Book Review
Nonfiction
“The World of the Salt Marsh: Appreciating and Protecting the Tidal Marshes of the Southeastern Atlantic Coast”
By Charles Seabrook
University of Georgia Press; 360 pages; $28.95

By Gina Webb

“I spent half my childhood trying to get off an island, ” environmental writer Charles Seabrook admits in the opening pages of his new book, “The World of the Salt Marsh.” “I have spent half my adulthood trying to get back.”

He grew up on John’s Island, “one of the sleepy, semitropical sea islands nuzzling the South Carolina coast that are surrounded by vast salt marshes, broad sounds and winding tidal rivers.”

In 1962, after graduating from high school, Seabrook left home, eager for “far-flung places” and exotic adventures — much of which he encountered during his 33 years as a science reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

By the time he returns to “the most wondrous, magical place of all, ” his childhood home, the paradise of his memories is almost …

Continue reading ‘The World of the Salt Marsh: Appreciating and Protecting the Tidal Marshes of the Southeastern Atlantic Coast’ By Charles Seabrook »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

A day of wrenching — and ultimately galvanizing — loss for Atlanta occurred nearly 50 years ago, when a plane carrying 122 of the city’s arts patrons crashed at Paris’ Orly Airport.

On June 3, the Woodruff Arts Center, which traces its roots to the largest response to that unthinkable loss, will commemorate those Atlantans who perished with a day full of free arts offerings from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Tuesday, the Woodruff announced a Community Day slate open to the public at the Midtown Arts Center involving all four of its divisions:

• A reading of Pearl Cleage’s “Wish You Were Here” – a poem written for the anniversary – at the Alliance Theatre, which will also host acting workshops and performances of “The Tranquil Tortoise and the Hoppity Hare.”

• “Driving Miss Daisy” playwright and Atlanta native Alfred Uhry will participate in a Q&A. The latest play by the Tony Award, Academy Award and Pulitzer Prize recipient, “Apples & Oranges,” based …

Continue reading Woodruff to commemorate 50th anniversary of Orly tragedy with free arts events »

ENTERTAINMENT
Cirque adds third date for ‘Immortal’
“Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough” can be taken literally now that a third Atlanta date has been added for “Michael Jackson the Immortal World Tour.” A 4 p.m. July 1 show joins the previously announced June 29 and 30 performances at Philips Arena. Advance tickets are on sale now for Cirque Club members and become available to the general public Friday. Tickets are $50-$250. Info: 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com. MELISSA RUGGIERI

BOOKS
AJC columnist Seabrook reads, signs
If you’re a fan of Charles Seabrook’s AJC weekly Wild Georgia column, take note that the long-time environmental writer will appear at 7:15-9 p.m. tonight at Decatur Library. Seabrook’s free Georgia Center for the Book appearance is in behalf of his new University of Georgia Press book, “The World of the Salt Marsh: Appreciating and Protecting the Tidal Marshes of the Southeastern Atlantic Coast.” 215 Sycamore St., Decatur. 404-370-8450, …

Continue reading Culture notes: Cirque adds third Michael Jackson show; environmental writer Seabrook reads from ‘Salt Marsh’ tonight »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

With two weeks remaining in the run, nearly 300,000 have taken in the High Museum of Art exhibit “Picasso to Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters,” making the show drawn from the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection the fifth highest-attended exhibit in High history.

For those who haven’t yet checked out “Picasso to Warhol,” or who want to make one final visit before it closes on April 29, advance reservations are encouraged.

Special “Picasso to Warhol” viewing opportunities include:

• Half-price tickets are available during Thursday Nights at the High, a good opportunity to avoid weekend crowds, 4-8 p.m. Thursday and April 26. A guided tour of the museum’s permanent collection is offered at 6:30 p.m.

• Hours will be extended for Friday Jazz, 5 p.m.-midnight Friday, with music by tenor saxophonist Kenneth Whalum III and trumpet player/vocalist Joe Gransden.

• The special Culture Shock event “Go Out With a Pop,” 8 p.m.-2 a.m. April 28, …

Continue reading Take note: Two weeks to go in ‘Picasso to Warhol’s’ run at High Museum »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

Reviews and other coverage of the Alliance Theatre’s world premiere of the Stephen King-John Mellencamp musical “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County” are showing up in newspapers and on blogs. Here’s a roundup of what’s out there so far:

Reviews

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution reviewer Bert Osborne gave the production a rare grade of “A.” “All the advance hype surrounding ‘Ghost Brothers’ has been somewhat scary,” he wrote. “How could it not be, as a world-premiere (no doubt Broadway-bound) collaboration between none other than Stephen King, John Mellencamp and T Bone Burnett? But never fear: Under the mesmerizing direction of [Alliance artistic director] Susan V. Booth, the Alliance production lives up to it with an almost supernatural ease.” www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-events/ghost-brothers-of-darkland-1415099.html

• Variety critic Frank Rizzo: “It takes more than a groove and gore to make this tedious tale of brotherly bile work on stage. …

Continue reading Rounding up what’s being written about Alliance’s ‘Ghost Brothers’ »

By Jennifer Brett
jbrett@ajc.com

Marietta’s gonna get that boom-boom POW on Sunday afternoon when a cannon fires (blanks) in the Confederate Cemetery off Powder Springs Street near the downtown square.

The demonstration will be part of an event from 1 to 5 p.m. capping Marietta’s “Great Locomotive Chase Weekend,” featuring a slew of  festivities commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Union plot to steal The General.

The Disney film about the April 12, 1862 heist, “The Great Locomotive Chase,” had its first Southern premiere at the Strand Theatre in 1956. Thursday night, a capacity crowd packed the restored theater to watch Union spies swipe The General, only to be thwarted by conductor William Fuller and the Confederate cavalry.

“History runs through our town like the railroad tracks,” Marietta Mayor Steve “Thunder” Tumlin told the audience. Russell Bonds, author of “Stealing the General,” introduced the film. The evening’s special guests included William Fambrough and …

Continue reading Explosive commemorations as Marietta, Kennesaw, other towns recall Great Locomotive Chase »

Sheep indeed get sheared at the Atlanta History Center’s Sheep to Shawl festival, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, but it’s all good. Not only do they get a warm-weather trim, their wool (a handful of which kids can have as a keepsake), visitors learn, will be be washed, sorted, carded, spun, dyed and, eventually, woven. The event includes crafts demonstrations, a play about South Carolina slave potter David (”Dave the Slave”) Drake music and a petting zoo. Free with museum admission. 130 W. Paces Ferry Road N.W., Atlanta. 404-814-4000, www.atlantahistorycenter.com/S2S. HOWARD POUSNER

Continue reading Baa time will be had by all at History Center’s Sheep to Shawl fest Saturday »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle … Many other places pop to mind before Atlanta when one thinks of the country’s artiest cities.

But the city of Atlanta has the highest number of arts-related businesses per capita among the 100 largest cities in the U.S., according to a recent report by Creative Industries, a national arts research project by Americans for the Arts. The report also ranks Atlanta as having the second-highest percentage of arts-related employees per capita in the country.

Atlanta boasts 3,573 arts-related businesses that employ 22,826 people, according to Creative Industries.

Last year, the Georgia capital ranked fourth-highest in arts-related businesses per capita out of the 100 largest U.S. cities.

Mayor Kasim Reed, in a press release from the city, said he was well aware of how many arts organizations “flourish” in the metro area and thus wasn’t  surprised about the findings.

“But this report does confirm that the …

Continue reading Atlanta No. 1 in arts businesses (yes, Atlanta), report finds »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

A press release for Sunday night’s (April 15) gala concert celebrating the 85th birthday of the leader of the Georgia Festival Chorus makes matters perfectly clear in the first sentence: “Frank Boggs is not retiring!”

That would be of little surprise to anyone who came in contact with Boggs during his 23-year run as choral director of the Westminster School, from which he retired way back in 1986, or in his distinguished solo career. Instantly restless in retirement, Boggs placed a newspaper ad in 1987 seeking choral singers, and the Georgia Festival Chorus (originally named Cobb Festival Chorus) has grown from 18 to 112 vocalists.

The Marietta-based chorus has toured England, Ireland, Austria and Italy, where it sang at High Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, and performed on a Holland America Line cruise ship en route to Alaska concert dates.

Boggs and many of his choristers feel essentially they are working to save sacred music …

Continue reading Georgia Festival Chorus director celebrates 85th birthday with free concert »

THEATER
Serenbe Playhouse sets third summer lineup
After a strong second season under artistic director Brian Clowdus that drew critical laurels, Serenbe Playhouse has announced a third summer lineup in the south Fulton County town of Chattahoochee Hills:

• “Alice in Wonderland” (June 1-July 28 ): World premiere of Atlanta playwright Rachel Teagle’s adaption of the Lewis Carroll classic, presented on the Forest Glen Stage.

• “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (June 28-July 15): Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, billed as “a sumptuous makeover nestled in the enchanted forests of Serenbe,” will be presented on the Inn at Serenbe’s Open Air Function Room Stage.

• “Time Between Us” (July 26-Aug. 18): World premiere of the musical written by Tess Barker and Bret Schrier about two best friends attempting to balance professional success and personal fulfillment across 30 years. Performed at the Serenbe Stables Courtyard Stage.

Tickets and more information: www.serenbeplayhouse.com. HOWARD …

Continue reading Culture notes: Serenbe Playhouse announces three-play summer season; Jennifer Schwartz’s photo gallery on wheels at WonderRoot on Saturday »