Ten days of film, music, theater and more
As an exclamation point to a magnificent four days of the Macon Film Festival and as a somber but hopeful prelude to Bragg Jam, Johanna Schwartz’s documentary, “They Will Have to Kill Us First,” the story of music’s revival in Mali after being banned by extremist Islamists, was in stark contrast to the exuberant abandon with which Macon embraces the talents of our musicians. The Macon Film Guild, Bragg Jam and the music festival partnered to screen the documentary at the Douglass Theatre on July 26, a calm respite before Bragg Jam’s full calendar of events in venues from Twang in Payne City to Fresh Produce Records on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, on July 30.
For rock ‘n’ rollers of the ‘60s and ‘70s persuasion, The Grapevine band performed on the lawn of Coliseum Northside Hospital for an official Bragg Jam event on July 28, while fans noshed on picnic fare and cool libations in the early evening heat. Jane Montgomery and Linda Maddox, in their big straw hats and incognito sunglasses, joined Tyler Mitchell and the rest of the crowd with coolers, chairs and blankets for an evening of line dancing, singing and fun for the entire family to raise awareness and funds for the American Heart Association.
“FOOTLOOSE” IN FORSYTH
The Backlot Players opened the 2016-17 season with “Footloose the Musical” at the Rose Theater from July 22-31, with six sold out performances. The 1998 musical, based on the 1984 movie, was written by Tom Snow with lyrics by Dean Pitchford and additional lyrics by Kenny Loggins, among others. Marion McDougall directed the Backlot Players cast of eager teenagers with a supporting cast of some nettlesome adults in a timely parable for the parents of young people stretching the boundaries of independence.
Music director Tullye Ralph embellished the soundtrack with live musicians for the fast-paced choral numbers and for the dance ensembles choreographed by T&K Dance Studio owners Tim Pittman and Kerri Waits, who corralled the talents of dancers and amateurs to build a troupe that happened to love the music and equipped themselves well with the dance moves.
The story of Ren McCormack, who has to leave his Chicago home with his mother, Ethyl, because of his parents’ recent separation and ensuing financial hardship, takes mother and son to the small town of Bomont, Texas, where they are taken in by relatives the Rev. Shaw Moore and his wife, Vi. The Rev. Moore has been a beloved minister to his flock for years; however, because of the loss of his son in an automobile accident and the circumstances surrounding the wreck, involving dancing and drinking, he becomes inflexible and removed from the reality of serving his family and his flock. He encourages the city council of Bomont to ban all dancing and rock music “because of its pornographic lyrics” and turns his back on his surviving daughter, Ariel, and the new boy, Ren, who used dancing in Chicago dance clubs as a distraction from the disruption in his family.
Ren does not receive a warm welcome from his new classmates in the little country town and is looked upon with a jaundiced eye by the adults who see trouble brewing with this young upstart.
After a half-hearted fight with one boy, Willard, the two become friends and his new pal dispenses wisdom from his “crazy mama” about how Ren needs to watch his back and learn to conform. Jared Williams, a senior at Mary Persons High School, plays Ren, who wears his emotions on his sleeve; Leif Phillips, a theater major at Gordon State College and owner of Little Door Performing Arts, plays Willard, the awkward ladies’ man but sage adviser on how Ren can win over the preacher’s daughter, Ariel, and the community. Phillips, a natural comedian who was facile in his rapport with the audience, is committed to a life in theater and is well on his way.
Liam Spence plays Chuck, the class bad boy with an attitude, who is threatened by the attraction between Ren and Ariel, his girlfriend, played by Leia Williams. Ren, determined to put a stop to the teens’ frustration, unsuccessfully fights city council to relieve the ennui and restore dancing and music to Bomont, but gains respect from the preacher when he points out their mutual grief over the loss of a son and of a father. In the end, the cast follows Ren’s advice to “kick off your Sunday shoes,” and dance, in the triumphant finale and victory over misguided rules.
The Backlot Players have four more plays this season plus special performances throughout the year, which you can find on the web site, thebacklotplayers.org.
This story was originally published August 6, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Ten days of film, music, theater and more."