In the Spotlight

Wednesday, 17 February 2010 20:17

Written by Administrator

If all the world’s a stage, the Coweta Fayette area has a spectacular little spot on it. The amphitheaters bring in big name musical acts and fi rst-rate shows are put on by local theatre companies. The glamorous Legacy Theatre in Tyrone has been bringing worldclass shows to the community since it opened in 2006.

This upcoming year is especially exciting, says Legacy Theatre’s Executive Producer, Bethany Hayes Smith. She and her husband, Artistic Director Mark A. Smith, are the team that keeps the theatre going and growing. Both Bethany and Mark have a long list of professional credits in theatre companies across the country and share a love for the theatre.

The Legacy Theatre’s 2010-2011 season includes: the beloved Driving Miss Daisy; Sanders Family Christmas, the sequel to Smoke on the Mountain; The Marvelous Wonderettes, filled with musical classics from the 50s and 60s; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, fresh off Broadway; and the classic Peter Pan.

Beyond that, there’s the recently completed ‘Little Theatre at Legacy,’ which gives the theater another space to use for shows and classes and to lease for events. “We converted an area that was used as storage and now we have this beautiful cabaret theatre that’s just perfect for presenting new artists or singers, comedy shows, holding workshops, even hosting birthday parties,” Bethany says. “The wonderful thing is all this can be happening during the run of our shows, so no one has to wait for the theatre to go dark.”

More room means more opportunities for performance training. The wildly successful Broadway Workshops offer eight-week sessions in all aspects of musical theatre. More than 500 families have been involved in the workshops—and they’ve been unanimously enthusiastic about the new Legacy Studios classes, reports Bethany. “We set an initial goal of 75 students and we’ve already got 150 signed up!”

The semester-long, after-school Legacy Studios classes are smaller and more in-depth, giving students advanced training in musical theatre, comedy improv, playwriting, theatre dance and other aspects of performance. “There’s even a Legacy Idol for kids who want to sing solos and pop music,” Bethany adds. She stresses that several payment options are available to make tuition more affordable.

The entire theatre scene has been thriving locally. For more than 30 years, Newnan Community Theatre Company (NCTC) has put on some of the most respected live entertainment in the area. NCTC is not only an active theatre, it also offers summer and holiday theatre camps for kids; XTras!, a free, weekly teen group for aspiring actors; and NITWITS, an improve comedy group, as well as murder mysteries and special events.

That’s quite an accomplishment, especially for an all-volunteer run, non-profit organization. And there are two stages— no waiting—at the NCTC. The main stage productions for the 2010 season include Death of a Salesman, Cabaret, Psycho Beach Party, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, Fuddy Meers, Miracle on 34th Street and The Santaland Diaries.

In the ‘black box,’ scheduled shows are: And Baby Makes Seven, Brer Rabbit Stories, The Secret Garden, Romeo and Juliet, and Dog Sees God. The Centre for Performing & Visual Arts of Coweta County provides “a home for excellence for all areas of the arts,” according to Centre Director Donald Nixon. The impressive 48,000 square-foot structure on Lower Fayetteville Road in Newnan includes a 999-seat performance auditorium and features a stunning Steinway concert grand piano.

In 2010, highlights include an exhibit by artist Marc Chatov and the Jill Steenhuis exhibit and master art class. Other events include Coweta County school events, performances by Masterworks Chorale, comprised of area singers, and Centre Strings, a student/community orchestra.

Fayette Coweta Family Theatre has been presenting shows throughout Fayette County at schools, churches, local amphitheaters and other venues since 2000. Acting workshops and classes are offered for kids and teens. FCTC’s “A Company of Friends” is a professional group that brings high quality musicals to school groups several times a year.

Other highlights of 2010 are The Twilight Theatre’s summertime production of Les Miserables followed by Guys & Dolls in autumn. The community theatre company will present both shows at Peachtree City’s Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheatre.