LocaL
1
APR I L-MAY 2021
LocaL
2
APR I L-MAY 2021
STUFF TO READ
Letter from the Publisher
popular question I get asked is, “How do you come up AOrvery with the covers for each issue?” “how do you pick your features?” It’s always a fun
PAWS Humane Society
4
From Bare Roots To The Food Mill
5
I Paint the Body Electric
6
Building A New Musical
10
Are Your Pets Ready For You To Go Back To Work?
Healthier Meals For A Healthier Community The Art Of Christine Cannon
Landscape for Columbus? MIGHT AS WELL
Plant Hustle Vegan Bakery
11
AROUND TOWN
12 14
Yummy Treats Everyone Can Eat
Ben MacMinn & StartUP Columbus Uplifting Entrepreneurs
Plant Magic Market
16
Getting Back To Fun
18
Find Mystery, Peace, Wellness and a lil’ Magic The Springer Opera House Moves Outside
conversation to have, because it’s quite the opposite of what people expect. I’ll let you in on a lil’ secret: we don’t actually pick the cover. In all honesty, we don’t usually have a clue what the cover will be each issue until the very last day of laying this bad boy out. Because it’s not our story. It’s yours. We just do our absolute best to tell your stories the way they deserve to be told. My job is amazing. I literally get to drive around this beautiful landscape and meet so many incredibly wonderful people. It is truly an honor to hear your stories, learn about your events, get to know who inspires you, and share that with the community. The other way we get to do that is with your help -- so please feel free to hit us up any time you’ve got something you want to share. One thing that I admire the most is our ability to lift each other up. Artists see other artists as inspiration, businesses who might otherwise be “competition” lean on one another and team up to create true growth for all. People like Ben MacMinn and the team at StartUp Columbus and their work to help aspiring entrepreneurs, Oliva Amos and all the many partners who’ve come together to fight food insecurity. Ben Redding (I’m bringing you up because of the pure motivation you’ve been bringing. Keep That Energy). Mandy from Plant Hustle, for not only your enthusiasm, but for being so gracious. Olivia Hight, your shop is pure joy, thank you again. Thank you all for partnering with us, and I’m so thrilled to get to introduce both Plant Hustle Vegan Bakery as well as Plant Magic Market, because not only are they both businesses you need to check out, you now also know the difference (you’ll know what I mean when you read their articles inside). They are both wonderful and well written by our lovely writer Natalie Downey. Make sure to check everyone out in the pages to follow, and don’t forget to call each and every phone number for every one of our advertisers. Just call them and tell them you love them and that the LocaL sent you. We love you, enjoy this city! Monica Jones
Christine Cannon - C8H10N4O2 Is Life Series N - p.6
706 250 7777
t hel o cal co l u mbu s . co m f acebook .com/t helocalcolumbusga issuu.com/t helocalcolumbus
What We Are All About.
The mission of the LocaL magazine is to bring you the best in art, music, food and fun from Columbus and the surrounding area. Locally owned and operated, we work to improve and expand community relationships through promoting positive events and stories. When good things are happening, we will be here to help you get involved. Our monthly print issues will feature stories and events that comprise and drive the ongoing surge toward a more beautiful community. This magazine exists because we who work on it believe in actively engaging with community improvement, and we invite you to join us, not only by reading these pages, but also by taking part in any of the many wonderful events we feature.
PUBLISHER
Monica Jones publisher@thelocalcolumbus.com ads@thelocalcolumbus.com editor@thelocalcolumbus.com
LAYOUT & DESIGN
Mat Cornett
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Scott Berson
ADVERTISING | PR Monica Jones ads@thelocalcolumbus.com
CONTRIBUTORS & CREDITS
Scott Berson Natalie Downey Erick Richman Tricia Montgomery
COVER ART PROVIDED BY Christine Cannon @ cannonarts.com
Plant Hustle Vegan Bakery p.11 LocaL
3
APR I L-MAY 2021
Humane Society HOME ALONE? ARE YOUR PETS READY FOR YOU TO GO BACK TO WORK? By Tricia Montgomery
TIPS FOR THE TRANSITION ave your pets gotten used to having you home all the time? A sudden change, from everybody home all day to everyone gone all day, can lead to some serious behavior problems or even depression. This could lead to anything from accidents in the house, excessive chewing, or not eating. Prepare your pets for change. Here are a few tips
H
1. LEAVE You and your family may have been staying at home a lot more often than normal lately. Start transitioning yourself and your pets now, so that when Columbus continues to prepare for a full opening up, both you and your animals will be ready. Try this to begin easing your animal into being
even if you never have before. Your pets are used to hearing you all day, so don’t leave them in silence. This also helps with muffling the sound of thunder or even a rumbling garbage truck which could spook them. Are they still nervous? There are many aids to help with anxiety, including calming supplements and Thundershirts. Both can generally do the trick and are available both online or at your local pet store. If things still seem a bit off and are just not working, seek your veterinarian’s advice for a behavior consultation. 3. WATCH FOR STRANGE & UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR Yes, dogs and cats can have separation anxiety. How will you know? Here is what to look for: • Using the bathroom in the house • Excessively barking when you leave the house • Chewing up anything and everything • Peeing in the middle of your bed • Clinging to you and following you everywhere when you are home, and starting to panic when they think you are leaving
These are key clues that your pets have an anxiety disorder. Don’t punish them, as they truly can’t help it, and unless you catch them in the act, dogs will forget what they did anyway, so they won’t understand what they did wrong. Again, there are solutions available, although it may take a little bit to find the perfect one for your pet(s). 4. LOVE THEM
alone. Leave safe treats on the ground, and while your dogs are eating them, walk out the door. Don’t say goodbye (like most of us do) just leave. Come back a couple of minutes later. Next time leave for 10 minutes, go for a little walk or bike ride. Do this a couple of times a day, extending the time you are gone each time. They need to be prepared to get back to normal. If your dogs have been in daycare but haven’t been since you’ve been home, get them back. This is “their normal.” If they have not tried doggie daycare, no better time than the present. It can make life happier for them, and you. 2. MAKE SURE THEY ARE COMFORTABLE & FEEL SAFE Make sure your dog is left in a safe space inside that they are accustomed to.Leave on a radio or TV. LocaL
When you are home, put away the cell phone and pay attention to your pets. Take them for a walk in the early morning or late in the day. Play ball or tug with them. Let them know you love them and when you get home, let that time be their time. From all of us at Paws Humane Society, to all of you, we want you and your pets to be the happiest and healthiest you and they can be.u
Humane Society 4900 Milgen Road Columbus pawshumane.org office@pawshumane.org (706) 565-0035 Vet Clinic (706) 987-8380 4
It’s About Healthier Meals for a Healthier Community
are Roots Café’s distinctive blend of healthy, locallyB sourced produce and carefully curated menu items returns to the historic Bibb City area as The Food Mill
(3781 2nd Ave). Beautifully reimagined, the café is now also part of UGrow, Inc., a non-profit that works to fight food insecurity. Director Olivia Amos shares the restaurant’s mission to “connect Columbus residents to locally sourced food by building a collaborative culture where food is medicine.” Along with partner organizations MercyMed, Truth Spring Academy, Feeding the Valley, Highland Community Church and Take the City, The Food Mill distributes hundreds of no-cost meals each week to families facing food insecurity throughout the community, with a highly affordable urban farmer’s Sharing Food From MercyMed market planned to open next to the café later this summer. “We knew we had to make the decision to transition the restaurant into the non-profit,” Oliva says, “It just kind of happened organically.” Olivia found that her passion for what she describes as “culinary medicine” had grown beyond the limits of the original café. With big goals in mind, she partnered with Sharayah Davis, who had recently founded Columbus’ first modern urban farm, Elijah’s Farm, and the non-profit organization UGrow, Inc. “She was working at Bare Roots, and I was purchasing produce from Elijah’s Farm for the restaurant,” Olivia recalls, “As we started talking about all the different initiatives, it just made sense for us to combine our efforts together.” With their shared interest in fighting hunger, they nestled The Food Mill inside UGrow, Inc. in August of last year, teaming up with other local businesses and nonprofit organizations as the community grappled with the APR I L-MAY 2021
year that was 2020. For instance, when Columbus Botanical Gardens had to pause their Saturday market plans, they began donating produce, leading to their Nourish Columbus partnership with The Food Mill. As other suppliers also began donating, Olivia suddenly found herself with a team of community groups all focused on fighting food insecurity for our community. Olivia and the team began by donating meals through a buy-two, donate-one program with BWP Cares and Highland Community Church. When students began returning to classrooms, they added a program that provides all 70 students at Truth Spring Academy healthy meals to start each school day. “Children shouldn’t go hungry,” Olivia says, pointing
to studies that suggest “when children have the right nourishment, their test grades improve, their attendance improves, they have a higher likelihood of graduating.” Because children usually receive one good meal each weekday but can lack nutrition over the weekend, she later partnered with Fox Elementary and began providing a weekend’s worth of meals each Friday for twelve food insecure children and their families. “These parents are hardworking parents,” she explains, “They just don’t have enough to make ends meet, or to make it through the month in order to be able to provide nourishment for their family. I see a lot of them giving things up.” While food insecurity can be a complex problem, Olivia and the groups she partners with are working to ensure everyone in our community has access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Creating delicious items that highlight all the natural flavors of the food with “a touch of southern flair,” The Food Mill also provides catering services, as well as medically tailored meals and family portions. Open Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m, they offer both
familiar dishes, like their black pepper sausage biscuits, and new takes, like the pork belly and pepper jelly. For lunch you can also grab the highly coveted 8 oz TurnTime Farms grass-fed ground beef burger with applewood bacon. We at the Local love the meat-stuffed sweet potatoes with that ‘sweet heat’ mustard BBQ sauce just as much as the Hippie Bowl with wild rice, sweet potatoes, fresh vegetables and a yummy verde dressing. Daily specials can include the ever popular chicken basil burger. Their menu combines favorites from the Bare Roots days along LocaL
with plenty of new options, ensuring anyone can find a healthy dish to fit their tastes and dietary needs. As they always have, the café uses as much produce from local partner farms as they can, from places like Dew Point Farm in Midtown Columbus, TurnTime Farms in Ellerslie, Jenny Jack Farm in Pine Mountain, MercyMed on 2nd Avenue here in Columbus as well as the Columbus Botanical Garden. If you’re wondering how to get your own hands on some of this amazing food. Do not fret, as on May 15th the Food Mill will host The Planty Pantry, with a rain date of the 16th. The event will be an all inclusive celebration of local and alternative food culture,with lots of local farmers, farm tours and fun food eating contests. You’ll not only be able to get your hands on some tasty Food Mill eats, but also sample all types of culinary delights from local vendors, including the Plant Hustle Vegan Bakery, CeCe’s Jackfruit of all trades, Beejou Craft Kombucha, Verily Bakery, the Matcha Garden FlavoRite Vegan Food Truck. There will also be live music from various artists and plenty of games for the kiddos. “It’s a breath of fresh air to get to work together with everyone involved,” says Ben Redding, the event organizer. “It’s an honor to be a part of something like this, the community deserves this.” Look for tickets to go on sale April 15th at getlocaltix.com. You can find more about the Planty Pantry through most popular social media outlets, as well as UGrowinc.org. A large portion of the proceeds will go to benefit UGrow Inc. and MercyMed’s medically tailored meals program. For a taste of what to expect, we asked Ben what he loves about The Food Mill.
“It’s a stand out. For me it’s the price point I think of first, it’s doable for my budget. I can get what I would consider a guilty pleasure like the pimento and steak or the biscuits and gravy and not feel literally terrible after,” he points out. “I love that you’re not going to get the same thing every time. They take the time to consider what’s good (in season) and what’s gonna taste good.” The purpose of the event and the mission is to share not only in the wonder of food but to also highlight a need in the community and to educate about the important issue of food insecurity. “You went from one in six children being food insecure to one in three,” Oliva explains of just the coronavirus pandemic’s impact. Luckily, we have a strong community ready to join together. You can help support The Food Mill and UGrow’s initiatives by spreading awareness, donating online to the non-profit at thefoodmill.org, buying a ticket to the event or coming into the café to have breakfast, lunch or a family portion to take home. Volunteers are always needed and invited to contact Olivia at thefoodmillcolumbus@gmail.com.u 5
APR I L-MAY 2021
I Paint the Body Electric Th e
Art
of
Chr i sti ne
Ca nno n
Jack & Diane
T
he subjects Christine Cannon paints are strikingly familiar; their faces remind us of our coworkers, our friends, perhaps even our family. Though clearly mechanized and artificial, her emotive portraits create an Christine Cannon
unease that invites the viewer to question the most basic of human relationships in the modern, technologically mediated world. Though the LaGrange, Georgia native now has a fulfilling career teaching art at Chattahoochee Valley Community College, the portraits began as a way to process the dehumanizing frustration of waiting tables amid the economic fallout of the Great Recession that began in late 2007. “I had these synthetic interactions with people,” she recalls, “Nobody was tipping. Everybody was upset. It was a hard moment.” As earnings slowed, savings drained, and retirement LocaL
Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, the anime Ghost in the Shell, and Matt Groening’s Futurama. “This is why I really love Marvin from Hitchhiker’s Guide, we have this really intelligent thing that is created with a human personality, sentience, but it’s still created to do these menial, banal tasks, right? And there’s something kind of emotionally crippling for him
By Erick Richman
accounts vanished, she began to see more and more “perpetually unhappy” customers, some of whom exploited the power dynamic between server and customer “as a way to abuse others.” That’s when the robots began, first as simple sketches of the people she served, then growing into coloring books and, eventually, paintings. “They were a funny way of coping with the mundane despair of waiting tables, feeling like people didn’t see me as human anymore,” she says. The robots take on a new, yet similar sense of relevance in the shadow of 2020, with many low-wage employees being declared ‘essential workers’ and forced to endure not just the threat of coronavirus, but irate customers frustrated by restrictions, unknowns, and fear. Professor Erica Adams intended to give her undergraduate art students at Columbus State University a lesson on printmaking when she introduced them to Jean Baudrillard’s 1981 Simulacra and Simulation, a treatise on the relationships between people, symbols, and society; for Christine, the reading had a far more profound impact. “I started really considering synthetic experience” she says, looking into how we form personal relationships with the media we consume, finding her experiences reflected in her favorite Colonial Vacation works, such as Douglas 6
Multitasking
with that. I was experiencing a little of that waiting tables because people don’t treat you like a real person a lot of times.” Marvin the Paranoid Android has a very human – in his case, morose – personality, just like the subjects in her portraits with their trinkets and companions. Futurama’s Bender Bending Rodriguez, a self-aware bending machine who steals and smokes cigars, was clearly influenced by both Douglas Adams and Baudrillard; her work was influenced by all three. “It’s almost like a reflection of a reflection of a reflection.” Her paintings are brimming with references waiting to be found by those with a similar “artistic vocabulary,” as she describes it. For example, the headphones of the coffeedessert-drinking “Frappé” are modeled after one of the earliest robots ever put on film: Maria the Maschinenmensch from Metropolis, a pioneering dystopian science fiction film released in 1927, roughly two years before Baudrillard was born. Her “Totems’’ series, the results of her graduate school experiences in South APR I L-MAY 2021
Carolina and Italy, is similarly recursive, similarly focused on symbology. Basing new compositions on her study of religious artwork, she began exploring the concept of symbols more abstractly, resulting in strange collusions of familiar images. “My world grew so much,” she says, “I was
“That’s an injustice,” she says. “Being in denial.” The most recent series is “more playful and less dramatic than Carvaggio’s work, but there’s still that sense of loss and trying to find some kind of humor and entertainment in it.” Narratives on sentient intelligences often speak to the very human awareness of death, with notable examples of synthetic intelligences featured in 2015’s Fallout 4, 2017’s Blade Runner 2049, and television series such as Westworld and WandaVision. Like the subjects of those works, her robots and totems raise questions about human existence and our relationships to technology and symbols. “I’ve had people react to my work in strangely aggressive ways,” she laughs. “There is nothing about the totems that is truly terrifying, so it’s whatever they’re reading into it that’s making them have that reflection on me.” In 2020, videos of employees facing vocal (sometimes even violent) outbursts by customers incensed at mask mandates went viral online,
Garbaggio 8 Spam
with technological distractions and ancient frustrations. “People get addicted to anger,” she says, “They don’t really understand how to feel anything else, and it’s their way to feeling something.” The robots, totems, and “Garbaggios” all share an awareness of impermanence as well as strong elements of deep humor and genuine affection. “It took me a long time to accept that my work, a lot of times, was about joy and being happy… because I wanted to be a serious artist, right? I wanted people to take my work seriously, but that’s a conflict, right? Because I’m painting robots riding horses and like, you know, a hot dog eating robot, these really kind of ridiculous things like that, that are totally goofy.” Like the robots who cradle Contenued On p.8
Totem 2011
looking at pop art, but also medieval illuminated manuscripts, and how they can lose their meaning over time. Reflecting on things that feel very familiar, but they feel sort of disjointed, because that’s how information arrives to us. Without context.” After completing her graduate degree, her work began to take on more influences from advertising and graphic design, owing both to the growing omnipresence of advertising in the 2010s and her new role as a teacher. With the move to online learning in early 2020, her “happy fuzzy moments in the classroom” with students suddenly became “teaching to blank ugly boxes.” “I noticed this year that my work was getting, kind of like a little darker, and a little more baroque,” she says. Her 2020 works include the “Garbaggio” series, which contrasts discarded food containers with worms, plants and other life in the style of Caravaggio’s bubonic plagueinfluenced, dramatically lit depictions of bloody historical moments. Students ask her, “‘how can you talk about people being dead?’” She responds, “How can you not?” LocaL
Don’t Look to the Rockets for Salvation
mirroring the economic tension vented at servers over a decade ago. Aggressive reactions to Christine’s work, like the dramatic flareups of the Great Recession and coronavirus pandemic, speak to the difficulty of processing complex, unpleasant emotions in a world filled 7
APR I L-MAY 2021
Contenued From p.7 their pets and smoke their cigarettes despite their inhumanity, she suggests, people found unique ways of gaining inspiration and fulfillment in a year filled with fear and division. “We lost half a million people because of a plague and we’re each sitting here deciding what in the midst of all this can bring us a little bit of joy.” For her, that feeling comes from connecting with others through her art and supporting her students in expressing themselves, as well as developing practical and professional skills. Christine’s work can be found on her website, cannonarts.com, which includes links to her Instagram and Facebook, where she posts updates about her work and upcoming shows. She also sells prints, jewelry, patches, and other merchandise on her Etsy store, CannonArts. Many of her physical works are on display and available for purchase at the Heritage Arts Center 541 2nd Avenue.u
Donut Judge Me
Flex’s Midnight Oil
The Tales of Fishes
Me and My Best Friend
Cannon -10
Garbaggio 6 Thrashbarg’s Perfectly Normal Roast Beast
LocaL
R.B.’s
8
APR I L-MAY 2021
LocaL
9
APR I L-MAY 2021
Building A New Musical Landscape for Columbus?
MIGHT AS WELL By Scott Berson
(L-R) Hank Shelby, Nick Johnson, DB Woolbright Evan Collins, Jesse Shelby - Photo by Banks Food Hall
olumbus has music in its bones. It always has C -- from the legendary melodies of Ma Rainey and Blind Tom Wiggins all the way to the rockers
and warblers who fill our city stages with music today. Now a group of musicians turned friends turned colleagues are tapping into the musical energy of Columbus, and creating a new venture to build it to even greater heights. Might As Well, named after the iconic warehouse building on 2nd Avenue in Columbus, is a homegrown record label that recently produced its first full-length
gotten to know each other until they got together at a session to play. “In 2011, I was 19 years old, playing at The Loft occasionally, and I would just show up, play and leave. But Jesse and Evan knew each other, and I got to know Evan more when he came Jesse with Guitar into the Loft and joined Photo by Bennett Counts up with the Shelby Brothers,” DB said. “I had started playing with Jesse, then a mutual friend asked us to play on his album. That was Colin Mansgard, and that record became Indigo, the first full album artist to be released through Might as Well,” Evan recalled. “I felt a musical chemistry and camaraderie in that session. That’s remarkable, and it made me feel comfortable in that space. The minute me and Jesse needed a drummer, we said, ‘How about we get DB in here?’ As they began playing on the album, and started to put it together, they realized they were on to something more. “We started to realize, we have a studio band
help elevate the Columbus music scene to a new level by providing a service that may have been lacking until now. It’s also about support -- supporting other musician friends, playing on each others’ records, and promoting each other as part of one musical community. “Ten years ago, Columbus was described as a cover band town,” Jesse said. “We talk about the dam being blown up and life coming back to the river. Musical creativity rose too. There’s life coming back to the area, and we want to produce and present their work to a wider audience, and help foster that audience. We can produce, record, mix, master, connect people. Do you need a killer horn section? Backup vocalists? We can connect all those dots, and also do video production and other promotion along with it. Indigo is the first example of that.” It’s also about building a community of musicians that rallies around itself and supports its members. Might as Well hopes they can start building a culture where people appreciate and show their support for their friends’ creative works. “We keep saying there’s a community of musicians here in Columbus, and I think our opportunity is to help people figure out and finish their projects, There are so many urns in the fire that could catch flame with some help,” DB said. “We want there to be a movement, not just us making records. We want to throw a stone in a pond and see those ripples. We want to help people meet their goals.” As for the future, they are taking it as it comes. Most of their current projects are still under wraps, but they are eager to work with any artists who want to move forward on a musical project. They can be reached on Facebook or Instagram at “Might as Well Records” or at mightaswellrecords@gmail.com.u
DB with Drum Photo by Garrett Lee
album, Indigo from Colin Manskar. It’s a remarkable achievement: a rolling, rich landscape of luscious guitars, swooping melodies and crashing drums. It feels like something new, and it came from home, powered by Might as Well Records. The label is anchored by musicians and collaborators Jesse Shelby, Evan Collins and DB Woolbright. They had been in each other’s orbit, seeing each other here and there in the Columbus music scene, but hadn’t
Evan with Bass Photo by Bennett Counts
LocaL
here that can cover a lot of ground, lots of different instruments, recording and engineering, mixing, video production, graph design -- we started to realize we had a lot of this in our group right here,” Jesse said. That realization, along with a nod to the beloved and bizarre local warehouse with “MIGHT AS WELL” emblazoned on its side, led to the name of the label. “We are already kinda doing this, so we might as well make something out of this. We are already doing this, might as well,” Jesse said. Evan told a story about a time he was driving Athens-based bassist Neal Fountain to Columbus for a show. Fountain hadn’t been in town much, and the drive was long, but as they drove past the building and approached downtown, Evan remembers Fountain looking up and saying “Might as well,” as they passed. “Only word he said the whole drive,” Evan remembered. “This guy has been all over the world, but this stood out to him. It was the first thing he noticed.” The group say their purpose with the label is to 10
APR I L-MAY 2021
By Natalie Downey
Y U MMY
T R EAT S
EVE RYON E
hen Mandy Manic, originally from the UK, moved W to the states, she had a hard time finding vegan food in the area. An allergy had influenced her decision years Mandy Owner
Plant Hustle Vegan Bakery
prior to make the switch to a vegan diet, which led to her interest in learning about vegan baking. Mandy has spent the last ten years perfecting her vegan recipes and as she says, “Learning what some good tricks are to make sure your baking comes out well.” More people are choosing a vegan diet these days due to allergies or personal preferences. The diet focuses on plant-based whole foods and eliminates all animal
products and byproducts. A vegan baked good calls for some modifications and creative ingredient exchanges. For instance, butter is not vegan but is often used in baking, so vegan bakers must find an alternative to butter which will not significantly alter the taste or texture. With very few options for buying local vegan baked goods, Mandy realized the community had a need for her products. “I thought, ‘There’s something that’s not available here’,” Mandy said. “Even though there’s a fairly big vegan community in Columbus, there aren’t many options for them.” After completing the nine week “StartUp Columbus” program, Mandy turned her baking hobby into a local business. The program gave her a network of other local entrepreneurs, and working with them, she has been able to showcase her products to the community through pop-up events and collaborations with local restaurants. Her vegan baked treats, which include cakes, cupcakes, brownies and more, are occasionally sold at The Food Mill and local French bakery My Boulange. Mandy says this gives the community a unique opportunity where people
LocaL
C A N
E AT
can “Come in, get a coffee, sit down, and enjoy a treat they wouldn’t normally be able to get.” Mandy also sells her baked goods through preorder, and has seen how her business benefits families of people with food allergies, and especially children. Being able to order an allergen-free vegan birthday cake that tastes and
looks excellent is a new and much appreciated commodity for people in the community. “It’s been really good. People with allergies appreciate being able to get a cake or cupcake for a special occasion,” Mandy said. Paying special attention to details, Mandy has worked to perfect not just the taste, but also the appearance of her baked goods. Understanding that people want their brownies and cupcakes to taste and look like brownies and cupcakes, Mandy has worked to create a product that meets the needs of the vegan community without compromising quality. With customers lining up to purchase her treats at pop-ups and local restaurants, Mandy has no doubt earned a reputation for her top quality goods. She owes much of this success to the support from the community in sharing her posts and getting the word out about her products. “People here help each other out,” Mandy said. “I think that kind of thing only happens in a smaller town.” Mandy’s future plans for Plant Hustle include more collaborations as she continues working with local businesses to give the community access to quality vegan treats. She has a website set to launch in mid-April which will make it easier for people to order her products. Plant Hustle Bakery can be found on instagram and facebook @planthustleveganbakery.u
11
APR I L-MAY 2021
Who will help them find a solution? Find out in a hilariously moving musical about negotiation and compromise. Tickets on sale at springeroperahouse.org or by calling 706327-3688. April 10 and 17 at 10am, 12:30pm, and 2pm and April 11 and 18 at 2pm on the Springer Outdoor Festival Stage, corner of 10th Street and 2nd Avenue, Columbus
Columbus Art Pop Up at Heritage 541
Trivia at the Office
Enjoy some good food and laughs while exercising your brain and showing off to your friends. It’s trivia night. Every Tuesday 7 p.m., The Office Bar and Grill, Northlake Parkway, Columbus
This event brings together many wonderful local artists who come from different backgrounds, so it’s a variety of flavors and something for everyone. Admission is FREE. If you would like to RSVP, visit our page at getlocaltix.com. As always it is all about creativity, local community and connecting with each other. Saturday, April 10, 10 a.m. 2 p.m., Heritage Art Center 541 2nd Avenue, Columbus
Hot Rods & Harleys
Free board gaming. Come and go as you wish. Will teach games as needed. Every Wednesday 6 - 9 p.m., Burger King - 3520 Macon Road, Columbus
We’re bringing it back. Cars and motorcycles will be judged by ‘people’s choice’ in one open category for best bike, and one open category for best hot rod. Free Entry. Food by Tuesdays Taco Truck, Lizzy’s Sweet Shoppe, and Grand’s Philly Phreeze. Beverages by The Outskirts. Registration will begin at 11. Saturday, April 10, noon, Fort Benning Harley Davidson, Columbus
Enjoy comedy from comedians from all over the United States. If you are an inspiring comedian, there is also a spot for you on this stage. Kickback & Laugh with us. Free Admission. Doors open at 7, show at 8. COVID restrictions enforced. Every Wednesday, Outskirts Sports Bar & Grill, Columbus
Join us as we enjoy live music in the alleyway between Banks and Whitewater Express. Grab a coffee from The Bakeshop by Fountain City Coffee, a cold beer or glass of wine from The Maltitude Bar, a creamy Gelati from Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, a spicy poke bowl from Poke Sun, or some fully-loaded nachos from El Primo Taqueria for an afternoon of live music in the sun. Saturday, April 10, 1 - 5:00 p.m., Banks Food Hall, Front Avenue, Columbus
Mid-Week Game Nights
Kick Back and Laugh Comedy Show
Live Music @ The Office
Banks Food Hall Spring Concert Series
It’s another fun Friday at the office. Come for the food, stay for the band. Every Friday night starting at 7 p.m., The Office Bar and Grill, Northlake Parkway, Columbus
Board Games Saturdays
Free board gaming. Come and go as you wish. Will teach games as needed. Every Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Newk’s Eatery - (Columbus Park Crossing), 5555 Whittlesey Boulevard, Columbus
Market Days on Broadway
Uptown Columbus’ Market Days on Broadway takes place year-round. The Market features many local and organic farmers selling produce, along with soap vendors, home goods, jewelry vendors, and baked goods. Our friends from local shelters and animal rescue groups can be found in the median of Broadway. For questions, call the Uptown office at 706.596.0111. Every Saturday morning, 9am - Noon, Broadway, Columbus
First Friday
Make sure to get out and around town (safely & social distancing of course) every first Friday of the month. Lots of shops offer special deals and some even a nice treat. We like to catch the Spankin’ Spoon Food truck over at ReDesign time on 6th Ave. Make sure you check em out. Every first Friday of the month, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m., Columbus
Sit on 6th
Every Saturday head on over to ReDesign Time & Vintageville with the Spankin’ Spoon Food Truck. Enjoy great furniture finds and tasty treats. Every Saturday, noon - 8 p.m., Sit on 6th, 1301 6th Avenue, Columbus
Sketching Under the Skylight
Free Admission and open to the public but feel free to make a donation if you enjoy these events. Due to COVID-19, the class is limited to 15 participants and properly worn masks (over nose and face) and physical distancing is required. Please call the Center at (706) 507-8432 for reservations. Leave your voices at the door and catch the creative spirit. The second Thursday of each month. The Bo Bartlett Center, Columbus
Motor and Mouths Monthly Meet Up
A family friendly monthly meeting of car guys/girls to run their motor mouths about their vehicles. Held the 2nd Sunday of month from 8-11am. Windsor village parking lot, Carnoisseur Detail side, Columbus
Art Show Opening Night | Cochran Gallery
Joint art show | the works of husband and wife John and Amber Stidham.Masks will be required* Private showings at the gallery will also be available by appointment. Friday, April 9, 7 p.m., Lafayette Square, LaGrange
City-Wide Yard Sale
Come out to the Smiths Station Government Center Campus and see what our city residents have for sale. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. If you’ve been spring cleaning and have items to sell, here’s your chance. Load your items in your vehicle and bring a table. Vendor fee is $5 and will be collected day of event. Saturday, April 10, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., 2336 CR-430, Smiths Station
Spring Fling Festival
Come enjoy a day of arts & crafts, food, live entertainment, kids’ activities, and our shops and restaurants in Historic Warm Springs. Festival admission free. Pony rides $5 each, petting zoo $3 each. Other activities for children may have a nominal fee. Please Contact Lynsey Tyler, Festival Coordinator for application inquiries. Email: refreshinglycountry@ hotmail.com or text 770-990-6406. Saturday, April 10, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Warm Springs
Click Clack Moo
The barn is too cold and the cows request electric blankets. When Farmer Brown says no, the cows and chickens go on strike. Will Farmer Brown give in to the animals’ demands? LocaL
12
APR I L-MAY 2021
Good Morning Bedlam @ Chattahoochee Brewing
They captivate their audiences night after night with tight, soaring three part harmonies, thumping kick drum, catchy violin melodies, and song writing that speaks to the heart. See them live. Wednesday, April 14, 8 p.m., right on the river at 13th, Chattahoochee Brewing, Phenix City
Relative Sound @ Bike Night
Enjoy the sounds and flair of Bike Night. Friday, April 16, 6 – 9 p.m., Ft. Benning Harley Davidson, Columbus
Eat, Drink, & Antique Spring Fest
Redesign Time, Vintageville and Chatabrewchee are hosting an outdoor Vendor Market with live music and food vendors. If Interested in being a vendor, email us at vintagevillega@gmail.com. Saturday, April 17, 10 a.m. - close. 1301 6th Ave, Columbus
Jazz on Broadway
Please join the Schwob Jazz Orchestra for a free outdoor concert of Big Band Classics. The concert will be on the Uptown Columbus outdoor stage on Broadway Avenue. We encourage all Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni, and friends of the university to come and celebrate Spring with us. Saturday, April 17, 1 p.m., Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, 1032 Broadway, Columbus
Date Night @ The Farm ~ Wine, Live Music, & BBQ
Join Warm Springs Vineyard & Winery for their first Date Night of 2021. Live Band, Local BBQ, and Great Wine available by the bottle or the glass. Spend an evening on the farm and UnWINEd with us. Bring along a picnic blanket or lawn chairs so we can spread out and relax. Saturday, April 17, 4:30 – 8:30 p.m., The Shed at Fitzgerald Fruit Farms, Warm Springs
The Columbus Toy & Comic Book Show Returns
An action-packed experience. Vendors and Crafters, Omnisphere Planetarium Show: Astronaut (First Time Ever), A flight to the ISS aboard Space Shuttle Odyssey, Interactive games (Mars Rovers & Cyber Fighters), Explore exhibits featuring Shuttle Artifacts & Apollo memorabilia, Buy some swag at Stargazers Giftshop. Sunday, April 18, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Columbus State University’s Coca-Cola Space Science Center, Columbus
Georgia Strawberry Festival
Celebrating 23 years of Strawberry fun.The Strawberry Parade. Enjoy Arts and Crafts, Food, Kid Activities, Fresh Picked Strawberries, A Petting Zoo, 5K Race, Inflatables, Antique Tractors, Sandart, Pie Eating Contest, Axe Throwing, Face Painting, Live Entertainment, Photography Contest, Weenie Dog Race, Fire Truck Pull, Bubbles Over Georgia, Pony Rides, Caricatures, Dunking Booth, Hamster Balls, and more. Saturday, April 24, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Georgia Strawberry Festival, 103 Macon Street, Reynolds
Zion BluesFest
Taking place on the grounds of the Historic 1848 Zion Church. This amazing festival will have plenty of Food Trucks, Vendors and Live Music. It’s a full day of the Blues featuring Artists: Jontavious Willis, Jayy Hopp, Neal Lucas, Skyler Saufley, the CSU Blues Quintet, and Horace Combs. Experience a tour of the 1848 Zion Episcopal Church. Tickets just $15, $10 for groups of 3 or more. Buy tickets on getlocaltix. com. Saturday, April 24, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Zion Episcopal Church, Jackson Avenue, Talbotton
2021 Bride to Be Celebration
The museum will be decked out with the finest cakes, cocktails, flowers, décor and music. In addition to seeing our beautifully designed spaces, you will have the opportunity to meet some amazing wedding vendors. All participants will be entered in to win a free wedding, a $5,200 value. Early Registration: $5.00 entry. VIP Lounge: $15.00 (Limited to 40 spots) Day-of-Registration: $10.00. Buy tickets at getlocaltix. com. Sunday, May 2, noon - 4 p.m., The National Infantry Museum, 1775 Legacy Way, Columbus
Small Bites and Small Business Brunch Crawl
7 small bites, (one at each location) a Brunch Crawl map, exclusive boutique and small business discounts, exclusive drink specials, live music, and an official Brunch Crawl TShirt. This is not a guided crawl, you will be able to visit each location at your own pace in your preferred order. Tickets can be purchased at Stock Market Dueling Kitchens during normal hours, or @ getlocaltix.com. Sunday, April 25 11 – 3 p.m., Stock Market Dueling Kitchens, Uptown Columbus
Nutwood Winery’s Music in the Vineyard w/Jontavious Willis
Join us on the grounds of Nutwood Winery. Featuring Jontavious Willis along with performances by WINOS, Contenued On p.17 LocaL
13
APR I L-MAY 2021
understand level.” With nearly one in three Americans reporting trouble paying household expenses, part of the commitment to lowering the barrier to entrepreneurship involves keeping the program low-cost. The CO.STARTERS’ $200 fee is intended as a ‘checkpoint’ for participants to ensure they have a realistic understanding of what to expect.
By Erick Richman
Starting a Business is Hard StartUP C O L U M B U S I S W O R K I N G T O M A K E I T E A S I E R
fter just a few moments with Ben MacMinn, A his passion for uplifting small business is clear. “We have incredible people here doing incredible – I should say amazing - things,” Ben says. As director of StartUP Columbus, he’s focused on answering the question “‘How are we going to support these entrepreneurs?’” That focus drives his work helping citizens create their own small businesses, launching new shops like BeeJou Craft Kombucha and Plant Hustle Vegan Bakery. In addition to Ben MacMinn
free consultations and a nine-week, low-cost CO.STARTERS course that guides aspiring entrepreneurs in creating realistic, personalized business plans, a newly created Incubator Program offers a free workspace and a structured environment to young businesses. “Columbus has had a rich history of entrepreneurship,” Ben says, mentioning former startups turned major local employers like TSYS, LocaL
“It’s very difficult,” he says, “It’s not the ‘I’m going to go sit in a coffee shop and make $100,000 a year doing nothing and going on vacation.’ It’s hard work.” The $200 fee doesn’t make the company money – the notebook itself costs them $125, he says - and it wasn’t decided upon lightly. “We wanted to set a price that was not extravagant,” Ben says, explaining that it was chosen to reflect his belief that the people who might be struggling with financial insecurity are exactly “the people that need this knowledge.” That manifested in a commitment to work with individuals oneon-one when the fee does present an issue. “Sometimes people can’t afford it, and I understand that, but if you’re
Synovus, and W.C. Bradley Company. However, in a 2015 comparison with nine other cities, the Columbus 2025 Regional Prosperity Initiative found that Columbus ranked last on metrics such as the number of employees in firms less than five years old. To him, that meant Columbus wasn’t lacking enthusiasm or ideas, but the resources and support systems that these other communities were using, like incubator spaces, entrepreneurship programming and accessible networking opportunities. Though he praises the work by the SCORE mentorship non-profit and the local office of the University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center (hosted in Columbus State University’s Cunningham Center), he says the rankings convinced him that “we needed to do more.” The three organizations are now partners. “StartUP Columbus, we created it to really tie
all those resources together, as well as provide our own resources. There’s so many other pieces that have to be in play to support entrepreneurship,” he says. Participants in the nine-week CO.STARTERS program explore how to set up their business for success, from revenue projections to legal considerations. “It really dives in deep, but at an easy-to14
APR I L-MAY 2021
really trying to grow your business, you have to take risks. And this is a small risk. $200 is a small risk, when you think of the lifetime of what a business can be.” One of Ben’s goals is to make entrepreneurship more accessible to low socioeconomic areas and marginalized communities by exploring “how we impact people of color and minority businesses, and how we support them.” Home ownership was a primary method of accumulating wealth in America throughout the 1900s, with many families using home equity to launch
for a similar type of re-thinking. Ben brings that open-minded perspective to his work, reflecting how StartUP Columbus, despite launching many successful businesses, is still trying new ideas and continuing to be a fresh-minded startup themselves. He describes himself not as an optimist, but a realist, and tries to introduce others to the possibilities that they might miss. “We hope we’re one of the organizations shedding a light on what that looks like, because we want to keep people here in Columbus,” he says, mentioning the
businesses; federal housing policies denied African Americans from taking out home loans regardless of eligibility or ability to pay, preventing access to those means of entrepreneurship. Although such policies were finally made illegal by the Fair Housing Act of 1968, they left lasting effects that are still felt across the country today in the presence of those low socioeconomic status areas. “The conversation starts internally,” he says, with the board members asking themselves and their partners questions, like “What are the resources that we can provide? What are the things that we can do to support
widespread changes the city has undergone in the last few years, especially the wave of new businesses and family-friendly activities alongside Columbus State University’s RiverPark campus expansion. “Mercer coming here, that’s a sign of incredible growth.” The university’s new four-year medical campus is planned to open within the next few years at a location near the downtown TSYS campus. Ben’s already seen the area populated with new and innovative businesses such as Dr. Meghan Galer’s ColGACare and hopes to see his participants’ startups thrive throughout the city. “We really want to see these individuals succeed,” he says, declaring that entrepreneurship will be “one of the most important economic drivers in our community.” Ben is active across social media with information, videos and events at the StartUP Columbus Facebook and Instagram accounts. Their primary online presence is the website, StartUPcolga.com, which has information on their services, a guided tour of the new incubator space, and more. With so much growth, he says, “I foresee a bright future for Columbus.”u
them where they’re at?” “We don’t have all the answers yet, but that is a passion for StartUP Columbus,” Ben says. “We have to be mindful, and thoughtful, and listen to what those needs are.” His enthusiasm for practical, realistic entrepreneurship is rooted in a desire to support the people around him. His approach is informed by thinkers like Alan Grant, author of Think Again: The Power of Knowing. “The whole book is based on the notion of thinking again, thinking differently, really pivoting your ideas,” Ben says, “And changing to be open to what the world has to offer.” Other influential authors include writer Malcolm Gladwell and theologian Dietrich Boenhoffer, whose explorations of faith and grace are known LocaL
Celebrating Graduation 2019
15
APR I L-MAY 2021
By Natalie Downey
Find Mystery, Peace, Wellness & A Lil’ Magic At New Local Shop
A
holistic lifestyle is described as one which focuses on the health and wellness of a person’s entire being. In
the past few years, more people have become interested in healing through plant medicine and natural resources. A local entrepreneur has realized the need in the Columbus area for conscious-living options and has decided to do something about it. Plant Magic Market, located on the corner of Howard Avenue and 33rd Street in Midtown, opened in November of last year. Owner Olivia Hight had already established her reputation for her unique Golden Paste, which she sold in years past at the Saturday market on Broadway. “It was a side hobby I enjoyed,” Olivia said. She had always had an interest in using plants as medicine, which led to her learning more about herbs and holistic remedies.
from essential oils to plants to incense. Herbs line the walls in glass jars, and a wide variety of loose leaf tea is available. Books on spirituality and tarot card collections give the casual browser a sense of intrigue and curiosity. But Olivia says her biggest sellers, surprisingly, are the crystals. “People like to pick out their crystals in person,” Olivia explains. “When they buy them online, they can’t
touch them and hold them.” Because crystals are often sought after for their unique attributes, it can be helpful to experience them in person when selecting them to take home. Olivia has recently expanded the size of her crystal section, an eye-catching array of stones in all shapes, sizes, and colors. In addition, Olivia has hosted several on-site block party events at her shop and plans to make them a regular thing. Pop-ups from other local businesses like Beejou Craft Kombucha and Ride on Smoothies, plus in-store tarot card readings make these events a fun gathering of local people who are interested in spiritualism, well-
photo by Sterling Pierce
For years Olivia focused on making and selling her signature turmeric paste, and would occasionally include some crystals at her booth at the market. Her interest in herbalism and spirituality led her to expand her reach in the community when she opened her storefront, giving people a one-stop-shop for holistic and esoteric finds. With a focus on the esoteric, Olivia sells items that can’t usually be found in Columbus. She describes Plant Magic Market as a Botanica, meaning an apothecary and spiritual shop. The shop offers items ranging LocaL
being, and the allure of the natural world. She also plans to host workshops at Plant Magic Market which will give the community the opportunity to dive deeper in learning 16
APR I L-MAY 2021
about holistic health and spirituality. Items handcrafted by local artists, such as handmade jewelry, can be found at Plant Magic Market as well. “I like to have things that were made by local people too,” Olivia explained, echoing the sentiment that can be found amongst many local business owners: Local entrepreneurs support each other.
Around Town Contenued From p.13 The Voice contestant Aaron Gibson and Corbin Hoats. Stroll through the grounds and enjoy shopping at our Crafts Vendors, grab something to eat from one of the Food Trucks and don’t miss out on trying our famous Wine Slushies. Serving beer & wine along with nonalcoholic options. Sunday, April 25, 2 – 7 p.m., Nutwood Winery, 1339 Upper Big Springs Road, Lagrange
Schwob Philharmonic Live Stream
Please join us for this upcoming concert featuring a world premiere by Shegolev, and works by Janacek, Barber, and Dvorak, conducted by Professor Paul Hostetter, the Ethel Foley Distinguished Chair in Orchestral Activities, and Ying Xu, graduate conductor. This event will be live-streamed on our facebook and YouTube channels. Monday, April 26, 7:30 p.m., Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, Online Event
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
“Mostly word of mouth has helped make people aware that we’re here,” Olivia said, grateful for the continued growth in business her shop has seen. “Business only continues to pick up.” Undoubtedly, opening a local business during the pandemic was daunting, but the community has been supportive of Plant Magic Market. “The response has been awesome,” Olivia said, “A lot of people are thankful that Columbus has a place like this now, and it’s been good to revitalize this area.” It’s a sentiment echoed by anyone who leaves Plant Magic Market, a truly magical place with a lot to offer our growing community. Plant Magic Market is open from 11 am - 6 pm Tuesday through Saturday and is located at 3219 Howard Ave in Columbus. It can be found on instagram and facebook @plantmagicmarket.u
This giant song and dance country musical stars Debbie Anderson as Miss Mona and Paul Pierce as Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd. Tickets and at-home streaming options are on sale now at springeroperahouse.org or by calling 706-327-3688. April 29, 30, May 1, 6, 7, 8 at 8:00 p.m., and May 2 and 9 at 2:30 p.m., Part of the Springer Outdoor Theatre Festival presented on the Springer Outdoor Festival Stage - located outside of the Springer Opera House on the corner of 10th Street and 2nd Avenue, Columbus
Cotton Pickin’ Fair
Over 300 artisans from all over the country will gather on our grounds. Arts, Crafts, and Antiques Show in Gay, Ga. Gates open from 8am to 5pm each day. We ask that you do not bring pets for the safety and comfort of all our guests. Adult (13 - 64) $10, Senior (65+) $9, Active Duty Military $9, Children (7 - 12) $5, Children (6 and under) Free. For more information, visit our website at www.cpfair.org. May 1, 8 a.m. – May 2, 5 p.m., Cotton Pickin’ Fair, 18830 Highway 85, Gay
Sam Pate Naturalist Symposium
Bird fever is something that we plan to embrace and promote during our upcoming two-day Sam Pate Naturalist Symposium at the Columbus Botanical Garden. Named in memory of a local and regional birding luminary and nature-lover extraordinaire, Mr. Sam Pate. This inaugural festival will feature both a day of family activities aimed at introducing children and parents to the wonderful world of birds, as well as a day of lectures on all-things ornithological. Saturday, May 1, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Columbus Botanical Garden, Columbus
Y’ALLYWOOD Madness Golf Tournament
Enjoy a whacky and fun day on the golf course raising money for Habitat for Humanity Phenix City. Visit HabitatPhenixCity.Org for more information. Friday, May 7, 8 a.m. Lakewood Golf Course, 2800 Lakewood Drive, Phenix City
The Planty Pantry
An all inclusive celebration of local and alternative food culture. Tour local farms, meet the farmers and enjoy great food and fun all day long. Sample all types of culinary delights from local vendors like the Plant Hustle Vegan Bakery, CeCe’s Jackfruit of all trades, Beejou Craft Kombucha, Verily Bakery, the Matcha Garden and the FlavoRite Vegan Food Truck as well as the Spankin’ Spoon Food Truck. Live Music from various artists and plenty fun for the whole family. Tickets to go on sale April 15th at getlocaltix.com. Find more at UGrowinc.org. Proceeds benefit UGrow Inc. & MercyMed’s medically tailored meal program. Saturday, May 15, noon - 6 p.m., (Rain date, May 16th) The Food Mill, 3781 2nd Avenue, Historic Bibb City, Columbus
LGBTQ Pride Festival Olivia Hight photo by Sterling Pierce
LocaL
We Are All Human. Solidarity and Recognizing how we are alike instead of how we are different. June 4, 8 p.m. – Jun 5, 11 p.m., This is event is free and open to all. 1100 Broadway, Columbus Want to see your event listed here? • Email:events@thelocalcolumbus.com
17
APR I L-MAY 2021
Getting Back
To Fun
fun, it’s exciting, it’s scary,” Pierce said. “We opened last Thursday, and you know, one of the main concerns was the weather, and it’s not something we’re used to [having to deal with].” Pierce said that after consulting with outdoor theatres, the Springer decided to commit to running each show Paul Pierce, Springer’s Producing Creative Director
The Springer Opera House Moves Outside By Scott Berson Photo by Aileen Fowles Director of Community Outreach for the Springer
T
he Springer Opera House is a beacon for our city: a landmark that ties together history, community, artistry and family in one block. It’s a place of unity and a place of pride, and Paul Pierce, the Springer’s producing creative director, says the theatre is here to do what it has done best for more than a century: let people have fun. It’s not a small thing. It’s critical -- especially after the year we’ve just gone through. “Joseph Springer built this theatre 150 years ago for one purpose: fun,” Pierce said. “While we have to keep ourselves safe, I remind everyone -- the staff, the artists, the board -- that we’ve got to get back to fun, because it’s healing for society. Telling stories binds communities together. When we stop telling stories, the community starts to unravel. We are anxious, eager, and
LocaL
feel privileged to be getting back on stage, telling our stories, and making the world a more joyful, encouraging place to be.” Back on stage they are indeed -- though perhaps not in a way you’ve seen before. With the pandemi still lurking over the nation, the Springer decided it was neither safe nor desirable to hold shows indoors. The solution? Move the shows outside, to a brand new, 32foot temporary stage just outside the theatre’s walls. The theatre rescheduled shows to the outdoor stage and branded the Spring run of programs as the Springer Outdoor Theatre Festival. “We’ve adjusted the calendar a bit and scheduled seven shows between mid-March and late June. Six of those shows are musicals. Columbus Consolidated Government has been very supportive in helping us work through the permitting and rules to be able to pull this off. I’m very grateful to Mayor Henderson and City staff for all their encouragement,” Pierce said. The debut show was “Singin’ In the Rain,” running from March 18 - April 3. Other shows on the docket include “Cotton Patch Gospel,” “Click Clack Moo,” “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Planes Trains and Things that Go Zoom,” “Curious George and the Golden Meatball” and “Spamalot.” The musical “Cotton Patch Gospel” runs from late March to early April, and retells the story of Jesus as if it were set in the Southern United States. “People are going to be able to see lots and lots of theatre between mid-March and the end of June, and it’s
18
rain-or-shine, as long as there is no imminent danger from the weather like lightning or tornadoes, which is how the theatre found most of their peers operated during outdoor shows. This season also includes longtime Springer collaborator Keith McCoy as a Resident Artist, where he will be involved throughout the festival, starting with his portrayal of Matthew in Cotton Patch Gospel. “We have been working with Keith as an artistic collaborator for many years, he came to us twelve or more
years ago,” Pierce said. “He’s a wonderful actor and a collaborator. He’s really an actor-director-choreographer, and he’s been very valuable to us.” McCoy will be choreographer for “Click Clack Moo” and will also be playing the role of Melvin in “Best Little Whorehouse.” To purchase tickets for any of the upcoming performances, call the ticket office at 706-327-3688. Theatre lovers will also have the option of seeing shows via web streaming, if they prefer. Masks will be required to be worn by patrons at the outdoor theatre, and temperature checks and social distancing will also be required. u
APR I L-MAY 2021
PRODUCTION DATES FOR The Springer Theatre Festival
SINGIN IN THE RAIN Broadway song-and-dance musical based on the film classic. March 18, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28 April 1, and 3 at 8pm March 21st at 2:30pm COTTON PATCH GOSPEL The story of Jesus set in modern-day rural Georgia. Bluegrass musical. March 24, 25, and April 2 at 8pm March 27, 28 and April 3 at 2:30pm CLICK CLACK MOO Children’s Theatre musical comedy about cows who demand blankets. April 10 and 17 at 10am / 12:30pm / 2pm April 11 and 18 at 2pm THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS The Broadway musical set at the famous Chicken Ranch Texas brothel. April 29,30 May 1, 6, 7, and 8 at 8pm May 2 and 9 at 2:30pm PLANES TRAINS & THINGS THAT GO ZOOM Theatre for the Very Young show about transportation (In the backyard plaza) May 1 and 8 at 10am / 12:30pm / 2pm
CURIOUS GEORGE & THE GOLDEN MEATBALL Children’s Theatre show about the mischievous monkey who enters a cooking contest in Rome, Italy. May 28 and June 4 at 7pm May 29, June 5, and 12 at 10am May 29,30 June 12 and 13 at 2pm
SPAMALOT Hilarious Broadway musical comedy based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail. June 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19 20, 24, 25, 26 at 8pm June 27 at 2:30pm LocaL
19
APR I L-MAY 2021
LocaL
20
APR I L-MAY 2021
