Arts, theater and entertainment in Alpharetta
Alpharetta has two resident community theaters. ACT1 Theater at 180 Academy Street, (678) 371-3079, brings top quality theatrical entertainment to Alpharetta via several major productions each year. ACT1 Theater is sponsored by Alpharetta Presbyterian Church whose focus is on encouraging wholesome family oriented arts and entertainment. The Chattahoochee Community Players Community Theatre also provides family friendly theatrical entertainment with a year round series of performances featuring the talents of multi-generational local actors. Internships for young students who wish to study the theatrical arts are available. The Chattahoochee Community Players Community Theatre is located at 5230 Taylor Road, (770) 664-9182.
The Verizon Wireless Amphitheater at Encore Park in Alpharetta opened on May 10, 2008, with an historic performance by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. This futuristic 12,000-seat theater is a new venue for a wide variety of popular arts and artists from all genres of the entertainment industry and it has become an integral part of Alpharetta’s culture. The Verizon Wireless Amphitheater is located at Exit 9 (Haynes Bridge Road) on Route 400 close to the North Point Mall in Alpharetta. For a listing of current shows, call (404) 733-5010.
Museums and other cultural arts
The Alpharetta Historical Society provides tours of Alpharetta’s historic Mansell House, a beautiful Queen Anne style home that was preserved as a museum to reflect the essence of a bygone era in the South. The Mansell House features 12-ft. high ceilings, original heart pine floors, antique mantles above decorative fireplaces, custom draperies and many period antiques. The award winning gardens at the Mansell House include a gazebo and an arbor for comfortable relaxation and contemplation. The Mansell House is located at 1835 Old Milton Parkway, (770) 475-4663.
About 8 miles from Alpharetta, the Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts is a wonderful place where children can play and learn. The original 14,000 sq. ft. art center that included 4,000 sq. ft. of gallery space and the 28,000 sq. ft. Weeks Sculpture Garden has been expanded with an additional 20,000 sq. ft. Children’s Art Museum. Special exhibits in the Children’s Art Museum include a do-it-yourself puppet theater, a magic kaleidoscope, an 8 ft. tall harp whose strings play chords when plucked, and a foot powered, giant keyboard on the floor that allows children to dance on it to create original melodies. The Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts is located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth, (770) 623-6002.