Essential Theatre

Essential Theatre’s mission is to nurture and produce new works by Georgia playwrights and to enrich our audience’s experience by actively engaging them in the process. Our vision is a thriving, dynamic American theatre community in which Georgia playwrights are a recognized and celebrated part.

We began producing an annual Play Festival, including a full production of at least one new play by a Georgia writer every year, in 1999. In 2012, we began producing all new works by Georgia writers and have continued doing that ever since. Since our first Festival in 1999, we’ve premiered or presented 54 new works by 46 different Georgia playwrights, all receiving productions of the highest artistic quality through Essential and many going on to receive future productions elsewhere in Atlanta and across the country.