Sweet Georgia Brown - A Musical look at Savannah's History
By Gwen Leahy
“Sweet Georgia Brown”
A Musical Look at Savannah’s History
One of the main draws to Savannah is our proclivity towards the macabre. On any given night of the week, there are dozens of ghost tours marching our squares, multiple museums touting the works of various ghouls of both supernatural and human origin, and a plaque on every historically significant building stating the various plagues/fires/freak accidents that occurred within their walls. Even more, Savannah was essentially thrust onto the national stage due to the success of “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” a true story about a highly publicized murder mystery of Pattersonian proportions. However, the true horror story of Savannah is “politely” swept under the rug by most businesses, officials, and locals: Our beautiful little city on the river was built on the backs of exploited and underrepresented Black, Indigenous, and other peoples of color.
There are, of course, many organizations whose goals are to uncover the past, and tell the unadulterated truth of our history. The Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum, Savannah Black History Tours, and the Pin Point Heritage Museum, to name a few, are spectacular establishments dedicated to the preservation and retelling of Black history in the lowcountry. However, one local theatre troupe is putting in their work as well, to teach their audience our history through the lens of song, dance, and wit.
40 Acres and a Mule Playhouse (whose name truly says everything you need to know about where the company’s intentions lie), is currently in production of their newest house-written musical “Sweet Georgia Brown,” a jazzy jukebox musical set in 1920s Frogtown, Savannah featuring a predominantly Black cast and crew, live jazz standards, and an upbeat comedic punch guaranteed to keep the audience engaged. But, for everyone working on the production, “Sweet Georgia Brown” is more than just a musical; it is an opportunity to tell the story of Black residents in a portion of Savannah most people have forgotten existed.
“Frogtown was a Black working-class community; many of its residents worked for the railroad,” states show-writer and 40 Acres co-producer Fritz Rumpel. “At a time when they faced racial discrimination, economic depression and crime, they showed the grit and had the belief that a better time was coming, perhaps not around the corner but at least around the block. It is this kind of spirit we try to get across in our show.”
Rumpel manages to perfectly encapsulate prohibition-era Savannah into his story, even down to the character and song choices. When asked further about how he managed to bring such a genuine feel to the show, he said, “Each [song] was carefully selected to either contribute to the plot or help personalize one of the characters. For example, ‘Hard Hearted Hannah’ and ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’ define [the] lead characters in the story.” However, he contributes the heart and soul of these numbers to his brilliant choreographer, Muriel Miller, who, literally and metaphorically, put the swinging in the singing. Overall, Rumpel’s main goal is for audiences to have a wonderful and impactful time, stating, “I hope they will hum the songs and dance in the aisles on their way out of the door with the knowledge that presenting a deeper message can be delivered in an entertaining way.”
All in all, “Sweet Georgia Brown” is a must-watch for any theatre-goer, but especially for us locals. Furthermore, for our local producers, I challenge you to take a page out of 40 Acres and a Mule Playhouse’s book; it is not enough to support our BIPOC community quietly. It is our responsibility to provide our community with opportunities to interact with, perform in, and be moved by our culture and history, and not just the “easy” parts of it. In a final quote from Rumple, “Dig deep.”
In the meantime, buy your tickets for the final weekend of “Sweet Georgia Brown!” Furthermore, for more entertainment and education from this incredible team, keep an eye out for their next venture “Forty Acres and a Mule,” a docudrama about the historic Savannah meeting during which the famous land redistribution plan was born. For more information, go to The Docudrama | 40acres.
