MILTON, Ga. — At Milton Arts Council’s fifth annual Community Theatre production, President Bill Purdie stepped out of a giant Magnavox television and welcomed an audience of about two dozen to a show filled with nostalgia and fun.
The musical “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” sent the audience back to 1973, the same year the animated educational TV series began. Held at Mill Springs Academy from July 21 to July 23, the show featured around 20 songs, performed by five voice-trained actors under the direction of Glenda Gray.
The musical is about a teacher named Tom, wet behind the ears and nervous about his first day of school. One Saturday morning, he turns on the television, and figments of his imagination appear, who help him prepare for the big day through engaging songs about grammar, history, math and science.
“I usually enjoy a good morning hallucination …” said Tom, played by Marshall Cain.
In an interview with Appen Media, Gray voiced her excitement about the show and recalled watching “Schoolhouse Rock!” as a young girl.
“The nostalgia, for at least my generation, is huge,” Gray said. “We’re all like, ‘Oh, I remember that one!’ You know, just automatically jump back to your childhood, and sit in front of the Saturday morning cartoons.”
Gray also commented on the musical’s fun, interactive aspect. Tom and his hallucinations walked between the rows of audience members, sat beside them, talked to them. By the end of the show, balloons covered the floor.
The Community Theatre is one of many services the Milton Arts Council (MAC) offers. The nonprofit also has children’s programs, like summer camps and the Children’s Theatre, a creative writing contest and Milton’s Got Talent. It also takes performances to assisted living facilities and provides scholarships.
Last year, Purdie said MAC saw involvement from…
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