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68 maconmagazine.com OUR 2022/2023 SEASON The best part of the magic of community theatre is that YOU can be a part of it. We're "pulling back the curtain" this year to give you great drama. o c t o b e r 21-30, 2022 d i r e c t e d b y j p h a y n i e m u s i c d i r e c t i o n b y n e s t o r j a e n z 478-471-PLAY | MACONLITTLETHEATRE.ORG | 4220 FORSYTH ROAD A Horror Movie Musical Fit for Halloween OCT. 21-30 GET TICKETS AND FIND OUT MORE MACONLITTLETHEATRE.ORG Excellence in Education, Since 1903 St. Peter Claver Catholic School 133 Ward Street, Macon 478.743.3985 spccatholicschool.org and Laura's nearly weekly, others who come when they can, and still passersby who see a friendly face and unexpectedly find themselves an added member to a party they didn't previously know existed. "One of my favorite things is sharing a meal with people," Steve said. "When COVID made that unsafe, this became that. Every visitor has a guaranteed shared experience. The dynamics change as people come and go throughout the night, but this is always a non-judgmental, open- door environment." Monday nights on Steve and Laura's front porch has done more than bring people together to discuss ideas. It has created a feeling of home. When Mary O'Malley first moved to Macon in January 2021, it was, as she put it, "a ghost town." But when she met Laura, Macon began to unfold before her. "Laura invited me to Monday night on her porch, and I realized I found my people. It is so cinematic; it's what I imagined Macon would be. This was integral for me. I would not have considered staying here so seriously if not for this porch. This is how I fell in love with Macon," O'Malley said. Though Steve and Laura have been known for hosting bigger parties and helping producing events, like Macon Beer Festival – back again this October – Monday nights are casual, come- as-you-are gatherings. For Laura, the thing that has kept a weekly gathering sustainable for the past two years is to keep it comfortable. "Mondays on the porch is an open invitation. We have a window of time and people just come when they're ready," she said. On this porch, ideas flow as frequently as wine. Conversations mirror what I imagine one of Gertrude Stein's salons might have fostered. When they host, Steve believes that "people should leave feeling better than when they arrived." Every person, and every idea, is welcome. As old friends and new acquaintances converse eagerly, the inhibitions of one's day seem a distant memory. The key to it all is simple. "Always have wine," Laura advised. "There's something really plenteous about bringing out another bottle."