By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Southern divas arrive in Statesboro!
1.17 Courtenay Collins
Courtaney Collins
Staff Report
Updated: Feb 9, 2008, 10:03 AM
Published: Jan 18, 2008, 7:03 PM

What happens when a couple of Southern Belles meet up in the land of their dreams — New York City? You get a heartfelt musical revue like “Dixie Divas.”

Courtenay Collins and JoLynn Burks are two former beauty queens who first met while performing at Six Flags Over Georgia one long hot summer not so long ago. Their life choices and experiences took them to many different places, but it was perhaps inevitable that they reconnect in the Big Apple.

“I never would have thought to go to city hall to locate a professional performer, but that’s exactly where I discovered Courtenay Collins,” said Tim Chapman, executive director of the Averitt Center for the Arts. “Mayor (Bill) Hatcher told me about his niece who has extensive credentials and then I heard her. She is fantastic. I really think local audiences will enjoy this class act.”

Collins is not just any Southern girl. She’s a Julliard graduate who has toured both nationally and internationally as Christine in Ken Hill’s Phantom of the Opera. In New York, she created the role Mary Bland in the cult movie musical “Eating Raoul.” During her time in New York, she also performed as Babette in “Walt Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” Maggie in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Julie in “Showboat,” Fiona in “Brigadoon” and Rizzo in “Grease.”

Since returning to her hometown of Atlanta, she has continued to wow audiences with performances in theaters around Atlanta. She was said to push the limits of cabaret when appearing at Libby’s.

But typical of a Southern Belle, Collins has many layers to her persona. She believes in giving back to the community that fostered and encouraged her talent. So when she’s not performing on stage, she’s teaching as a private vocal/performance coach, offering Intensive Workshops and directing Camp Broadway USA! each summer. In her spare time, she assists teachers with high school theater programs.

Statesboro is fortunate indeed to be able to present these two multi-talented women in the revue “Dixie Divas.”
Audiences are sure to be wowed as they travel with this hilarious pair of “recovering beauty queens” on a musical journey through Broadway, New Orleans, and the South. Laughter will not be the only thing on the menu that night, however. The range of Collins’ voice and the combination with Burks will delight music afficionados.

Collins and Burks will appear in Dixie Divas on Friday at the Emma Kelly Theater in Statesboro at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for youth, twelve and under.

Staff, faculty and students from Ogeechee Technical College will receive a 15 percent discount. Tickets may be purchased by phone or at the box office in the lobby of the theater, Tuesday through Friday, 1–5:30 p.m.

For more information, contact info@averittcenterforthearts.org, or call (912) 212-ARTS.
Savannah, Richmond Hill, Tybee ready for July 4 celebrations
Placeholder Image
Staff Report
Updated: Jul 1, 2016, 8:36 PM
Published: Jun 29, 2016, 7:10 PM

The Savannah Waterfront Association will hold its annual 4th of July celebration, including fireworks, Monday on River Street from 4-10 p.m.

VIP seating for viewing fireworks will be available for active and retired military and will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Hypnotics will perform from 8-10 p.m., including a patriotic set during the fireworks to complement the show.

The fireworks sponsored at 9:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to park off of River Street since the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department will close the street from 6 p.m.-3 a.m.

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police are gearing up for this weekend’s July 4th and First Friday festivities; and ask the public to be mindful of traffic conditions in the Downtown area.

In anticipation of potential road delays, Metro will increase traffic and foot patrols in the Downtown festival area, starting Friday afternoon. Officers also will patrol Hutchinson Island in greater force to assist with traffic flow, prevent bottle-necking and help move motorists safely. To ensure safety and help minimize delays, motorists are asked to be vigilant, patient and co-operative.

Public parking lots on River Street will close on Monday at about 3 a.m. until early Tuesday afternoon. River Street will close to vehicular traffic Monday at 3 p.m. and will reopen early Tuesday morning.

All traffic and parking laws will be enforced on in Downtown Savannah and Hutchinson Island. Vehicles parked in the roadway, or in a manner that obstructs traffic will be towed at the owner’s expense. Please note that parking vehicles on the Truman Parkway and Talmadge Bridge also is dangerous and illegal.

Interstate 16 will be available to drivers leaving the firework show. To leave Downtown, traffic originating from points beyond Bay Street will be directed away from Martin Luther King Boulevard to other routes, such as Whitaker and West Bay streets. Westbound traffic on Bay Street will be directed to East Lathrop Avenue to access I-16 via Louisville Road.

Police recommend use of city parking garages, where drivers will be given maps for the easiest Downtown exit routes following the firework display. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, expect delays and heed posted signage. The key components of the traffic plan include:

Prohibiting traffic from turning southbound onto Whitaker from Bay. Westbound traffic on Bay Street will be directed to alternate routes to I-16 through East Lathrop and Louisville Road, or through Garden City.

Parking garage traffic will be routed southbound on MLK, Whitaker and Price streets.

Alternate routes to I-16 are West Gwinnett and 37th streets. Price Street also can be used to get to 37th Street, which will take traffic to westbound I-16.

Additional signage will be deployed to assist drivers in locating the alternative routes to I-16.

Traffic may be heavy along Highway 80 for those leaving Tybee Island’s fireworks display. There is a slight potential for shallow coastal flooding due to King Tides July 4.  At this time, this flooding is not expected to close Highway 80. Remember if there is shallow coastal flooding:

Traffic headed toward Wilmington Island via President Street should flow as usual.

Also please remember that the city curfew law remains in effect for this event.  All persons 16 years of age and under must be off the streets at 11 p.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Officers will be enforcing this ordinance.

As always you can stay up to date with the latest on the Festival, road closures and other related updates by following the Twitter feed @SCMPD, Facebook or www.scmpd.org.

Richmond Hill will host 4th of July events Saturday, starting with Star Spangled Cars and Coffee from 9-11 a.m. Car owners can bring in a car and interact with other automobile enthusiasts. Visitors can bring the family to view the cars and tour the Richmond Hill History Museum, formerly the Henry Ford Kindergarten. Admission to the event is free and coffee can be purchased for 25 cents with a $1 donation to the museum. This event will take place at the Richmond Hill History Museum located at 11460 Ford Ave. 

Fort McAllister will hold its 4th of July celebration Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with living history programs including demonstrations of Civil War drills and rifle and cannon firings. Visitors can participate in old fashioned games including sack races, an egg toss, wheel barrow races and a Civil War-era baseball game. Fresh watermelon will be available.  Admission for this event is $8 per adult (18+), $5 per Youth (6-17), under 6 are free. For more information, call (912) 727-2339.

Richmond Hill will kick off its annual Red, White, and Blue Independence Day Celebration at J. F. Gregory Park located at 521 Cedar St. For more information, visit www.richmondhill-ga.gov or call (912) 756-3345.

Tybee Island changed the date of their annual  fireworks from Sunday, July 3 to Monday, July 4. The Independence Day celebration will held be at the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion with a fireworks extravaganza. It will be held from 9:30-10 p.m.