Theater News

New Adam Guettel Musical Millions to Premiere at Alliance Theatre

The season features six world premieres, also including a new play by Pulitzer finalist Zora Howard.

Artwork for new Adam Guettel musical
Artwork for new Adam Guettel musical

Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre has announced the productions for its 56th season, which will feature award-winning plays, world premieres, and works developed for youth and families.

The season includes the world premiere musical Millions, running May 10, 2025-June 15, 2025, on the Coca-Cola Stage. Inspired by Frank Cottrell Boyce’s novel and film, Millions has a book by Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone, The Prom), a score by Adam Guettel (The Light in the Piazza, Days of Wine and Roses), and direction by Bartlett Sher (South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof). Millions is a family-friendly modern-day fable about two brothers, their newly-widowed father, a train robber, and (possibly) a miracle.

In partnership with Goodman Theatre and in association with Sonia Friedman Productions, Khaliah Neal, and Thomas Swayne, the Alliance will produce the world premiere of the new play Bust by Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright Zora Howard (Stew) and directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz (The Skin of Our Teeth), running February 13, 2025-March 16, 2025, on the Coca-Cola Stage. In the play, Retta and Reggie are enjoying their usual evening on the porch when a longtime neighbor is pulled over by the police just before turning into his driveway.

The season also includes Babble Lab (June 22-July 28), a world premiere co-production with Children’s Theatre Company by Autumn Ness and directed by Sarah Agnew, created with early learners in mind; Pearl Cleage’s Something Moving: A Meditation On Maynard (August 2-11), a play by Pearl Cleage written for the 50th anniversary of the landmark election of Maynard Jackson as Atlanta’s first Black mayor; Pulitzer Prize winner Katori Hall’s (The Hot Wing King) The Mountaintop (August 30-September 22) directed by Tinashe Kajese-Bolden; The Chinese Lady (September 18-October 13) by Lloyd Suh; the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol (November 9-December 24); the world premiere of the 21st winner of the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, Business Ideas (November 16-December 15) by Milo Cramer from the University of California San Diego, a cross-generational comedy about wealth, directed by Matt Torney; a world premiere adaptation of William Steig’s Newberry Award-winning picture book Doctor De Soto (January 18, 2025-March 2, 2025) produced in association with Seattle Children’s Theatre, adapted by playwright Idris Goodwin; and the world premiere of The Reservoir (March 29, 2025-May 4, 2025) by Jake Brasch as a co-production with the Denver Center and the Geffen Playhouse.

The Alliance Theatre’s Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young will produce four plays developed specifically for children ages newborn through five and their caregivers: The Curious Cardinal, Knock, Knock, Gimme Please, and Dinosaur.

The Alliance will also continue developing new plays through its Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition and its Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab.

Click here for more information about the season.