Lately, I've been featuring arts enthusiasts and today's post is the last in this series. Arts enthusiast Gene Crosby is Chief Operating Officer of Jackson Spalding, where he is responsible for monitoring and directing all aspects of Jackson Spalding’s operations including general office management, financial operations and human resources.
LeAnne: Tell me why you support the arts.
Gene: When I was growing up, my parents were always supporters of the arts. I now carry on that tradition for my own reasons. I find great joy in watching and even participating in some forms of the arts. It can be a great escape from what can be a crazy world to live in. I also find the arts to be a great educational tool for all. What better way to learn something and have fun at the same time? I think everyone should have that opportunity.
My favorite type of art to support is live theater. I love the theater because it brings me great pleasure to sit down and be taken away to another time and place, even if just for a little while. To watch an actor work his magic, making you feel like you are a part of what is going on up on stage. To laugh, to cry, to learn, to feel uplifted, and to feel convicted in such a short period of time. That's why I love and support live theater.
Showing posts with label Balzer Theater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Balzer Theater. Show all posts
Monday, February 16, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Kate Campbell at the Balzer Theater
On Saturday night, folk singer Kate Campbell gave a wonderful concert at the Balzer Theater at Herren’s, home of Theatrical Outfit. Not only is Kate a gifted singer and musician, she’s also a gifted songwriter. Her songs are full of heart, humor, and layer upon layer of metaphor and meaning. They touch you when you hear them for the first or the 50th time. I always laugh and cry at her concerts but Saturday was extra special.
My husband and I and a few other friends including Tom Key of Theatrical Outfit and his wife, visual artist Beverly Key, went to dinner with Kate beforehand at a diner across the street. We had a marvelous time talking about Martin Luther King, Eudora Welty (a favorite writer of many of us), our new president, and the South.
Using her beloved American South as a backdrop, Kate tells stories in her songs that touch on the universal themes of race, religion, and history. She often writes about the intersection of the old and the New South, alluding to the way of life before desegregation and using her own experiences as a young girl watching the South change during integration. On Saturday, her second set was devoted to her civil-rights-related songs. It was moving and powerful, especially on the eve of the Martin Luther King holiday and tomorrow’s historic inauguration. The location was fitting: the Balzer Theater, former site of Herren’s, a white-tablecloth restaurant that was the first in Atlanta to voluntarily desegregate.
Kate's first set featured other favorite topics in her music, the three icons of the South--Jesus, Elvis, and Coca-Cola. Her sense of humor and her faith shine through in much of her music.
Kate's latest project is Save the Day, which came to her after reading a quote from Frederick Buechner. If you’re not familiar with Kate Campbell, check out her website and listen to her music.
And watch this blog for a Kate Campbell feature coming soon!
My husband and I and a few other friends including Tom Key of Theatrical Outfit and his wife, visual artist Beverly Key, went to dinner with Kate beforehand at a diner across the street. We had a marvelous time talking about Martin Luther King, Eudora Welty (a favorite writer of many of us), our new president, and the South.
Using her beloved American South as a backdrop, Kate tells stories in her songs that touch on the universal themes of race, religion, and history. She often writes about the intersection of the old and the New South, alluding to the way of life before desegregation and using her own experiences as a young girl watching the South change during integration. On Saturday, her second set was devoted to her civil-rights-related songs. It was moving and powerful, especially on the eve of the Martin Luther King holiday and tomorrow’s historic inauguration. The location was fitting: the Balzer Theater, former site of Herren’s, a white-tablecloth restaurant that was the first in Atlanta to voluntarily desegregate.
Kate's first set featured other favorite topics in her music, the three icons of the South--Jesus, Elvis, and Coca-Cola. Her sense of humor and her faith shine through in much of her music.
Kate's latest project is Save the Day, which came to her after reading a quote from Frederick Buechner. If you’re not familiar with Kate Campbell, check out her website and listen to her music.
And watch this blog for a Kate Campbell feature coming soon!
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