To N. Emil Thomas, theater isn’t just entertainment, as important as that is; theater is art that provokes thought, love, and emotion. This 22-year-old producing artistic director of Marietta’s New Theatre in the Square is actually living out what he thought would only be a dream for a young aspiring director. With the 2016 Premiere Season just underway on March 31, Marietta’s New Theatre in the Square has quite an array of live stage productions to offer East Cobb residents. According to Emil, “In just a short drive, East Cobbers can come to the square for a night out and find free parking, quality restaurants, and outstanding theater.”
Living in the Marietta area since he was young, Emil has always loved the stage and has been active in theater since his middle school days, with a dream to have his own theater company one day. Emil graduated from the Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts in Mableton and went on to Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, where he majored in directing.
Emil was originally headed to Seattle to pursue his career after college graduation. While back home in Cobb County, his father, Raul E. Thomas, decided to open the doors of the Theatre in the Square in downtown Marietta that had been closed since 2012.
“Building a new theater company from the ground up was a dream come true,” says Emil. He embraced this opportunity and has not looked back.
The name Theatre in the Square remains as a tribute to its rich history, but Emil is not resting on laurels of the past. “Our goal is to turn Marietta’s New Theatre in the Square into a hub for the arts,” he says. “We want to produce new innovative theater of today and of the past – theater that will make you think.”
The 2016 season offers five shows, including Next to Normal, a rock musical, that runs from March 31-April 10; Big River: The Musical in June/July, Hamlet in September/October; The Gift of the Magi in November/December; and The 1940’s Radio Hour in December. For tickets, call 770-426-7800 or visit www.theatreinthesquare.net.
“Over the past few years, Atlanta has taken on the moniker of Hollywood of the South,” says Emil. “Why not strive for Broadway of the South? We can do that as we continue to bring talent to our area and educate audiences about new work.
Reprinted from EAST COBBER’s April 2016 issue
