Entertainment Visionary Pumps Up Pullman Events

Following the successful Van Gogh immersive experience at Pullman Yards, local impresario Adam Rosenfelt is rolling out a multifaceted summer schedule in the historic Kirkwood district near the Beltline.

“Our Van Gogh ticket sales were the largest in the country at 450,000,” Rosenfelt said ten months after the premiere. “We are well on our way to becoming a regional cultural touchstone.”

In the near future, Pullman Yards is expecting to add a science gallery, virtual football and performances by the Atlanta Opera and the Summer Pullman Pops symphony orchestra. In conjunction with Emory University, Pullman Yards was chosen to house the permanent Science Gallery Museum, making it the eighth internationally and only the second in the U.S.

Pullman Pops tribute performances will take place on an outdoor stage backed up by a 45-piece orchestra.

“We will be their long-term home and complement our civic mindedness, since it will be free to the public and teach science through art,” Rosenfelt said.

The virtual Fan Controlled Football (FCF) with NFT avatars is an interactive program with real Hall of Fame All-star players in which physical and digital worlds collide.

“This is really cool in that players are able to really have input into the fan controlled game … starting with the draft, choosing the team name, having input into team governance, logo and calling plays in real time,” Rosenfelt explained. “Everyone can be a Ballerz (a basketball-inspired NFT).”

Others include Boki, Knights of Degen, Bored Ape FC, Beasts and Kingpins.

The Symphony Pullman Pops lineups are a tribute to contemporary musical greatness: Billy Joel, the Beatles, Hollywood, Aretha Franklin and Motown, all backed by a 45-piece orchestra outdoors. (Prices start at $45.) An “Open Air Pass” is $191 per person for all five shows, starting June 22 through September 5. There are also pre-shows included for those desiring a longer experience.

“Imagine Picasso” is the new immersive experience at Adam Rosenfelt’s Pullman Yards. The artist’s greatest works are shown on scenographic surfaces, projected from floor to ceiling in a hands-free environment.

In March, “Imagine Picasso” replaced the popular Van Gogh immersive experience. The Spanish artist, who died in 1973, is considered to be the father of modern art. At Pullman Yards, more than 200 of his works — some even from private collections and museums — are shown on scenographic surfaces, projected from floor to ceiling in a hands-free environment. (Tickets start at $31.50.) Children under five are admitted free, and there is a scavenger hunt for kids 5-12 with a prize for the winner.

But Rosenfelt felt the “real feather in his cap” was that the Atlanta Opera chose his venue for their Come as You Are Festival. Pullman Yards will be a bold and unexpected location to close out their opera season, which begins with the musical “Cabaret” (June 2). “As One” (starts June 9), about a transgender woman coming of age, features two singers and a string quartet.

For the very first time, the Atlanta Opera will perform at Pullman Yards, beginning with “Cabaret.”

On June 18, tenor, Roswell, Ga., resident and self-described “redneck opera zinger” Jay Hunter Morris performs in a matinee, “An Afternoon with Jay Hunter Morris.” Food vendors are on site and some events offer pre-ordered packages for wine and food.

Rosenfelt, a resident of Candler Park, grew up in New York City, graduated Cornell University and headed to Los Angeles at 22. As a producer, he has made movies with Matt Damon, Kevin Costner and Ryan Reynolds. As head of Atomic Entertainment, he and his wife, Maureen Meulen — also a producer — researched several states before landing on Atlanta, due to the city’s history with civil rights, as a train yard and the tax advantages.

“I am proud of our progress here, considering we are independent and not a donor or metropolitan-backed venue like the World Congress Center,” he told the AJT.

“Folks are ready to get back out there and have a good time. We have made our footprint by taking on meaningful programs in the arts and entertainment world — and now science.”

Located at 225 Rogers St., Pullman Yards uses Parking Mobile nearby, but encourages ride sharing and public transportation.