Marietta's Theatre in the Square

Marietta’s Theatre in the Square was born from a place of heart and ambition. Raul Thomas and his son Emil Thomas opened the 220-seat theatre 8 years ago to bring the city of Marietta a slate of entertainment that tells diverse stories with ethnically diverse casts. Marietta’s Theatre in the Square operates as both a playhouse and a rental house for non-equity artists. For those who are unfamiliar with the theatre business model, as I was, Emil laid it out for me.

Unions play an important role in the theatre industry. Specifically, being an Equity actor in the theatre industry means that an actor is a member of the Actors' Equity Association (AEA). Becoming an Equity actor typically involves accumulating a certain number of credits by working on Equity productions or through the Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) program, which allows actors to earn points towards membership while working on qualifying productions. Since membership is voluntary and not available to everyone, it is important for non-equity artists to have a space to call home – this is the rental house side of Raul and Emil’s theatre.

Per Emil, theatres have largely operated under a not-for-profit business model since the Great Depression. This is due to the way the federal government rescued or subsidized the industry as a part of the New Deal in 1935 to create work for unemployed theatre workers. Fast forward 90 years and many theatres across the U.S. are still operating this way -- relying on grants and contributions in addition to ticket sales. However, this was not the business model that either Raul or Emil wanted to operate under. “What we are doing here is not normal in America,” said Emil. Both Raul and Emil emphasized they were not being critical of other theatres, but simply wanted the freedom that comes with being a for-profit business. This decision is reflected when speaking with them – a strong confidence in oneself and an unwavering belief in each other.

Transitioning away from the business model of theaters, I asked Raul why he decided to purchase the theater in the first place. Originally from Puerto Rico and New York, Raul’s background is business and food, stating he opened the first Puerto Rican restaurant in the state of Georgia. His son Emil was interested in the arts from a very young age, attending the Tapp Middle School and Pebblebrook High School, which houses the prestigious Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts. Seeing theatre as a place of inspiration and joy for his son, he, like much of Marietta, was pained to see Marietta’s Theatre in the Square shut its doors in 2012. There was an initial effort to reopen the theatre by different ownership that was ultimately unsuccessful. It was about six months later that Raul’s opportunity came to purchase the rights to the theatre and he took the leap.

While away for college at Ball State University and unaware of his dad’s purchase of the theatre, Emil received the call from Raul telling him the news. Emil’s first response was rightly skeptical, “I didn’t believe him.” Thankfully, the university wisely saw this as an invaluable learning opportunity for Emil and his classmates. Emil was able to work a deal out with his arts program at Ball State to finish his final year working at his new theatre. He also brought eight other students from his program who helped the Thomas’ get the theatre off the ground.

Digging a little deeper, Raul said he bought the theatre out of concern with how the industry might treat his son who has Erb’s Palsy, a condition that can cause arm weakness and loss of motion. This has never slowed Emil down before, but also wouldn’t stop Raul from giving his son every opportunity he could to be successful.

Each year the theatre produces 5 to 7 shows during their season that runs from March to December and can run anywhere from two to four weeks each. Whether producing, directing, acting, or doing all three, Emil is intimately involved with each production. As an ethnically diverse playhouse, their hope is for Marietta visitors and residents to experience their unique style and voice. So, come enjoy a night out on The Square by grabbing a bite to eat and heading over to Marietta’s Theatre in the Square. You can find the schedule to their calendar of events here, or stop by for a drink where you will receive a warm, “Welcome Home!”

-Ben Waters