"The Foreigner", a comedy by Larry Shue

VENUE « Virginia-Highland Church at 743 Virginia Ave NE, Atlanta There is free parking available across the street at Virginia Highland Elementary School. There is limited parking onsite at the church. Please plan to take public transportation, a ride share or arrive early to find street parking. We will begin shows promptly, so please plan ahead to be on time. PERFORMANCE DATES • Wednesday, July 15th, 2026 • 8PM • Thursday, July 16th, 2026 • 8PM • Friday, July 17th, 2026 • 8PM • Saturday, July 18th, 2026 • 2PM & 8PM COST OF ADMISSION We offer admission on a "pay what you can" basis. We suggest a donation of $20 for folks who are able. Donations can be processed in CASH at the door or online via GiveLively (links to Venmo, PayPal, Stripe and more). CAUSE WE’RE SUPPORTING As with all of our productions, a portion of proceeds will be donated to a cause we believe in. To further align our production with the themes of acceptance and community that are the underpinning of this show, a portion of the proceeds from this run will be donated to New American Pathways. As a Georgia-based nonprofit, their mission is to help refugees and newcomers from all over the world navigate the journey from arrival to citizenship. By supporting their work in refugee resettlement, English literacy, and career advancement, we hope to honor the play’s message of finding a sense of belonging and ensuring that everyone, regardless of where they come from, has the opportunity to thrive in our local community. SYNOPSIS In a remote fishing lodge in rural Georgia, a pathologically shy man named Charlie seeks a quiet escape from the world. To save him from the strain of conversation, his friend convinces the local residents that Charlie is a "foreigner" who understands no English. The plan backfires with hilarious results as the lodge's colorful inhabitants—from a cynical heiress to a scheming preacher—begin to treat Charlie as a silent confidant, confessing their deepest secrets and dark scandals right to his face. What follows is a high-stakes, mile-a-minute farce where a man who just wanted to be invisible finds himself the only person capable of saving the day. "A comic masterpiece... Shue's play is a tribute to the power of the human spirit to find a common language, even when the words are all wrong." — The New York Times CONTENT WARNING While The Foreigner is a celebrated comedy, its plot centers on a conflict with a local group motivated by xenophobia and extremism. Our production is committed to exploring these themes with modern intentionality, specifically focusing on the absurdity of hate while prioritizing the safety of our performers and audience. To ground the conflict in a more recognizable contemporary context, we will be utilizing a "Proud Boys" aesthetic and physicality for many of the antagonists. In terms of staging, we plan to use very limited traditional regalia, supplementing the wardrobe with modern-inspired “inflammatory” costuming (ie: “Proud Boys” references). This approach allows us to clearly identify the threat and the play's anti-bigotry message without unnecessarily overwhelming the space with historical trauma-based imagery. We are dedicated to maintaining an open dialogue throughout the rehearsal process to ensure a supportive environment for all artists involved. WHEELCHAIR ACCESS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE - Our wheelchair elevator is currently out of commission and being serviced. We'll update this form as soon as it is up and running again. Please email [email protected] for any questions about accessing the space.

Event Links

Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3714587-0

Instagram: https://go.evvnt.com/3714587-2

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