A COURTHOUSE LINE
It's SHOWTIME!
The All-Lawyer Charity Musical Extravaganza
Sets the Stage for its Tenth Show
By Alison Arce & Maggie Vath
Proud Producers of “A COURTHOUSE LINE X”
T
he Show season is upon us: those creativity-fueled,
sleep-deprived, applause-seeking months leading up to
the main event on the main stage. Lawyers and judges
from across the metro-area figuratively “quit their day jobs” to
put on tap shoes, tights, and makeup as they take to the stage.
The “A Courthouse Line” series is a well-established Atlanta
lawyer tradition, and its most anticipated tenth show is nearly
upon us. Never heard of it? You don’t know what you are
missing. A cast of close to 60 lawyers and judges will write,
cast, direct, produce, choreograph, sing, dance, and act in
an original musical comedy. Since the first one-night run of
a Courthouse Line I in 1999, the show has
grown to a sold out three night run at the
14th Street Playhouse. All proceeds of this
event benefit the Atlanta Bar Foundation,
which is the charitable arm of the Atlanta
Bar Association. To date, the Courthouse
Line plays have raised more than $250,000.
This year, the show will run Thursday
November 7, Friday November 8, and
Saturday November 9. The work that
goes on behind the scenes to put the show
together is, to say the least, daunting.
Sponsors need to be secured, tickets need
to be sold, the script needs to be polished,
and the songs need to be perfected. And,
oh yes, the show needs to be cast. Over
several nights in August, open auditions
will be held where all individuals interested
in participating will come out and strut their
stuff. The casting of a Courthouse Line is a
little different from typical play casting. Once
all interested parties have shown off their
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THE ATLANTA LAWYER
June/July 2013
talents, they are cast in the roles the director and executive
committee feels will best suit the show and showcase the
talent of the participants. In past shows, the script has even
been revised at the last minute to accommodate the incredible
talent that never fails to come out to audition. Once the show
is cast, it is off to rehearsals.
Rehearsals run over an eight week period, Monday through
Thursday night, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The executive committee
literally spends hours trying to coordinate the lawyers’ calendars
and conflicts to limit each participant’s time commitment. As
a result, cast members only come to a handful of rehearsals
Here is what goes on at production committee meeting.
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association