and volunteering.
• Write to your local paper.
• Amplify this message and your arts involvement, repost messages about the cuts and contract cancellations, post about your favorite shows and tell your friends when you make a donation. The arts need advocates!
• Tell everyone who will listen that you will be an arts voter in the next election.

AC|A in the News: https://www.artscapitalatlanta.org/news

AJC – NEA cancels previously awarded grants to GA organizations: 

https://www.ajc.com/arts-entertainment/2025/05/nea-cancels-previously-awarded-grants-to-georgia-arts-organizations/

Saporta Report – $100 Million needed to stabilize regional arts groups: 

https://saportareport.com/artscapitalatlanta-100-million-needed-to-stabilize-regional-arts-groups/columnists/mariasmetro/maria_saporta/

WABE – We’ve got about a $50 million dollar deficit:

https://www.wabe.org/weve-got-about-a-50-million-dollar-deficit-arts-capital-atlanta-advocates-for-more-investment-in-atlantas-art-scene/

First Voices Festival – November 7-29, 2024

Located in Atlanta, Georgia on Muscogee (Creek) land, 7 Stages joins forces with Turtle Island Trading, Zintkala Zi PowWow, the L5P Business Association and Plaza Theatre in producing the third annual First Voices Festival, A Celebration of Indigenous Cultures. 

November 2024 activities will include the world premiere of What Are You? by Nicolette Emanuelle, a two day outdoor Powwow with Native American performers and vendors, a special screening of the documentary Bad River at Plaza Theatre, and other activities centered on Indigenous peoples.

–What Are You? – Nov. 7-24, 2024

What Are You? is an exploration of what it means to be multiracial in America. Created and performed by Nicolette Emanuelle, who has roots in the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina, this original theatrical production delves into the complexities of racial identity using absurd humor, original music, dance and even a game show to confront the relentless question “what are you?”. Nicolette weaves together striking and moving commonalities found in interviews with other multiracial individuals, highlighting their unique struggles and the beauty of their identities.

-Powwow – Nov. 16-17, 2024 – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Tatankala “Buffalo” Yellowbird of Zintkala Zi PowWow returns to Little 5 Points with the third annual First Voices Festival Powwow, in partnership with 7 Stages, Turtle Island Trading and L5P Business Association. This event features intertribal celebrations of culture, dance, song, crafts, food and pageantry.

At noon both days, the Grand Entry fills the circle with a company of dancers in full regalia, taking audiences and participants on a journey of storytelling and cultural sharing through a variety of traditional dances. The dancers are surrounded by Indigenous jewelry, art, crafting tents, demonstrations and food, including fry bread from our friends at Three Sisters Soulfood! Our special guest is Muscogee (Creek) elder, storyteller and flute maker William Harjo, returning for his third year. Entry to the Powwow is free, family-friendly and everyone is welcome!

-Film Screening at Plaza Theatre plus Q & A – Nov. 29 – 7 p.m.

Bad River is a new documentary film which chronicles the Wisconsin-based Bad River Band and its ongoing fight for sovereignty, a story which unfolds in a groundbreaking way through a series of shocking revelations, devastating losses, and a powerful legacy of defiance and resilience which includes a David vs. Goliath battle to save Lake Superior, the largest freshwater resource in America. As Eldred Corbine, a Bad River Tribal Elder declares: “We gotta protect it… die for it, if we have to.”

This special presentation will feature an introduction by a Bad River representative and a post-show Q&A.

History of First Voices Festival: In 2022, 7 Stages teamed up with Turtle Island Trading, Zintkala Zi PowWow, and The Little 5 Points Business Association to bring a multifaceted festival to the city of Atlanta that celebrates Indigenous cultures, people, and practices. Many groups of performers, vendors, and various tribes were invited to a PowWow in Little Five Points, which is the home of 7 Stages and many cultural institutions. 

The Powwow was accompanied by an Art of Activism dialogue with Muscogee (Creek) elder and fine flute maker William Harjo, and complimentary meals provided by Three Sisters Soulfood. We also welcomed singer/songwriter and Native American flute player Shelley Morningsong (Northern Cheyenne and Scandinavian) and Fabian Fontenelle (Zuni/Omaha) for an evening of performances at 7 Stages.

Following the success of the first year, we extended the Powwow to a two day event in 2023, invited William Harjo back for storytelling and flute performances, and partnered with Plaza Theatre for a special screening of “RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked The World”.

About 7 Stages:

7 Stages brings local, national, and international emerging artwork of social, political, and spiritual importance to Atlanta audiences. Since 1979, artists of all kinds have found 7 Stages to be a haven for the development of new work.

7 Stages has resided on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Muscogee (Creek) people for over 43 years. While we produce content that spans nationally and internationally, it is essential for us to keep such inequities at the forefront of all that we do. We aim to honor these communities past, present and future through conversations, practices and programming that imagines and initiates what reparations look like for all. For every ticket sold, we include an Indigenous land use fee. The proceeds are donated to our Indigenous partners annually.

Our Mission: 7 Stages is a professional, non-profit theatre company devoted to engaging artists and audiences by focusing on the social, political, and spiritual values of contemporary culture. 7 Stages gives primary emphasis to international work and the support and development of new plays, new playwrights, and new methods of collaboration.

Our Vision: Our theatre will be a global center for the creation of vital conversations through collaborative performance.

Learn more about our First Voices Festival partners at 7stages.org/shows/first-voices-festival/

7 Stages Theatre

1105 Euclid Ave NE

Atlanta, GA 30307

404-523-7647

www.7stages.org

All press inquiries:

Devi Wells – Marketing Coordinator

devi@7stages.org

Images available upon request.

First Voices Festival Media Kit

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Dearest family, friends, students, and patrons, thank you from our toe toes to the stars for dreaming, celebrating, singing, science-ing and protesting with healing joy and vital connections! As I reflect on our collaborations, presentations, trainings, festivals and fiercely weird encounters, I am filled with gratitude and motivation.

While we continue to examine our role as arts leaders, it is without a doubt that our programming continues to honor our past, find grounding in our present wonder and manifest dreams for our collective future. As the halted programming from shutdowns continues to bubble up in renewed commitments to artists, projects and organizational values, we at 7 Stages are encouraged more than ever by your engagement and support. Thank you for showing up in all the ways you are able! Our stages are yours. I’m looking forward to creating a world we want to live in with all of you.

Enjoy some throwbacks to the last year!

-Heidi S Howard, 7 Stages Artistic Director

Youth Creates 2023 – The Gl1tter Effect

Performed July 28-29, 2023

Program June 26-July 30

In just five weeks, the Youth Creates 2023 Ensemble created a play from scratch, The Gl1tter Effect! “In a far away galaxy, there are worlds full of wonder; from floating cities to mystical forests, to planets made entirely of mushrooms.

Every world is unique. But what happens when an unnatural substance called Gl1tter sweeps through the galaxy and threatens to turn its inhabitants into hulking monsters? How can these worlds survive this threat to their natural magic? What will it cost them?

Youth Creates is 7 Stages’ training program providing experiential learning and performance opportunities for teenagers. Through playwriting, design, and performance, students collaborate to create an original production.

The Lost Art of Dreaming – Sean Dorsey Dance

September 15-17, 2023

Trailblazing transgender choreographer Sean Dorsey (San Francisco) returned to 7 Stages with the Atlanta premiere of Sean Dorsey Dance’s The Lost Art Of Dreaming, inviting us to “reconnect with longing, embrace expansive imagination, connect with joy and pleasure, and propel ourselves toward loving Futures.”

This powerful work featured full-throttle dance, intimate storytelling, intricate costuming, and exquisite queer partnering… all performed with Sean Dorsey Dance’s signature technical precision, guts and deep humanity. Each performance was followed by the lobby experience of two activities: Postcards From The Future and The Futurist Pledge! The Lost Art Of Dreaming was performed by an ensemble of five queer, trans & gender-non-conforming dancers (Sean Dorsey, Brandon Graham, Héctor Jaime, David Le, Nol Simonse) – with a rich, layered soundscore.

Yesterday was a day we as a family will remember forever. Thank you to Sean Dorsey Dance for their inspirational art and to 7 Stages for holding space for this beautiful work creating community. I will be forever grateful that my children got to be a part of this. – Lena Kotler-Wallace, patron

First Voices Festival – Second Annual

November 17-24, 2023

Produced by 7 Stages in collaboration with Turtle Island Trading, Zintkala Zi PowWow, Little 5 Points Business Association and Plaza Theatre.

Storytelling with William Harjo – November 17, 2023

To kick off a full weekend of complimentary events, 7 Stages hosted an evening of storytelling and music at 7 Stages featuring Muscogee (Creek) elder and fine flutemaker William Harjo. For over 25 years, Harjo has traveled the world telling stories, playing and selling his handmade flutes. The opening reception also featured frybread dishes from Three Sisters Soulfood.

POWWOW – Nov 18-19, 2023

For two days, the soccer field in Little 5 Points was filled with dancers, musicians, vendors, and visitors to a PowWow in the center of Atlanta. Indigenous people of many backgrounds gathered in the field to represent their cultures. It featured a dance competition, performances by drummers, flutists, singers, and a variety of goods crafted by Indigenous artisans.

RUMBLE Film Screening – Nov 24, 2023

To cap off the events of First Voices Festival, a special screening of Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World was held at Plaza Theatre accompanied by a minimarket with Indigenous goods. This documentary explores the enormous influence Indigenous people have on Rock n’ Roll, using interviews and archival footage.

Eunice in Paris

January 27-28, 2024

This presentation of Eunice in Paris was part of 7 Stages’ Home Brew Series, which provides a platform and resources for works in development that exhibit promise, stimulation, and provocation.

Set in the 1980s in the Parisian nightclub Theatre Olympia, Nina Simone is confronted with her choices and relives experiences with James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry, her parents and others in a piece that crescendos with an existential look into her mental health, her choices, and, of course, the motivations behind her music and songwriting.

This production, in development with Hush Harbor Lab, was performed at The Atlanta Black Theatre Festival in 2022. In 2023, a revised presentation hit the 7 Stages Backstage Theatre with Parris Sarter as Nina Simone. Written by Amina S. McIntyre, and directed by Thandi DeShazor.

True North

March 15-31, 2024

A creative exploration of the invisible forces that connect us across the globe, despite our differences. Atlanta playwright Lee Nowell’s True North first came to 7 Stages as part of our Home Brew Series in 2020. This scientific Ted Talk style theatrical experience asks audiences to consider the things around them that they can’t see, like electromagnetic energy and the way we interact with it, in addition to the ways it may affect us.

All compasses point to Magnetic North, but Magnetic North is currently moving erratically – averaging 34 to 40 miles per year- and humans feel it. When magnetic fields move erratically, the part of our brain that makes ethical decisions becomes impaired, and our health can be compromised.

Characterizations of The Noosphere and Magnetic North joined relatable everyday Joe, whose whole world is turned upside down when he takes part in a study about the human ability to detect Magnetic North and the effects it has on our decisions–and Anne, a scientist who draws parallels between ancient wisdom and new evidence.

Poetry as Protest

April 10, 2024 On the 4th Floor Gallery of Decatur Library

This evening of poetry and live music was inspired by Ilya Kaminsky’s Deaf Republic. Artistic responses to his text answer “how do you protest”? This event was a collaboration between 7 Stages and Georgia Center for the Book, hosted by Destiny Renee and featuring performances by Theresa Davis, Nikki Gray, and Isis Kleef , with ASL interpretation by Hands In Motion.

The NEA Big Read

All season

7 Stages was one of 62 organizations nationwide selected to receive a 2023-2024 NEA Big Read grant. A grant of $20,000 supported a community reading program focusing on Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky.

2024 Apprentice Showcase

April 20, 2024

This was a night of celebrating young and emerging artists Akua Malloy, Aloe Sanders, Cade Nabors, Ezra Stene, Isis Kleef, and Nina Cajuste. Each of them took part in 7 Stages’ apprentice program where they trained in the administrative, production and artistic aspects of theater. They celebrated their apprenticeships by using what they’ve learned to create artistic responses to Ilya Kaminsky’s book Deaf Republic.

Internships often focus on hands-on entry level experiences within an arts nonprofit, are usually short-term, and provide compensation in the form of college credit, vouchers, and exclusive opportunities. Apprenticeships are longer-term paid experiences with stipends paid per production. They often lead to continued employment at the theatre or a mutually beneficial relationship.

Curious Sensory Encounters

May 17-20, 2024

We explored our senses, including sight-hearing-taste-smell-touch, and took inspiration from Ilya Kaminsky’s book Deaf Republic; a poetic tale of an occupied country and the citizens’ unique way of fighting back by “going deaf”.

Artists of many disciplines responded to this book and its themes of oppression, resistance and collective power, resulting in a wide range of experiences: live performances, interactive exhibits, a film screening and much more. These “Encounters” were self-led, & tickets were made more accessible with a pay-what-you-choose model.

Upon entering the building, visitors received a map and began their journey in the encounter of their choice – whether they chose to “dunk her!” in dead sea or visit the Sheds of the 6 Senses. They could see The Foul strutting through the halls in mismatched laces, divine silks, astonishing pearls and dashing wigs or explore our memories and sense of intuition in F(L)IGHT *L stands for love or loss. Then, find out what it means to really listen in a special interactive screening of The Tuba Thieves. These encounters were multifaceted and many changed throughout the evening, creating a dynamic experience that spanned the entire theatre.

Education Residencies

All season

In-school residencies are co-teaching experiences in which professional artists and teachers work together to bring artistic value into education. By working alongside the existing curriculum, this collaboration method provides a unique, in-depth way into the subject matter. Residencies are tailored to middle schools, high schools, and universities!

Over the last year, Maynard Jackson High School film students worked with the book Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky to create original films depicting protest and resilience. Spelman University dance students also worked with this text to create original movement pieces! 7 Stages also aided The Children’s School with A Player’s Game, glimpsing into the future of our current TCS Players lives 20 years from now.

7 Stages and TCS have found a home within each other. It is an honor to work with such gifted students willing to take on the task of creating their own original shows! I’m always so very proud of all that we can accomplish together. -Destiny Renee, 7 Stages Education Director

Theatre Rental Program

All season

7 Stages houses two performance venues with stadium style seating that are available year-round to rentals of all types. These spaces & staff resources are kept at comparatively low costs for the local community and touring productions in an effort to make events more accessible. Among the numerous renters during our 2023-2024 season were: Southern Fried Queer Pride, Theatre du Reve, Full Radius Dance, and Atlanta Fringe Festival

Lights Up!

We have some exciting news to share! 7 Stages has been able to continue our LED transition this year by adding over 40 new instruments to the Mainstage inventory allowing us to move more to the Black Box and retire most of our old power hungry and heat producing units. Our ongoing goals include reducing our carbon footprint while remaining state of the art for our productions and the many users of our facility.

Huge thanks to Georgia Council for the Arts for their Cultural Facilities Grant, their partner The National Endowment for the Arts; The David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund; and The AEC Trust. We could not continue this important work without our many funding partners.

Thanks to our sponsors, partners, and many individual donors for making our 2023-2024 programming possible!

Major funding for this organization is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, the City of Atlanta Mayor ’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts is funded in part through partnerships with the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how NEA grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.