Wildlife and nature

Animal shelters and rescues

Theater and dance

Rivers, parks and trails

Hunger and food

Schools and learning

Housing and homelessness

Community health

Mental health

Mentoring and foster care

Legal help and rights

Jobs and money help

Atlanta

The Triangle

Everywhere

The Collective Workshop

Royal Animal Refuge

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta

Georgia Advancing Communities Together

Atlanta Writers Club

Cobb Collaborative

Bosleys Place

Jewish Fertility Foundation

Peter Hardy

Jennifer Kimball

Emily McClain

Elisabeth Cooper

Amina S. McIntyre

Carter Bevis

Elaine Wadsworth

Karine Dieuvil

Susan Swavely

Programs

Videos

About

Special

A special Essential Theatre moment 🥹✨ Susan Swavely, @susanswavely the newest 2026 winner of the Essential Theatre Playwriting Award, and Lauren Gunderson, @lalatellsastory the very first winner 🏆 in 2001 after a performance of Susan’s play HELEN OF THE WEST! Only three more chances to see HELEN OF THE WEST before it closes this weekend at @7stagesatl . Winner of the 2026 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award, the play is a rich re-imagining of the fabled story of Helen of Troy, now seen as a mail-order bride in the American West. 🎟️ Get your tickets: https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/essentialtheatre/709

Happy Opening Day! 🎭✨ The wait is over! Celebrate the opening of HELEN OF THE WEST by @susanswavely with exclusive drink specials at @javalords 🍷 Join us before or after the show for a special night of theatre, great drinks, and unforgettable moments. Cheers to opening day and the magic of the stage! 🍹🌟

We are on the @7stagesatl marquee! 🎭✨ Get ready for the 2026 Essential Theatre Play Festival this August, come experience bold new works by Georgia playwrights, including world premieres, plays and readings. We’d love to see you there! Get the full festival schedule and tickets at essentialtheatre.com. The 2026 Essential Theatre Play Festival runs August 7–23 at 7 Stages in Atlanta and features the world premiere of Helen of the West alongside new plays, readings, and special events. See you at the festival! 🎉

Meet the cast of Helen of the West by Susan Swavely. Directed by Peter Hardy. 🎭 Winner of the 2026 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award, Helen of the West is a rich re-imagining of the fabled story of Helen of Troy, now seen as a mail order bride in the American West. Karine Dieuvil (Helen) is a Haitian-American actress making her Atlanta leading-lady debut in this world premiere. Her Atlanta stage credits include the world premiere of A Very Special Hospital (Essential Theatre), Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet and Le Malade Imaginaire (Théâtre du Rêve), all Suzi-recommended productions. On screen, she starred in the feature film The Lemonade Files, winner of Best in Comedy at the Los Angeles International Film Festival, and has appeared across tvOne Network’s Fatal Attraction, Payback, and For My Man. A classically trained, multilingual Afro-Latina artist, Karine has performed on an Atlanta stage every year since 2023 — this year, she returns to ATL to lead one. Love to her community who support her through every season. Find her @KUGHREEN. The struggle persists. For schedule and tickets, visit essentialtheatre.com

🎭 2026 Essential Theatre Play Festival Showcasing Georgia’s Best Playwrights August 7-23, 2026 at 7Stages in Little Five Points For more than 25 years, Essential Theatre has been bringing new work by Georgia playwrights to the stage, and the 2026 Essential Theatre Festival continues this long tradition. Opening the Festival on August 7 will be Helen of the West by Susan Swavely, winner of the 2026 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award. This year’s Playwriting Award is sponsored by Joseph and Alisa Alonso. The Festival will also include staged readings and special presentations of new plays by Georgia playwrights. View Schedule and Get Tickets! Now at essentialtheatre.com

Collective

Collections

Account

Special

More collections