GMC Prep to bring 'Swing!' as spring musical this week

May 2—This year's spring musical being put on by Georgia Military College Prep School comes with a twist.

The talented students' vocal and dance performances will be joined by a live orchestra as the school takes a step back in time with "Swing! The Musical" as its spring selection. Shows are scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday and Saturday at Russell Auditorium.

"We really wanted to do something different and honor Military Appreciation Month," GMC Prep fine arts director Mark Weaver said. "'Swing!' is an homage to the music of the World War II era and the popular USO shows made famous by Bob Hope. It was the perfect choice for a big, shiny musical, and we are thrilled to bring this to the Milledgeville community."

American actor, comedian and entertainer Bob Hope famously worked with the United Service Organizations (USO) for 50 years beginning in World War II in 1941 all the way through 1991. During his USO tours, he would travel to military bases and entertain troops all while giving them a taste of home. "Swing!" was written to celebrate the swing era of jazz that lasted from the 1930s into the mid-1940s, and there's a lot of crossover between the show and the numbers Hope used to do on his tours. Selections include "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "I'll Be Seeing You," and others heard in days gone by performed by 50 singers and dancers as well as 16 orchestra members.

"While the show has no official plot, it does have an overall theme and that's what makes it so appealing," co-director Jenny Morris said. "Swing was nominated for five Tony Awards in 2000. It's a very popular show and a huge crowd favorite."

Directing the orchestra is GMC Prep band director Clint Raburn. The musical accompaniment is a mix of GMC band students and a few professional musicians from around central Georgia.

"The orchestra is integrated into the show and is on stage with the actors and singers the entire time," Weaver said. "They add a completely new element to our show and the fullness of live music can't be overstated. The choreography takes center stage in this show and choreography by Jenny Morris is, as always, stunning and perfectly reflective of the time period of the music."

To make room for the orchestra addition, "Swing!" will take the stage at Georgia College & State University's Russell Auditorium rather than GMC's Goldstein Center. More room for the orchestra also means more room for the audience since Russell is a larger venue. Tickets are available online now at gmcperformingarts.com, and admission is $10. Two box office windows, accepting cash or credit card, will also be open before each show.