The Heartbeat of Georgia
By Storytellers Macon
This podcast is a project of Storytellers Macon in collaboration with The Grand Opera House.
The Heartbeat of GeorgiaSep 18, 2023
Origin Stories
We feature some of our favorite superhero women as they tell their origin stories in this episode. We go to small town Oklahoma with Holly Cole to see the devious *spark* of creation she had at a young age and then travel to Haiti to ask Christele Parham how she got her name. In between, we interview Wayne Woodard about his businesses and how being an entrepreneur is kind of like being a superhero.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Julia Morrison and Koryn Young and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House.
Crime and Punishment
In this episode, we try to let our storytellers speak for themselves, whether they've been a victim of violence or whether they feel conflicted on their role. All these stories come from the Nefarious edition of our live show, and feature Carl Myers discussing his life and journey in prison, Tonja Khabir talking about a trauma occurring to her a world away while working at a USAID program, and Kevin Bradley with a college frat boy arrest.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Julia Morrison and Koryn Young and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House.
Finding Your Voice (and Your Hands)
Sometimes, answering a phone call or an evening folding clothes in the laundry room can make your heart drop into the floor. In this episode, we tackle matters of the heart - self-discovery through romance, breakups, heart-pounding decisions, and coming out. Our featured voices include a reprise of Mariana Furlin's tale of sisterhood, Lauren Beaty's story dedicated to her daughters, Lacey Cruse shouting out Storytellers friends, and Ivy Marie Clarke deconstructing the woman she was missing - the one inside herself.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Julia Morrison and Koryn Young and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House.
The Day I Met Racism
Talking about racism and anti-Blackness can be hard to do, but these stories talk about the wounds created when two men first see hatred face to face. Our featured voices include Weston Stroud from "Macon Magic" and Jerry Anderson from our "Blossoming" performance as well as Nancy Cleveland.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Koryn Young and Julia Morrison and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House.
For Steven's Full, Bright Light
The episode we had planned was appropriately titled "Spirits Among Us." We didn't know then that one of our featured storytellers from our Grand Opera House season and a dear friend to all of Macon, Steven Fulbright, would end up leaving us far before his time last summer. We dedicate this episode and the refresh of our podcast series for its second season for Steven, on the day a memorial performance (a fitting one - a Broadway-style cabaret) takes place in the midst of Macon's Cherry Blossom Festival and a new spring for our city. We share memories from friends from different parts of his life before hearing his story, heard boisterously from The Grand Opera House stage. There is no spotlight that shined brighter than Steven, whose memory continues to be a blessing.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Koryn Young and Julia Rubens and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House.
The Roles We Play
It was Shakespeare who said that all the world's a stage, but the weird performative nature of our lives feels all the more real in the time of wearing real masks and taking on new roles. In this episode, we discuss performance, both in costume inside the theatre and in real life playing an unexpected role in someone else's drama. Our featured voices include Southern storyteller and multi-talented creative Elliot James from our "Kings and Queens" live show and Rabbi Larry Schlesinger from our inaugural "Macon Magic" performance.
Woven in between the two of them is JP Haynie of Macon Little Theatre as the theatre is set to re-open for live performances for the first time since COVID-19. Buy tickets now to their upcoming show, Songs for a New World, here.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Koryn Young and Julia Rubens and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House.
Beehives and Bullies
It's hard to exist within the hive. In this episode, we examine the anxieties, concerns, and most of all, affections that come from orbiting around the sun with other people. We have two supreme socialites to share with you today. Artist and optimist Randy Heart is now known as the "Love Man" for his work always radiating light and joy, but this personality was made, not born, after a childhood experience that shook him up. And Sarah Gerwig is a notable attorney and law professor, fearless in the presence of the court. But in the face of sons becoming teens and working to leave the nest, how do her oral arguments stack up?
These storytellers took the stage in a live performance in vibrant downtown Macon, and we're now bringing the voices out of our busy beehive in Middle Georgia to you all over the globe. An added voice in a segment on stress is Rachel Gerrity, owner of recently-opened Homegrown Yoga in Macon.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Koryn Young and Julia Rubens and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House.
CW: Please note that racially sensitive language is used in this episode. It is the wish of the storyteller to use this language in order to tell their story faithfully, but please be advised.
100 Years of The Douglass and One Legend
It's not often that you can see a legend walking down Cherry Street. But Newton Collier, a fixture at community events, performances, and simply around downtown Macon, once used to tour the country as a musician with some of the greatest stars of his day. And when he was around, there were lots of legends walking around Macon - like Otis Redding, who taught Newt about the business when he was just a kid. Today, Newt has a star on hall of fame in front of The Douglass Theatre - a historic theatre founded by a legend in his own generation.
2021 marks the 100th anniversary of The Douglass, so we wanted to celebrate with this bonus episode of Newt's story first told for our September 2020 "Macon Magic" show, introduced by The Douglass's former Artistic Director Johnny Hollingshed, Jr. The photo in our show notes is indeed Newt walking down Cherry Street with his trumpet, past the freshly painted music note street mural by Mama Hawk Draws, where you'll find him often. He's happy to talk to young musicians - and he has a lot more stories to tell.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Koryn Young and Julia Rubens and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House.
Chasing the Dream of the Queen
"I'm here, I'm shining, I'm wonderful." We decided to release a bonus episode to celebrate the last day of Women's History Month with two stories of women who gained their sense of confidence in very different ways. Brittny Johnson tells a brave story about a traumatic day that digs up the history of the women in her family, and how she decides to break the cycle. Meanwhile, Ansley Booker takes you back to her childhood pageant in Eatonton, GA -- and it's more important for the woman she's become than you might think.
Ansley took part in our "Kings and Queens" event in November 2020 and Brittny took The Grand stage for "Nefarious" in January 2021. From left to right, the photos shown are Brittny's vintage family reunion photo as she tells her story and Ansley in her red pageant dress waving for her adoring public after the show.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Koryn Young and Julia Rubens and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House.
Buttermilk Biscuits and Debutante Balls
When you move on to a new phase or stage of life, you don't forget your past. The storytellers in today's episode have a legacy and roots that go back generations and define who they are in Macon. DeMarcus Beckham is well known today for his work as an activist for LGBTQ+ and civil rights, but his grandmother Esther Mae taught him who he is in Zebulon, Georgia between baking and humming spirituals. And Erin Keller is a noted champion of both Macon and Mercer University - so much so, you'd think it comes naturally. But she actually hails from Louisiana, with family that very much wanted her to stay in the Big Easy when she sought out college.
Both of them were a part of our November 2020 "Kings and Queens" show. The picture in our show notes is of several audience members attempting to re-create Erin's epic curtsy after the show.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Koryn Young and Julia Rubens and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House.
Giving Birth
The storytellers in today's episodes are both visionaries who want to build new things and transform. In fact, just in the past week Tiara Ponce won a Cultural Award from Macon Arts Alliance for her "Block the Hate" project in front of Macon's Confederate statue while also being a highlighted artist for Black History Month at the Tubman Museum. "In order to make change, you have to start with respect," she said about receiving her award. Meanwhile, Alex Morrison was quoted in the news for continuing to inspire all kinds of people to put their stamp on Macon with the refreshed Macon Action Plan. "This might seem fairly obvious, but in order to have a truly vibrant downtown area, you have to have people living there." And more people are than ever, thanks to his plans.
Both of them took our stage in September as part of our "Macon Magic" show - the photo here is of Tiara and Yana celebrating after the show. What plans will you birth as spring emerges? We'll be birthing some stories of emerging leaders in our last performance, "Blossoming." Buy tickets for our FINAL live show in the series here: https://www.thegrandmacon.com/all-events/storytellers4/
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Koryn Young and Julia Rubens and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House.
Hope is the Thing
"With hope, you find love. With hope, you have dignity. With hope, you are royalty. Just like our dear Lady Gaga, I am royalty, and so are each of you." So Angie Coggins told our live audience in describing navigating her relationship with family while staying true to herself. Meanwhile, Angel Colquitt embraces the bravery of uncertainty, asking their best friend, their lovers, and their inner monologue: "Can’t you see? Can’t you see how you’re making me feel?" Embracing oneself is an act of creation. These stories from our November event "Kings and Queens" explores building oneself up from the inside out and how even at the most vulnerable of times, the fragile ingredient of hope stubbornly keeps the spirit going.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Koryn Young and Julia Rubens and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House. You can attend our next live show on March 20th by clicking here for tickets: https://www.thegrandmacon.com/all-events/storytellers4/
In the photo: "Queen Angie" has fans from Macon Pickleball who bring a poster celebrating her to the live performance.
Sisters in Spirit are Sisters Forever
Mariana Furlin has the best front porch in Macon. Really. She embodies the spirit of a porch - welcoming, gracious, a breath of fresh air, weathered and ready for more. In fact, we've included a picture of her porch in our show notes - a place where many shoes have been kicked off and tears have been shed. Today we have a single story from our September 26th event embracing the theme of “Macon Magic.” The story we have for you is Mariana’s journey to embracing sisterhood, told while weaving in the voices of other women who have loved her along the way.
The Heartbeat of Georgia is hosted by Koryn Young and Julia Rubens and episodes are produced by Storytellers Macon based off of the limited stage series in partnership with The Grand Opera House. You can attend our next live show on January 16th by clicking here for tickets: https://www.thegrandmacon.com/all-events/storytellers3/
Music Makes Macon Magic
Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Heartbeat of Georgia. Go ahead and relax. Imagine century old homes with gingerbread trim and heart pine floors. Some of them are falling apart. Biscuit sandwiches with pimento cheese. Served in a no-frills dining room with linoleum floors and hard plastic chairs. A square named after Rosa Parks in direct sight of a tribute to Confederate women. Yoshino cherry trees and azaleas everywhere. A humid July where five minutes outside makes your shirt stick to your back.
Feel the rhythm. This podcast aims to deconstruct Macon magic through the voices of the people who’ve been here. We gathered these tall tales from Storytellers Macon, a grassroots organization that started with bonfire circles and grew to monthly narrative shows at a bar that has a mythos all its own, Grant’s Lounge. We recorded a blend of the best of what Storytellers has heard over the years with new voices scraped from every neighborhood and group we could think to ask, and presented all them live on stage in a partnership with The Grand Opera House, a historic theatre downtown that is currently the performing arts presenter of Mercer University.
Speaking of Grant’s Lounge, we decided to start this first episode with two stories of the music scene here – arguably the backbone of our local heritage. These stories were both pulled from our Macon Magic event at The Grand on September 26th, 2020. We echo Ed Grant when he argues Macon is and has been a "music jubilee."
The storytellers featured on this episode are Molly Wilkins with “Bragg Jam 2015” and Edward Grant with “This is What 50 Looks Like."
The show is hosted by Julia Rubens and Koryn Young, who also direct the limited series live show at The Grand Opera House. We hope to have about 15 episodes for you in time, released every other week, and feature close to 40 different storytellers from Middle Georgia.
Our next live show at The Grand Opera House is January 16th and the theme is Nefarious. Buy tickets here: https://www.thegrandmacon.com/all-events/storytellers3/
The Heartbeat of Georgia Trailer
Welcome to The Heartbeat of Georgia. This is a storytelling podcast that will weave together the eclectic voices of Middle Georgia to learn a little more about a place that just hits different, the city where soul lives. Through our eyes and ears, you'll feel the rhythm of all walks of life here. This season explores a deep-seated musical heritage and a newfound downtown scene, giving birth to a person... or an idea, coming out and calling out, front porches and grandmothers' kitchens, sisterhood and sinister intentions.
The show is hosted by Koryn Young and Julia Rubens and episodes are based off of the limited stage series Storytellers Macon: Live at The Grand Opera House.