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     The Music Man- at the Cumming Playhouse

The Cumming Playhouse is very pleased with the new season contract with Next Stage Theatre Company. We have high expectations for the success of the musicals planned through February 2011; they include Gypsy the Musical, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (the musical version of Miracle on 34th Street), and Evita in the spring.

Summer 2010 will bring The Music Man, sure to be a favorite with families and students on summer vacation, and visitors to our town. The musical’s smalltown setting is well suited to Cumming and the surrounding communities. Jerry Harlow and Rob Hardie of Next Stage Theatre Company have some exciting and creative ideas planned for the show, which include bringing the show as near to the audience as possible. The grand finale alone will be worth the price of the ticket, so do make your plans to see The Music Man. If “Seventy-Six Trombones” is not already engraved in your memory from having seen this show in the past, this joyous grand finale by Next Stage Theatre Company is certain to secure a place in your heart for quite some time.

     The Many Faces of a Mother

The weather forecast threatened rain on Saturday, April 17, and we had made plans to shoot this cover. Of course, it didn’t rain, it was bright and sunny and a perfect day for a photo. Vanessa McBrayer had arranged for all the ladies to meet at the Peach Brandy Cottage in Dawsonville. Vanessa even entertained the kids while their moms were posing for the pictures.

Thanks to the folks at Peach Brandy for letting us use their beautiful facility. Everything was clean and manicured. Even the swans on the lake were in rare form. If you are planning an event, you will want to check their web site (www.PeachBrandyCottage.com) and see all the things they have to offer.

Also thanks to all the mothers who gave up their Saturday morning to take part in this issue. They are (front row) Teresa Conowal, Amy Roberts, Linda Merritt, Sharon Keating, Candace Neighbours; (back row) Katie Owen, Janice Darnell, Wendy Sundgren, Dana Jones, Jessica Beck, and Lisa Bennett. Mary Otway was unable to attend the photo shoot. Thanks to Beth Snider for all the effort she put into making this a great cover. You will see all of these special ladies’ stories in this issue. I wish we could have put all our mothers on the cover; but know that we love and appreciate each one of you and wish you a Happy Mother’s Day.

               Hooray for History

The town of Dahlonega is well known for its gold-rush history, and what better place to document it than the gold museum located in the 1836 Lumpkin County Courthouse, the oldest courthouse in Georgia. Housed in this beautiful building is the story of the thousands of prospectors who came to North Georgia, and the beginning of the first gold rush. In this historic structure in the center of the town square, you can view artifacts of the period, including gold nuggets, gold coins, and gold-panning equipment. There’s an educational film as well, and a gift shop. Visitors can also explore the features of the courthouse itself, including beautiful wooden chapel seats from 1889, and the judge’s chambers. Some exhibits are on the second floor and are not wheelchair accessible. Guidelines from the National Register of Historic Places prevent the addition of an elevator to this building.

Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm; Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm. Take time to read all the wonderful stories of the past we’ve included in this issue; you’ll hear about the first telephones—and about a time when there was no McDonald’s in town! In April our regular columns will be back to inform and entertain you. 

     Spring Festivals & The Arts

 We thank John Hutchinson, Organist and Director of Music, Worship & Arts at the Cumming First United Methodist Church, for supplying the beautiful painting that graces our cover this month. This is a sample of what you will find at the Festival of Arts being held April 18-25 at the church, located at 770 Canton Highway. The Festival of Arts was established in 2008 with the goal of presenting professional and student visual artists in gallery displays. The professional visual artists are juried, and cash awards are given. See more about this event on page 16.

The work on the cover is by Connie Lynn Reilly of Buford, GA. She is an Atlanta native, a true southern belle. Connie has studied with various artists over the years: Irving Lawhon, Morgan Weistling, George Carlson, Nelson Shanks, Richard Whitney, and Tony Couch, to name a few.

               Happy Valetine's Day

Ahhh, amore! Regardless of what’s going on in the world around us, people will always fall in love. And although we’re sure it happens year-round, what better time for us to celebrate love and affection than in this February issue? Be sure to note how many North Georgia advertisers are showing their love with specials, sentiments, or just showing their red and pink colors. In addition to some Valentine’s celebrations in our events, we pay tribute to Valentine’s Day on page 19 with one look at its hazy origins.

This been a really fun issue to put together—what goes better with love than rocks! There is a lot of gemstone knowledge being shared in this issue. Did you know that “semi-precious” is a term the gem industry would like to see obsolete? The term was originally used to describe any gem other than a diamond, sapphire, ruby, or emerald. But since the term implies sub-standard value, and there are so many equally beautiful clear and colored stones (such as apatite and tourmalines) as well as beautiful “rocks” (such as lapis, turquoise, jasper, and agate), the word “precious” seems to no longer apply to only a few stones. All are precious! When it comes to gems, beauty and value are truly in the eye of the beholder. We want to send a big “thank you!” to Mr. Donald Clark of the International Gem Society (www. gemsociety.org) and the International Colored Gemstone Association (www.gemstone.org) for providing such wonderful gemstone articles. We hope you will not only find these articles interesting, but will also feel more informed when you go to make your next gem purchase. If your interest is piqued, you should certainly check out their web sites, where you can find an abundance of gem information for just about any age and any experience level.

               Happy New Year!

Nothing warms your bones like a good cup of hot coffee, cocoa, or tea. It is a welcoming treat when you come in out of the cold. We hope you enjoy our featured recipes and use and share them for many years.

Thank you, thank you to our advertisers who make this publication possible. You are wonderful folks and we appreciate all you do. We wish you a prosperous New Year. Readers, shop with our advertisers and tell them you saw them in 400 Edition.

On February 14 we will celebrate St. Valentine’s Day. We are inviting our readers to send us a short item (about 50 words) about their favorite Valentine Day or their favorite “Valentine.” Advertisers, we encourage you to advertise your business in the next issue. February is a good month for gift certificates, visits to the spa or beauty salon, sending flowers, and jewelry. Guys, remember diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Call 706-867-6455 to talk to someone about advertising. You may also place an ad through our web site: www.400edition.com. For the month of March, we will have a historic theme. Several folks have starting writing articles on that subject, but we always have need for more. If you have knowledge about some historic events or places, please submit to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for consideration.