Greetings from Rehearsal Hall 3 at the Alliance Theatre, where 19 remarkable young artists have convened for Day 3 of the Palefsky Collision Project! At present, the group is engaged in an African Dance & Yoruba Culture workshop facilitated by longtime Guest Artist Mama Yeye and Alex Acosta, accompanist. Over the steady 6/8 beat, I can hear the shared effort and the shared joy. It’s starting to sound like an ensemble in here – something special is percolating.
This summer – 2026 – marks the 25th anniversary of this Project, a 3-week summer intensive for rising 11th grade, 12th grade, and post-secondary students preparing for college and/or career. To celebrate this milestone, our team has prepared 3 new resources for partners who share our investment in elevating the voices of teens. Our hope is that these tools will inspire an expansion of Collision within Atlanta and beyond.
HOW-TO MANUAL
Written by Pearl Cleage with contributions from past and present Creative Team members, the First Pass Procedures Manual is a roadmap for utilizing the Collision model. From setting a vision to sustaining the Project, this guide details each step of the process in an approachable, flexible, and digestible manner.
My favorite passage is on page 6, which digs into the foundational pillars of our program: Safety, Rigor, Diversity, and Light. These are the ideals we turn and return to – daily, moment by moment – as we navigate the delicate and imperative work of listening to young people, of hearing them fully, of challenging them to lock in, of empowering them to turn their volume all the way up.
RESEARCH & EVALUATION
Led by Laura Wood, PhD (Lesley University) and Jason S. Frydman, PhD (North Carolina State University), this study investigated Community Belonging (needs fulfillment, group membership, influence, emotional connection), Hope (agency, pathways), and Perspective Taking with thorough examination of the 2025 ensemble, as well as input from a sample of the 500 program alumni.
Early results indicate that the Alliance Theatre’s Palefsky Collision Project, backed with quantitative data, delivers a relational pedagogy where respect, challenge, and collective authorship at a world-class theater environment support transformation that has potential beyond the scope of the Project, fostering community, belonging, hope and civic engagement.
Here’s what that looks like in practice. Relationships are everything – “I love you” is spoken generously and sincerely in this space. Meanwhile, the expectations are sky-high – this Creative Team believes completely in the brilliance and capability of these young artists and consistently pushes them to show up as their very best selves. The final performance is always excellent – but the success of this program is most evident in its quieter moments, like bumping into ensemble members during lunch, taking selfies over waffle fries and bubble tea, and overhearing their unfiltered thoughts on history, poetry, and democracy.
GREATEST HITS ALBUM
Produced by Music Director David Koté in partnership with Spencer Ford (Collision alum) and Justin Ellington, this Greatest Hits Album features 8 alumni vocalists and includes 11 newly recorded versions of the Project’s most inspiring, show-stopping musical numbers created over the past decade.
The album will be released on opening night (Friday, July 17), and information on how to stream it for free will become available this summer.
When I listen to it, I’ll picture my colleagues standing at the back of a theater during dress rehearsal – dancing and singing along, gesturing wholeheartedly for just a little bit more. More expression, more connection, more beauty, and more truth. More you. “The world needs to hear this!” I can hear them say. “Don’t make us wait for your greatness!”
On A Personal Note
In 2001, I myself was in 11th grade. I spent a lot of time on an elliptical, compulsively listening to show tunes – or otherwise poring over a 3-inch thick Guide to our country’s colleges and universities, wondering who I really was and dreaming about who I might grow up to be. I didn’t know then that a space like this could exist. Start without a script? No one star of the show? Activism through art? Grace for rehearsal – mistakes, mis-steps, and trying again – in life? These were foreign concepts to me then, some 20 years and 800 miles away.
If I could talk to that younger, more impressionable version of myself, I would tell her to enjoy the ride and buckle up for the Palefsky Collision Project in Atlanta, GA – because that’s where I really learned how to be encouraged and trust the process. It’s where I found my place standing at the back of a theater, a teacher turned Producer, cheering alongside this truly outstanding Creative Team.
Congratulations on this meaningful milestone, Rosemary Newcott, Rodney Lamar Williams, Patrick McColery, Pearl Cleage, David Koté, Sam Provenzano, Maya Lawrence, Autumn Stephens, Kerrington Griffin, SaRee Grimes, Taylor Mills, Olani Selamu, Jay Williams and team! And thank you, Chris Moses (whose humility is so defining, he doesn’t want anyone to know that this year also marks his 25th anniversary at the theater). From the bottom of my heart, I am forever changed by the experience of hopping on this moving train, and I have learned more from your example than you will ever know.
Come Curious. Leave Changed.
Join us for transformative theater that speaks to the heart of Atlanta.
The 25th annual Palefsky Collision Project will convene at the Alliance Theatre June 29 – July 17, 2026. Directed by Sam Provenzano in collaboration with Maya Lawrence, Playwright, and Rodney Lamar Williams, Director of Artistic Mentorship, this year’s piece will explore Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Learn more about the Palefsky Collision Project.
2026 Performances
Friday, JUL 17 at 7:00 PM Reserve Tickets
Saturday, JUL 18 at 2:30 PM Reserve Tickets
In Partnership With
This experience is free to all participants through generous support from Howard and Victoria Palefsky.
From the Alliance to the National Stage: Meet Isaiah C. Phipps, Georgia’s Lone 2026 YoungArts Theatre Winner
At Alliance Theatre, we witness the spark of young artistry every day in our rehearsal halls and classrooms. But every so often, that spark catches a national wind.
This year, YoungArts saw a record-breaking 13,000 applicants across 10 disciplines. Out of that massive pool, only 32 winners were selected for the Theatre discipline nationwide—and only one of those winners hailed from the state of Georgia.
That winner is Isaiah C. Phipps, a dedicated member of the Alliance’s Teen Ensemble and an alumnus of the Palefsky Collision Project. We sat down with Isaiah to discuss his journey, the power of persistence, and how the Alliance helped shape his award-winning craft.
Persistence Pays Off
For Isaiah, the road to YoungArts wasn’t an overnight success. It was a lesson in tenacity.
“I have entered this competition twice before, and I didn’t win,” Isaiah shares. “My mission was to use this last opportunity to hopefully be awarded, and it worked. I am proud of myself for staying focused and determined.”
As he looks toward high school graduation and college acceptances, being named a winner connects him to a prestigious 40-year history of excellence. He joins an intergenerational network of icons like Viola Davis and Timothée Chalamet. For Isaiah, the most exciting part isn’t just the title—it’s the mentorship. “I am most excited to engage with the mentorship opportunities… learning from past and present YoungArts alumni.”
The “Alliance” Advantage
Isaiah is no stranger to our halls; he has been training with the Alliance since he was a young child. From summer camps to specialized workshops in voice and diction, he credits his “extensive training” for giving him the tools to compete on a national level.
However, it was the Palefsky Collision Project and the Teen Ensemble that helped him find his unique voice:
The 2024 Palefsky Collision Project allowed me to dig into my creativeness as I helped to write scripts and songs… The collaboration allowed me to keep an open mind. Currently in the Teen Ensemble, watching plays through the eyes of a teen critic has brought me a new vision on how I approached my monologue.
Finding Authenticity in the Bass-Baritone
While Isaiah has deep roots in Musical Theatre, his recent exploration into “Spoken Theatre”—including a turn as the Earl of Gloucester in King Lear—has expanded his horizons. This shift toward authenticity was the key to his YoungArts breakthrough.
When asked what advice he would give to other Georgia artists eyeing competitive programs, Isaiah emphasizes the importance of playing to your true strengths rather than trying to fit a mold.
“The past two years I tried to perform more tenor-type songs because I thought my bass-baritone voice wouldn’t get me far,” he admits. “But this year, when I sang songs using it, I was recognized. Understand what your greatest artistic strength is and put your energy predominantly in that.”
What’s Next?
As Isaiah prepares to graduate, he is looking toward a future that includes more plays and potentially a transition to on-camera acting. Whatever stage he steps onto next, he carries with him the pride of Georgia and the foundational spirit of the Alliance Theatre.
Congratulations, Isaiah! We can’t wait to see what you do next.
Come Curious. Leave Changed.
Join us for transformative theater that speaks to the heart of Atlanta.
Each MLK Day, young artists from the Palefsky Collision Project reconvene to reimagine their summer performance through the lens of Dr. King’s legacy. Directed by Sam Provenzano in collaboration with Maya Lawrence (Playwright), Rodney L. Williams (Director of Artistic Mentorship), and David Koté (Music Director), this performance will re-explore Blaze, an original work inspired by Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower.
Performance Schedule
National Center for Civil and Human Rights // 11 AM
The Glenn
Free with museum admission
Alliance Theatre // 3 PM
Woodruff Arts Center, Azadi Galleria
Free with advanced registration required