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ARTS EVENTS A SPECIAL MACON MAGAZINE PUBLICATION

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eCOVER ART PAINTING BY JOE ADAMS

By Jim Coleman, executive director of Macon Arts Alliance

Welcome to the new face of Ovations magazine! For the past several years, Ovations has been on the street as one of the best sources of things happening in the Macon and Central Georgia area. As with any successful venture, it is important to celebrate the triumphs while keeping a keen eye on the pulse of what lies ahead. Listening to the customers, using all the available resources and fostering a sense of cooperation, all are integral parts of any success.This new partnership between Macon Arts Alliance and Macon Magazine

to bring you the best and most informative Ovations is an example of what must happen in our community to maximize our resources and to tell the story of life in Macon and Central Georgia to an even bigger audience. This is the beginning of many exciting announcements in the next few months that will help us all accomplish that goal.Think of it as building a house. First you must lay the foundation, install the

plumbing and run wires and ducts inside the walls before you start working on the part you see. After all that work is done satisfactorily you can start to choose the paint colors, the floors, the light fixtures and the furniture. We are involved in a similar task at the moment.As the umbrella organization for more than 60 arts and cultural organizations, the Macon Arts Alliance gathers the

information, organizes it into a marketable format and pushes that information to you so you can decide how you are going to engage yourself and your family in the community. While it is exciting news to us, the technology and tools we use to accomplish this task don’t always make for exciting reading. You need to know that we are presently putting the tools in place to help carry information in our community even further into the digital age. Ovations in Macon Magazine is step one. Stay tuned for even more...

Welcome!to the new Ovations

The new season of arts and cultural events kicks off with Taste of the Arts, an evening to celebrate the great art, architecture and entertainment industry in Macon and the midstate.

Macon Arts Alliance and presenting sponsor Capital City Bank host the event Saturday, Aug.13, 7-10 p.m. at the beautifully restored Terminal Station.

This year’s theme, The Producers, harkens to the glamor of Broadway and is a nod to honoree Nancy Brown Cornett, the first executive director of Macon Arts Alliance who has dedicated

much of her adult life to helping support, grow and foster excellence in the arts.

The leading arts and cultural organizations are the co-stars of the evening, each represented by a celebrity chef from their staff or board who will compete for your vote of Best Sweet or Best Savory Dish and for Best Decorated Table.

These groups also will honor their own “producers” – the often unsung heroes whose dedication, time, energy and resources contribute enormously to their organizations’ success.

This year the silent auction expands to include the largest array of original art in any Central Georgia auction, as well as tickets to the hottest local and regional events, theme parks and venues from around the state and Southeast. Vacation homes, luxury services and trendy items from the coolest shops round out the items you can bid on.

Enjoy music and wine and beer from the open bar as you bid, taste, socialize and celebrate the arts.

Tickets are $40 per person and include all food and drink. To reserve your spot, visit www.maconartsalliance.org/taste or call 743-6940.

Taste of the Arts tips a hat to The ProducersAnnual event celebrates behind-the-scenes stars

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Hot TicketsFor the most up-to-date events details, visit maconartsalliance.org.

October 1

THE INDIGO GIRL AND DAD ON MUSIC & THE SPIRIT• Saturday, Aug. 27, 7:30 p.m.• Mulberry Street United Methodist

Church

“Saturday Night and Sunday Morn-ing: A Father/Daughter Musical Con-versation” features Don Saliers, a distinguished emeritus professor of theology who taught at Yale and Emory uni-versities, and his daughter, Emily Saliers, known through-out the world as one half of the folk rock duo Indigo Girls.The Saliers have taken this personal conversation/con-

cert hybrid on the road to some of the most prestigious universities and worship venues across America. On Saturday, Aug. 27, they take the stage at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church in historic downtown Macon at 7:30 p.m. This free event is an unprecedented, incredible opportunity to learn about music and the human spirit.Visit mulberrymethodist.org or call 745-8601.

August 27

Catch Robert McDuffie performing in the “Romantic

Voices” concert with the Macon Symphony Orchestra on Sept.

24 at 7:30 p.m. at The Grand Opera House. Guest conductor

is Case Scaglione, fresh from a summer engagement at the

famed Tanglewood Music Center. The program includes works by Beethoven, Brahms,

Debussy and Tchaikovsky. Tickets are $38.50 for adults, $18.50 for students or $13.50 for children 12 and under. For

tickets, call 301-5300.

September 24

MCDUFFIE AT THE GRAND

• Saturday, Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m.• Grand Opera House

Break out your barbe- cue gear for what is billed as “Macon’s Big BBQ Competition.” The event is set for Saturday, Oct. 1, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Central City Park. In addition to a barbecue competition that’s part of the Memphis Barbecue Network, Levee Fest will feature lots of family fun, live music, festival vendors and pumpkin painting. Admission to this Cherry Blossom Festival production is free and open to the public. For more information about Levee Fest, visit leveefest.com.

LIVE AT THE LEVEE• Saturday, Oct. 1, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.• Central City Park

LABOR DAY FESTIVAL• Sept. 1 & Sept. 5• Fickling Hall, Mercer

This year’s festival features two special concerts. The Opening Distinguished Artists Concert (Sept. 1) features performers joining McDuffie in concert. Tickets are $10. At the closing concert on Labor Day (Sept. 5) get a sneak peek at tomorrow’s talent. It is a free, ticketed concert. The show begins at 3 p.m. Both concerts will be at Fickling Hall. For tickets, musician bios or more information, call 301-5470 or go online to mercer.edu/music.

Sept. 1 & 5

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Honeytribe (from Space Age Blues) Photography by The Thunderbird Management Group

ALLMAN BROTHERS FAN FEST• Friday - Sunday, Sept. 16-18• Cox Capitol Theatre

The Georgia Allman Brothers Band Association (GABBA), a group of music-loving devotees, gather each year to celebrate all things Allman at GABBAFest. This year’s three-day weekend event is set for Sept. 16-18, with three huge concerts punctuating each night at the Cox Capitol Theatre. On Friday night, Sept. 16, Cowboy (Scott Boyer & Tommy Talton) kicks off the tunes followed by Devon Allman’s Honeytribe on Saturday, Sept. 17 and The Long Run on Sunday, Sept. 18.The weekend also includes tours of The Big

House Museum, Rock Candy walking tours of Macon’s music history with Jessica Walden and much more. For more details, visit gabba.org or coxcapitoltheatre.com.

September 16-18

ALAN JACKSON COMES TO MACON• Thursday, Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m.

• Macon Centreplex Arena

The signature cowboy hat is all many country music lovers need to see to conjure up the music of Alan Jackson. This

chart topper has 50 Top 10 hits along with dozens of ACM and

CMA Awards, 2 Grammys and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He makes a stop along

his sold-out 2011 world tour for a Sept. 22 performance at the Macon Centreplex Arena.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and promises to be a hot night out! Tickets range from $39.75

to $49.75. For more information to buy tickets, call 751-9232 or visit

maconcentreplex.com.

September 22

VIVA VINEVILLE: WINE & MUSIC• Sunday, Sept. 4, 4-10 p.m.• The Big House Museum

The Vineville Neighborhood Association collaborated with The Big House (Allman

Brothers Band) Museum last year for the first Vineville Neighborhood Wine & Music Festival during Labor

Day weekend. The event was such a success they’re doing it again on Sunday, Sept. 4, from 4 to 10 p.m. The fun includes live outdoor concerts by Griffin/McClelland, Abby Owens and SoulShine and features wine, beer and food. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs and make an evening of it. Macon’s newest house museum will be open to event-goers, so don’t miss the chance to check it out. Admission is $10 for adults or $7 for students with ID, and children 6 and under get in free. Call 741-5551 or visit thebighousemuseum.com.

Sept. 4

Aug. 25 & Sept. 10

MUSEUM OFFERS FASHION FOR ADULTS, FEATHERED FUN FOR KIDS• Strut!: Thursday, Aug. 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m. & Feathered Frenzy: Saturday, Sept. 10, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Museum of Arts and Sciences hosts two special events this fall. The adult set can experience haute couture at the swanky Strut! evening of fashion featuring the hottest looks from boutiques throughout the city on the catwalk at the Terminal Station downtown on Aug. 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 for VIP, $30 for general admission or $25 for students. The museum hosts the annual Feathered Frenzy on Sept. 10 featuring activities, exhibits, demonstrations and snacks. Festivities are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $4 to $8. For tickets or more information, call 477-3232 or visit masmacon.com.

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rts allianceOCMULGEE DRAWS THOUSANDS FOR TRIBUTE• Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 17-18, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.• Ocmulgee National Monument

Celebrate the culture of the Muscogee, Seminole and Miccosukee people at the annual Ocmulgee Indian Celebration on Sept. 17 & 18. It’s a fantastic event for all ages, drawing

thousands of visitors each year for food, music, dance, storytelling, crafts and demonstrations by Native Americans as well as exhibits about the first cultural community of Macon. It’s an excellent chance to rediscover the grounds, artifacts and nature within the 702-acre national monument, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Admission is $2 for students or $5 for adults. For information, call 752-8257 or visit nps.gov/ocmu.

College Hill’s Second Sunday concerts have grown into one of the

hottest monthly events, featuring an array of

SECOND SUNDAY SPOTLIGHTS LOCAL TALENTG

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bands from around the country performing in beautiful Washington

Park to crowds of sometimes more than 1,000 people. The free,

outdoor event is a great excuse to pack a picnic and enjoy great music in one of

Macon’s most stunning parks. The Sept. 11 Second Sunday at Sunset concert spotlights

some seriously talented locals with a lineup of Gringo Grande (Ross Destree, George Greer, Baxter James, John

Parris, Alex Sanders and Randy Sanders) followed by JuBee & the Morning After (Danny Davis, Alex Scarborough, Matt

Sphinx, Alec Stanley and Dwayne “JuBee” Webb). Admission is free. Pack a picnic or buy one at the event. The concert

begins at 7 p.m. but it’s a great idea to go early to scout out a space on the hill. For more information, call 301-2008 or visit

collegehillmacon.com.

September 11

• Sunday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m. • Washington Park

September 17-18

FREE FUN AT HAY HOUSE• Sept. 24, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.• Hay House

Twice a year the Hay House hosts Hay Days, fun – and free – family-friendly events that transport visitors to earlier events in the history of the historic home and our city.This fall combines a national

event, Smithsonian Day, which offers free admission with a coupon to museums and historic sites across the U.S., with a World War II-era theme. Discover what was happening at the historic home during the war – how they coped and contributed – through exhibits, activities and tours.Hay House joins The High

Museum of Art in Atlanta, the Old Capitol Museum in Milledgeville and scores of others in offering free events on this day. Print your free admission coupon at smithsonianmag.com/museumday.Festivities are Sept. 24 from

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 742-8155 or visit hayhouse.org.

September 24

Second Sundayconcert series

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The Color Purple I Taprena Augustine as Shug Avery and cast members perform “Push Da Button”

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The

old galGrand

old galThe

Its yellow pine floorboards have absorbed hooves of Arabian stallions and hordes of ballet dancers, Houdini and hot Broadway touring productions. Since 1884, The Grand Opera House, once known as the Academy of Music, has hosted world-class entertainment on what was at one time the largest stage in the southeastern United States. It has survived economic hardship, served a stint as a movie theater and was spared the wrecking ball in the 1960s.Major renovations in the 1970s started

The Grand on a path to its present condition as a state-of-the-art, totally unique historic theater that draws audiences from south of Atlanta down to Statesboro for theater, music and film events. Since 1995, The Grand has presented more than 100 professional touring Broadway productions en route to or from The Fox Theatre in Atlanta and other enormous venues. This practice called “block booking” is a ballet of moving performers, technicians, props, sets and equipment between set-in-stone dates and curtain times around the country.Millions of audience members have

passed through the front doors of The Grand Opera House seeking entertainment. Hundreds of thousands more – performers, technical workers, stage hands, animal wranglers, costumers, makeup artists and hair designers – have entered unseen through the stage doors and loading dock into backstage where the magic of great shows begins.Touring companies load in and out of

hundreds of theaters each year, and you might think one stage is like another. But the cast and crew of the recent touring production of the Tony Award-winning musical “The Color Purple” say that’s far from true.“There’s a totally different feeling when

you’re in a theatre like this,” said actor Phillip Brandon, who performed the roles of Ol’ Mister and the Preacher at the two Macon performances. “It starts with

BY CINDY HILL

Behind the scenes at The Grand

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the people who work here; they have a sense of pride about their space that you just don’t find at the new places. There’s this sense of history that is with you onstage when you know that all these great people once stood where you’re standing.”It all begins with a semi truck making

the turn into Walnut Street Lane. These trucks often are the first to arrive, well ahead of the performers. They’re unloaded at the back of The Grand through a door with an elevator that can carry as much as 5,000 pounds up almost 12 feet to the level of the stage.The total stage space is a whopping

90 feet wide and 58 feet deep. The “on-stage” area where performances take place is 41 feet wide – framed by the proscenium arch, which is 37.5 feet wide and 33 feet high. Black curtains called travelers and borders hang at the sides of the stage to block the audience’s view of goings-on backstage. The stage

has a trap door that originally was constructed for Harry Houdini. The Nutcracker Ballet of Middle Georgia uses the trap door each December during its production when the “Rat King” rises from the green room below the stage to fight the Nutcracker.“Techies” is the catchall nickname for

the technical workers of a show who may be easy spot outside the theater after a performance, usually clad in black as they are during performances. Technical workers unload cases and trunks full of costumes, props, backdrops, special light and sound equipment, special effects machines, musical instruments and rigging to the backstage area.Techies and the occasional performer

who arrives early are the ones with greatest access to the most breathtaking aspect of the stage. The space above the stage is called the fly tower – fly because the space is used to store backdrops until they “fly” into the scene, and

tower because the ceiling is a whopping 71.5 feet high – the size of a seven-story building. While backdrops only rise about 56 feet in the air, the massive space enables The Grand Opera House to use 50 different backdrops during a single show. It is one of a handful of theaters in the country that could accommodate such a number.After load-in, pipes from which the

backdrops hang are lowered to 5 feet off the stage level, backdrops are hung and the pipes are raised again. Set pieces and props are unloaded and set on stage or in specific places offstage. Simultaneously,

flysouthfest.com • facebook.com/flysouthfest

Get ready to

FLY SOUTH!Mark your calendar

for Saturday, November 5

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Tickets:$30 Regular Admission (includes day pass for MAS)$40 V.I.P. Admission (front row seating and swag bag)$25 Student Admission (includes MAS student membership)

Join us Thursday, August 25th, at the Terminal Station

in downtown Macon for a community fashion show

showcasing our town’s fabulous shopping boutiques.

4182 Forsyth Road • Macon, GA 31210478-477-3232 • www.masmacon.com

– actor Phillip Brandon

“There’s this sense of history that is with youonstage when you know that all these great people

once stood where you’re standing.”

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costumes are unpacked, freed of wrinkles and loaded into dressing rooms. Three “star” dressing rooms are on stage right (on the audience’s left) and two larger dressing rooms are down one level in the basement under the stage. Musicians access the orchestra pit from the basement level as well, surfacing in the orchestra pit that sits 5.5 feet below stage level.Sound and lighting varies dramatically from show

to show, as does their setup. The Grand has incredible light and sound systems that are used, incorporated and used with other systems, or bypassed depending on the show’s needs. Two hundred lighting instruments hang permanently, controlled by a 1,024-channel board. Modern boards run through computer programs so lighting schemes can simply be loaded into the board (think installing a new program on your computer). Then crews run a cue to cue – a quick trial run of the show without actors in order to troubleshoot and focus lights on specific areas of the stage and set.Then the performers arrive. A company manager,

who is sometimes a member of the cast, is responsible for the performers’ and crew’s well being. The stage manager, who is responsible for the entire show watches the show from a multi-monitor command center backstage, calling the light and sound cues, and dealing with any problems that arise. Before the show, the two managers take over coordinating performers onstage for microphone checks, vocal and dance warm-ups, and final technical touches. This is happening just before the giant red curtain closes and the doors open to the potential 1,030 members of the audience.Backstage the crew is double and triple checking.

Performers put on costumes and makeup. Closed-circuit sound and video feeds to monitors backstage and to the orchestra pit keep everyone on top of what’s happening onstage before and during the show.The Allman Brothers Band, Atlanta Symphony

Orchestra, George Burns and Gracie Allen, The Barrymores, Charlie Chaplin, Bob Hope, Houdini, Pavlova, Will Rogers and the John Phillip Sousa Band are but a few of the noteworthy names to have walked the boards at The Grand. The world premiere of the film version of “God Is My Co-Pilot” was hosted there during its stint as a movie house.Today a new 40-foot-long marquee is grabbing

fresh attention for the landmark stage, with slick graphic advertisements flashing through 4,400 LED lights. The Grand’s growing reputation is attracting audiences and stellar productions to Macon. Its successful GrandKids series of school-day performances of educational shows has served more than 100,000 students.The Grand’s new season begins Sept. 19, with

multi-media music event Sphinx Virtuosi, and continues with great Broadway plays and musicals, live concerts and a circus.

Nutcracker of Middle Georgia Middle Georgia Youth Ballet

The Grand Opera I audience

The Grand Opera stage I stage hand

The Grand Opera House I pre-performance

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TheatreAUGUST 19 & 20“A Window in My Mind” I Douglass TheatreOriginal work by Tim Lee• Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m• $15 - $20• 752-2000, douglasstheatre.org

SEPTEMBER 2 - 11“Harvey” I Macon Little Theatre• Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30• $10 - $18• 471-7529, maconlittletheatre.org

SEPTEMBER 2 - 17Neil Simon’s “I Ought to Be In Pictures” I Warner Robins Little Theatre• Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30• $12 - $15

• 929-4579, wrlt.org

SEPTEM- BER 9 - 17“Bed-

room Farce” I Theatre Macon• Wed.-Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30• $15 - $20• 746-9485, theatremacon .com

SEPTEMBER 9 - 18“The Odd Couple” by The Backlot Players I Rose Theatre• Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30• $12 - $15• (478) 994-0443, thebacklotplayers.tripod.com

SEPTEMBER 16 – 25“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” I Backdoor Theatre of Mercer University• Thurs.-Sat., 7 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.• $5• 301-2974, www.mercer.edu

SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 2“Honk, Jr.” by Youth Actors

Company I Theatre Macon

• Wed.-Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.• $15 - $18• 746-9485, theatremacon.com

SEPTEMBER 29 - OCTOBER 9

“Arsenic and Old Lace” I The Perry Players• Wed.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.• $5 - $15• 987-5354, perryplayers.org

FilmAUGUST 14“Meek’s Cutoff” I Douglass Theatre Macon Film Guild Screenings, 2011 Western• Sun., 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

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2SEPTEMBER 2First Friday Art Gallery Hop downtown

• The Gallery at Macon Arts Alliance, 5-8 p.m.• The 567 Center Gallery, 6-8 p.m.• Contemporary Arts Exchange, 7-10 p.m.• Free event• (478) 743-6940• maconarts.org

AUGUST 6Guided Tour of Lamar MoundsGuided tour of the only known spiral mound in North America

• Ocmulgee National Monument• 10 a.m• Free event• (478) 752-8257• nps.gov/ocmu

CalendarFor the most current calendar events and details, visit maconartsalliance.org.

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3 4 5SEPTEMBER 10Feathered frenzyActivities, exhibits and demonstrations about birds

• Museum of Arts & Sciences• Sat., 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.• $4 - $8• (478) 477-3232• masmacon.com

SEPTEMBER 15“Rango”Macon Film Festival Outdoor Screening

• Tattnall Square Park• Thurs., 8 p.m• Free event• maconfilmfesti val.com

SEPTEMBER 24Hay Day and Smithsonian DayFree, family-friendly WWII theme activities and exhibits

• Hay House• Free event• 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.• (478) 742-8155• hayhouse.org

• $5• 742-2000, maconfilmguild.org

AUGUST 18“The Social Network” I Tattnall Square ParkMacon Film Festival Screening • Thurs., 8 p.m.• Free event• maconfilmfestival.com

SEPTEMBER 11“The Double Hour” I Douglass TheatreMacon Film Guild Screening• Sun., 2 p.m., 4:30 & 7:30 p.m.• $5• 742-2000, maconfilmguild.org

SEPTEMBER 15“Rango” I Tattnall Square ParkMacon Film Festival Outdoor Screening • Thurs., 8 p.m.

• Free event• maconfilm

festival.com

SEPTEMBER 20“Nuremberg: Its Lesson for Today” I Douglass TheatreMacon Film Guild Screening• Tues., 7:30 p.m.• $5• 742-2000, maconfilmguild.org

Pop Music AUGUST 6E.G. Kight cd Release Concert I Cox Capitol TheatreSpecial guests Randall Bramblett, Tommy Talton and the Abby Owens Band• Sat., 8 p.m.• 257-6391, coxcapitoltheatre.com

AUGUST 14Second Sunday at Sunset I Washington ParkFree outdoor concert featuring BackCity Woods• Sun., 7-9 p.m.• Free event• 301-2008, collegehillmacon.com

SEPTEMBER 3Vineville Neighborhood Association Wine & Music Festival I The Big House MuseumLive music, food & kids activities• Sun., Sept. 4, 4-10 p.m.• $10 adults, $7 students with ID, free for children 6 and under• 741-5551, thebighousemuseum.com

SEPTEMBER 9 - 11Otis Redding’s 70th Birthday Celebration

• Fri., Sept. 9: Otis Redding Day Celebration at Third Street Park, 12 p.m.• Sat., Sept. 10: Evening of Respect concert at Macon City Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.• Sun., Sept. 11: A Gospel Explosion, 3 p.m.• www.otisredding.com

SEPTEMBER 11Second Sunday at Sunset I WashingtonParkFree outdoor concert featuring JuBee & the Morning After with Gringo Grande• Sun., 7-9 p.m.• Free event• 301-2008, collegehillmacon.com

SEPTEMBER 16 – 18GABBA Fest Concerts I Cox

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Classical MusicAUGUST 30

Romantic Masterpieces for Organ concert I Christ Church

Robert Parris, organ• Tues., 7:30 p.m.• Free event• 301-5470, mercer.edu/music

SEPTEMBER 1 & 5Distinguished Artists Concert I

Mercer UniversityFabian String Series Labor Day

Festival of Strings• Opening concert, Thurs., Sept.1; closing concert, Mon., Sept.5• 301-5470; mercer.edu/music

SEPTEMBER 19Sphinx Virtuosi I The Grand Opera HouseAfrican American and Latino musicians diversify masterpieces• Mon., 7:30 p.m.• $10 - $15• 301-5470, thegrandmacon.com

SEPTEMBER 13Singing the Story: American Art Songs & More I Fickling HallFaculty recital featuring Martha Malone, voice; Carol Goff, piano• Tues., 7:30 p.m.• Free event• 301-5470; mercer.edu/music

SEPTEMBER 24“Romantic Voices” I Grand Opera HouseRobert McDuffie performs with the Macon Symphony Orchestra• Sat., 7:30 p.m.• $13.50 - $38.50• (478) 301-5300, maconsymphony.com SEPTEMBER 25Music & the Arts I Vineville United Methodist ChurchElizabeth Pridgen in concert• Sun., 4 p.m.• Free event• 745-3331, vinevillemethodist.org SEPTEMBER 29Orion String Quartet I Fickling HallFabian String Series featuring Timothy Eddy, cello Daniel Phillips, violin; Todd Phillips, violin; and Steven Tenenbom, viola•Thurs., 7:30 p.m.

/TheGrandOperaHouse

Tickets & Information 478-301-5470TheGrandMacon.com

@TheGrandOpera

“Blast!,” winner of the 2001 Tony Award for “Best Special Theatrical Event” and the 2001 Emmy Award for “Best Choreography,” is comprised of 35 brass, percussion and visual performers brought together in a unique explosion of music and theatre. Born on athletic fields across the nation, “Blast!” is a novel art form evolved from the showmanship of outdoor pageantry. According to Bruce McCabe of the Boston Globe: “‘Blast!’ is an exuberant 15-number show that doesn’t falter while bridging the categories of classical, blues, jazz, rock n roll, and techno-pop music.

A Performing Arts Centerof Mercer University

Sphinx VirtuoSiPart of the Variety Series

Composed of some of the most talented African American and Latino musicians in the US, this concert will feature the critically acclaimed chamber orchestra in addition to select solo performances by the top Laureates of the national Sphinx Competition. From masterpieces by Bach, Handel and Schubert to works by composers of color, this is a concert not to be missed!

BlaSt!Part of the Broadway Series

Also on sale Aug. 29 at 10 a.m.RAIN: Nov. 1-2

Cirque Shanghai Bai Xi: Nov. 19-20

September 19, 7:30 p.m.$15 | $10 Students & GroupsTickets On Sale Monday, Aug. 22 at 10 a.m.GrandKids Performances Sept. 19-20, 9:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m.

October 3-4, 7:30 p.m.$38–$46Tickets On SaleMonday, Aug. 29 at 10 a.m.

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1SEPTEMBER 2First Friday Art Gallery Hop I Downtown

• The Gallery at Macon Arts Alliance, 5-8 p.m.• The 567 Center Gallery, 6-8 p.m.• Contemporary Arts Exchange, 7-10 p.m.• Free event• (478) 743-6940• maconarts.org

2AUGUST 14Second Sunday at Sunset I Washington ParkFree outdoor concert featuring Back City Woods• Sun., 7-9 p.m.• 301-2008, collegehillmacon.com

3AUGUST 13 & September 10

USA Dance I Howard Community Center• Lesson: Sat., 7:30-8:30 p.m.• Freestyle: Sat., 8:30-10 p.m.• $7 - $10• 986-5091,www.usa d6059.org

4SEPTEMBER 8 & 15Neil Simon’s “I Ought to Be In Pictures” I Warner Robins Little Theatre 2-for-1 Admission on Thursdays• Thurs., 8 p.m.• $15• 929-4579, wrlt.org

5SEPTEMBER 13Singing the Story: American Art Songs & More I Fickling HallFaculty Concert with Martha Malone, voice; Carol Goff, piano• Tues., 7:30 p.m.• Free event• 301-5751, mercer.edu/music

Romantic Voices

Sponsored by:

Case Scaglione ❘ Guest Conductor

Robert McDuffie ❘ Violin

The Charles H. Jones Family Foundation

Mrs. Sara Beth HertwigMr. and Mrs. T. Baldwin Martin, Jr.

September 24 – 7:30 pmGrand Opera House

478-301-5300www.maconsymphony.com

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e• $10 general admission; free for students with Mercer ID• 301-5470

Benefit BashesAUGUST 6Big House Poker Run I Big House MuseumBarbecue, drinks and live music• Sat., 5:30-8 p.m.• Start: Harley Davidson, Mercer University Drive. End: The Big House Museum• 741-5551, thebighousemuseum.com

AUGUST 13Macon Arts Alliance Taste of the Arts I The Terminal Station

Celebrity chefs’ best sweet and savory dishes, silent auction and music; Presented by

Capital City Bank• Sat., 7-10 p.m.

• $40• 743-6940, maconartsalliance.org

AUGUST 25Museum of Arts & Sciences’ Strut I Terminal Station

Fashion, food, and fun• Thurs., 6-7:30 p.m.

• 477.3232, masmacon.com

Art & ExhibitsAUGUST 5 - 27“Dog Days of Summer” I The Gallery at Macon Arts AllianceDog-themed art by Pat Burns, Barry Gregg (Decatur), Virginia Maxfield, Coni & Mark Merritt, Carol Pope, Anne Rafferty (Marietta)• Opening reception: Fri. (Aug. 5) 5-8 p.m• Tues.-Fri., 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.• Free event• 743-6940, maconartsalliance.org

AUGUST 5 - 27Prints by Blake Sanders I The 567 GalleryWorks by printmaker Blake Sanders (New Orleans) & winners of Bragg Jam Paint Out • Opening reception: Fri. (Aug. 5) 6-9 p.m.• Free event• www.the567.org

AUGUST 19 - SEPTEMBER 9“Parallel” I Middle Georgia Art AssociationMulti-artist, multi-media photography exhibit• Fri. 6-8 p.m.; Tues. - Fri., 12-5 p.m.; Sat. 12-3 p.m.• Free event• 744-9557, middlegeorgiaart.org

Amacon

rts allianceSEPTEMBER 2 - 24“Sliding Scale” I The Gallery at Macon Arts Alliance Featuring artists Craig Coleman, Heatherly Darnell, Ernie Stofko Dixon, Gwen Fryar, David Sutton and Martha Adams Thompson• Opening reception: Fri. (Sept. 2) 5-8 p.m.; Tues.-Fri., 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.• Free event• 743-6940, maconartsalliance.org

SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 7“All That Glitters” I Middle Georgia Art AssociationMulti-artist, multi-media exhibit• Opening reception: Fri. (Sept. 23) 6-8 p.m.; Tues.-Fri., 12-5 p.m.; Sat., 12-3 p.m.• Free event• 744-9557, middlegeorgiaart.org

ONGOING55 Years: Experiencing Art I Museum of Arts & SciencesExperiencing Art from the Museum Collection, the Andrew Lyndon Collection and Tusks! at the museum• Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sun., 1-5 p.m.• $4 - $8• 477-3232, masmacon.com

ONGOING“Riffing on the Real: Afro-Futurism in the Arts” I Tubman African American Museum• Sat., 12-4 p.m.; Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. • $6 adults, $5 seniors & military, $4 students• 743-8544, tubmanmuseum.com

HistoryAUGUST 20

“Echoes of Music from The Cannonball

House” Period

music

performance• Saturday,10 a.m. to 1 p.m.• $3 - $6• 745-5982, cannonball house.org

SEPTEMBER 17 & 18Ocmulgee Indian Celebration I Ocmulgee National MonumentFeaturing food, music, dance, storytelling, exhibits, crafts anddemonstrations by Native Americans• Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.• $2 students, $5 adults• 752-8257, nps.gov/ocmu

DanceAUGUST 13 & SEPTEMBER 10 USA Dance I Howard Community CenterRefreshments, variety of dance music• Sat., 7:30-10 p.m.• $7 members, $10 non-members• 986-5091, www.usad6059.org

SEPTEMBER 2First Friday USA Dance I Georgia Sports Hall of FameVariety of dance music sponsored by Paula East and members of USA Dance #6059• Fri., 7:30-10 p.m.• $5 (proceeds benefit Georgia Sports Hall of Fame)• 986-5091, www.usad6059.org

ComedyAUGUST 13James Gregory I Cox Capitol TheatreThe “Funniest Man in America” comedian live• Sat., 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.)• $27 - $30• 257-6391, coxcapitoltheatre.com SEPTEMBER 15Country Comedy Tour I Cox Capitol TheatreStarring M.G. Gaskin & Matt Mitchell• Thurs., 8 p.m.• $10 in advance, $15 at the door or $30 for a family pass (3-5 people); $35 VIP tickets• 257-6391, coxcapitoltheatre.com

Dog Days of Summer Sliding ScaleMulti-artist exhibit inspired by man’s best friend.

Opening Reception First Friday, August 5thIn the Gallery August 5 - 27, 2011

Multi-artist exhibit of miniatures & large subjects.

Opening Reception First Friday, September 2ndIn the Gallery September 2- 30, 2011

The Gallery at Macon Arts Alliance486 First Street Historic DowntownOpen Tuesday - Friday, 11 a.m to 5 p.m.Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.First Friday Openings every month, 5 to 8 p.m.478.743.6940 MaconArtsAlliance.org/Gallery

10% Discount off all purchases in The Gallery

A subscription to Macon Magazine

Invitations and event tickets

The weekly events email blast with info on all the hottest arts & cultural happenings

If you enjoy the new

Amacon rts alliance

Ovationsbecome a member of

at the $40 level or more and recieve:

For details visit MaconArtsAlliance.orgor call 478/743-6940.