Sitting in for Phil Boyum, Tommy Palmer was the guest host for Tuesday's “Mornings unPHILtered” show.
    Palmer welcomed Georgia Southern students Adam Pulver and Brittany Coughlin to the program. They are part of the cast of the Music Department's opera production entitled “Into the Woods.”
    Pulver plays Jack and Brittany plays Little Red Riding Hood in this Broadway musical based on the Grimm Brothers tales.
    Dr. Arikka Gregory, director of the Georgia Southern opera program, worked with Dr. Richard Mercier, the Chairman of Georgia Southern's Music Department, to put the show together.
    As the story unfolds, the audience will recognize their favorite childrens characters such as Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Cinderella. The Broadway musical won many awards in 1988 when it premiered, including sweeping that years prestigious Tony Awards, winning in 10 categories.
    The show opens Thursday for three evening performances and a matinee on Sunday at the Performing Arts Center. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. each night and an understudy production is set for 3 p.m. Sunday.
    Tickets are $13 for general admission, $10 for GSU faculty and staff and $7 for students and children. However, all GSU students will be admitted free with ID for the Thursday night show.
    For tickets, call the PAC box office at (912) 478-7999.
    The next guest on the Mornings unPHILtered show was Anita Hall from the Downtown Development Authority. Hall discussed the First Friday events coming up. The Taste of Downtown event will return. Tickets are $5, and they will enable you to sample the food from restaurants from all over Statesboro.
    There are 19 restaurants participating. Several Georgia Southern bands and musicians will entertain the crowds.
    This month's First Friday also will feature a first ever community cookie contest, open to all beginner as well as veteran home bakers. You have to bring four dozen cookies, each of which should be cut in half, to the Courthouse lawn no later than 5:30 p.m.
    The public will be invited to taste and then judge them, after which the winner will be announced at 7:30 p.m. that evening.
    The movie “Ratatouille” will then be shown at the Averitt Center at 7:30.
    For more details, please call the Downtown Development office at (912) 764-7227.
    
     “Mornings unPHILtered” airs live Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on statesboroherald.com and also simulcast on WWNS-AM 1240 on the radio. You also can listen anytime at BoroLive.com on statesboroherald.com