The Fayette Citizen-Weekend Page

Wednesday, February 28, 2001

Annual Generation Arts festival has something for everyone

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

Generation Arts, an annual celebration of cultural activities, begins tomorrow.

Many exhibits, workshops, performances, special events and educational opportunities will take place on stages throughout greater Atlanta during March, and similar events are taking place in Chicago and Washington, D.C. The festival coincides with National Arts in Education Month.

The celebration kicks off during First Thursdays, a monthly downtown art gallery open house conducted 5-8 p.m. For the special March 1 First Thursday, performing arts activities also will be found at many of the galleries along the walk. First Thursdays is a free event, galleries serve light refreshments, and there is a free shuttle between the galleries and an area for free parking as well. Call 404-577-0330 or e-mail artsa@acvb.com.

New this year, special venues will offer multiple arts and cultural activities on four Saturdays. Locations were chosen to offer families outside the perimeter Generation Arts events a little closer to home.

Southside Theatre Guild in Fairburn will be the venue for March 10.

A stage combat basics workshop will be offered for adolescents at 10:30 a.m. (12- to 14-year-olds) and 11:15 a.m. (15-17). The Three Musketeers and Zorro had to know how to fight fair! Learn the art of safe stage combat from accredited professionals from Atlanta Classical Theatre beginning with a discussion of the discipline of stage violence. Next learn basic techniques along with a brief choreographed unarmed fight. The workshop is free.

"It's Mine, I Had It First," a performance for children in grades K-2, will be offered at 11:30 a.m. The play is about making decisions and dealing with the consequences. The play also addresses sharing, respect and the meaning of the words "yes" and "no." It's presented by Academy Theatre for free.

Two by Fours and Hot Glue is a tour for people ages 12 and up at 1 p.m. If you have ever wondered what a scrim was or a fly, now you can learn the jargon used by the professionals while you experience firsthand what it's like to build a stage set with the production staff of Southside Theatre Guild. The tour is free.

Southern Stories for the Family is appropriate for all ages and will be presented at 1:30 p.m. The performance will be presented by Southern Order of Storytellers for free.

Makeup basics for the stage is a tour and demonstration for people ages 12 and up at 2:30 p.m. Makeup is more than dress up it's imagination! Learn how to transform an actor from a human being to a cat, or from young to old all through the basic techniques of stage makeup. Presented by Southside Theatre Guild, the workshop is free.

Offshoot productions also will offer a class during Generation Arts. Sunday, March 11, the company will offer creative dramatics: an acting workshop just for kids," for actors 6 to 8 years old from 1:30-3 p.m. The workshop, which will be at the Peachtree City Library, will introduce young actors to the stage through improvisation and theater games. The workshop is free but reservations are required. Call 770-631-2362.

A ton of events are being presented this month, too many to mention them all, but some stellar deals include: kids night at Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" at the Fox Theatre, Tuesday, March 20 at 8 p.m. Eartha Kitt stars as the Fairy Godmother while Jamie-Lynn Sigler takes on the role of Cinderella. Sigler stars on The Sopranos as Meadow Soprano. One free youth admission (17 and younger) with each adult ticket purchase, Reservations are required; Opera Carnival at The Atlanta Opera Center Saturday, March 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be games, tours and a performance of Mozart's comic opera, "The Impressario," all offered for free; and "Hamlet" at Shakespeare Tavern Thursday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m., offered to theater goers in high school and up, reservations are required.

For a more complete schedule of events visit www.generationarts.org or by fax on demand at 770-772-5572.

Back to the Top of the PageBack to the Weekend Home Page