When the Vietnam-era Huey helicopter flies over Rodney Peek's house at the end of Miss Saigon at night, he and his son go outside to watch it pass.
When Ann Robinson hears it, it sends her rescue dog, Buddy, into her lap or under the desk.
The helicopter has brought attention and rave reviews to Serenbe Playhouse’s production, which is performed outdoors on a man-made canal in a wildflower field. It has also frustrated some residents, who say the Playhouse and community have been inconsiderate with this production and others.
“It’s annoying; it’s loud; it sounds like it’s so close, it’s going to hit something,” Robinson said.
Peek sees it differently.
“It really doesn’t pop up on my radar screen as anything disruptive,” he said.
The arrival of the helicopter at a key moment in the story has brought some theater patrons to tears. Brian Clowdus, the Playhouse’s founder and its executive and artistic director, said most local residents have “really embraced” the Playhouse as it has grown. The helicopter in Miss Saigon has gotten a lot of buzz, he said, but it’s the immersive theater experience that really makes the difference for theater-goers.
Miss Saigon tells the story of an American soldier who marries a Vietnamese woman during the war in Vietnam, but leaves her during the fall of Saigon. The soldier is evacuated by helicopter.
Some neighbors, like Joe Gipp, don’t have a problem with the noise. In fact, Amber Rampley, who works in Serenbe, said many neighbors in the development say they leave their windows open at night so they can hear the singing.
“It’s like a Broadway musical in their backyard for free,” she said.
For other neighbors in Chattahoochee Hills, the helicopter is just another source of frustration with the densely developed Serenbe community that has grown inside the rural area, 30 miles southwest of Atlanta.
Victoria Adair, who lives across the street from where Miss Saigon is staged, said an ambitious production of Carousel this spring came with a fully formed fairground, including a functioning merry-go-round and Ferris wheel, as well as arcade games and carnival acts.
The fair shined lights into her house, Adair said. A few months later, Miss Saigon was staged. The helicopter, which lands after 10 p.m. five days a week for the month-long run, scares her 2-year-old out of bed.
“It’s just been nightmarish,” Adair said. “It’s supposed to be a peaceful getaway from the city. It has not been quiet whatsoever.”
Phyllis Morris, who lives just a couple houses away from Serenbe, said she can hear the helicopter from her bedroom. If it wasn’t temporary, she said, she would find it aggravating.
No one from Serenbe contacted residents to tell them about the impact this or other productions would have on their lives, Morris said. Though Morris said she likes Serenbe, she also wishes some things would change.
“If we lived next door, I’d be upset,” she said.
Clowdus said he doubts that residents can hear the helicopter — “It’s really minimal noise,” he said — and that neither he or the theater have received any complaints. He also questioned whether the lights from Carousel could really be seen
“Until I have names, it’s just a couple of faceless people,” Clowdus said. “I do think it’s become a little sensationalized.”
Adair said she called the Playhouse, but got no response.
The helicopter doesn’t violate the city’s noise ordinance, which allows noise until 11 p.m. Besides, Chattahoochee Hills Mayor Tom Reed said, the city is in the flight path of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and it’s not unusual to hear jets flying over.
The helicopter, he said, is no louder. He can hear it from his home in Serenbe, a quarter-mile away from the outdoor stage. With the TV on and the windows closed, it’s barely perceptible.
“It’s a rural area. You hear a lot of noises around here,” Reed said. “There are more calls of support than calls of complaint.”
During Wednesday’s production, more than a half-dozen planes flew overhead. They were audible, but the helicopter was louder, and stayed in one place longer.
Upcoming productions include The Sleepy Hollow Experience and The Snow Queen; both are outdoor traveling performances.
“People keep saying it’s only for a month. OK, that’s great. What’s next month?” Adair said. “It’s the what’s-next factor.”
About the Author
