Meet the ghosts of Macon's past at Spirits in October

Oct. 22--Part of the fun for an actor is seeing the audience's reaction, and Ed Irwin gets that up close and personal as a participant in the Spirits in October tours, happening now through Nov. 1 at Riverside Cemetery.

"It's the best of all possible worlds; when you are acting, normally you are on the stage with the floodlights on you. This is a five-minute vignette that is totally about the interaction with the audience. It's so much fun, and we inevitably have a group with a family member of one of the people being portrayed. It's great to be able to bring the spirits of the area to life," he said.

Irwin, who also serves as a tour guide, Historic Riverside Cemetery Conservancy board member and organizing committee member, portrays Parks Lee Hay.

"He was a very interesting man who turned the Johnston House into the Johnston-Hay House," Irwin said. "He was a self-made man at the turn of the century who founded the Banker's Health and Life Insurance Company in an effort to build something to benefit the everyday hardworking yet low-salaried people, and he certainly benefitted as well."

Hay built a house on North Avenue, but when he saw the Johnston House was for sale, he wrote a check for the full amount while standing on the sidewalk in front of the house, Irwin said, adding that Hay's story and those of the other Macon residents portrayed in the eighth annual production are uncovered by the cemetery's Story Squad.

"The Story Squad is a group of volunteers who like to write or maybe have some theater experience, and they start in January with a theme. Last year it was 'Notables and Notorious'; this year it's 'Unexpected Exits.' The cemetery has a database and they start looking for who fits the bill," Irwin said.

According to a news release, a few of the others portrayed this year are Lida Gerdine Burke, wife of missionary William Burke, who was imprisoned by the Japanese in China; Twiggs Lyndon, road manager of the Allman Brothers Band, who lost his life in a tragic skydiving accident; Sarah Bull Park, one of 40 Methodist women who formed the Nancy Harts Militia in LaGrange during the Civil War; Reb Massenburg, Acme Beer executive, who instructed that he be buried standing upright; and William Holt Ernest, known as the "Human Cork" because he could float for hours.

The one-hour walking tours depart from the cemetery's Gatehouse every 15 minutes. Each tour will end at the Macon Public Mausoleum, where light refreshments will be served. All proceeds from the event will benefit the cemetery's conservancy.

Spirits in October

When: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 23-24 and Oct. 29-Oct. 30; 4-6 p.m. Oct. 25 and Nov. 1

Where: Riverside Cemetery, 1301 Riverside Drive

Cost: $15 per individual, $25 per couple, $40 for a group of four

Information: 478-301-5470; www.tickets.mercer.edu

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