Bringing back Bard show favorites
even reminded us of some Atlanta
days gone by. Loren Collins and
Elizabeth Story sang the sordid tale
of sex, drugs, and RICO charges in
“Gold Club Atlanta,” set to Barry
Manilow’s Copacabana, while
Greg Presmanes, David Schaef-
fer, Billy Scott, Michael Caldwell,
and Brian Johnson harmonized
to “No More Peachtree Road” (the
Eagles’ “Seven Bridges Road”), a
post-recession song about a group
of out-of-work Buckhead lawyers
from a silk-stocking law firm.
More than 1,000 people filled the
seats during the show’s two-night
run. As always, the production
packed the house with family,
friends and colleagues eager to
see consummate professionals cut
loose and ham it up. The cast did
not disappoint, as Bonnie Smith
hilariously explained how being a
bailiff is good for dating in “I Can
Be Your Bailiff,” Kimberly Reese
and a group of boxer-clad backup
dancers did the “Old Time Slip
and Fall,” and Ashley Wilson Clark
mooned over a pool-boy at a CLE
conference in “Poolish Games.”
The Bard show also just wouldn’t
have been the Bard show without
some tap dancing, a personal fa-
vorite of Cathy O’Neil’s.
But among all the fun, the show
also gave us time for reflection,
showing a video montage of family
photos of its honoree, who passed
away in 2017 from pancreatic can-
cer. The montage, accompanied
by Courtney McBurney’s beautiful
voice-over performance of “What
I Did For Love," was a moving me-
morial to an individual who meant
so much to so many. Of O’Neil’s
influence, show producer and
former Atlanta Bar president Mag-
gie Vath stated, “The Bard Show
would not exist without Cathy’s
leadership and steady hand. It is
remarkable to see how many lives
Cathy touched. Even now, she is
our inspiration. The show will not
be the same without her guiding
presence. But she wanted the show
to go on. And go on it will. It will
be her legacy.”
A Bard Show Tribute: One Singular
Sensation benefitted the charitable
programs of the Atlanta Bar Foun-
dation. To date, the Courthouse
Line series has raised more than
$500,000 and is the foundation’s
largest single event fundraiser.
Although proceeds are still being
totaled for this year’s event, Vath
noted that the tribute show is ex-
pected to be record-breaking in
its profits.
To make an online donation to the
Atlanta Bar Foundation and the Cathy
O’Neil Bard Show Fund, go to the
Foundation tab of atlantabar.org.
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association THE ATLANTA LAWYER
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