Theater

Alliance Theatre Launches "The AllianceRep" for Young Audiences

The Alliance Theatre introduces "The AllianceRep," a new repertory company performing on the Goizueta Stage, offering engaging theatrical experiences for youth and families.

American Theatre·May 7, 2026·via American Theatre

Alliance Theatre Launches "The AllianceRep" for Young Audiences

Juan Carlos Unzueta, Jordan Patrick, Candace McLellan, and the cast of the Alliance Theatre’s 2025-26 season production of “Into the Burrow: A Peter Rabbit™ Tale.” (Photo by Greg Mooney)

On the Scene

May 7, 2026 Daniella Ignacio Leave a comment

Rabbits, Rats, Ants, Oh My: The Alliance’s Underground Rep

As the Alliance opens its Goizueta Stage, a new TYA acting repertory company has proven to be a fruitful experiment in engaging youth and families.

By Daniella Ignacio

A new TYA acting repertory company, in this economy? The Alliance Theatre ’s Underground Rep series, now unfolding over seven months at the company’s new Goizueta Stage for Children and Families , is making a bet that, as co-artistic director Chris Moses put it, families will “return for more.” The program, which kicked off in January, features six actors and six understudies, who bounce among three shows: While one is in performances, another is in rehearsals, with some performances in the morning, some in the afternoon, some on weekends, others on weekdays. Rehearse, rinse, and repeat until all three shows are up and running by June.

In an industry with fewer rep companies, having the same six cast members in three concurrently running shows is a big swing for a Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) company. But, Moses explained, this was a decision driven by demand.

“As a LORT theatre, we were actually getting in our own way,” he said. “We would have a TYA show and it would sell out, and there’d be this long waiting list for schools. It felt irresponsible to be like, ‘I’m sorry, you’ll have to wait until next year,’ when the demand was outpacing our supply, which is so rare in the theatre.”

After commissioning a multi-year research study with the University of Arkansas that documented the tangible benefits of arts field trips on young people’s development, and knowing there was strong demand for TYA in Atlanta, the Alliance began constructing the Goizueta Stage. As one consideration with any new space is how loading in the scenery will work, the idea of a repertory model, in which a single set is shared, surfaced.

“Part of the decision was practical, and part of it was that we wanted to get families and educators and students to come back regularly,” Moses said. “So rather than just have one show going, we thought, ‘Oh, what if we could do a few different shows?”

Moses first thought of a commission from a few years ago: Into the Burrow: A Peter Rabbit Tale by Mark Valdez (Jan. 31-June 27), inspired by Beatrix Potter’s stories. Juan Carlos Unzueta, who plays Peter Rabbit, describes it as “Peter Rabbit fan fiction” that “beautifully addresses grief.” Moses also thought of a show the Alliance was able to produce for just three days due to Covid-19 shutdowns six years ago: The Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience , with script and lyrics by author Mo Willems and music by the prolific TYA composer Deborah Wicks La Puma (Feb. 21-June 30).

Then he realized both shows have six actors and take place underground. He thought about the theatre’s partnership with the Atlanta Mayor’s Office summer reading book club, which commissions children’s picture books—specifically, The Great Ant Sleepover , a new show with both the picture book and script by Madhuri Shekar, music by Christian Magby, and lyrics by Christian Albright (May 16-July 5). It was fast-tracked to join the rep season, with developmental workshops held amid the process of establishing this new company.

As is often the case with repertory companies, this model has “made the work stronger, because they have built such a shorthand,” Moses said. In February, there was a three-day period when he said he was “astounded by this acting company.” They performed Into the Burrow , returned to Naked Mole Rat for a run-through after not having rehearsed it for three weeks, then workshopped Ant Sleepover . “Their facility with each other and their shared language and history made that process so much more efficient and effective,” Moses said.

Unzueta echoed him: “This team of actors, the six of us, have really, really bonded, and it’s made for deeper connection and even stronger storytelling, because we do really feel like a troupe.”

The stability of the contract also allows the performers to put all their focus on making the work better, said Candy McLellan, who plays Benjamin Bunny in Into the Burrow , Grande Mole Rat/H&M Singer 4 in Naked Mole Rat , and Mom/Andre/Antsemble in Ant Sleepover . “It’s been refreshing to be able to enjoy the process versus the product,” McLellan said. “That has been really cool, to just be able to come to work and have fun, and not have to worry about anything else.”

Unzueta, who also plays Wilbur J. Mole Jr. in Naked Mole Rat , loves the “polar ends of the emotional spectrum” that his two leading roles demand. For Peter Rabbit, “it’s tough stuff, it’s sad, and it ends in a beautiful, joyous way. Then Wilbur J. Mole Rat is like a beacon of positivity. When we shifted into that, I was just like, dang, it feels so good to just be silly and happy.” He said the kids have gone “mosh pit” crazy, “dancing and jumping up and down with us” at Naked Mole Rat .

Toward the end of April, rehearsals began for Ant Sleepover , in which Unzueta plays an ensemble track. “In my heart, I was like, I just want to be in the back and sing a harmony,” he said. “I’m really lucky that was recognized within the company. They were just like, you know what, take a break.” Still, he said, though working in rep is no picnic and “the load is a lot, it hasn’t felt tedious.”

Understudies, Sarah Anne Burke said, are getting “a master class” in keeping up with different tracks as played by different actors. Burke understudies Tiggiewinkle in Into the Burrow , McLellan’s track in Naked Mole Rat , and Atta/Antsemble in Ant Sleepover. The hardest part, she said, is building stamina to keep up with the main cast, who’ve done this for more than 100 performances at this point.

Though Moses said he isn’t sure if the model is “something we can regularly replicate,” he’s certainly thinking about it more now. And of course, it’s all for the kids. This initiative “reaffirms my passion for TYA, and how storytelling should be innovative,” said McLellan, who appreciates above all how the shows aren’t talking down to their audience. “Kids are really smart. It’s been really nice to just give them our work and not feel like we have to downplay them because they’re kids.”

Having young audiences filling the space in the daytime is also a big positive change, Moses said. Typically, the arts center only comes alive at night for performances.

“There are still people who wonder, is this place for me? Is this place welcoming to young people?” Moses said. With repertory TYA theatre during the day, “We’ve completely changed that feeling. It’s undeniable that this place was built for young people.”

Daniella Ignacio, a writer, theatre artist, and musician based in Washington, D.C., is a contributing editor of this magazine. She also reviews for Washington City Paper and DC Theater Arts .