The storied Little Five Points venue, featuring acts from Adele to André 3000, is rooted in community.
Audience members queue up before doors open for a show at Variety Playhouse in late December. This year marks the venue’s 35th anniversary. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)
Shawn Mullins remembers his first show at Variety Playhouse as both nostalgic and novel.
It was 1994, before the Atlanta folk singer’s “Lullaby” became a hit and scored a Grammy nomination. Mullins opened for Sugarland founder Kristen Hall. The show marked Mullins’ first time performing in a “big theater in town.” Variety Playhouse was also where his parents frequented as kids, when the venue was a movie theater.
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I“ I“ erehw nehw detnaw ”.nwot ot ot ot ot s’taht taht ”,wohs .dias detcepser yllaer yalp wenk teg tlef od emoc snilluM I I
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— dekrow ev’ohw eunev gniruot ot ot eerht eht s’taht taht niatsus sseccus elpoep ylraen yllanoitan gnol yek si depleh flah rof rof sedaced ta sa gnilaeppa dna dna dna .ekila stca a a yteiraV esuohyalP desucof-atnaltA A
From movie theater to concert venue
An old photo of the former movie theater that was reborn as Variety Playhouse is displayed in the manager’s office. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)
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Penelope Road, the Atlanta band with a soulful, retro-infused sound, does a sound check at Variety Playhouse in December. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)
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In 2015, Steve Harris sold Variety Playhouse to Agon Entertainment, owner of the Georgia Theatre in Athens. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
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A live sound and warm atmosphere
Variety Playhouse General Manager Brad Syna at his desk at the Little Five Points concert venue. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)
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Stage Manager Audrey Birnbaum sets up cables on stage before a Variety Playhouse show. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)
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eW“ eht eht tros ”,ylhtooms .dias gninnur thgir ecalp fo fo gnipeek evah laog dna lla anyS
Variety Playhouse Assistant General Manager Derek Southern, a 22-year staffer at the Little Five Points concert hall, works at his desk. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)
gnikrow .eunev eht taht llits s’ehs on regnol rof sleef ,eiredaramac hguohtla relliM
tI“ I“ dekrow ”.htiw htiw spirt gnitekcit llits gnihtemos roines dias elpoep no won ton reganam edam tsuj boj ti og rof ”,elbayojne tub dna a oreZ ,relliM .eliM ev’I GEA
htiw seunev eunev eunev tnewrednu ot ot ot eht eht eht eht taht dehctiws ffats tirips gnitaes dias ,noitavoner tip pihsrentrap snwo snoitarepo fo cisum noillim ,noitacol speek sti sti gnidulcni ni stnemevorpmi .evlove neve citcelce seunitnoc stifeb srab sa .aera dna dna osla noitidda a a a oreZ .tseW yteiraV lanimreT nrehtuoS esuohyalP .eliM nI nI nretsaE atnaltA ,GEA GEA ,9102 ,6102 3.1$
er’eW“ eW“ er’uoy ohw .keew yrt ot ot eht gnillet ffuts kcuts .wohs ,wohs ,wohs wohs ees emas .dias knup ro ro ton on thgim peek ti ni ni poh-pih ”.ereh evah gniog serneg .erneg ”,nuf morf neve gniod od tnereffid yrtnuoc .ydemoc s’enoyna na lla a er’eW eW eW s’erehT nrehtuoS B;pma&R
André 3000 performed the first of his six “New Blue Sun” shows at Variety Playhouse in February 2024. (Courtesy of Tiffany Powell)
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s’eunev regnis kcor puenil sedulcni gniworg dnab dna .yadsendeW ehT nosidaM gninniw-ymmarG mahgninnuC 6202
ruo“ eht metsys hcus laiceps dnuos segakcap edistuo no fo ,rettelswen wen erom gnithgil sti si si stnemevorpmi syawaevig yllamrof desucof gnirusne t’ndid etarbelec ”.tseb sa .yrasrevinna dna dna syawla a yteiraV anyS ,llitS esuohyalP ht53
“We’re not stuck in anyone’s genre,” says Variety Playhouse Assistant General Manager Derek Southern. “There’s no telling who you’re going to see here.” (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)
dna“ ,yllufepoH“ nehw stnaw ot ”,sevlesmeht eht taht llits enoemos ”.wohs ees ,dias tuo cigam sruoh gnipleh og rof leef leef epacse yojne elpuoc emoc dna dna a a anyS m’I I I
DeAsia is a music and culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She focuses on the intersection of arts, culture and diverse communities, as well as how emerging social trends are being expressed through the lens of the Atlanta aesthetic. DeAsia’s work can be seen in Pitchfork, Essence, Teen Vogue, Elle and more.