Goizueta Stage for Youth and Families is ready for the next generation of theatergoers

While the Alliance Theatre may be best recognized for the numerous shows it has sent to Broadway, an underappreciated aspect of its programming is its commitment to producing theater for the very young. As of 2026, the Woodruff Arts Center is heeding that commitment with the Goizueta Stage for Youth and Families, a brand-new space offering year-round entertainment for Atlanta’s youngest. Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will also use the stage for Music for the Very Young programming.

Replacing the previous nearly defunct Rich Theatre, the Goizueta Stage is a 300-seat black box located in the Woodruff’s main lobby, just a stone’s throw from the Alliance Coca-Cola Stage. The idea to build a new stage came about in 2022 when a study by child psychologists revealed that regular field trips can have vast developmental benefits for children, curbing common problems such as high rates of absenteeism, lack of focus in class and behavioral incidents. At the same time, the Alliance was witnessing a higher demand for kids’ theater than it had the means to fill. Upon realizing that it had a mostly unused space sitting dormant for 80% to 85% of the year, the answer was clear.

Just outside the Goizueta, guests will find a play space with free admission for children 5 and younger. Here, education staff will run numerous programs, including story times, wellness initiatives such as baby yoga and even baby dance raves. The play space will feature theatrical installations that will likely be changed out season-to-season, with the first being an Amazon rain forest-inspired installation titled “Bossa Nova Baby.”

Initial plans for a new stage began in spring 2022, with fundraising commencing that December and construction on the Goizueta kicking off in August of 2024. This project was conceived with the goal of providing a dedicated space for kids’ theater, as well as providing a constant source of arts entertainment by having at least one show running all year long. 

Woodruff Arts staff consulted with child psychologists on how to structure the space to engage young minds. What was once a simple auditorium-style theater has been transformed into a proper black box with advanced light and sound systems and a ramp between the stage and seating area. Lights have been installed leading into the theater, which has textured walls to encourage curiosity about one’s surroundings. With accessibility in mind, cool-down spaces are available for those with sensory needs, and adjustable steps can be raised to be level with the rest of the seating area. 

Goizueta will host performances for the majority of the year, with shows running Tuesday through Sunday and only brief dark periods between to allow changing sets. Even during these dark periods, the play space will remain open.

“We wanted a space that parents and teachers could rely on,” said Co-Artistic Director Christopher Moses. “Somewhere they can take their kids on any random day and experience live theater. We want people to have the option of feeling like they grew up here.”

This programming begins on January 31 with Into the Burrow: A Peter Rabbit Tale, which will kick off the Alliance’s Underground Rep series. The play will run in repertory with two others, each performed with the same cast and set and each taking place underground. The other pieces, Naked Molerat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience and The Great Ant Sleepover, open February 21 and May 15, respectively, with all three productions running concurrently through July 5.

In speaking with Moses and Head of Education Advancement Kristen Silton, it’s clear that the impressive scope of this project stems from a deep love and appreciation for children’s theater and a desire to serve young audiences. “There is such a responsibility, especially if this is their first experience with theater,” Moses said. “We could invite them into a lifelong love of the art form or turn them away forever. So this work will never condescend to these audiences. It will be as sophisticated as their little brains are.”

Silton added, “We also don’t see [theater for young audiences] as less than. The programming here is just as important as anything else we do.”

Where & When

Programming at the Goizueta Stage for Youth and Families begins on January 31 with Into the Burrow: A Peter Rabbit Tale, which will kick off the Alliance’s Underground Rep series. Tickets, $20.

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Luke Evans is an Atlanta-based writer, critic and dramaturg. He covers theater for ArtsATL and Broadway World Atlanta and has worked with theaters such as the Alliance, Actor’s Express, Out Front Theatre and Woodstock Arts. He’s a graduate of Oglethorpe University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree, and the University of Houston, where he earned his master’s.