Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling artist, Five For Fighting (aka John Ondrasik) will be playing a free show at Peachtree Corners Town Green for one night only on May 25. 

Ondrasik will bring along his band, drummer Randy Cooke, bassist Sean Hurley, and guitarist Peter Thorn, to play the songs his fans have loved for over two decades, along with recent hits. 

To date, Five For Fighting, has released six studio albums, including the platinum certified America Town and The Battle for Everything as well as the top-10 charting Two Lights, along with other EPs and live albums.

Ondrasik has penned major hits, including 100 Years, The Riddle, Chances, World and Easy Tonight, which have earned tens of millions of streams and place him as a top-10 Hot Adult Contemporary artist for the 2000s. 

Five For Fighting’s music has also been featured in more than 350 films, television shows, and commercials, including the The Blind Side, Hawaii Five-O, The Sopranos and the CBS drama, Code Black. 

Ondrasik’s passion for supporting humanitarian efforts and freedom has been a longstanding commitment for the artist as well.  

Recently, he’s been taking a non-political stance on key events around the world, writing songs from a humanistic perspective. He recently released OK in response to the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel, while addressing the cultural aftermath both in America and around the world – watch the video here.

Hours before Iran’s missile attack on Israel on April 13, Ondrasik performed OK in Tel Aviv. The singer/songwriter also performed his 9-11 anthem song, Superman (It’s Not Easy).  Watch the performance and listen to his comments here. 

Ondrasik has been one of the few in the entertainment industry who has spoken up after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. You can read more about in this Wall Street Journal story.

Ondrasik penned the track for OK in the same vein as his previous songs, Blood On My Hands, about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and Can One Man Save The World?, which was recorded in Kyiv in support of Ukraine.  Ondrasik, says “’OK’ is not a political message, but a moral one. A call to action.” 

Tying in with “Music In Our Schools Month,” Ondrasik teamed up with The Tullman Family Office, through its operational philanthropic wing Tullman Community Ventures, for the Music Matters Challenge.

The national online music challenge asks Americans to create an original rendition of the song Let Music Fill My World, a song recorded and written by Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik and students of the Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, Illinois.

The challenge is designed to spotlight the magic of music and bring awareness to the generational impact of removing music from schools.  The Grand Prize winners will be announced on May 31.  More information can be found here.

In Shakespeare’s day, London theaters like the Globe accommodated up to 3,000 people watching popular plays. In open-air theatres, the cheapest price of admission was only 1 penny, which bought you a place amongst the ‘groundlings’ standing in the ‘yard’ around the stage.

Shakespeare in the Park in Peachtree Corners will be free, and much like then we’ll be out in nature, but listening to a contemporary version of “Much Ado About Nothing.” I spoke with Susanna Wilson and Charlie T. Thomas from Contemporary Classic Theatre ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠about bringing Shakespeare to our city, what it takes, where they’re presenting, and all the things that must happen for this year’s presentation. Podcast hosted by Rico Figliolini.

Much Ado About Nothing – Saturdays and Sundays, May 11-26, 2024 at Simpsonwood Park, Christ Church Episcopal, and Autrey Mill Nature Preserve. One of Shakespeare’s most beloved romantic comedies, director Susanna Wilson’s version of Much Ado is set in Italy during a 21st century film festival. Love at first sight, jealousy and confusion, an illegitimate sibling, mixed-up lovers, three weddings and a funeral – Much Ado About Nothing is an amusing look at timeless truths about love, betrayal, and acceptance. All performances will be outside, for a “Shakespeare in the Park” experience. Bring your own blankets and lawn chairs; no seating will be provided. The show will run for approximately 100 minutes with no intermission.

Free Admission to Simpsonwood Park performances on Saturday, May 11, at 2 pm and 5 pm and Sunday, May 12, at 3 pm.

Arts in Peachtree Corners can come in various forms. Please take this short 5 question survey and let us know how you feel about live outdoor theatre.