Follies coming to an end in Tallassee?

Unless someone steps up, the Fabulous Follies have come to an end in Tallassee.

The Follies were a project of Pat Merrett and for 25 years the lip syncing fun have provided laughs for everyone and funds for the Tallassee High School music programs. Merrett was working at Stillwaters and producing a similar program for residents there when she introduced Don Bryant to the Follies. He was master of ceremonies once at Stillwaters and Bryant has been a fixture of the Follies in Tallassee too.

“She twisted my arm,” Bryant said. “She said, ‘Oh by the way while you are MCing, you have to fill in for this role.’”

Bryant has had many roles over the years in the Follies. This year alone he was Merrett’s protagonist in The Intercom, played coach in Who’s On First, the announcer in Dorf Breaks the Record, the TV host in The Reluctant Astronaut, the patient in The Dentist, a member of The Dooright Family and more.

Bryant said the whole creation is Merrett’s and he just showed up at the times Merrett volun-told him to.

“Every bit of this is Pat,” Bryant said. “It’s the same person that twisted everyone else’s arm to get involved.”

Like always, this year’s show featured husband and wife teams such as Angie and Joe Gantt and mothers and daughters such as Joely and Macey Stewarts.

“The Stewarts have always been here,” Merrett said. 

Macey is a swimmer going to the University of Alabama. But the Tallassee High senior took a weekend off from the pool to have a little fun with her mother, keeping a family tradition alive. 

“My mom and both my siblings have always done it since it started,” Macey said.

Over the years Merrett has come up with every skit but one.

“Never again,” she said. 

But one skit has been there every year — Soul Man. It has featured principals, chamber presidents and more. This year it featured Samantha Baker and Amari Parker in black suits. 

“I have had three year olds in tuxes doing it,” Merrett said.

She has had more little ones in the past. Scheduling conflicts this year kept the small ones off the stage. Each year about 40 people have been involved, more when the show choirs were part of the skits. 

“That is a whole bunch of people when you think about it,” Merrett said. 

Now the Follies are there for someone else to lead.