Music for the Miller
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January 14, 2010
Filed under A & E, Community, Opinions and Views
Take a walk downtown…you will see eccentric clothing stores, quaint antique stores, the best little bookstore ever, Hole-in-the-Wall restaurants, and abandoned buildings. One of these abandoned buildings is the Miller Theatre. In it’s heyday the Miller Theatre was home to many famous performers and performances. The Moulin Rouge, The Nutcracker, Katherine Hepburn, and the infamous Lynard Skynard are just a few.
As the Miller Theatre quietly falls apart it is not only the physical building that is diminishing, but the memories that it and the whole downtown culture brought. As the world moves on, new buildings with the latest technology are wowing people into leaving behind places rich in background.
But, not all is lost. Thanks to the action of many generous donors, Richmond County, and Greenbrier Senior Michael Ryan, the Miller Theatre will be restored to its former glory.
Michael Ryan, seeing that help was needed, organized Music for the Miller. Music for the Miller took place on January 9 , 2010 at 8 o’clock at West Acres Baptist Church in Evans Georgia. Ticket prices were $8 at the door and all proceeds went to the Miller Theatre. Music for the Miller showcased local talent and shared some of the history of the Theatre.
Talent showed at Music for the Miller was as diverse as downtown itself. Shelby Dorsey performed a monologue called “In Like.” Dorsey was witty and played well the part of a girl making excuses for her absentee boyfriend who, even after being together for a year, is still only in like with her.
Heather Riddle and Blake Reynolds performed a musical skit called “A Love Hate Relationship” about a girl (Riddle) heads over heels in love with a boy (Reynolds) who just wants her to leave him alone. They sing songs to each other to express their feelings. Some of the numbers included: “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley, “Toxic” by Brittney Spears, and “You Are So Beautiful To Me” by Joe Cocker.
A children’s acting group led by Mickey Lubeck, a former Broadway Performer, performed an original song called “Give us your Money.” The song and dance was about giving money to others and to the Miller. Two boys from the group also did a performance of the classic comedy act “Who’s on First.” Many others also performed that night, including several duets and a few dancers.
In between talent acts The Miller Kids, a group of teenagers working with Michael Ryan in his efforts to save the Theatre, performed numbers that were performed at the Miller and also did an remake of “Lullaby on Broadway” called “Lullaby on Broadstreet.”
A silent auction was also held at Music for the Miller as another effort to raise money. Most of the items up for auction were donated by local businesses, other items included paintings done by local students. One of the these paintings was a replica of the mural in the Miller Theatre done by a Greenbrier High School student.
Music for the Miller sold out with over 350 people attending. Music for the Miller brought together several counties all rallied together for a single cause. The event not only raised money for a worthy cause, it also exerted a feeling of community over everyone in attendance.
Photo by:Jackie Ricciardi of The Augusta Chronicle
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