Aurora Theatre celebrates leadership evolution, ushering in unbeatable 2022/2023 season in Lawrenceville Arts Center

Aurora Theatre

Aurora Theatre welcomes another unforgettable season full of thrilling shows, programming that builds community connections and stories that deserve to be told with the 2022/2023 season – marking the first full season in the new Lawrenceville Arts Center (LAC). Aurora Theatre has also announced a leadership shift as Co-Founder Anthony Rodriguez pursues a new venture as HUB404 Conservancy’s first executive director. While he will maintain a presence on Aurora’s board of directors, Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director Ann-Carol Pence and Managing Director Katie Pelkey will continue leading the theater’s day-to-day operations, driving the regional theatre leader to new heights

“Katie and I are committed to Aurora and the City of Lawrenceville with all our hearts,” said Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director Ann-Carol Pence. “With the Board of Directors’ support, Aurora will employ our expanded mission to lift up underrepresented voices, develop our internal talent and expand our community impact, in order that we may serve as a beacon of hope for what a community of belonging should be. It may sound serious, but it is joyful work!”

Pence has been a cornerstone of Aurora Theatre and a catalyst for its success since she founded it alongside Anthony Rodriguez in 1996. In one season, Pence and Rodriguez took Aurora from a failing for-profit company into a thriving non-profit organization that has become the heartbeat of the arts community in Lawrenceville and Gwinnett County. Under Pence’s guidance, Aurora Theatre has made its mark as the largest arts organization in the region and one of the fastest-growing professional theaters in the state of Georgia. Whether leading a rehearsal from behind her piano or engaging with the community as they step through the doors of the LAC for the first time, Pence has been a constant driving force of creativity and will continue as an innovative leader to usher Aurora into its next season.

Aurora Theatre has long been recognized as an arts organization that produces great leaders as well as artists. Katie Pelkey has served as one of these shining leaders at Aurora for the past 15 years, having served in a variety of roles including Company Manager, Resident Stage Manager and Educational Resources Associate. Pelkey created the highly successful Stage Management and Costume Apprentice Company program that operates simultaneously with Aurora’s Acting Apprentice Company program. As Managing Director since 2020, Pelkey has collaborated with the Board of Directors and provided executive leadership, overseeing operational, fundraising and administrative areas.

“Ultimately, Aurora will continue to do what it has always done,” said Managing Director Katie Pelkey. “We will create and present Broadway-caliber shows, engage with our community through performances and events that reflect the population and elevate their stories, and personally connect with every person who walks through the doors of the theater.”

Aurora Theatre’s 2022/2023 Signature Series will bring an unbeatable line-up of professional theatre to Gwinnett County, including two returning favorites. Aurora Theatre’s award-winning production of Disney’s Mary Poppins will open the season featuring familiar faces from Aurora’s original 2014 presentation. Galen Crawley will reprise the title role, a performance that earned her the 2014 Outstanding Lead Female Actor in a Musical Suzi Bass Award. She will be joined by fellow Suzi Bass Award recipient Andy Meeks, who will be returning as Bert. The beloved Gwinnett holiday tradition Christmas Canteen will also return for its 27th year, bringing its beloved holiday joy and spirit as well as exciting, new twists. New shows taking the stage at the Lawrenceville Arts Center include the award-winning Kim’s Convenience, which is now a popular Netflix series, the biographical Summer: The Donna Summer Musical and the hilarious, Olivier Award-winning The Play That Goes Wrong.

The incredible support of Lawrenceville has been a cornerstone of the Aurora Theatre story. With the grand opening of the Lawrenceville Arts Center, the city's considerable investment has allowed Aurora Theatre to expand and produce programming at the highest level. As a result of this partnership, Aurora Theatre will continue to engage the community with a variety of shows and events designed for diverse ages, backgrounds and lifestyles. Programming for the 2022/2023 season will include performances from the Children’s Playhouse, Aurora Comedy Nights, Aurora Global and Teatro Aurora, as well as the return of Aurora’s Lawrenceville Ghost Tours in the fall.

Tickets for all performances for the 2022/2023 season may be purchased online at tickets.auroratheatre.com or by calling the Box Office at 678.226.6222. At this time, Aurora Theatre will allow full capacity seating and masks are strongly encouraged for unvaccinated patrons. The specific protocols for each performance are subject to change. Please check auroratheatre.com for protocol and programming updates.