Today we’d like to introduce you to Libby Geiselmayr and Robert Edwards.
Libby and Robert, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
The Theatre Project is a community theatre program for ages 9-19 with our mission being to provide theatrical experiences for Cobb County and Atlanta Metro-area youth with an emphasis on education. It started in the mid-2000’s as a collaboration between the Mable House Arts Center and the Amphitheatre which are a part of Cobb County Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs. Initially, involving a handful of kids performing straight plays, the program has grown steadily through the years, changing its focus to musical theatre, with a full production team, live orchestration, and most casts comprised of a diverse mix of 40 to 70 children per show.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been an easy path. Keeping kids interested in the program as we explore show choices is always a struggle. We want to provide opportunities youth may not have access to any other way, but the commitment is a big one so the shows we choose must appeal to them. We are a County-run program so space and funding are always issues. We don’t have a scene shop. Set builds can be tough when you need to move the pieces every time a concert or outside performance has the stage. Storage is limited and tight budgets can place constraints on what could be real “wow” factors for a particular show.
Please tell us about The Theatre Project.
The Theatre Project is a program born from and run through The Mable House Complex which is comprised of the Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre, Art Center, and Historic House. We are located in Mableton and are a part of Cobb County Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs.
We produce two major shows a year, in the Spring and Fall seasons, and offer two-week Theatre Project summer camps as well. We’ve covered quite the gamut through the years with classic shows such as Oliver!, Marry Poppins, Annie, and Singin’ in the Rain to more contemporary productions like Mamma Mia!, Shrek the Musical, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Casting is done through open auditions with callbacks as needed. For each seasonal show the cast rehearses three days a week for nine to ten weeks then for a full week to cover tech prior to performance weekend. It’s an intense experience, but we try to make it a fun one, too.
Though the administrative and marketing tasks are handled at the Art Center, The Theatre Project is primarily housed at the Amphitheatre which can accommodate approximately 2,500 people per show. As with most community theatre programs, we could not do what we do without our volunteers and production staff. Parents of cast members work at least one show to help with ticket taking, program distribution, gifts, etc. Area students volunteer to work backstage as part of our Tech Team. And our local nonprofit, The Friends of the Mable House, supports our concession efforts. The Theatre Project is a gigantic undertaking and a true labor of love for all involved from Mable House staff, to parents, to cast and crew.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Libby: Relating to our favorite childhood theatre memory? I’d say I was maybe in fifth or sixth grade and my older sister had been cast in the high school production of Oliver. It was being performed in the cafetorium and sure, it was great my sister was in the cast, BUT our Chinese Pug Taffy got to play the Bull Terrier live on stage. That was pretty epic.
Robert: As a child, I can remember traveling with my local elementary school to the Cobb County Civic Center and watching The Nutcracker. I also remember going to the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre for some great shows then, too.
Pricing:
- Children 12 and under are free
- General admission tickets are $12
- Tables are $72 and seat six
Contact Info:
- Address: 5239 Floyd Rd
- Website: www.mablehouse.org
- Phone: 7708193285
- Email: elizabeth.geiselmayr@
cobbcounty.org or robert.edwards@cobbcounty.org - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/ thetheatreprojectatl/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/ TheTheatreProjectCobbCounty/
Image Credit:
Personal Photo: Co-Producers Libby Geiselmayr and Robert Edwards, Personal photo credit: John Ridings; Photo credit (Christmas Story Actors 1 & 2, Amphitheatre Gates and Box Office): Libby Geiselmayr; Photo Credit (All Singin’ in the Rain and Little Shop of Horrors): Leah Hudson
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
