Atlanta is the birthplace of a brand-new musical. Like Father, a world-premiere folk-pop musical, begins performances today, October 8, 2026, on the Hertz Stage at the Alliance Theatre — and the city gets to see it before anyone else in the world.
Created by Atlanta native Jacob Ryan Smith, with book, music and lyrics by Smith and Caroline Pernick, the show is directed by the Alliance’s own Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Tinashe Kajese-Bolden. It arrives with serious momentum: Like Father won the inaugural Open Jar Broadway Shark Tank and was a semi-finalist at the Eugene O’Neill New Music Theater Festival.
The coming-of-age story follows seventeen-year-old Chris, who moves in with her estranged mother and stepfather after her father’s arrest — until a hit true-crime podcast throws their family’s past into the spotlight. Driven by a bold, innovative folk-pop score, the musical explores identity, legacy and the cost of turning real lives into stories. The cast brings Broadway wattage to Peachtree Street, with Charity Angél Dawson, Hannah Elless, Benjamin H. Moore, Frankie Rodriguez and more.
Performances run October 8 through November 15, 2026, with opening night set for Friday, October 16. Free post-show “Afterwords” discussions with the cast and creative team add even more ways to connect with the work.
Photo: Alliance Theatre
