‘A goldmine of talent’ performs at Hay House

Guests at the Hay House Gala on Dec. 14 were entertained by a “goldmine of talent,” according to Theatre Macon Director Jim Crisp, who has collaborated with Hay House for this annual holiday chorale since Jonathan Poston came to Macon five years ago as executive director of the stately historic home.

The audience seated in the music room would agree with Crisp’s assessment of his theater’s actors, for their professionalism outside their usual stage environment was worthy of front page news.

“American Idol” 2007 semi-finalist Kimberley Kelsey Epps returned to Macon a few years ago and to the stage of Theatre Macon to play Dorothy in “The Wiz,” a role she first played in 1997 on the same stage. Crisp cast her in Theatre Macon’s first summer musical, “Annie,” in 1995 when he was surprised by the big voice from such a little girl. At Hay House, Epps was the polished performer whose gifted voice was as big as ever.

Theater patrons are fortunate that Crisp discovered Charles Davis’ voice, quite by accident, when he suggested he hum to himself during his first stage performance in “The First Breeze of Summer.” At Hay House, Davis’ rich baritone voice filled the room in his rendition of “Oh Holy Night,” capturing the audience just as he did in his role as the Tin Man in “The Wiz.”

Crisp is known for coaxing unrecognized or undeveloped talent from his actors. One of the costume designers for the theater, Lauren Parris, has been acting since she joined the Youth Actors Company and started working with the theater’s regular costumer, Shelley Kuhen. Parris now freelances as a costumer and designed and made her dress, at the last minute, for the Hay House performance.

McKinley Starks, one of many Mercer University graduates involved in Theatre Macon, was musical director and pianist for the Hay House Gala appearance. He is also an accomplished vocalist whose versatility is in much demand at the theater. Peter Schultz, a student at Mercer studying music and voice is another of Crisp’s discoveries who already has wowed Macon audiences with his role as Will Parker in “Oklahoma,” a 2015 Mercer production at the Grand Opera House, and as Billy, the lead role in Theatre Macon’s “42nd Street” during this summer’s theater festival.

A year ago, Tiffany McCall was cast in her first stage performance in “A Christmas Story” for Theatre Macon. Recently she appeared in “The Wiz” as Evillene and, according to Crisp, McCall, a quick study, is hooked, “and so are we — on her!” McCall will benefit from the incubator of sage advice and of personal mentoring from the director who can count the numerous actors with whom he has worked since they were part of the YAC.

Mount de Sales Academy graduate Chris Freeman has been in Theatre Macon’s main stage performances for years, after growing up in the Youth Actors Company. Before leaving for college in 2007, he was cast as Javert in the YAC production of “Les Miserables.” During the 2015 season, he directed the cast of “Annie” for the YAC, a boon for Crisp, who welcomed Freeman back to the theater after finishing his education.

The gala has become a tradition during the holiday celebration at Hay House — a treasured respite of established hymns and carols that refreshes the spirit of Christmas.

CELEBRATING NEW MEMBERS IN INTOWN

Since the Intown Neighborhood Association was founded more than 40 years ago to prevent demolition and to promote preservation of historic houses within its boundaries, the area has been defined by zones, a more efficient method of communicating in a neighborhood that encompasses the entire downtown residential district.

Each Christmas season, a home in one of the zones is used for the holiday party, with the privilege to serve as host rotating each year from zone to zone. On Dec. 17, new members of Intown, and those who had renewed their memberships, were entertained in zone one, at the home of Becky and Lee Oliver.

The Oliver’s home was the second house, after Hay House, to be designated on the National Register of Historic Places. They are the fourth generation of their family to own the c.1848 antebellum mansion which, when it was built, overlooked the campus of the original Wesleyan College, situated diagonally across the intersection of College Street and Georgia Avenue.

At the Intown party, a tall cedar tree commanded the center hall, rising through the stairwell, just as it has done for past generations of the family, who established a tradition of singing Christmas carols around the tree each year.

Enjoy your own family’s traditions and have a merry Christmas!

This story was originally published December 21, 2016 at 12:38 PM with the headline "‘A goldmine of talent’ performs at Hay House."