Even before Day’s murder, Yarbrough’s mom always told her “someone should write a play about Aunt Day.”
After tragedy struck, the idea cemented. Yarbrough knew she wanted to someday tell her aunt’s story with the same comedic wit and charm Aunt Day was known for. Yarbrough also knew, just as her aunt did, that humor and a creative outlet is helpful to process grief.
Since college, Yarbrough had been a creator of devised theater — a kind of theater that involves collective creation through improvisation and experimentation rather than a script. After her aunt’s murder, Yarbrough also found herself drawn to storytelling podcasts like “The Moth,” which often featured tales of tragedy she could relate to.
“The more I listened to them, the more I thought about telling (Aunt Day’s) story,” she said.
Eventually, she started to put her ideas on paper. For the past seven years, in her spare time from her professional role as senior associate director of Emory Arts, Yarbrough has been developing a staged show in the format of a self-performed, running monologue.
The work, called “Day,” utilizes movement, shadow puppet projections and other simple theatrical devices, in addition to the monologue, to create a physically active play that brings Aunt Day’s spirit to the stage.
Credit: Courtesy of Emma Yarbrough
Credit: Courtesy of Emma Yarbrough
Two years ago, Yarbrough entered “Day” into the applicant pool of projects vying for spots in Alliance Theatre’s Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab.
The Reiser Lab, funded by Margaret and Bob Reiser, is a program that pays artists a $10,000 grant to develop projects. Applicants are judged by a panel of judges and narrowed down to three finalists each season. As part of the program, artists have complimentary access to Alliance’s rehearsal spaces and receive mentorship from Alliance’s artistic, educational and production staff.
“Reiser provides that critical seed money in helping artists invest in themselves,” said artistic director Tinashe Kajese-Bolden in a statement. “It gives that incubation time that gets a piece of art closer to the stage.”
At the end of the 11-month program, Reiser Lab artists get to present their concepts as partially staged readings or demonstrations to audiences in Alliance’s Selig Family Black Box Theatre.
The first time Yarbrough applied, she was not selected as a finalist. She reapplied for the lab’s 10th season and made the final cut from about roughly 60 applicants.
Her team, including her longtime friend and producer Cait Greenamyer and movement director Melissa Word, was mentored by Alliance’s associate artistic director Christopher Moses.
“It’s been really fantastic,” Yarbrough said. “Chris has come to rehearsal and watched it and given us his thoughts. It’s been amazing.”
“Day” is one of three Reiser Lab finalists, which will all be presented over three consecutive nights Thursday through Saturday at the Selig Family Black Box Theatre.
Credit: Courtesy of Alliance Theatre
Credit: Courtesy of Alliance Theatre
“Peps! Cola Bitch,” a play by Dalyla Nicole, with intimacy direction by Amanda Washington, is about heteronormativity and beverage bias from a “very Atlanta, very Black, and very Fem Queer Lens” said a Reiser Lab news release. It will take the stage at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Credit: Courtesy of Alliance Theatre
Credit: Courtesy of Alliance Theatre
“Plastic Bottle Genie” is a family-friendly, puppetry-centric play created by Vynnie Meli with collaborators Jimmica Collins (actor/dramaturge) and Cedwan Hooks (puppeteer/master builder) about a genie in a plastic bottle who takes an ocean adventure to meet curious creatures under the sea. It will be presented at 3 p.m. Saturday.
All three shows are free to the public with advance reservation. Fifteen minute Q&As with the show creators will follow each presentation.
If you go
Thursday through Saturday. Selig Family Black Box Theatre. Free with RSVP. 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-733-4600. alliancetheatre.org/content/2025-reiser-atlanta-artists-lab-festival-round-10.
