Sir Laurence Olivier once said, "I believe that in a great city, or even in a small city or a village, a great theatre is the the outward and visible sign of an inward and probable culture." The Midstate has numerous theatres that are visible signs of culture, and it boasts wonderful art, music and dance as well.
There are five community theatre groups in the region and that's not counting the college and high school drama clubs. One of the oldest groups is Macon Little Theatre, which opened on March 12, 1934. Warner Robins Little Theatre is entering its 45th season with "Fences" by acclaimed playwright August Wilson. Theatre Macon and Forsyth's Backlot Players foster young thespians with their own youth companies in addition to their regular slates of shows and actors. Last, but not least, are the Perry Players in Houston County performing in charming downtown Perry.
For those stage fanatics who can't make it to New York, the Grand Opera House in Macon offers a Broadway Series performed by professional touring companies. The 2007/2008 season will include "Evita," The Producers," and "Chicago," to name a few. Another popular series at the Grand is Mercer University's "GrandKids," a performing arts education program that reaches more than 6,000 students each year.
The Grand is truly a historic treasure. Built in 1883 and designed by the pre-eminent theatrical architect W.R. Gunn, its stage was the largest in the Southeast at the time.
Gunn also designed Hawkinsville's Old Opera House, which underwent a $1.7 million renovation in 2000. The Hawkinsville-Pulaski Arts Council sponsors a full season of events there. The Pettigrew Center on the campus of Fort Valley State University is another exceptional venue and has featured appearances by such notables as the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson and poet Nikki Giovanni.
For a town that's famous for the music of little Richard, Otis Redding, James Brown and the Allman Brothers Band, it might seem surprising that classical music is such a staple of Macon's events calendar. The Macon Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1976 and began performing at Ware Hall on Mercer's Campus. The fact that it has grown into a significant regional orchestra that draws from a roster of 200 professional musicians is a testament to the strong community it has received.
There are other organizations in the Midstate offering classical music. The Macon Concert Association books soloists and small ensembles for a series at Wesleyan College. The Warner Robins Community Concert Association also schedules professional talent. The Central Georgia Opera Guild presents two touring operas each season at the Grand Opera House, and Mercer and Wesleyan share their musical talent pool with recitals by students and faculty.
A unique venue for classical recitals is Little Carnegie of the South in Macon. The renovated 19th-century house opened in 2002 as a concert hall and art gallery. Besides regular classical performances, an outside stage is set for jazz, rock, folk, and bluegrass shows.
Other types of music are also readily available. Twice a year, bluegrass fans from all over the South come to Cochran for Hillside Bluegrass RV Park's music festival.The weekend events are packed with nationally known performers, plus musicians can participate in workshops to hone their skills. The Georgia National Fair in Perry always books concerts to suit everyone's tastes. The October 2007 fair will include chris Daughtry from American Idol fame and Dierks Bently, one of the hottest new stars in the country music industry. In addition, the Houston Arts Alliance organizes occasional concerts by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at the Georgia National Fairgrounds as well as jazz concerts at the Museum of Aviation.
When it comes to dance performances, one production has become a holiday staple: the Nutcracker of Middle Georgia, performed yearly over five days in early December. With the opulent setting of the Grand Opera House, elaborate costumes, gigantic backdrops and professional dancers augmenting an army of local dance students, "The Nutcracker" has been a Christmas tradition her since 1985.
The International City Ballet, based in Warner Robins, was founded in 2002 and already has an excellent reputation for performances and instruction. Other area dance academics produce regular performances and occasionally professional touring companies come to the Grand Opera House.
If you're the kind of person who watches films instead of movies, you'll be glad to know there are opportunities to see artistic cinema from around the world. The Cox Capitol Theatre in downtown Macon has been restored as a movie/concert house and pizza parlor. In 2006, a local group of independent film enthusiasts launched the annual Macon Georgia & Video Festival to high-light the cinematic arts and give exposure to independent and experimental films. Filmmakers from around the country enter their works for viewing, critiques and awards.
The Macon Film Guild screens award-winning foreign flicks on a monthly basis at the historic Douglass Theatre in downtown Macon. The Douglass is also the site of the Pan African Film Festival presented by the Tubman African American Museum.
The arts wouldn't be complete without art. The Museum of Arts and Sciences is probably the best-known venue for art exhibits, but there are many other venues in our area. Macon Arts showcases top-tier works by local talent in its gallery downtown as well as serving as an umbrella group for many of the city's arts organizations. Other groups, such as the Middle Georgia Art Association, also provide gallery space and offer regular exhibits.
Houston Arts Alliance also serves as parent organization for Houston County's numerous art, dance, music and theatre groups, one of which is the Fine Arts Society of Middle Georgia, a particularly active group including nationally recognized professionals. Perry Arts Center sponsors shows throughout the year featuring local artists and also offers classes and contests.
There's one way of sampling the talents of local artists, musicians and performing artists in one delightful night and that's Macon's First Friday. On the first Friday of every month, the downtown shops, restaurants, galleries and museums sponsor an evening of entertainment. You might hear a blues singer on the corner as you make your way to the poetry reading in the used bookstore or peep in on the play at the Georgia Children's Museum just before checking out the pottery exhibit at Macon Arts. You might be so engrossed in the sights and sounds that you forget to eat at one of the fabulous downtown restaurants. And the best thing about First Friday is that the art, music and performances are different every month.
