The Thrilling World Premiere Of ‘Darlin’ Cory’ At The Alliance Theatre Takes Us Back To 1920s Appalachia

Performances of “Darlin’ Cory” begin on the Alliance’s Coca-Cola Stage Sept. 8 and run through Oct. 3.

Alliance Theatre

A heady brew of Southern Gothic, music, and moonshine awaits audiences in “Darlin’ Cory,” a new musical premiering at the Alliance Theatre this month. It’s a tale set in 1920s Appalachia, where a stranger rolls into a tiny mountain town, stirring up intrigues, shilling moonshine, and unraveling the town’s many secrets. Edgar Award-winning playwright and novelist Phillip DePoy wrote “Darlin’ Cory,” inspired by his studies of traditional North Georgia folk songs, one of which shares the play’s title. Original music is by Kristian Bush, frontman and lyricist of Grammy-Award-winning band Sugarland. DePoy and Bush joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes via Zoom to talk about the music and the mythos “Darlin’ Cory.”

Interview highlights:

An Appalachian story with roots in ancient myth: