Year after year, Swamp Gravy, the Official Folk Life Play of Georgia, produces plays that delight audiences of all ages and all backgrounds. While definitely steeped in Southern tradition, Swamp Gravy presents stories of universal appeal- stories about life and death, about family, about community. Each performance is a crowd-pleasing blend of comedy, drama, and music with a cast and crew of over 100 people who transform southern life into unforgettable theatre.    This was started in 1991 when Joy Jinks was at a meeting in New York City. She was talking about how she wanted to preserve Colquitt's heritage and record stories about the community. Richard Geer, a student who was working on his doctorate degree, overheard this conversation, and he approached Joy Jinks and said that he wanted to be involved in the project.    So a team of volunteers led by Charlotte Phillips and Sara Ann Keaton began collecting and recording stories from the people of Colquitt, GA. After many stories were gathered they were passed along to Jo Carson who adapted a portion of the stories into the play format. Karen Kimbrel wrote the songs and with the help of Steve Hacker, these were set to music. Richard Geer directed the play and before we knew it, we had Swamp Gravy.    This name is indigenous of the area. It is a stew like dish that is made from pouring "fish drippings" that you have left in the grease after frying fish. Then you add tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and whatever else you have on hand and make a side dish or it could even be the whole meal if you don't have enough fish for everyone. So basically, you take whatever you have and make something out of it, which is what we have done in Colquitt, GA with our rendition of "Swamp Gravy."     Swamp Gravy was first performed in the Miller County Elementary School auditorium. It was planned for one weekend, and then the first weekend went so well, a second performance was set for the next weekend. After that it was history. We began looking for a larger location where the play could be held, and a local man offered to loan us the old cotton gin to house our performance. After cleaning and some preparation work, we held the first performance here in 1994. Since then the cotton gin has been completely renovated and is now aptly known as Cotton Hall. The once dirt floor is now brick and cement, the loading dock and old Ford truck are now part of our staging. We now have a fully equipped facility that maintains its rustic flavor. We offer state-of-the-art lighting, wonderful set design, and multi-level staging. The design of the theatre is very unique and makes every seat in Cotton Hall a good one. Upon entrance into Cotton Hall we now have a Museum of Southern Cultures. This is designed to reminiscent of the town square. We also have a concession area that is designed to be suggestive of a café that was once on the town square.    In 1996 we were chosen as a Cultural Olympiad Event and performed at the Centennial Park during the Olympics in Atlanta, Ga. That same year we were picked to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., but no performances can compare to the effect that Swamp Gravy has in its "home" at Cotton Hall.    In 2002 we celebrated our 10th anniversary. We are still going strong and looking forward to the next 10 years to see what accomplishments we will have. 1989 June-- Colquitt/Miller Arts Council (CMAC) is formed. 1990 December-- Joy Jinks meets Richard Geer in New York City at a conference. Over lunch Joy tells Richard "our community has always wanted to do a play" Richard says, "Let's do it." 1991 June-- Richard Geer makes his first trip to Colquitt and meets with various community leaders. Dot Wainright names the project Swamp Gravy. 1992 January-- Georgia Humanities Council funds an oral history gathering workshop with Dr. Mariella Hartsfield and Maggie Holtzberg. Oral history gathering begins all over the county under the guidance of Chairperson, Sara Ann Keaton. April-- Swamp Gravy sponsors entertainment tent at Mayhaw Festival chaired by Karen Kimbrel. August -- Swamp Gravy sponsors a "Star Search" to unearth hidden talent. Don and Kay Chandler chair this event. September-- Jo Carson and Richard Geer arrive in Colquitt. Jo finalizes the play while Richard casts and rehearses it. Karen Kimbrel and Steve Hacker write music for Sketches. October-- Swamp Gravy Sketches opens to a "sold out" crowd at the Miller County Elementary School. The stories featured work as the theme. November--Sketches is performed over the Thanksgiving weekend to sold-out crowds. A representative of Seven Stages Theater and the Cultural Olympiad attends one of these performances. 1993 Swamp Gravy tours the state to promote our 1994 performance. August-- Karen Kimbrel is hired by CMAC as the play coordinator. September- December-- Fund-raising is led by Joy Jinks, Jane Merritt, Elizabeth Fudge, Wattie Hays with the support of the entire community. 1994 January-- Swamp Gravy receives 1994 Cultural Olympiad Award in Atlanta. Cotton Hall is borrowed from Lavon Hall. Don Chandler and the Georgia Department of Corrections provide prison labor to clean out Cotton Hall and to build stages, sets, etc. Swamp Gravy receives a grant through Miller County Board of Education to hire students. March-- After three years of preparation, Swamp Gravy opens its major performance, Swamp Gravy: The Blue Doctor inside Cotton Hall. The Georgia Legislature, led by Rep. Cathy Cox, name Swamp Gravy "Georgia's Official Folk Life Play." July-- Cotton Hall is purchased for Swamp Gravy with a generous donation from Newton Allen. August -- Scenes performed at Alternate Roots Conference in Wallahalla, SC Lead to an invitation to perform at Seven Stages Theatre Company. September--Scenes are performed for the National Mayhaw Pageant and FSU's Drama Department. Carey Collie, high school students and volunteers paint the silhouettes on Cotton Hall. October-- Cotton Hall is dedicated to the memory of Alma and Daniel Allen. Film crews come to Colquitt to film Swamp Gravy for a video shown during the 1996 Olympics. Swamp Gravy: Folk Tales of South Georgia, edited by Debra C. Jones, is published. 1995 January-- Swamp Gravy receives its second Cultural Olympiad Award in Atlanta. Swamp Gravy also performs in Atlanta at Seven Stages Theatre to sold-out audiences. This performance gives us great exposure to several foundations and leads to CMAC receiving a Woodruff grant. March-- Lois Houston is hired as ticket sales coordinator. Swamp Gravy premieres The Gospel Truth, a play centered around a fiery Baptist preacher whose life had been shaped by fire. May--The Woodruff Foundation awards CMAC a $75,000 grant igniting a capital campaign drive to renovate Cotton Hall into Southwest Georgia?s Landmark Theater and Museum. August-- Swamp Gravy is performed at the Governor's Mansion at the invitation of Governor and Mrs. Zell Miller. October- November-- Sold-out crowds see the revival of The Gospel Truth. Dedication service for seats and posts is held. 1996 January-- Richard Geer and Jo Carson came to Colquitt to participate in planning. Renovations on Cotton Hall begin. February-- Swamp Gravy is invited to perform at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, by the National Association of Partners in Education. Rehearsals began for "Special Edition," new music, cast members and energy is infused into Swamp Gravy. March-- Special Edition plays to full houses. May-- Swamp Gravy receives a $14,000 NEA grant to conduct acting, dance, costume and music workshops. June-- Debbie Sloan and Bobby Helms conducted music workshops within rehearsals for the Olympic Summer Season. July-August--Swamp Gravy performs in Colquitt and Atlanta's Centennial Park. Swamp Gravy: The Gospel Truth is published. This second volume features stories of faith and community. August--President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter attended a performance. October-- Miller Brewing contributes $30,000 towards the Kennedy Center performance. This contribution enables the entire cast and crew to travel to Washington, DC for this event. Miller Brewing also hires Liz Klemann to handle public relations for this event leading to an article about Swamp Gravy in Historic Preservation magazine. November-- "Swampers" descend on Washington, DC. A reception is held at the Capitol Building. Kevin and Cindi (Cook) Riordan serve as chairs for the event. BellSouth, Coca-Cola, General Electric, Georgia-Pacific, Miller Brewing Co., and The National Rifle Association host the event. Swamp Gravy performs at The Kennedy Center. 1997 March-- The Rock and the Hard Place, featuring the story of two escapees from Alcatraz prison is performed. Summer season-- tours included Albany, Homerville, Douglas, Belle Glade, FL, and El Paso, TX. October--Our fifth anniversary is celebrated with a special fall season show saluting past performances. 1998 CMAC is awarded The Artists and Communities grant for Georgia by The Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation. Local leaders decide on the Millennium Mural Project in which 10 murals will be painted in and around Colquitt. CMAC takes ownership of The Tarrer Inn. CMAC leads a five county regional tourism effort; The Southwest Georgia Cultural Tourism Initiative. The Museum of Southern Cultures and Cotton Hall Gift Shop opens to the public. Art-N-Action and Children's Summer Art Workshop begins. CMAC's First Education Director is hired. Inter A.C.T. Building is completely renovated into a space for youth programs. Swamp Gravy: Good, Good Medicine, the third book is published. Swamp Gravy: Good Medicine, the play opens in the Fall1997 and is revived in the Spring of 1998. Written by Jo Carson and Directed by Richard Geer, the play tells stories of healing by medicine and faith. Swamp Gravy Institute begins with a weeklong training session held in Colquitt. Two other sessions are held in November and December. Consultants newly trained conduct workshops in Georgia, Ohio and Colorado. 1999-2000 Children's Summer Art Workshop (C-SAW) expands to four weeks under the direction of Bess Stober. Swamp Gravy: Brothers and Sisters opens in the fall of 1999 and is revived in the spring of 2000. The play, the first written by Miller County native Debra Calhoun Jones, is a great success. The play is edited by Jules Corriere and directed by Richard Geer. Chrissie Orr, Muralist, arrives in Colquitt and begins preliminary work with the community on the first mural. Pat Bush is hired as the Mural Coordinator. 2000 - 2002 The Spring 2000 season is the farewell season for our founding Artistic Director, Richard Geer. Swamp Gravy, Love and Marriage, by Debra Jones and directed by Gerard (Jerry) Stropnicky is performed in Fall 2000 and Spring 2001. The Mural Project continues with the completion of three murals: The Peace Wall, Neighbors, and We've Got A Story To Tell. Swamp Gravy records its first musical recording; Music of Swamp Gravy. The New Life Learning Center, an adult training facility, opens in January 2000. The first annual Swamp Gravy Storytelling Festival is held in September 2000. The Land Between The Rivers is the Swamp Gravy's offering for Fall 2001 and Spring 2002. The play tells stories of hunting, fishing, and people's relationship to the land and water. Beth Stewart joins Swamp Gravy as Production Manager in the fall of 2001. Governor and Mrs. Roy E. Barnes along with several members of the Board of Georgia Council for the Arts attended a Fall 2001 performance of Swamp Gravy. Market On The Square featuring arts, crafts, antiques, and other fine things opens. Colquitt, Georgia rates the #2 Small Town To Visit by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Second Annual Swamp Gravy Storytelling Festival is held in September 2001. Swamp Gravy consultants, Gayle Grimsley, Veronica Haire, Charlotte Phillips, Jean Watson, Bill and Nan Grow travel to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil to assist The Methodist Church with recording and telling stories for their 100th Anniversary. The 3rd Annual Swamp Gravy Storytelling Festival is held in August 2002. Swamp Gravy: The Beauty Of It All is produced. New Life Learning Center opened and housed art classes for adults. Currently the new life learning center has art programs for children and a pottery studio for children and adults. 2002-2003 The 10th anniversary of Swamp Gravy was celebrated with a show that had the "best of the best" scenes from the past ten years of our productions. A celebration was held at Cotton Hall theatre. Rob Lauer joined the production staff as the director of Swamp Gravy. A Southern Christmas Carol premiered in Cotton Hall in the winter of 2003. This was a professional production that was written to be performed in Cotton Hall by Rob. Lauer with music by Rob. Lauer and Steve Hacker. Professional actors and actresses were cast out of Atlanta and New York City. 2003-2004 Swamp Gravy: On the Square was performed in Cotton Hall. This was adapted to the stage by local playwright Debra C. Jones and directed by Rob. Lauer. Smoke on the Mountain was professionally performed in Cotton Hall in June of 2004. 2004-2005 Swamp Gravy: Down at the Depot premiered at Cotton Hall in the fall of 2004. This was adapted to the stage by local playwright Debra C. Jones and directed by Rob. Lauer. Sheila Cauley came on staff as our production manager in the summer of 2004. Swamp Gravy touring became a priority again. Swamp Gravy went on tours to Thomasville, Savannah (for the State Bar Association Meeting), Panama City FL, Albany, and Moultrie. We also have had several special productions that were "off season" for planned meetings and guests in Colquitt. A Southern Christmas Carol was performed in Cotton Hall for the second year. Many of the actors came back to repeat or either perform different roles. Again this was directed by Rob. Lauer with Sheila Cauley as the production manager. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn premiered in Cotton Hall in June 2005. This was also a professional production written by Rob. Lauer with music by Peter Lewis. Again many of the actors and actresses from previous professional productions came back to perform in Cotton Hall. Millenium Mural Project had its tenth mural completed with a collaborative project with the children of the New Life Learning Center. "Summer in the Swamp" was completed in March of 2005. 2005-2006 Swamp Gravy: Nuthin' But A Will premiered in Cotton Hall in October of 2005. This season we welcomed back our original artistic director, Richard Geer and his professional team which consist of playwright/ co-artistic director Jules Corriere, scenic designer Joe Varga, lighting designer Brackley Frayer, and choreographer Kevin Iega Jeff. This year Swamp Gravy performed in Americus, Savannah, and Thomasville and also had "mini-performances" throughout the region. A Southern Christmas Carol had it's third season in Cotton Hall during November and December of 2005. Millenium Mural Project The 11th mural was completed in the Spring of 2006. "Nuthin' But A Will" features stories from the Colquitt Miller County Volunteer Fire Department. Governor Sonny Purdue signed the state bill which established Colquitt as "Georgia's First Mural City" on May 9th, 2006.   May-Haw, Colquitt's own version of Hee Haw was added to the Cotton Hall schedule. This fun show served as a fund raiser to benefit the "Nuthin' But A Will" mural project and now will continue to be a fundraiser for various arts council projects. Gospel of the Rock premiered in Cotton Hall in the summer of 2006. This was a true story about two Georgia boys who escaped from Alcatraz in 1962. This was the first production in Cotton Hall that will bring both both professional actors and local talent to the stage for a production.   2006-2007 Swamp Gravy: Visiting Hours premiered in Cotton Hall in October of 2006.  The show featured stories of visitors, family and strangers alike who sometimes bring more than we expect.  Cotton Hall Christmas made its debut in Cotton Hall during November and December of 2006. May-Haw, Colquitt's own musical variety show, performed during the last weekends of January, April and July.  It also went on tour to Lake Blackshear during the year. Swamp Gravy Songbook:  Comin' Down Like Rain continued Cotton Hall's professional season with a cast of local professional talent.  The show featured songs from the past 14 Swamp Gravy productions in a brand new show that joined two families struggling to survivea drought. 2007-2008 Swamp Gravy's 15th season began with Swamp Gravy: Reunion.  True stories of local family reunions come to the stage in a hilarious show for the entire family.