The Temple Bombing Tickets

On March 16, 1998, the Northside Drive branch of Atlanta’s Reform Jewish Temple was bombed, killing one person and injuring six others. It was an act of hate that shocked the city and the country, and it reverberated throughout the theater world in Atlanta.

The Temple Bombing, as it became known, was a turning point for many within the Atlanta community. It was a moment of clarity, where the hatred and violence that had simmered beneath the surface was brought into the light. And, for artists working in the city, it was impossible to ignore.

At the time of the bombing, the Alliance Theatre was in the midst of rehearsals for its production of The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry. The play explores the lives of Jewish families in Atlanta in the years leading up to World War II. Uhry himself is a native of Atlanta, and his work often deals with the intersection of Jewish identity and Southern culture.

In the wake of the bombing, the production team felt a responsibility to address what had happened and to bring their work into conversation with the reality of their community. Director Kenny Leon recalls, “We all felt like we needed to do something because this had hit close to home.”

The artistic team decided to insert a pre-show announcement, informing audiences about the bombing and invoking the names of those who had been affected. Actor Brenda Bynum, who played one of the lead characters, remembers feeling deeply moved by the decision: “It made it clear to me that we were doing more than just putting on a play. We were part of a community that was hurting, and we were using our art to acknowledge that pain.”

But the impact of the Temple Bombing went far beyond one production. It sparked a broader conversation about how theater can respond to acts of hate and violence, and how artists can use their platforms to promote understanding and healing.

The playwright Pearl Cleage, who has lived and worked in Atlanta for many years, wrote a piece called “We Speak Truth,” which was performed at the Alliance Theatre’s Black Box space. The play addressed issues of racism, anti-Semitism, and homophobia, and it was a way for Cleage to process her own grief and anger after the bombing.

Similarly, local theaters organized benefit performances and fundraising events to support those affected by the bombing. They recognized that the arts have a unique ability to bring people together and to give voice to those who may not otherwise be heard.

Ultimately, the Temple Bombing showed that theater is more than just entertainment. It can be a powerful force for social change, opening hearts and minds to new perspectives and fostering empathy and understanding. As Brenda Bynum says, “Theater has the power to heal, and after something like the Temple Bombing, we needed all the healing we could get.”