Summer Theatre Festival keeps the arts hot in July | Macon Telegraph

Can you remember how to spell “doldrums?” Summer once was a slow time in the midstate.

With most of the college students gone, almost nothing by way of classical music, and precious little on the theater schedule, it was a good time to do some traveling.

These days, things are looking up — way up — especially for theater, where a spectacular new Summer Theatre Festival is planned, featuring shows for three downtown venues.

Couple these with the regular summer offerings of other theater groups, plus a few children’s productions, and the result will be about 10 shows this summer. Wow!

School ended this week for most kids, and auditions already have ended for some of the summer productions, so no matter what the calendar says, summertime is here. Macon Little Theatre will present “The Addams Family,” running July 8-17. Sylvia Haynie and Laura Voss will direct.

In Houston County, the Perry Players will present “Mary Poppins the Musical” (July 14-30), in addition to their summer workshops for children and teens. In Warner Robins, Bill Felton will direct “Nunsense” (July 22-30). To the north, the Backlot Players will be doing “Footloose” as their summer musical (July 22-31).

If you’re thinking that the last two weeks of July are going to be a bit overwhelming, you are not alone.

Summer Theatre Festival

The big theatrical news is Theatre Macon’s first ever Summer Theatre Festival, spread among three downtown venues. I applaud the group for undertaking this venture. The icing on the cake is that it takes place the first weeks of July.

The Fats Waller Musical “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” will open July 1 at Theatre Macon and continue through July 16. Next, “42nd Street” will open July 8 at the Grand Opera House and also will continue through July 16.

Meanwhile, at Mercer University’s Center for the Arts, the rapid-fire comedy “The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged)” will open July 7 and continue through (you guessed it) July 16.

Yes, life will be good come July. Hey, but first “Sabrina Fair” will be closing Theatre Macon’s 2015-2016 season.

There’s more

While the Macon Symphony Orchestra may have ended its current season, the Macon Pops is still going strong. Saturday night will see a six-piece band in operation at the Mulberry Street parking deck. Yes, Steve Moretti and Matt Catingub will be on hand.

On Sunday, the Douglass Theatre will bring us Jazz in the Courtyard, featuring the Ken Trimmins Quartet.