Swamp Gravy

Swamp Gravy is Georgia's official folk-life play, but more than that is a community project that has contributed to emotional and economic healing in its community, Colquitt, Georgia.

Story gatherers from the area were charged with the task of recording stories from the community. Once they were gathered, the stories were transcribed and put together in a script by playwright Jo Carson. Swamp Gravy began small, just a one time event performed in the elementary school auditorium. Since then, it has grown into a seasonal run of thirty-two shows annually. A new show premieres each October with new stories from the town. Original music is added by local volunteers to complement the stories.Valerie and Presto

Colquitt was a small town, struggling like many of its kind. Projects like Swamp Gravy and the Millennium Mural Project have succeeded in bringing tourism to the area.

The cast consists of 60-80 volunteer actors. Many cast members have been with the project throughout its life.

Swamp Gravy has become a national and international model for community theater. Delegates from Colquitt have traveled to nearly 15 states and several foreign nations in order to start other projects of the same kind.

The Arts-Council's flagstaff production, Swamp Gravy, has paved the way for other shows at Cotton Hall Theater including professional productions, variety shows, and youth theater shows.