WHAT’S ON
NEXT UP
CHOIR BOY
By Tarell Alvin McCraney
Directed by Amanda Washington
August 6 – 30, 2026
Pharus struggles to find his place at The Charles R. Drew Prep School for Boys, an esteemed institution committed to shaping the future of young Black men. This year, however, his talent has earned him the honor of leading the school’s renowned choir—an opportunity that calls upon him to be a leader to his peers, and earn the respect he so craves. Tarell Alvin McCraney, the Oscar-winning writer of Moonlight, weaves together joyous gospel music with a coming-of-age story unlike any that you’ve witnessed before.
Freddie's Playlist: Divas and Icons
April 12 at 7:30PM
This fundraising cabaret stars top Atlanta talent and a setlist featuring hits by your favorite Divas and Icons curated by Freddie Ashley! Tickets are on sale now, and you can enjoy discounted tickets for just $45 when you purchase before March 26!
SEASON 38 IS HERE
Actor’s Express is proud to announce our 38th Season, full of bold and exhilarating theatre. This five-show season includes a world premiere play, an Atlanta premiere musical, and AE’s fifth co-production with Oglethorpe University. In addition to the five-show subscription season, AE welcomes back its perennially popular cabaret partnership with Atlanta icon Libby Whittemore, as well as the sensational Candybox Revue and the ever popular Olive and Agatha.
SEASON 38 IS HERE
Actor’s Express is proud to announce our 38th Season, full of bold and exhilarating theatre. This five-show season includes a world premiere play, an Atlanta premiere musical, and AE’s fifth co-production with Oglethorpe University. In addition to the five-show subscription season, AE welcomes back its perennially popular cabaret partnership with Atlanta icon Libby Whittemore, as well as the sensational Candybox Revue and the ever popular Olive and Agatha.
SIGNATURE SEAT CAMPAIGN
With another year of groundbreaking theatre ahead of us, we are so excited to announce our Signature Seat Campaign! We will be revamping our audience experience with all-new chairs. This is your opportunity not only to support Actor’s Express in the cultivation of a great future, but also to leave your signature on our history.
Below you will find pricing and other information:
- $450 – For all open seats
- $1000 – For a limited number (14) front row seats
UP NEXT
DOUBT, A PARABLE
By John Patrick Shanley
Directed by Freddie Ashley
Starring Tess Malis Kincaid
Set in 1964 at St. Nicholas Church School in the Bronx, the highly traditional and inflexible Sister Aloysius Beauvier becomes suspicious of the charming, progressive Father Flynn’s intentions with a student. Sister Aloysius is unwavering in her belief of Father Flynn’s wrongdoings, but for those around her the babble of lies and truths and questions and secrets lead them only to a place of doubt. John Patrick Shanley’s gripping play leaves audiences full of questions even until the last four chilling words.
WHAT'S ON
A STRANGE LOOP
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Michael R. Jackson
Directed by Amanda Washington
July 24-August 31,2025
Frustrated with his day job ushering for Broadway musicals, a young, gay, Black writer decides to write a musical about a young, gay, Black writer who decides to write a musical about a young, gay, Black writer. Stuck in this “strange loop,” Usher takes us on a kaleidoscopic journey of identity, desire and self acceptance – backed up by an ensemble of voices who call it like they see it. By turns thought provoking and hilarious, A Strange Loop is a groundbreaking piece of theatre that won literally every Best Musical award on Broadway.
SEASON 38 GALA
To benefit of ACTOR'S EXPRESS
Join us on November 8, 2025, at 7 PM for a special night of celebration to ring in the new season at Actor’s Express. Enjoy food, drinks, a fabulous cabaret curated by Artistic Director Freddie Ashley, and get ready to raise some funds to support your favorite Atlanta theatre.
Don’t miss this FEARLESS party!
All gala tickets include reserved table seating, complimentary drinks throughout the night, and a fabulous dinner.
VIP tables of 2, 6, or 10 with individual service are available by emailing [email protected] or calling 404-607-7469.
To donate an item to an auction or sponsor the event, please email [email protected].
EDUCATION AT AE
BEGINNER COSTUME DESIGN WITH APRIL CARSWELL
Mondays, April 28-June 2
7:00 PM-8:30 PM
Unleash your creativity in this hands-on class exploring the art of costume design! Learn how costumes bring characters to life through fabric, color, and storytelling. Learn from the Suzi award winning costume designer, April Andrew Carswell, whose work you may have seen in AE’s productions of An Octoroon, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Head Over Heels and Hedwig and the Angry Inch!
BRRR-LESQUE WINTER SPECTACULAR
WITH THE CANDYBOX REVUE
December 6, 2025
8:00 PM
It’s time to slip into a scandalously festive burlesque show with The Candybox Revue! We’re serving glitz, giggles, and the kind of wintery holiday magic you definitely won’t find at the mall. It’s old-school glamour meets cheeky holiday cheer: one part tease, two parts twinkle, and a generous splash of rhinestones and peppermint perfection!
LIBBY'S AT THE EXPRESS
HO, HO, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND A CONNINE SUE DAY CHRISTMAS
Thurs-Sat at 8:00 PM
Sun at 2:30 PM
The legendary Libby Whittemore is back at the Express with her annual holiday show Ho, Ho, Home for the Holidays and A Connie Sue Day Christmas.
She is joined by the hilarious Connie Sue Day (the 31st Lady of Country Music) for one of Atlanta’s favorite holiday traditions.
LIBBY'S AT THE EXPRESS
December 18-21, 2025
HO, HO, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND A CONNINE SUE DAY CHRISTMAS
Thurs-Sat at 8:00 PM
Sun at 2:30 PM
The legendary Libby Whittemore is back at the Express with her annual holiday show Ho, Ho, Home for the Holidays and A Connie Sue Day Christmas.
She is joined by the hilarious Connie Sue Day (the 31st Lady of Country Music) for one of Atlanta’s favorite holiday traditions.
LOVE BITES
WITH THE CANDYBOX REVUE
February 15, 2025
6:00 PM & 9:00 PM
Ah, love. That fickle beast. The soaring highs, the dizzying lows, the messy middle ground where reality collides with the fairy tale. “Love Bites” is an unapologetically hot burlesque journey through the messy and magnificent landscape of the human heart.
SEASON 36 IS HERE
Welcome to Season 36!
Get ready for a season of exhilarating, authentic and groundbreaking stories.
Subscriptions are available NOW!
FREDDIE ASHLEY
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?
PICK UP ONE OF THESE GIFTS FOR A FRIEND!
LIBBY AT THE EXPRESS! – $40 – Dec. 14 – 17
She’s back! Atlanta cabaret legend Libby Whittemore reprises her annual holiday show “Ho, Ho, Home for the Holidays and a Connie Sue Day Christmas” at Actor’s Express this December.
THREE SHOW FLEX PACKAGE – $110
Pick any three shows to attend during the season, just call the box office and we will book your tickets in the best available seats. To buy for a friend just email the box office to let us know who to transfer the tickets over to!
LIBBY VALENTINES! – $40 – FEB. 10
Atlanta cabaret legend Libby Whittemore sings songs of love a most romantic evening.
IN THE MOOD FOR BURLESQUE- $40 or $100 vip for 2 – FEB. 14
Explore the art of the tease at a very “AE” burlesque show in partnership with our friends at Candybox Review. If you saw them opening night of Hedwig you know they will get you ready for anything.
COMING SOON:
SHADOW PLAY
OCTOBER 23rd
BY QUINN XAVIER HERNANDEZ
DIRECTED BY SAWYER ESTES
Come along on October 23rd at 7:30pm for this “coming of age and then some” story with three main characters called They, Them, and Theirs.
To donate an item to an auction or sponsor the event, please email [email protected].
ONE MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL
FEBRUARY 4 – 5, 2024
It’s back! One of the AE family’s favorite traditions makes its triumphant return! See around 60 one-minute plays brought to life by over 100 local playwrights, actors and directors. This unique event usually sells out, so grab your tickets as soon as you can. Individual tickets are $20.
NOT TO BE MISSED:
LIBBY’S AT THE EXPRESS
HO HO HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
DECEMBER 14 – 17, 2023
She’s back! Atlanta cabaret legend Libby Whittemore reprises her annual holiday show “Ho, Ho, Home for the Holidays and a Connie Sue Day Christmas” at Actor’s Express this December.
VALENTINE LOVE
FEBRUARY 10, 2024
Atlanta cabaret legend Libby Whittemore sings songs of love at Actor’s Express February 10, 2024.
CUDDLE UP WITH SONGS OF THE SEASON
IN THE MOOD FOR BURLESQUE
February 14 at 8 PM
We’re peeling back the layers of passion through the
art of the tease at our Valentine’s Day Special, “In the
Mood for Burlesque!” Get ready to be swept off your
feet by Atlanta’s premier burlesque ensemble, The
Candybox Revue, in an unforgettable theatrical
burlesque experience. The Candybox Revue
confections are a delicious treat for the holiday! Dress
to impress, come as you are, bring just you, a friend, a date, or meet someone new! Tickets start at $40.
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. To mitigate the ongoing effects of the crisis the arts leaders of Metro Atlanta have come together to call for systemic change that will allow the arts to thrive again.
Please join us in this effort.
Parris Sarter and Asha Basha Duniani in cullud wattah (2023). Photo by Casey Gardner Ford Photography.
Actor’s Express is located in the heart of West Midtown inside The King Plow Arts Center, one of Atlanta’s largest commercial, performing and visual arts centers.
Whether you’re coming to see your first AE performance or returning after some time away, check out our First Timer’s Guide to help you make the most of your visit.
As a non-profit theatre organization, Actor’s Express relies on the support of our donors, season subscribers and single ticket buyers. However, ticket sales account for less than half of our operating funds. With the impact that current events have had on the arts community, your support is needed now more than ever. Please consider donating to help AE continue to create the type of bold and forward-thinking performances you won’t see anywhere else. Your donation is 100% tax-deductible.
Make an impact by donating today.
Emma Jean Scott and Russell Scott in Urinetown (2023). Photo by Casey Gardner Ford Photography
