A detail from “Parable of the Sower” (2025, ink on carved wood) by Sergio Suarez. His solo show opens at MOCA GA this weekend. (Photo courtesy of MOCA GA and the artist)
Each week, ArtsATL curates a selection of the most exciting arts and culture events happening in Atlanta this weekend, highlighting nine must-see experiences.
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FRIDAY
The improv legend, best known for his long run on the TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, will take the stage at Variety Playhouse for a night of unscripted fun with some of Atlanta’s best improvisers. Expect an evening fueled by audience suggestions and classic improv games beginning at 7 p.m. on June 20.
Sergio Suárez: Traces of an Unseen Fire
Working Artist Project Fellow Sergio Suárez’s solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia is an exercise in speculative archaeology. The Working Artist Project is an awards program to support established visual artists of merit who reside in the metropolitan Atlanta area, with major funding provided by the Charles Loridans Foundation and the Molly Blank Fund of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. The show opens with a reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 20 and will be on view through August 16.
Winners of the Atlanta Opera’s 2023 96-Hour Opera Project, composer Dave Ragland and librettist Selda Sahin have created a new chamber opera titled Steele Roots, a work inspired by the life and legacy of Carrie Steele Logan, a formerly enslaved woman who dedicated her life to caring for orphaned children in Atlanta. It will be performed at Morehouse College’s Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. on June 20 and 3 p.m. on June 22.
Lisa Ann Walter and Janelle James
It’s a big weekend for Abbott Elementary fans. These days, you’ll know Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa Schemmenti, the Abbott Elementary teacher who always seems to “know a guy” to fix any situation. Before her stint on the hit comedy, she had a long career in television, film and on the stage, including roles in films such as The Parent Trap, Bruce Almighty and Shall We Dance? She’ll be at Helium Comedy Club on June 20 and June 21. In addition to Walter’s appearance at Helium, Janelle James is in town with her stand-up comedy show. James stars as Abbott’s scene-stealing Ava Coleman, the hilariously narcissistic yet somehow lovable principal. It’s a role that’s brought her three Emmy nominations and, along with her castmates, a Screen Actors Guild award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series. Catch her act at the Atlanta Comedy Theater in Norcross June 20 and June 21.
SATURDAY
The Atlanta Opera’s 96-Hour Opera Festival
Now in its fourth season, the Atlanta Opera’s 96-Hour Opera Festival celebrates the artistry of emerging creative talents and offers a path into the art of opera, pairing emerging composers and librettists to write 10-minute operas. Bringing their completed works to Atlanta, the creative teams are allowed 96 hours to rehearse and develop their productions, with guidance from specialists, followed by a public showcase at 3 p.m. on June 21 at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse College.
This year’s theme explores Atlanta’s heritage and boroughs as interconnected universes where creativity, culture and community thrive. Celebrate the artists who showcase the diverse facets of Atlanta’s past, present and future. There will be special performances and open studios, but the night also marks the opening of shows featuring work by R. Land, Courtney Brooks and Sayma Hossain, along with the group shows Plastic Reimagined and Sublime. The annual Art Party happens from 7 p.m. until midnight June 21.
Disney PRIDE in Concert
This collaboration between the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus (AGMC) and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) will be held at Atlanta Symphony Hall at 7 p.m. on June 21. It features beloved songs from across the Disney canon, re-imagined through the lens of queer experience — both joyful and brave.
Performance artist, author and actor Alok Vaid-Menon has been a powerful voice of kindness and enlightenment against the violence and hostility surrounding gender nonconformity. They’ve performed sold-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Netflix is a Joke Festival and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and their first comedy special, Biology!, executive produced by Christopher Guest, was released on YouTube in December 2024. Expect a dose of heart and affirmation with the comedy as ALOK brings Hairy Situation: A Comedy Show to Center Stage on June 21.
SUNDAY
Singer-songwriter Aimee Mann is marking the anniversary of her 2002 album Lost in Space with her current tour. And yes, it’s an odd number (The remaster of the album proclaims that it’s a 22 1/2 year anniversary re-issue). She noted in an interview with the New York Post that it was supposed to mark the 20th anniversary, “but for a variety of reasons it took longer.” She’ll play the Variety Playhouse at 8 p.m. on June 22.
More things to do this weekend and beyond
Empire Arts Gallery proudly presents GAGS, a group exhibition that celebrates the unapologetically queer voices of Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ art community. The show, which opens with a reception from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 21, highlights the creative power of local artists who are shaping Atlanta’s cultural landscape … The 16th annual Atlanta Shortsfest offers compact doses of comedy, drama, animation, horror, documentary and experimental work, featuring work by both emerging and established filmmakers at Limelight Theater in downtown Atlanta on June 21 and June 22 … Indiana-bred comedian Michael Palascak has been featured on just about every late-night show and starred in his own half-hour special on Comedy Central. He was a finalist on Last Comic Standing. He’ll perform at the Punchline on June 19 … HOT 107.9’s annual Birthday Bash ATL features headliner GloRilla at State Farm Arena at 7 p.m. on June 21 … The Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center offers up a summer of comedy with Funny Fridays with Joel Byars, a new series showcasing nationally recognized comedians with local ties. The shows take place on June 20, July 18 and August 22 … Chris Hardwick has a massive resume that includes hosting the Emmy-nominated Talking Dead, the after-show that discusses all things The Walking Dead, and he’s currently hosting the game show series The Wall. He’ll be at the Punchline June 20 and June 21 … Carl Payne is known for his role as Cole on Martin and as Cockroach on The Cosby Show. He’ll bring his stand-up comedy to Atlanta’s Original Uptown Comedy Corner in Hapeville June 20 and June 22 … The 7th Annual High Honors Art Competition and Exhibition at The Art Center in Johns Creek (6290 Abbotts Bridge Road, Building 700) is open to middle and high school students in Fulton, Forsyth, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. The work will be on view beginning June 20, with the awards ceremony taking place from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. July 10 … Gerald Albright headlines the WCLK Jazz Fest at the Fayetteville Amphitheatre (aka The Ville) at 7 p.m. June 21. Kandace Springs and The Dangerfeel Newbies are also on the bill … Southern Fried Queer Pride prepares to take over Little Five Points for its 11th annual celebration beginning June 23 and continuing through June 29. Organizers promise the fest’s largest artist market yet, with expanded events and programming and a grand opening gallery exhibition. Check their website for more details on all the related events.
