American Theater
Director(s): Nicholas Clark & Dylan Frederick
Film description: A "canceled" theater director summons a troupe of conservative actors to an abandoned cabin in rural Georgia to plot revenge on the Atlanta theater community with a musical retelling of the 1692 Salem witch trials.
Screening after: Emmanuelle
ERIC SAYS Looking for a riotously entertaining documentary? American Theater gives us a dream doc subject: a gay Trump supporter with a thick Southern accent and a larger-than life demeanor who—after being “cancelled” in Atlanta’s theater scene for accusations of bigotry, an abusive temper, and presiding over dangerous sets—sets up shop in the woods to stage a musical about the Salem Witch Trials starring other right-wingers and self-described cancelled folk. Does his new musical contain frighteningly fiery pyrotechnics, unsafe physicality between performers, and extremely questionable politics? You’d better believe it. Oh, and did we mention that he’s also running for public office?
With incredible access and impeccable craft, American Theater takes you on a wild real-life ride with plenty of twists and turns. If you loved New/Next’s world premiere of Carpet Cowboys (2023), rewatch Waiting for Guffman on the regular, or count darkly comedic, character-rich films like American Movie and Finders Keepers among your favorite documentaries, this one’s for you in a major way. (Eric Allen Hatch)
Writer(s): Laura Hilliard, Glyne Pease
Producer(s): Laura Hilliard (Creative), Glyne Pease (Impact & Engagement)
Cinematographer(s): Dylan Frederick, Laura Hilliard
Country of origin: USA
Language: English
Year: 2025
Duration: 83 min
Premiere status: Maryland Premiere
