The Plaza Arts Center and The Arts Barn presented their fourth-and-final Coffee House event of the year last Friday.
Due to rain, the show was moved from downtown Eatonton’s outdoor City Center Stage to The Little Theater inside Putnam County Middle School on the town’s east side.
“This is a collaboration between the Arts Barn and the Plaza Arts Center, and any of the donations that people find in their heart to give tonight will go toward the Broadway Intensive (program) that’s going to be coming up soon,” Arts Barn founder and director Lora Garcia-Carreras said.
“We’re just barely a month away from getting started with that. That’s 15- to 25-year-olds who come together, work hard, rehearse for two weeks, and then put on a full-scale production for two weekends. So, make sure you come out and see that,” she added.
Performers at Friday night’s Coffee House were of high school and college age, including five performers taking the Coffee House stage for the first time. The acts were diverse, ranging from pointe technique ballet dancing to beatboxing.
First up was Anenaca Simpson, a local multi-instrumentalist, singer, actress, and director who performed twice during this Coffee House, which was her 12th. Simpson sang and played piano on the song “Memory” from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, Cats. Later, she sang “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music while playing the accordion.
Putnam County Middle School Theater Director Seth Wicker, who is in his third year of teaching, then sang “How Can I Call This Home?” from the musical Parade.
Kellsey Ortega, a PCHS ninth grader, then made her Coffee House debut with a reading of her own poem titled “Boxes are Overrated.” Ortega said she is very involved in the arts and looks forward to participating in the Broadway Intensive this summer.
Eatonton native and Georgia College and State University senior Dillon Schremmer was another new face at the Coffee House. He said he was looking forward to jumping into the fine arts industry and sang “Tonight at Eight” from the musical She Loves Me.
Walker Cannon, who goes by the stage name Archi, then sang his own composition, “After Dark.” Cannon said he is an independent recording artist and was making his second appearance in a Coffee House show.
Nathan Smith, a local artist studying at the Atlanta Institute of Music and Media, next accompanied McCormick Anderson on piano. Anderson sang “Desperado” by The Eagles and “It All Fades Away” from the musical The Bridges of Madison County.
Georgia College and State University sophomore Anne O’Neill next made a little local history as she became the first performer ever to dance on pointe in a Coffee House event. O’Neill performed “Variation 3” from Raymonda, Act III. She said she has been dancing since age 8 and is classically trained in ballet, modern, and character.
Wicker then returned to perform a duet with Helen Garcia-Carreras, the tap, theatre, and creative movement instructor at The Arts Barn. They performed “Sue Me” from the musical Guys and Dolls.
Elisa Garcia-Carreras then played guitar and sang “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan before recent PCHS graduate Ethan Poole performed another first for the Coffee House series: beatboxing.
Poole got the crowd moving with his unique talent before Lily, Elisa, and Helen Garcia-Carreras closed the night with impressive clogging routines.
Throughout the show, Vickie Spivey from The Plaza Arts Center ran the refreshments table, where guests could get a free hot drink, but donations were appreciated. David Simpson ran the sound system throughout the show.
The event brought out many new performers, giving them a safe, positive space to showcase their talents. The Plaza Arts Center and The Arts Barn will now focus on their upcoming summer programs.