By SHERRI SMITH BROWN

Georgia > Central Georgia > Bibb County > Macon

Known as the Mother of the Blues and recognized as the first great black professional blues vocalist, Ma Rainey is one of the Georgia born musical greats who has performed at the Douglass Theatre in Macon. 

Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Otis Redding, James Brown, Little Richard. They are some of the early jazz and blues greats who have performed at the Douglass Theatre in Macon. When you are in that town, stop by the newly renovated theatre to learn some fascinating African-America history.

According to the written history of the Douglass Theatre, Charles Douglass was born the son of a former slave in 1870 and grew up in a one-room house built by his father.

“Working as soon as he was large enough to earn money, he peddled light wood and vegetables in the morning, attended school in the afternoon, and chopped cotton for fifteen cents a day.

“In a time of racism and segregation, Douglass saw opportunity in serving the black population of Macon. In 1898 Charles Douglass entered into the bicycle repair and renting business and did well until the automobile craze came. In 1901, Douglass worked as the director of the Georgia Loan and Savings Company. There he met his future wife Fannie, who was an assistant cashier.

“Organizing the Florida Blossom Minstrels and Comedy Company in 1907 made him very familiar with the minstrel circuit of entertainers. He also took advantage of TOBA (Theatre Operators Booking Agency) – a network of over 40 theatres, which was the major source of employment for many black performers. (more…)

By SHERRI SMITH BROWN

If you have a kindergartener, like I do, or anyone who remembers their kindergarten years, you might want to see Synchronicity Performance Group’s production of the musical “Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business.”

Adapted from the Barbara Park children’s book series, the musical is part of Synchronicity’s family series and is running Tuesdays through Thursdays and weekends through May 31 on the main stage at 7 Stages Theatre in Atlanta.

If your child has not been introduced to the Junie B. Jones book series, the musical might inspire you to do so. Written for ages 4 - 8, the stories about the sassy little 5-year-old, her classmates and family began with Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, back in 1992. There are now more than 25 books in Park’s series. (more…)

By SHERRI SMITH BROWN

Mingling with the Royal Court, plus jousting, feasting, and shopping, are all part of the fun at the annual Georgia Renaissance Festival. 

I really enjoy the Georgia Renaissance Festival. In fact, the only bad thing about taking six-year-old Brianna is that I have to do what she wants to do, rather than all the things I want to do!

Once you enter the Festival grounds in Fairburn, you are immediately in a world where it’s natural to address others as “my Lord and my lady” or join in a Maypole dance with the forest fairies. You are part of a 16th-century European country faire where costumed visitors blend right in with the cast of nearly 1,000 costumed revelers and shop owners.

What can you do? Watch acrobats, swashbuckling sword fights, a children’s knighting ceremony, the Nickel Shakespeare Girls, or the Lipizzan Stallions perform dressage. There’s jousting, gypsy storytelling, birds of prey show, and plenty of Renaissance music and revelry. There is something constantly happening on the village greens and on each of the 10 stages scattered throughout the fairgrounds. (more…)

By SHERRI SMITH BROWN

Earth, the first film in the Disneynature series, was released in movie theaters across Georgia and the nation last week on Earth Day, April 22. We took Brianna to see it last Saturday night.

The film is a remarkable feat of cinematography— the story of animal migration patterns on the planet. Narrated by James Earl Jones, it focuses on three particular animal families—polar bears, humpback whales and African elephants. While it was, perhaps, a little too much for a six-year old (she stays more involved with Disney’s cuddly, animated critters), this is a story that everyone, young and old alike, should see. (more…)

By SHERRI SMITH BROWN

Twenty-some years ago, my longtime friend Wendi Farr and I would take our young girls to The Foxx Theater in Atlanta for various plays and musical theater. As we said back then, “We’re going to give them culture and expose them to the arts, whether they like it or not.” Today, as far as I’m concerned, our old adage still holds true, but fortunately I don’t have to travel to Atlanta with Brianna to give her a bit of cultural entertainment. There are more and more regional and local theater groups that are doing a wonderful job. In my locale, The Legacy Theatre in Tyrone ranks right up there with any theatrical performances going on anywhere in the state, the region and across the country – for adults and children.

My first experience with The Legacy Theatre was last December when I went with Brianna and her pre-school class to see a performance of “The Elves and the Shoemaker.” All the acting was first-rate—not a weakness anywhere. The choreography was outstanding and, most importantly, the kids enjoyed themselves immensely. Brianna, who was four at the time, was so mesmerized that I immediately looked into the rest of children’s series to see what was offered and ended up buying tickets for the remaining season.

This summer, the regular season ended with a musical production of “The Wizard of Oz,” and Brianna and I were once again enthralled—Dorothy and the gang, singing and dancing Munchkins, poppies, trees and jitterbug ghosts—all New York City worthy. (more…)