A 'theological battle of biblical proportions' takes the stage at Art Downtown in Brunswick

A perky young evangelical missionary (Amy Lovin) tries to
convert two Catholic spinsters (Shirley Williams and Clynne
Morgan), who have enlisted the help of their parish priest
(Jack Conyers).

It's not going too far out on a limb to say that more wars and conflicts have been fought over religion than perhaps any other topic. In very simple terms, that is the premise behind The Savannah Disputation, a comedy by Georgia playwright Evan Smith. The play is being performed weekends through May 15 at Art Downtown in Brunswick.

A perky young evangelical missionary (Amy Lovin) gets a lot more than she bargained for when she drops in on two Catholic spinsters (Clynne Morgan and Shirley Williams) to 'convert' them, igniting a crisis of faith.

To fight back, the sisters enlist the help of their unsuspecting parish priest (Jack Conyers), who finds himself in the midst of a theological battle of biblical proportions.

"Early on we wrestled a bit with the subject, given that some people have a tendency to become defensive of their faith," explains gallery owner and director Lynda Gallagher. "Though it sounds as if it is ponderously deep, there are a lot of laughs as well as some bittersweet moments. In the end, the characters learn that they are a lot closer in their beliefs than they thought."

Evan Smith was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia. The Savannah Disputation premiered in Fall 2007 at the Writers' Theatre in Chicago. Other works by Smith include Servicemen, The Uneasy Chair, Psych and Daughters of Genius. His TV pilot “Debs” was produced onstage in Los Angeles by Naked TV, a joint venture of Fox TV and Naked Angels. He is a recipient of a 2002 Whiting Award. He has a BA in English from Vassar College and an MFA in play writing from the Yale School of Drama.

Performance dates for The Savannah Disputation are Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm April 16, 23 and 30, and May 7 and 14. Sunday afternoon performances will be at 3:00 pm April 17 and May 1 and 15. Performances include dessert and coffee, and doors open 30 minutes prior to curtain. Reserve seat tickets may be purchased by calling 912-262-0628, or at Art Downtown at 1413 Newcastle Street in Brunswick.

Alan Ball comedy opens at Mary Miller Theatre in Brunswick, Georgia

Georgeanne, Trisha, Meredith, Frances and Mindy are as different as night and day. But they have one thing in common: the dress. It’s big. It’s lime green, with spaghetti straps. And after today, they’ll probably never wear it again. But they’ll discover things about themselves and each other that they’ll treasure forever.

Art Downtown/Gallery 209 presents Alan Ball’s comedy, “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress,” in the Mary Miller Theatre, Saturday evenings and alternating Sunday afternoons through Sept. 4.



Five reluctant, identically-clad bridesmaids hide out in an upstairs bedroom of a Knoxville, Tennessee, estate, each with her own reason to avoid the proceedings below. Frances is a painfully sweet but sheltered fundamentalist. Mindy is the cheerful, wise-cracking lesbian sister of the groom. Georgeanne, heartbroken over her own failed marriage, engages in outrageous behavior. Meredith, the bride's younger sister, is a rebel with attitude and a dark secret. Trisha is a jaded beauty whose die-hard cynicism about men is called into question when she meets Tripp, a charming bad-boy usher to whom there is more than meets the eye. As the afternoon wears on, these five very different women joyously discover they all share a common bond that goes well beyond their hideous bridesmaid dresses.

Georgia native Alan Ball is the creator and Executive Producer of "Six Feet Under," the critically acclaimed drama series on HBO. Ball wrote the screenplay for the film American Beauty, for which he received the 1999 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, the Writers Guild of America award for Best Original Screenplay, and the Golden Globe award for Best Screenplay, among others. He has written extensively for television, including the series "Oh Grow Up," "Cybill" and "Grace Under Fire." Prior to moving to Hollywood, he was a noted comedic playwright in New York. Among his numerous credits are Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, The M Word, Made For a Woman, Bachelor Holiday, The Amazing Adventures of Tense Guy and Your Mother's Butt.

Located at Art Downtown/Gallery 209 in historic downtown Brunswick, the Mary Miller Theatre showcases the works of Georgia playwrights. Performances take place in an informal gallery setting. Audience members enjoy coffee and homemade desserts during intermission, and have an opportunity to meet the actors following the performance.


“Five Women” will be presented Saturday evenings, July 17, 24 and 31; Aug 7, 14, 21 and 28, and Sept. 4. Matinee performances will be offered Sunday afternoons, July 18, Aug. 1, 15 and 29. Special group rates are available and private performances for groups are available with prior notice.

For information, contact Art Downtown/Gallery 209 at 912-262-0628 or visit them online at www.artdowntowngallery209.com.

Neptune Park Fun Zone Open for Family Fun

St. Simons Island's newest family attraction -- the Neptune Park Fun Zone -- is open for summertime family fun.

The new recreational complex features a walk-in, multi-purpose pool; children's water park area; miniature golf course, and a brand new playground area as well as a bath house and concession stand.


The new, "multi-purpose" pool is designed to encourage use by swimmers of all ages and abilities. The southern end of the L-shaped pool, closest to the bath house, features a walk-in "beach" entry which slopes gently from 12" at the edges to 18" in the center. The northernmost section of the pool is divided into lanes for lap swimming and limited competition. Between these two sections is a smaller, 3-foot deep section for water aerobics and swimming instruction.

The pool, like the rest of the Fun Zone, is accessible to those in wheelchairs.

The children's water park area is situated between the two legs of the larger pool. It features a "water playground" complete with slides, a tipping bucket, fountains and a variety of showers, squirt guns and other water play toys. It is surrounded by a fence and landscaping to ensure limited access for young children and their caregivers.

The bath house features large restrooms with showers and changing areas, ticket offices for the pool and miniature golf course, and a concession stand called "Cap's Place."

Located on the south side of the bath house between the entrances to the pool and miniature golf course, Cap's Place is open to the public. It offers a variety of menu items including barbecue, pizza, hot dogs and boiled shrimp as well as "walk and talk" items, healthy treats, sno-cones and ice cream, cold drinks and more. Cap's Place will be open year 'round, from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm from Labor Day to Memorial Day. For information call 912-638-3333.


The miniature golf course features 18 holes with a "conservative" design. The mini-golf course has its own entrance, located on the west side of the bath house. Nearby is a new playground area, located at the southeast corner of the Fun Zone, next to the Neptune Park picnic area.

The new landscaping artfully incorporates the right whale sculpture which was created by sculptor Keith Jennings in 1995, and encourages close interaction.

The Neptune Park Fun Zone is located along the St. Simons Island waterfront between the lighthouse and the Casino building. Its opening marks the completion of the first phase of a two-phase master plan for the St. Simons Island waterfront.

The master plan project was designed to provide a more cohesive look for waterfront and Neptune Park. Architectural features of the new bath house complement those of the nearby A.W. Jones Heritage Center, which anchors the waterfront's north end, and the Casino building to the south.

In addition to the pool and mini-golf complex, Phase I included new landscaping and lighting, new beach crossovers, brick pavers and new benches. Phase II, which will be completed later this year, will incorporate new landscaping and other improvements that are designed to visually unify the entire Neptune Park / St. Simons Island waterfront area.

The Neptune Park Fun Zone will be open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Public swim hours will be daily from 1:00 to 8:00 pm. The miniature golf course will be open daily from 1:00 to 9:00 pm.

The Glynn County Parks and Recreation Department will offer a variety of services and activities including American Red Cross swimming lessons and water safety courses, private swimming lessons by certified instructors, water aerobics and a novice swim team. These activities will take place primarily during mornings prior to public swimming.

All-day admission to the pool is $7.00 per person. Miniature golf is $7.00 per person per game. Season passes are available for the pool, and multi-game passes are available for miniature golf. Special group rates are available, and the complex may be rented for private functions. For information about the pool, call 912-279-3720. For information about miniature golf, call 912-279-3721.

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