Speakeysie News Desk – June 3, 2023

The regional theatre company has summer fun lined up for all with theatre, comedy and children’s programming

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (June 2, 2023) – Summer is right around the corner, and Aurora Theatre is heating up with an unbeatable lineup of June programming. It’s laughs galore with performances from comedian Katherine Blanford; Brent Star and friends at Drag Cabaret, Cocktails & Comedy; and in The Play That Goes Wrong, which continues this month. An entertaining array of unique performances from all corners of the earth will also grace the Lawrenceville Arts Center stages this month, including the high-flying Duende: A Cirque Show, the soothing Return of Innocence and the pulsing Sistas of Soul. For the youngest members of the family, Aurora Theatre has an expansive line-up of programming all summer long! This month includes puppet show Cherokee Tales, Midsummer! Jr. and – in honor of Pride Month – Bingo Fabulous: A Family Drag Event. Aurora Theatre’s own AppCo will also present its annual Apprentice Company Showcase, including original works created by company members.

AURORA COMEDY NIGHTS Katherine Blanford
Friday, June 16 – Saturday, June 17 at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $20
Bartow & Leslie Morgan CabaretKatherine Blanford has brought her human “Golden Retriever presence” to stages across the country, appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and sharing the stage with the likes of Jeff Foxworthy, David Spade and Ron White.Audiences might know her from her weekly podcast, Cheaties, co-hosted with fellow ATL comedian Lace Larrabee. The juicy series follows two comedians interviewing guests about their personal stories of cheating and being cheated on and helping each other heal through laughter. Cheaties has been consecutively ranked in Podcast Magazine’s Hot 50 and continues to climb the charts.

LAC LIMITED ENGAGEMENT Apprentice Company Showcase 2023
Sunday, June 4 – Monday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $5
Bartow & Leslie Morgan CabaretThis exciting live performance from Aurora Theatre’s Apprentice Company consists of songs, scenes and monologues designed to highlight this talented group of theatre artists. The show will also feature some original works created by members of AppCo23.

Duende: A Cirque Show
Friday, June 9 – Sunday, June 11
Performances at 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Tickets start at $15
Metro Waterproofing Main StageDuende from Akrosphere Aerial & Circus Arts will take audiences on an artist’s journey from inspiration to realization of a completed work. This outstanding company of acrobats will entrance with their amazing skill as they portray personal stories told through movement and music in a thrilling one-hour contemporary circus performance.

Sistas of Soul
Friday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets start at $25
Metro Waterproofing Main StageThese “Sistas of Soul” shaped the music industry and recorded some of the most memorable music of all time. Join Aurora Theatre for a look back at the greats: Etta, Gladys, Patti, Roberta, The Voice, The Queen of Soul and so many more. Hop on that Midnight Train to Georgia and bring a New Attitudeand Respect for these legends. Aurora’s powerhouse vocalists will take this One Moment in Time to be Killing You Softly with these songs.

Return to Innocence
Saturday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $7
Metro Waterproofing Main StageMagic Eastern Ensemble returns with its unique sound that bridges Asian traditional sounds with a modern style of music. With the help of traditional instruments, piano and MIDI, Return to Innocencewill bathe the listener in a sense of calm, evoking nature and exhibiting the innocence of awakening the inner heart.

AURORA CHILDREN’S PLAYHOUSE Midsummer! Jr.
Wednesday, June 14 at 10 and 11:30 a.m.
Tickets: $7
Metro Waterproofing Main StageThis high-energy adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream uses puppets, live music, imaginative props and fun to bring the classic story to life for even the youngest of theatergoers. At about forty-five minutes long, this hilarious show will easily ignite the imagination of children as they experience Shakespeare’s magical storytelling for the first time.

Cherokee Tales
Wednesday, June 28 at 10 and 11:30 a.m.
Tickets: $7
Metro Waterproofing Main StageThis puppet show was written by playwright Kara Morrison, an enrolled member of the Waccamaw Siouan tribe and a descendant of the Cherokee Nation. Join Sequoyah, one of the most influential figures in Cherokee history, as children hear about Cherokee culture and history, including Sequoyah’s famous syllabary. With the help of puppets and audience volunteers, this exciting puppet show recounts Cherokee myths about the creation of Cherokee land, how the brave Spider brought fire to the animals, the Trail of Tears and more.

AURORA GLOBAL Bingo Fabulous: A Family Drag Event
Saturday, June 10 at 3 p.m.
Adults: $15, Children under 12: $10
Bartow & Leslie Morgan CabaretAurora’s first bingo event! Bingo Fabulous is a delightfully entertaining afternoon offering fun for the whole family. This kid-friendly drag event hosted by Brent Star and special guest Stiletto and her puppet pals is the perfect way to celebrate Pride this month!Drag

Cabaret, Cocktails & Comedy
Saturday, June 10 at 8 p.m.
Tickets start at $20
Bartow & Leslie Morgan CabaretBrent Star and a bevy of Atlanta’s most fabulous Queens come to Lawrenceville to celebrate Pride month with a fun night of music, dancing, fashion and irreverent comedy. The drinks will be cold, the ladies will be hot and the show will be off-the-charts fun!Tipping is customary at drag shows, so bring a few dollars to show your favorite Queens some love!

AURORA ACADEMY Summer Camp: Disney + Pixar’s Finding Nemo Jr.
June 5 – 24
Monday – Friday, 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Performances: June 23 at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., June 24 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
For rising 1st through 8th gradersDisney’s Finding Nemo JR. is a 60-minute musical adaptation of the beloved 2003 Pixar movie Finding Nemo, with new music by award-winning songwriting team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (Frozen). Ideal for young performers the Finding Nemo Jr. camp takes young performers on the magical journey of producing a full musical. Campers will be walked through the processes of auditions, rehearsals and performance, receiving intense training in the three major elements of stage performance – voice, dance and acting – as well as the fundamentals of musical theatre.

CONTINUING THIS MONTH The Play That Goes Wrong
Through Saturday, May 27 at 8 p.m.
Bartow & Leslie Morgan CabaretThis hybrid of Monty Python and Sherlock Holmes will leave audiences thinking it’s so wrong, it’s right! It’s the opening night of The Murder at Haversham Manor and everything is going awry – actors are tripping over everything (including their lines), there’s a corpse can’t play dead and an unconscious leading lady! Directed by Heidi Cline McKerley, this hilarious comedy of errors is sure to be sidesplitting.TICKETSTickets for all June events may be purchased online at my.lvilleartscenter.com or by calling the Box Office at 678.226.6222.

Under the artistic leadership of Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director Ann-Carol Pence and Managing Director Katie Pelkey, now in its 27th Season, Aurora Theatre is resident company and manager of the Lawrenceville Arts Center. Theatrical productions are comprised of the biggest Broadway plays and musicals alongside exciting contemporary theatre. Additionally, Aurora produces concerts, stand-up comedy, children’s programs, metro Atlanta’s top haunted attraction Lawrenceville Ghost Tours, as well as Atlanta’s only professional Spanish language theatre, Teatro Aurora. Nestled on the historic downtown square, Lawrenceville Arts Center has FREE attached covered parking and is surrounded by restaurants and shops. Lawrenceville Arts Center (LAC) is a world-class facility with five venues, with the ability to host performances and community events both indoors and outdoors. Aurora Theatre, co-founded by Anthony Rodriguez & Ann-Carol Pence, has garnered numerous accolades that include a 2016 Governor’s Award for the Arts & Humanities, winner of countless Suzi Bass Awards, Georgia Trend Magazine’s “Best Places to Work in Georgia,” Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Best Places to Work,” Atlanta Magazine’s “Best of Atlanta” for Best Inclusive Programming, Gwinnett Chamber’s Inaugural Moxie Award for Outstanding Woman-led Organization, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s President and CEO Award for Excellence in Arts, and Gwinnett Chamber’s IMPACT Regional Business Award for Hospitality.