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More Theater, More Journalism

BBQ With The Addams Family

Lord knows there’s more than enough theater going on in Athens without having to cross the county line to see more, but any time Arts! Oglethorpe puts on a show, it’s worth the short trip down 78 to Crawford. Bly Hartley has been the producer, director and angel there for a long time, and she knows how to get the best from script, actors and musicians. They work in the old two-story brick Crawford School set back from the road, on the right at 325 Park Ave. They work on the school, too, and have come a long way with its restoration, making it into a cool little theater.

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Meet The Addams Family, and visit them in Crawford.

This time around, Arts! Oglethorpe presents The Addams Family: The Musical, and all your favorite characters come to life, or close to it. Here’s their description: “With a completely original story, the musical introduces  little Wednesday (Sienna Ellenberg) who is all grown up and engaged to Lucas Bienke (Austin Glenn), but their families have not yet met. His family is from Ohio, and, of course, hers is the Addams Family. The show is about love, life and the definition of normal.

“Come join the fun with Gomez (Cason Collier), Morticia (Thea Ellenberg), Fester (Tommie Worrell), Grandma (Susannah Flanigan), Puglesy (Tricia Batal) and Lurch (Tyler Spears) and the Bienkes— Mal (Caleb Brown) and Alice (Lydia Todd). Uncle Fester convinces the Addams Family ancestors (Deon Wallace, Oliver McCormick, Naill McGovern, Cedar De Revere, Tehra Batal, Abby Flores, Debi Silver, Lyric Rogers, Reed Ash, Chelsea Johnson and Stephanie Spurlin) to help him help the less-than-happy couples find love again—and anew.”

Performances run June 22–23 and 28–30 at 7:30 p.m. and June 24 at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at 706-202-1211 or online at artsoglethorpe.org. Tickets are $13 in advance and $18 at the door. Seating is assigned.

But wait: There’s a brand-new barbecue restaurant right in the middle of Crawford, just before you get to the theater. G Brand BBQ has thoroughly renovated the old Cook Motor Company building and is already getting good reviews on its ‘cue. Can’t find a website, but their info, including menu, is on their Facebook page.

Speaking of Theater…

Town & Gown’s musical Urinetown is a huge hit that is selling out its shows. Grab a ticket fast at townandgownplayers.org. Performances are June 21–23 at 8 p.m. and June 24 at 2 p.m. in the community theater behind Taylor-Grady.

And, hey, don’t forget T&G’s Second Stage production of The Language Archive, a brilliantly written, poignant, funny, thoughtful meditation on love and loss. One weekend only: June 29 and 30 at 8 p.m. and July 1 at 2 p.m.

A Visit With Tom

Former Flagpole city editor Ben Emanuel, his brother Brooks and I had a visit last week with Tom Crawford at his home in Decatur. Tom’s Georgia Report (formerly Capitol Impact) column has run weekly in Flagpole for the last 12 years, until Tom recently had to give it up because he is finally losing his long fight against a melanoma.

We unfortunately had to visit Tom on a day when City Editor Blake Aued couldn’t go. We needed his expertise, because Tom peppered us with questions about politics in Athens. He speculated on the governor’s race and told stories he couldn’t have printed, even while he was still at it.

Ill as he is, Tom was having a delightful time being Tom, surrounded by friends and talking about his favorite topics.

From his office in the Capitol, Tom wrote the truth about the powerful people who roamed the halls right outside his door. He is the very model of a modern major journalist.

“I Cannot Tell a Lie.”

Those words are attributed to the first president of the United States. Isn’t that remarkable?

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