BOX SEAT: February ushers in busy theater season

Beyond belief. That's the only phrase I can find that describes the abundance of quality entertainment coming our way in February.

Not only are there plentiful theater productions -- community, collegiate and touring -- but the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University's Townsend School of Music is teaming up with Jim Crisp and the Theatre Macon Youth Actors Company for "What Color Is Your Brother?"

McDuffie believes that artists have a responsibility to address issues in a way that civic and religious leaders cannot, and he has commissioned Mark Mobley of NPR's "Performance Today" to produce the script. Mobley has been poring over hundreds of hours of film and transcripts, and his efforts will bear fruit Feb. 27 on the stage of the Grand Opera House. "Words matter. Music heals," says McDuffie.

Indeed they do: Last year's event drew an audience of several thousand to Beulahland Bible Church.

Also worthy of special attention is the Mercer production of Henrik Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler." Those who don't live near a college may go a lifetime without an opportunity to see this classic.

MUSIC, TOO

In the midst of an abundance of theater comes a goodly number of major music events.

Currently on stage at the Grand is the Macon Civic Club's "Macon Music," this year benefiting Theatre Macon, the Big House, the Otis Redding Foundation and others.

Also sure to draw a crowd is the Macon Pops, featuring a musical history of R&B, hip-hop, gospel and soul. The Pops, musicians from the Otis Redding foundation and others will be at the City Auditorium on Feb. 19.

At the other end of the musical spectrum, on Feb. 26 the Joan S. Godsey Keyboard Series will feature the acclaimed Christa Rakich at Christ Episcopal Church, performing on what is said to be one of the finest organs in the Southeast.

I should also call your attention to the Sixth Annual Heritage Festival at the Douglass Theatre on Saturday. Choirs from several midstate high schools will perform.

FILMS, TOO

The Douglass is film festival junction this month, hosting multiple film festivals and ending the month with the National Theatre's HD telecast of "As You Like It."

Along the way we have the Macon Film Guild ("Suffragette"), the CollegeTown film Series and the Cox Communications Black History Month Series ("War Room").

Contact Larry Fennelly at LarryFennelly@avantguild.com.

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 5:35 PM with the headline "BOX SEAT: February ushers in busy theater season ."