This post was originally published on Atlanta Voice

By Bria Suggs

Forest Park’s first live theater will be having its grand opening on February 11. The owner, Tre Floyd, is a local writer and producer looking to give a stage to Black stories.

He hopes to create a deeper sense of community in Forest Park, and to eventually expand to nearby areas such as South Fulton and Jonesboro.

Floyd majored in theater and accounting at Mississippi State University in Starkville and went into education following graduation. He worked for Atlanta Public Schools as an educator for five years and an administrator for three. During that time, Floyd was also starting his acting career via YouTube. The YouTube series started to gain an audience, helping Floyd realize that his true passion was acting.

He performed his first show at the 7 Stages Theatre in Little Five Points. “We did five shows, all five sold out,” Floyd said. “So we brought it back, did four more, and they sold out. So we ended up taking it on tour and doing 25 shows. I was like, ‘OK, yeah, this is definitely what I want to do.”

In total, Floyd has now produced 48 shows. He decided to make acting his full-time career, which allowed for him to save up for what will soon become Tres Place. Floyd, who is a board member for 7 Stages Theatre, decided to open a theater of his own to create a space for stories with people who looked like him.

“Something I noticed is, there were a lot of shows that people who look like me couldn’t necessarily relate to,” Floyd said. “I really wanted a space where people who look like me can do their shows, put on great shows, and people who look like me can come out and enjoy those shows.”

Floyd is excited, yet nervous, for the upcoming ribbon cutting and hopes that the community will receive the theater well. One supporter of Tres’ is the mayor of Forest Park, Angelyne Butler, who Floyd described as “very excited about the arts coming to the area.”

“The community is not the most art knowledgeable community,” Floyd said. “However, I think that’s because they just haven’t had as much exposure to it. I feel like when you bring it to them, so [that] they don’t have to drive all the way into the city to see it, I think once they get a taste of it, and it’s something they can relate to, they’ll really appreciate it and be on board with it.”

Tres’ will be the home to Tre Productions, Floyd’s production company, but other producers are welcome to put on their play at the theater as well.

 The first play, “She Got It”, will opening Thursday, February 17.

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