Civic Club's annual show highlights music from Macon
Songs, comedy and performances themed on Macon's rich musical heritage will be the focus of this year's annual Macon Civic Club show.
"Macon Music" runs Feb. 3-6 at the Grand Opera House.
"We have a four-night revue and all the proceeds from these shows go to local charities," said show chairman Bill Henderson. "It's a mix of singing, dancing and comedy."
The Civic Club formed 57 years ago and this is the group's 55th annual performance. The shows always raise funds for local charities.
"The first fundraising efforts were to save the Grand (Opera House)," Henderson said. "The club was very instrumental in helping save the Grand from being demolished and we continue to support the Grand."
Plans for each year's show begin not long after the current show concludes. Henderson worked with his wife, Beth, to come up with a theme and choose the music for this year's show.
"(Beth) loves the Reddings and everyone loves the Allman Brothers and all the Capricorn (aritsts). Our first thoughts were to perform a small amount of music from Macon and call it a different name," Henderson said. "But we just went in full blast and said we're going to name it 'Macon Music' celebrating Macon's incredible musical heritage. We're really proud of that."
The club works with director Jim Crisp, choreographer Sylvia Haynie and musical director Laura Voss to put it all together.
"Macon Music" will include five Otis Redding songs, two Allman Brothers Band songs and a number from the Rollings Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell's band Sea Level, Henderson said.
"We also have Nan Solomon, who is doing her 51st show, and will perform a Lena Horne song," Henderson said. "I've got a couple more but I want to keep them in my hat."
The show also will be using a new type of stage decor.
"This year, it's going to look more like a concert," Henderson said. "We're going to have a big video screen behind us so we can change scenes as we go and as the era of the music changes."
He said the program is meant to celebrate the revitalization going on with Mercer University and downtown Macon.
"That's where all the Macon music history started," Henderson said. "We're proud of what's happening in downtown Macon; we're proud of what's happening at Mercer and we're proud of our music."
As in past years, there are two featured beneficiaries for each night's performance. But, the club donates funds to a number of other groups, helping 47 charities with last year's proceeds, he said.
Wednesday's show will benefit Theatre Macon and the Allman Brother's Band Museum at the Big House. Thursday's show will benefit Heart of Georgia DDM and the Otis Redding Foundation's music education program.
The Friday performance includes a pre-show cocktail party in front of the Grand and the proceeds for the show benefit Jay's Hope and Central Georgia Autism.
Saturday's night show will benefit the Academy of the Performing Arts scholarship fund and the Museum of Arts and Sciences.
"We want the community to support us by coming to the show," Henderson said. "We've had an incredible year of raising revenue through ad sales for our program, and now we need to sell tickets to the shows. I think people will be pleasantly surprised at how well our amateur group of members perform these difficult songs."
The Macon Civic Club's "Macon Music"
When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3-4 and 6; 6:15 p.m. Feb. 5
Where: The Grand Opera House, 651 Mulberry St.
Cost: $18 Feb. 3; $20 Feb. 4 and 6; $40 Feb. 5 (includes the cocktail party)
Information: 478-301-5470; www.thegrandmacon.com
This story was originally published January 28, 2016 at 3:48 PM with the headline "Civic Club's annual show highlights music from Macon ."