Today we’d like to introduce you to Emil Thomas
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In 2015, months before graduating with a Bachelor Degree in Theatre with a focus on directing, Emil’s father embarked his family on what some would consider to be a journey of a lifetime. He invested in a local theatre company to give his son the opportunity to have a home for himself to create his work and start his career. Marietta’s New Theatre in the Square, home of the Emil Theatre is 220-seat proscenium blackbox located in the heart of Marietta Square. For the last decade Emil Thomas, has led this team to create a theatre space that is representative of the 21st century.
In 2016 right after completing his degree, Emil and seven of his graduating classmates from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana arrived in Marietta, Georgia to lay the foundation that is Marietta’s Theatre in the Square. From their first production of a Gender-Swapp Hamlet to their award winning production of Nambi E. Kelley’s and Richard Wright’s Native Son, this group of artist worked day and night to bring back a theatre that was lost in the 2008 recession.
As a Artistic Director and Director of the theater, it has been Emil’s goal to create productions that always have a TWIST. He selects season’s that invite todays theatre-goers and invite new patrons.
When you visit Marietta’s Theatre in the Square you are always welcomed by guest and staff with a “Welcome Home”. This welcoming is a reminder to everyone in the theatre that in fact this is a safe space for you to be yourself and always see your self.
Marietta’s Theatre in the Square most popular productions over the last decade,
In the Heights -2018
August Wilson Fences -2017
Little Shop of Horror- 2022
Once on this Island- 2023
Color Purple- 2024
For the last decade the theatre has produced their annual holiday show, The Gift of the Magi 2.0, Written, directed and starring Artistic Director Emil Thomas. In the first year of the theatre, the company didnt have the funds to license a holiday production. It had always been Emil’s dream to write a holiday story for Atlanta and this just what he did. In two short weeks, Emil took the 5-page short story by O’Henry and developed it into a four person story set in Atlanta during the 1950 Atlanta Street Car strike. Jim, A Trolley drive has been on strike for 6 months and just has the holiday season is about to gear up the strike ends and Jim is welcomed back to work, but with influx of automobiles on the road and the selling of the Trolley company from Georgia Trail way to Atlantic Transit Company, the issues that initiated the strike, has only made the situation worse. Now with the holidays around the corner the Jim and his Wife Della are struck trying to figure out how they are going to have Christmas. In this contemporary twist, Emil has added to additional character, Robert and Millie Harvey. Husband and Wife, Owners of the Jewelry Store and Hair Salon, these two befriend Jim and Della Dillingham and offer them a chance at financial freedom.
Marietta’s Theatre in the Square was on smooth rise until the pandemic. The theatre shut down one day after their season opening production of Dominque Morisseau’s Pipeline. During the pandemic, Emil who at the time was studying at the Theatre School at DePaul University return to with his two person stage play Partners. With a very small team, Emil, two Camera and his actors Kaleb and Tina Mitchell. Partners is a two person play set on the evening of a mass shooting. Set in a penthouse that they once shared, Solomon and Zenobi find themselves trapped in their once shared penthouse where they must wait out the shooting. This production was streamed lived every night for two weeks to audiences at home. It was our version of pivoting as we awaited the reopening of live entertainment.
For the last few years the theatre has once again started to rebuild itself. The Community has stood strong and supported us as we have rebuilt our team, our seasons and the business in this new world. While we face new challenges in today’s climate, Emil and the team at Marietta’s Theatre in the Square is more determine then ever to break through and climb new heights.
2025 marks the 10 year anniversary of the theatre. This is a year of celebration. To make to this point is no small accomplishment. We have picked a jam packed season and will fundraising harder then ever before to guarantee that this theatre remains for generations to come.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
please see last post for this answer
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I, Emil Thomas am a Director and Playwright first. An Actor second. An Artistic Director Third. But No matter what I am a Southern gentlemen with a New York Attitude.
I have a degree from Ball State University in Theatre with a focus on Directing and a MFA from the Theatre School at DePaul University.
I graduated from the Performing Arts Magnet Program at Pebblebrook High School is 2012.
I first fell in love with their in Middle school after playing the role of the Baker and a Prince in Aladdin Jr in the 6th, grade.
In undergrad I created an organization that focus on theatre for social Justice. That organization allotted me an opportunity to create theatre pieces with classmates and learn what it is about storytelling that compels me.
It has always been important to me that I create theatre that features stories, with artists and audiences that reflect dynamic melanated community that I am apart of.
I am most proud of the artists that I have worked with previously that have found their way to create work that is authentic to themselves and to their goals in life. I am where I am because of the artists that have trusted in me to create with them. Without them, I am nothing.
Any big plans?
I’m looking forward to the following things.
1. Start teaching directing at Marietta’s Theatre in the Square and in the future in a college or university.
2. Directing our 2025 season.
3. Writing new stories (plays)
4. I’m GETTING MARRIED!
5. Building my brand and the theatre brand to new heights!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mariettatheatresquare.com
- Instagram: @nemilthomas /@mariettatheatresquare
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariettatheatreinthesquare
