RIALTO ENCORE :: SPRING 2018

#Rialto100

official program of

Spring 2018 #RialtoATL

MUST SEE

AT LEAST ONCE in YOUR LIFETIME

“ I’ve reviewed about 4,000 shows.

None can compare to what I saw tonight.”

—Richard Connema, renowned Broadway critic

“Absolutely the No.1 show in the world. No other company or any style can match this!”

—Kenn Wells, former lead dancer of the English National Ballet

“Poetry in motion... Priceless.”

—Siegfried & Roy, masters of the Impossible

“There is a massive power in this that can embrace the world. It brings great hope… It is

truly a touch of heaven.”

—Daniel Herman, minister of culture of the Czech Republic

“Absolutely the greatest of the great!

It must be experienced.”

—Christine Walevska, “goddess of the cello”, watched Shen Yun 5 times

“Don’t wait, get your tickets now!”

—Lee Meriwether, actress

APR 4-8 | Cobb Energy Centre ShenYun.com/Atlanta

877-ATL-SHOW (285-7469)

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For physician referral, please call 770-956-STAR (7827).

WellStar Health System, the largest health system in Georgia, is known nationally for its innovative care models, focused on improving quality and access to healthcare. WellStar consists of WellStar Medical Group, 240 medical office locations, outpatient centers, health parks, a pediatric center, nursing centers, hospice, homecare, as well as 11 inpatient hospitals: WellStar Atlanta Medical Center, WellStar Atlanta Medical Center South, WellStar Kennestone Regional Medical Center (anchored by WellStar Kennestone Hospital), WellStar West Georgia Medical Center, and WellStar Cobb, Douglas, North Fulton, Paulding, Spalding Regional, Sylvan Grove and Windy Hill hospitals. As a not-forprofit, WellStar continues to reinvest in the health of the communities it serves with new technologies and treatments.

We believe in life well-lived.

Contents

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO MANAGEMENT

16

10

12

JOHN ABBOTT

NELSON ROMERO VALAREZO

8

16 22

14

features

departments

8 L ADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO Saturday, March 3 | 8 pm

10 C APITOL STEPS Saturday, March 24 | 8 pm 12 STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC Friday-Saturday, April 13-14 | 8 pm Sunday, April 15 | 3 pm

6 President’s Letter

18 General Information

20 Sponsors 22 Donors

24 Staff & Advisory Committee

14 R ENÉ MARIE WITH THE GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY JAZZ BAND Friday, April 20 | 8 pm

bonus

16 L ARRY HARLOW’S LATIN LEGENDS BAND Saturday, April 28 | 8 pm

2

25 President’s Letter

Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

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Know what’s really going on.

Now more than ever, the source matters.

Support real, local journalism with real local impact.

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4

Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

110 SHADE IN THE

The musical based on the play The Rainmaker by N. Richard Nash

Transform passionately.

Next Door at Theatrical Outfit!

MAY 31-JUNE 24, 2018 TheatricalOutfit.org 678.528.1500

President’s Letter

O

ne hundred years ago, an ambitious new venture opened its doors in downtown Atlanta. Debuting as the largest movie house in the Southeast and boasting the largest electric sign south of New York City, the Rialto was emblematic of the booming, bustling city it called home. Motion pictures were still a relatively new art form, but the Rialto gave this new technology a fitting home in the center of a city on the move, offering Atlantans the latest in arts and entertainment from across the globe. While the theater has seen many changes in the past century (including an entirely new structure that replaced the original in 1962), the Rialto has steadfastly anchored its corner of downtown and has consistently adapted to the changes taking place around it.

One of the biggest changes came 21 years ago this season when the Rialto reintroduced itself to the city as the Rialto Center for the Arts following its acquisition by Georgia State University and an ambitious building overhaul. No longer a temple to just the motion picture arts, the Rialto was now a state-of-the-art space dedicated to bringing the best in performing arts to the university community, to Atlanta and to the region. Welcoming everything from contemporary dance and classic jazz to world music and bluegrass, the Rialto established itself as the city’s most eclectic performing arts venue for showcasing the unfamiliar and the unexpected alongside the classics and rediscovered gems.

Just as Georgia State University is committed to inquiry and exploration and to bringing the best students, academics, researchers, athletes and administrators from the nation and the world to Atlanta, the Rialto is committed to showcasing the finest performers the world has to offer.

This season is no exception: You can experience classic American jazz musicians and vocalists; Middle-Eastern music with a modern edge; dance from Argentina, Spain, France and New York City; Cuban music and salsa bands; a cappella South African harmonies; and much more. I can guarantee that there is something for everyone.

Whether you’ve been with the Rialto for the past two decades or are here for the first time, attending one performance or 10, I hope you’ll join us, explore new and perhaps unfamiliar artists, and add your voice to a conversation that’s been taking place at the Rialto for more than 100 years.

Dr. Mark Becker President, Georgia State University 6

Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

Saturday & Sunday • 11am - 6pm P i e d mo nt Pa rk • At l a nt a , GA

100 Local & National Artists

Music • Dance • Kids Area • Food • Beverages

30

YEarS

nbaf. org

EDUCaTE EnrICH EnTErTaIn

#RialtoATL

Ladysmith Black Mambazo | March 3, 8 pm

T

he vocals are powerful. The delivery precise. The lyrics a call for worldwide peace. In purpose and performance, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the renowned South African a cappella group, epitomizes harmony.

For more than 50 years, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has moved and delighted audiences around the globe. Its sound — a traditional music called isicathamiya (is-cot-a-ME-ya) — was born in South

8

Africa’s mines and has become universally recognizable.

Joseph Shabalala, now 76, founded the group in the early 1960s with a dual purpose: to overwhelm and outperform any rival singing group in Durban (where he lived) and to carry a message of hope and peace.

Shabalala called for peace through nonviolence in his lyrics and, in the group’s name, gave a friendly warning to

Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO MANAGEMENT

THE DEFINITION OF HARMONY

competitors. “Ladysmith” is Shabalala’s rural hometown in the KwaZulu Natal province; “black” celebrates the performers’ blackness and evokes the fierce black ox; “mambazo” comes from mbazo, meaning ax. It represents the group’s vocal precision and warns that all rivals will be “chopped down.”

Singing in South Africa’s apartheid-era mining towns was vital to the culture and the workweek. Workers were taken far from their families by rail and toiled long hours,

six days a week. They were poorly housed and paid. On Sundays, miners would take turns performing for one another in a spirit of community and friendly competition, often late into the night.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo cut through the competition, emerging from Durban as the most successful singing group in the nation. With its meticulous singing and clarion call for peace, it acquired fans across the world — including Nelson Mandela, then imprisoned on Robben Island.

When freed from almost 30 years as a political prisoner, Mandela cited Ladysmith Black Mambazo as one of the most powerful overtures for peace he’d heard. When he received the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, he asked the group to join him in Norway and perform at the Nobel ceremony.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s 1986 collaboration on Paul Simon’s Grammy Award-winning Graceland album helped introduce world music to mainstream audiences. The group has since collaborated with such acts as Melissa Etheridge, Josh Groban, Emmylou Harris, Sarah McLachlan, Dolly Parton and Stevie Wonder.

Ladysmith has been nominated for 19 Grammys, winning its first in 1988 for the album Shaka Zulu. It won its fifth In January for Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration, conceived as a tribute to Shabalala, who retired four years ago.

More than 50 years after its creation, Ladysmith Black Mambazo is still in perfect harmony with a message that remains resonant.

Atlanta’s Performing Arts Publication | encoreatlanta.com

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#RialtoATL

Capitol Steps | March 24, 8 pm

DE-mock-RACY AT ITS FINEST

T

he Capitol Steps have been putting the “mock” in Democracy since 1981, lampooning politicians, Beltway happenings and the day’s headlines for audiences around the nation.

Neither side of the political aisle is safe from parody when the Capitol Steps take the stage. Their always-changing performances respond to the stories and newsmakers in D.C. and are strenuously bipartisan.

The Steps began as a playful intraparty jab by a group of Senate staffers.

Elaina Newport, Bill Strauss and Jim Aidala worked for Sen. Charles Percy, an Illinois Republican, and were planning entertainment for their office’s holiday party.

They landed on a cheeky idea: If an entertainer — like then-President Ronald Reagan — could become a politician, then politicians, aka political aides, could become

10 Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

entertainers, right?

They created satiric song parodies and comedy sketches that proved as popular in the Rust, Grain, Sun and other belts as they were inside the Beltway.

Most cast members over the years have worked on Capitol Hill, and while the lineup changes, two constants remain: They are equal-opportunity offenders, and they never run short of material.

No matter which party is in power, who holds office or who makes the headlines, the Steps spoof them with moxie and bite.

Through 35 years and six presidential administrations, the Steps have reliably delivered for audiences of all ages and professions.

Everyone’s politics gets spoofed.

Everybody leaves laughing.

Atlanta’s Performing Arts Publication | encoreatlanta.com 11

#Rialto100

A Little Night Music | April 13-14, 8 pm; April 15, 3 pm

‘SEND IN THE CLOWNS’

G

eorgia State University Opera Theater presents its spring production of Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award-winning A Little Night Music. Based on Ingmar Bergman’s movie Smiles of a Summer Night, this classic musical weaves tales of romance with lush melodies to create one unforgettable weekend in the country.

Set in Sweden at the turn of the century, A Little Night Music explores the tangled web of love affairs surrounding actress Desiree Armfeldt, the men who love her, and the women who, in turn, love them. Once all parties eventually gather at Desiree’s mother’s estate, the twists and turns of these many trysts never fail to delight and surprise. With a rich musical score that includes the beloved song “Send in the Clowns,” A Little Night Music tells a story of love, desire, regret, nostalgia, and the magic of a summer evening where anything can happen.

Celebrating its 45th anniversary this season, A Little Night Music is directed by Carroll Freeman, musically directed by Brian Osborne, and conducted by Logan Souther.

Featuring performances by members of the Georgia State University Opera Theater and the Georgia State University Orchestra.

12 Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

Photo: Robert Pack | KSU Dance Company

Department of

Dance

ksudance.com

M

STRONGER THAN YOU THINK

any performers see their craft as their life’s work. For singer, composer, arranger, theater artist and teacher René Marie, this is far more than shorthand for “a lifelong passion.” Her recordings and performances are a culmination of, a testament to and an expression of her life, from triumphant moments to the most painful.

René blends the jazz traditions of Betty Carter, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan with elements of folk, R&B, classical and country for a signature sound. She draws from a deep, rich well of personal experience, which she uses to explore the bright and dark spots of humanity, and everything in between.

René was one of seven children born in Warrenton, Va. The radio and blues, folk, bluegrass and classical records created the soundtrack of her childhood. She first performed as a teenager, singing with R&B bands at community functions. She composed and sang her first piece at age 15.

René married a former bandmate at age 18, shelving her music aspirations for the responsibilities of adulthood. By the mid1990s, she had two children and worked at a bank. At her older son’s urging, she took a tentative step into the local music scene, singing for tips once a week at a hotel bar.

René’s husband, initially supportive of her music, soured on the idea and

14 Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

JOHN ABBOTT

#RialtoJazz

René Marie | April 20, 8 pm

The GSU Jazz Band is led by trumpeter Gordon Vernick.

Dr. Vernick is an author and musician. He leads Georgia State University’s Jazz Studies program and the Rialto Jazz for Kids educational program for elementary and middle-school students in metro Atlanta.

René Marie with the GSU Jazz Band issued an ultimatum: Stop singing or leave their home. The tension escalated from emotional abuse to domestic violence; she left the house and the marriage behind.

The upheaval prompted René to jump headlong into her music. She self-produced her first album within two years, and then signed with MaxJazz records. After four years and four albums, she moved to Denver and began working on a one-woman play, for which she wrote and recorded the soundtrack.

Her ninth and newest album, Sound of Red (released in April 2016 by the Motéma label), is her first to feature all-original material — 11 songs that illuminate the small but profound turning points in life.

Music has healed and inspired René Marie. She understands its power, and says she brings it with her onstage to help heal and inspire her audience.

Atlanta’s Performing Arts Publication | encoreatlanta.com 15

#RialtoJazz

Larry Harlow’s Latin Legends Band | April 28, 8 pm

STILL BRINGING THE HEAT

16 Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

NELSON ROMERO VALAREZO

I

n Afro-Latin music, few legends loom as large as Larry Harlow. As a performer, he revolutionized the sound of salsa. As a producer, he helmed recordings that took Latin artists to new heights of commercial and artistic success. Harlow, a trailblazer for more than 50 years, still brings the heat every time he takes the stage with the Latin Legends Band.

In 1994, Harlow teamed up with Fania All Star and bandleader Ray Barreto, vocalist Adalberto Santiago and cuatro guitar virtuoso Yomo Toro to found the Latin Legends Band. The band came together with the aim of educating Latino and American youth about the music’s heritage and pioneering new ideas, resulting in Larry Harlow’s Latin Legends of Fania Band.

––––– the latin legends band –––––

Bobby Sanabria — drums/timbales Chembo Corniel — congas Louis Bauzó — bongó/cencerro, Iya batá Pete Nater — trumpet Richie Viruet — trumpet Lewis Kahn — trombone/violin

Joe Fiedler — trombone Ray Martinez — bass Nelson Gonzalez — tres Gerado Contino — vocals Luisito Rosario — vocals

With Special Guest: OSCAR HERNÁNDEZ “When Larry [Harlow] asked me to step in for him as pianist with his incredible band the Latin Legends at his upcoming concert at the Rialto Center, I felt honored and very excited to say the least. I feel a debt of gratitude to Larry for playing a part in my love and passion for this music, which is with me always, even more so now that I have my own band, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, a band that is steeped in the history and legacy of what our music is and which Larry is a significant part of. Thank you, Larry.”

— OSCAR HERNÁNDEZ

G

rammy Award winner Oscar Hernández has long been considered one of the more gifted and prominent pianist/arrangers on the contemporary Latin, Latin jazz and salsa scenes.

He’s the leader of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, which has recorded five CDs to date. Hernández and SHO, as the group is known, were Grammy-nominated for their first CD, Un Gran Dia En El Barrio (2002), and their third, United We Swing (2007).

They won a Grammy for their second CD, Across 110th Street (2004), and their fourth, Viva La Tradicion (2010).

Hernández is the leader, music producer, pianist and arranger on all CDs. Since the band’s inception in 2001, it has

earned acclaim as one of the finer exponents of salsa and Latin jazz music.

Hernández’s professional career began in 1970, when he performed and recorded with such seminal artists as Ray Barreto, Celia Cruz, Conjunto Libre, Grupo Folklorico Ismael Miranda and Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez. He also was responsible for charting the musical course of the Rubén Blades Band.

Hernández also leads an all-star salsa orchestra in Los Angeles and performs with his Latin jazz quintet, Alma Libre.

His credits include the orchestrations and arrangements for the Gloria Estefan musical On Your Feet, which ran on Broadway for almost two years in 2015-17.

Atlanta’s Performing Arts Publication | encoreatlanta.com 17

General Information

TICKETS Tickets available for purchase by phone at 404.413.9TIX (9849), online at rialto.gsu.edu, or in person at the Rialto box office, 80 Forsyth St. NW (corner of Forsyth and Luckie streets).

BOX OFICE HOURS Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

WEBSITE Visit rialto.gsu.edu for a complete calendar of events or to purchase tickets 24 hours a day.

REFUNDS & EXCHANGES All sales are final with no exchanges or refunds. Patrons may return tickets before a performance and receive credit for a taxdeductible donation.

USHERING Interested in volunteering as a Rialto usher?

Sign up online or call 404.413.9845.

PARKING The 100 Peachtree Garage (formerly the Equitable Building parking deck) at the corner of Fairlie and Williams streets, provides official parking for the Rialto Center.

SPECIAL NEEDS The Rialto Center is fully accessible to patrons with special needs. Wheelchair seating can be reserved in advance. Patrons who are TTY users, hearing impaired, speech disabled or hard of hearing can call us through the Georgia Relay Service at 711. For more information about these services, please call 866.787.6710. You can also email us at info@rialtocenter.org.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY The exit sign closest to your seat shows the shortest route out of the theater. In case of an emergency, please walk to the exit.

ETIQUETTE Please turn all cellphones and electronic devices to silent operation upon entering the theater. Late-arriving patrons will be seated at the House Manager’s discretion during a pause in the performance. Please refrain from talking during the performance.

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE We encourage you to share your experience at the Rialto on social media before and after the show using #Rialto100 and #RialtoATL. CAMERAS/RECORDING DEVICES The use of cameras or sound/video recording equipment without the written permission of the management is strictly prohibited.

LOST AND FOUND For items lost or left at the theater, please call the House Manager at 404.413.9844.

MERCHANDISE The Rialto has items available for purchase at the box office including umbrellas, coffee mugs and more.

RENT THE RIALTO Our state-of-the art facilities offer the perfect setting for everything from a VIP reception to an unforgettable corporate event. For more information, please contact Jo Costanzo at 404.413.9814 or jcostanzo@gsu.edu.

18 Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

Sponsors

20 Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

City-Lights_Rialto.pdf

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10:32 AM

LOIS RE ITZES A R T S · C U LT U R E · C O N V E R S AT I O N

CMY

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Weekdays · 11am Weeknights · 8pm Sundays · 7pm

@LoisReitzes

@wabenews

@wabe

Donors

July 1, 2016 through Feb 1, 2018

W

hen you donate to the Rialto, you enable us to further enhance and broaden our arts portfolio and educational programming; maintain and expand the Rialto Series, featuring the best of national and international jazz, world music and dance; and to continue building our educational outreach to high-need public school students throughout Atlanta. With donor categories from $1 to more than $100,000, no amount is too small to contribute! We invite you to become part of the Rialto family, and with your gift, the Rialto will be able to bring the arts to more audiences, more classrooms and transform even more lives. For information on how to donate, please visit rialto.gsu.edu/support or contact Suzy Blough at sblough@gsu.edu or 404-413-9821.

IMPRESARIO | $25,000+ Anonymous (3) Bill & Peg Balzer Mark Becker Charles Loridans Foundation Inc. The Erroll & Elaine Davis Charitable Foundation Thomas H. & Mabel Dorn Reeder Foundation Laura Voisinet VIRTUOSO | $15,000-$24,999 Fulton County Arts Council State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company MAESTRO | $10,000-$14,999 The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s Audience Building Roundtable City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Georgia Council for the Arts South Arts Winnifred Smith O’Dell Fund BENEFACTOR | $5,000$9,999 100 Peachtree Naomi M. Kirkman-Bey W. Imara Canady Christine & David Cofrin David & Mary Haddow

PRODUCER | $2,500-$4,999 David Caudill & Julia Bannerman Nancy Nolan & Harold Shumacher New England Foundation for the Arts

Katherine Klein Munir Meghjani Randy and Marc Sharpiro James & Susan Slemenda Les & Susan Spencer Verah M. Turner

LEADER | $1,000-$2,499 Richard & Marty Alterman Ken & Kathy Bernhardt Tony & Mary Burger David M. Cheshier Walter Coffey & G. David Sprowl Sally Atkins Cohen & Rocky Atkins GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group Leslie Gordon & Blake Leland Jo Ann Haden-Miller & Bill Miller Tammy & Don Hale Robert & Connie Hawkins Gloria J. Mims Carl D. Hudson & Jennie Raymond Randy E. Hyman & Marc Shapiro William & Nancy Yang

STAR | $250-$499 Anonymous (1) Judith A. Aehle & Andy Weiskoff Suzy & Doug Blough Darrell W. Daniels Carlye W. Dooley Christopher Escobar Ralph & Mary Gilbert Valerie A. Gilbert Harry Haisten Harvey & Sarah Hill Glenn & Patti Langford Alfred & Vernita Lockhart Rodney & Felicia Mayfield Christina C. Million Judith Service & Juan H. Montier Ronald & Sara Reams Fred B. Smith John A. Steward & Patricia Riley Michael J. Worley

SUSTAINER | $500-$999 William & Mildred M. Cody Darryl Holloman & Glynis Williams Minette Kirkman Naomi Kirkman Bey, MD

PARTNER | $100-$249 American Endowment Foundation Clinton F. Aul Thornton Beech Jane E. Bickerton Lawrence E. & Leslie W. Blumberg David & Connie Breeser

22 Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

PARTNER | $100-$249 (CONT.) Gene B. & Charlesey W. Brown Lawrence & Marva G. Carter C. Ray Chapman Kelly G. & Anthony C. Chelena Gregory S. Cherry Carl & Kimberly C. Clifford Judith Adriana Dia Rotta Jonathan N. Dietch Enid Draluck Christopher S. & Sonnet C. Edmonds Ian & Constance Falconer Anna M. Gray Julie Fishman & Terry F. Pechacek Henry & Joanne J. Fowler Roger & Cheryl Gelder Stuart Gerber Anna M. Gray Richard & Janet Grimshaw Larry R. Hilliard Jack & Michal H. Hillman Merle I. Hoch Walter W. Klein Emma Lankford Damien Lawrence Janet J. Love Sharon L. Margetson Janet V. Mark Ray & Mary Maynard Donald & Carmen Newton Suzanne K. Nieman Sue E. Olszewski Sandra L. Owen Alan & Patricia Pinado Jerry & Usha Rackliffe Susan E. & Frederick L. Roberts Gordon Robinson Benjamin S. Roth David & Sharon Schachter Robert & Camille Simmons

Jeremy R. Sims Anthony Stringer The Coca-Cola Company Jeanette G. & Maurice R. Turcotte Gordon J. Vernick Arthur G. Wasserman Aileen J. Wallace Brad & Kay C. Wideman Gregory & Susan S. Wills Gareth J. Young FRIEND | UP TO $99 Joe Alvarado Mary Ann Back Letitia Baldwin Monica Barnes Isaiah T. Bell Angela K. Bennett Rosiland A. Billingsley Ira T. Brown Lilllian Muriel Birchette Elaine Blumenthal Ira T. Brown Michael Connor & Cynthia Cindric William Scott Cleland Tonya D. Cook Jo E. Costanzo Jacob D. Curtis Vernon J. Davis Victoria Inez Dorsey Pinky G. Elliott Kel-Ann & James W. Eyler Diana Farmer Ken & Barbara J. Feinberg Devon E. Ferguson James Filey Jr. Charne Fucron Luther & Myra Gooden William L. Green

Ralph & Rachel Greil Catherine P. Hartsfield Martha Hartzell Mattie Hatten John F. Hicks Jr. Douglas Jewett Sharon L. Margetson Michelle Maziar Jason R. McCullough Julie Mei Lawrence & Ruth P. Menter Joseph & Susan P. Mondello Francisco J. Montero Willie M. Oyogoa Mark A. Prichard Thomas J. Ptaszynski Kathryn Ralston Vidyashankar & Vita Rangaswamy Jean Rearick Leslie K. Robins Marsha Sargeant George P. Shoultz III Jeffrey Slattery Diana M. Smedler Elizabeth H. Smith David S. Stevson Charles Storm Yvette S. Strickland Elizabeth Sullivan Luke Swanger Robin K. Taylor Shaleen Tibbs Melody D. Travis Charlena Waller Allen Ward Martin J. Wildes Harrison E. Williams Fred & Constance G. Woodruff

Atlanta’s Performing Arts Publication | encoreatlanta.com 23

Staff & Advisory Committee ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Leslie Gordon Director Jennifer Staats Moore Associate Director Monica Barnes Arts Administration Specialist Suzy Blough Development Director Nathan Brown Stage Manager Jo Ellen Costanzo Events Manager Willie Gaston Production Coordinator Eliana Gilbert Production Coordinator Darlene Hamilton Assistant Director, Marketing & Communications Matthew Igyarto Business Manager Jamie Jones Events Coordinator Chadwick Miller Ticket Services Manager Laverne Perry Assistant Director, Artist Relations and Education Thomas Torrent Front of House Manager Michael Williams Production Manager ADVISORY COMMITTEE Richard Alterman Sally Cohen Atkins Peg Balzer Ken Bernhardt W. Imara Canady David Cheshier Walter Coffey Elaine E. Davis Chris Escobar

TICKET SERVICES STAFF Kaci Casey, Zarria Chatman, Raven Jones, Nika O’Neal, Breion Russell FRONT OF HOUSE STAFF Sebah Abdu, Brian Ball, Michael Clinton, Mikayla Collins, Ethel Hill, Jasmine Holt, Delores James, Evelyn Kemp, Janet Lewis, Vera Mack BACKSTAGE CREW Daniel Armbrust, Andrew Brown, Bryan Feeney, Nina Gooch, Damien Helms, Christopher Hollis, Nathaniel Kiser, Marshall Moore, Michael Morgan, Sequoyah Murray, Tony Reid, Dave Reiersen, Anna Richardson, Asalh Scruggs, Danielle Styles, Christa Wood, John Woodson STUDENT ASSISTANTS Julie Atcheson, Emily Louis GRADUATE ASSISTANT Justin Jones

JoAnn Haden-Miller Tamara (Tammy) Hale Connie Hawkins Darryl B. Holloman Randy Hyman Shapiro Karcheik Sims-Alvarado Munir Meghjani, Chair Gina Espinosa Meltzer Judith Montier

Nancy Nolan Jennie Raymond Gordon Vernick Laura Voisinet Brianna Williams

24 Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

THE ENCORE ATLANTA

DINING GUIDE ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A GREAT NIGHT OUT? Try one of

these local restaurants before or after the show. For dinner-and-show packages, visit encoreatlanta.com/offers.

AMERICAN LIVINGSTON RESTAURANT AND BAR — It’s hard to beat the location (across from the Fox Theatre in the Georgian Terrace), and diners get complimentary parking, but the main attraction is the glamour of the main dining room, which has hosted the likes of Clark Gable, and the al fresco seating area. 659 Peachtree St. NE, 404.897.5000, livingstonatlanta.com. M LOBBY — The much-praised Lobby Bar and Bistro is a stylish yet casual modern American bistro that entices guests with its tempting aromas and alluring atmosphere..

361 17th St. NE, 404.961.7370, lobbyattwelve.com, M PACES & VINE — Located in The Vinings Jubilee with classic American comfort food crafted from locally sourced ingredients. Shared plates, fish, steaks. Winecentric bar with craft cocktails. Weekday lunch, weekend brunch and dinner menus led by Atlanta Chef Kyle Schmidt who comes to Paces & Vine after eight years in Atlanta kitchens King and Duke, JCT Kitchen and No. 246, among others. Lunch, dinner, Saturday and Sunday brunch.

4300 Paces Ferry Road, 404.205.8255, pacesandvine.com. V PARISH — Unique people, delicious food and good-for-the-Earth goods all come together at this brasserie and neighborhood café. Step off the BeltLine and join the vibrant culture of Inman Park. Whether you go upstairs to the brasserie or head downstairs to the café, expect inspired familiar American food, inventive beverages and warm hospitality.

240 North Highland Ave. NE, 404.681.4434, parishatl.com. OFW

SOHO — American-style bistro offers fish and seafood, beef, game and poultry, with gluten-free lunch and dinner options, plus their specially-priced Cobb Energy Centre theater menu will get you in and out with plenty of time to make the performance; just show your tickets to your server. Different weekly “wine and tapas” flights debut each Wednesday night.

Vinings Jubilee, 4300 Paces Ferry Road, 770.801.0069, sohoatlanta.com. V TWO URBAN LICKS — Heats up the Atlanta restaurant scene with its fiery American cooking. The experience available at TWO urban licks has made it one of the city’s busiest restaurants on a nightly basis. 820 Ralph McGill Blvd., 404.522.4622, twourbanlicks.com. M AMERICAN/STEAKHOUSE ROOM AT TWELVE — Go to this modern American steakhouse for drinks, steaks and sushi. You’ll find it on West Peachtree Street in the boutique TWELVE Hotel, Centennial Park. Room is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Call or visit for reservations and more.

400 Peachtree St NW, #12, 404.418.1250. roomattwelve.com, D NEIGHBORHOOD CODES A Alpharetta M Midtown BR Brookhaven NA North Atlanta BW Brookwood OFW Old Fourth Ward B Buckhead P Perimeter Mall D Downtown SS Sandy Springs DK DeKalb V Vinings DW Dunwoody VH Virginia Highland IP Inman Park W Westside

Atlanta’s Performing Arts Publication | encoreatlanta.com 25

THE ENCORE ATLANTA DINING GUIDE RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE — A favorite local steakhouse with multiple locations near shopping and entertainment hot spots. Sides are generous, and the quality of the steaks and seafood is excellent. Four locations: Alpharetta, 11655 Haynes Bridge Road, 770.777.1500; Buckhead, 3285 Peachtree Road NE, 404.365.0660; Centennial Olympic Park, 267 Marietta St. NW, 404.223.6500; Kennesaw, 620 Chastain Road NW, 770.420.1985; ruthschris.com. A, B, D STK ATLANTA — STK blends a chic lounge and a dynamic fine dining experience with the superior quality of a traditional steakhouse. Midtown: 1075 Peachtree St., NE (at 12th St.); 404.793.0144, togrp.com/venue/ stk-atlanta. M BREW PUB/GOURMET PUB FARE GORDON BIERSCH — Fresh-brewed beers are a tasty accent to this brewery-restaurant’s hearty pizzas, salads and sandwiches.

242 Peachtree Road NE, 404.264.0253, gordonbiersch.com. B THE SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN — This Southern-inspired gastropub located in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta “celebrates every aspect of what it means to be from the South,” using locally sourced ingredients in their fresh, modern take on traditional dishes. Beverages? Your choices run from barrel-aged cocktails to bottled libations to adult beverages on tap, along with New World wines and craft beers and the “perfect” mint julep. 3035 Peachtree Rd., NE, Suite A208, 404.939.9845, thesoutherngentlemanatl.com. B BREW PUB/GOURMET PUB FARE TAP –A GASTROPUB — The spot for seasonally driven, innovative comfort food. An extensive international beer list and innovative barrel wine program make TAP a convivial place to have a pint. 1180 Peachtree St. NE, 404.347.2220, tapat1180.com. M

the “Pontchartrain Beach” martini. Lunch, brunch, dinner. Takeout available. 3101 Cobb Parkway, 770.612.3311, copelandsatlanta. com. V DINNER THEATER LIPS-ATLANTA — Part cocktail bar, part restaurant, part wa-a-ay over-the-top dinner theater in Brookhaven. The only things padded here are the waitresses.

Open Wed.-Sun. only. Reservations required for dinner shows (not for the bar).

Complimentary on-site valet parking. See website for more important information.

3011 Buford Hwy, 404.315.7711, atldragshow.com, BH SPANISH/IBERIAN FUSION GYPSY KITCHEN — The culinary riches of Spain, influenced by Moroccan and Indian cuisines; sharable Spanish snacks and plates served in a stylish modern atmosphere in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. 3035 Peachtree Rd., NE, Suite A209, 404.939.9840, gypsykitchenatl.com. B SEAFOOD/SUSHI LURE — A modern interpretation of a classic fish house with a focus on seasonality and freshness. 1106 Crescent Ave., 404.817.3650. lure-atlanta.com. M VEGAN HERBAN FIX — With a mission to share the best fusion vegan cuisine with local residents, businesses and visitors, Herban Fix offers a fusion vegan menu to let you experience the most iconic food throughout different parts of Asia. Taking inspiration from various cuisines, the menu at Herban Fix is carefully crafted and plated and all the dishes are designed for sharing. Ingredients are premium select, organic, fresh and aimed at good health as well as great taste. 565-A Peachtree Street NE, 404.815.8787. M

CREOLE/CAJUN COPELAND’S OF NEW ORLEANS — Bayou fare, plus steak, chicken, pasta and sandwiches. Fresh desserts and pastries from the Cheesecake Bakery. Live Jazz Sunday brunch buffet. A favorite gathering spot for Saints fans. Libations include 26 Rialto Center for the Arts | Celebrating 100 Years | rialto.gsu.edu | #RialtoATL

Our Next Century

NOW

S TA R T S

The arts matter. Through the arts, people experience their common humanity

in profound and moving ways. Each year, more than 60,000 people come together to share the Rialto’s performances and events. We aim to entertain diverse audiences by presenting arts programming that is both exceptional and unexpected while cultivating influential community partnerships.

An investment in the Rialto’s future will help ensure a more connected arts community in downtown Atlanta and provide the city with the thriving, historic performing arts venue it needs to maintain its prominence and appeal as a premier city.

Now in our second century, the Rialto aims to heighten our impact by enhancing our performing arts portfolio, extending our education outreach, and upgrading our technology and infrastructure. Our next century begins now!

#Rialto100

Falany Performing Arts Center

1.6 MILLION AMERICANS

SUFFER PROOF FROM CROHN’S OR COLITIS

Encore Atlanta

or f e r e h Be t’s next wha The University Choirs Sunday, April 8, 3 p.m.

CHANCES ARE, IT’S SOMEONE YOU KNOW. Imagine a life filled with pain, surgeries, and disruptions.

That’s Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. For 1.6 million Americans, that life is a reality.

They need you to stand up for them. Please work with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America to help find cures.

HELP SOMEONE YOU KNOW.

Reinhardt.edu/fpac 770-720-9167

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