Season 28 At a Glance

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL 
Words and Music by Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Barry Mann, & Cynthia Weil 
Book by Douglas McGrath 
Music by Arrangement with Sony/ATV Music Publishing 
Directed and Choreographed by David Rossetti  
Music Direction by Ann-Carol Pence
Starring Bethany Irby as Carole King  

August 17 – September 17, 2023 
Clyde & Sandra Strickland Grand Stage 

This musical chronicles the inspiring true story of Carole King’s journey from teenage songwriter to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This Tony and Grammy Award-winning show is Some Kind of Wonderful and sure to make you Feel the Earth Move under your seat. Beautiful features hits like You’ve Got a Friend, One Fine Day, Up on the Roof, On Broadway and Natural Woman. A show-stopping season opener filled with the songs you remember—and the story you’ll never forget. 

CHRISTMAS CANTEEN 2023
An Aurora Original

November 24 – December 23, 2023
Clyde & Sandra Strickland Grand Stage 

Now in its 28^th year, Christmas Canteen continues to infuse undeniable holiday magic over all of Metro Atlanta. Thousands flock to the sumptuous Lawrenceville Arts Center each season to experience the joy of this unique theatrical tradition. This magnificent revue overflows with spectacular musical numbers, riotous bursts of comedy and the perfect touch of nostalgia. All ages love to indulge in this holiday treat that promises to be the highlight of the festive season!

KNEAD
Written and Performed by Mary Lynn Owen

January 25 – February 25, 2024
Metro Waterproofing Main Stage 

What can you do when life doesn’t go according to the recipe? It’s the middle of the night, a woman plagued by insomnia is determined that her mother’s bread recipe will finally work. The ingredients of time and memory keep interfering. The bread-baking process – the kneading, rising, shaping, and baking, all in real time – becomes a journey into the unpredictability of the world. On the eve of a significant birthday, the granddaughter of Cuban immigrants mixes the ingredients of her past – love, loss, and Cuban food – into a spectacular night that rises and falls with loaves that somehow end up in the oven. Aurora audiences will remember Marly Lynn Owen from her powerful performance in Wit, which earned her the Suzi Bass Award.

GREENER PASTURES 
By Lori Fischer    

March 21 – April 14, 2024
Clyde & Sandra Strickland Grand Stage  

Forty-eight-year-old Dorothy, a two-bit actor with performance anxiety, has reached her breaking point portraying a singing sandwich on the local children’s show Lunchtime with Munchkins. When she finds a technicality in the contract, she chucks it all to live the good life at the Greener Pastures Retirement Center. Her new roommate, the wisecracking curmudgeon Maxine, wants the attention-grabbing whippersnapper gone. This battle of wills and wits is a Golden Girls meets The Odd Couple crowd-pleaser that makes a perfect date with grandma.  

SISTER ACT 
Music by Alan Menken 
Lyrics by Glenn Slater 
Book by Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner 
Additional Book Material by Douglas Carter Beane 
Based on the Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture, Sister Act, written by Joseph Howard. 
Starring Jasmine Renee’ Ellis as Deloris Van Cartier 

May 23 – June 23, 2024
Clyde & Sandra Strickland Grand Stage  

Lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder and is in fear for her life. The cops answer her prayers, sort of… They put her in protective custody in the one place the police are sure she won’t be found — a convent! Disguised as a nun but not in the habit of attending church, Diva Deloris is at odds with the rigid lifestyle of the sisters. She finds her place turning the stoic choir into a heavenly chorus, but her joyful noise could prove deadly. Based on the hit 1992 film, this uplifting musical is reason to REJOICE!