Audience Magazine - April 2020

A behind-the-scenes look into Louisville’s performing arts during this unprecedented time of reflection and artistic creation.

magazine

APRIL 2020

PNC BROADWAY IN LOUISVILLE Don't miss the return of Hamilton! Page 10 | ACTORS THEATRE Bringing the stage to your living room. Page 16 | LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA Details on a prestigious return to Carnegie Hall. Page 24 | KENTUCKY PERFORMING ARTS Why this is intermission and a Fall lineup for everyone. Page 34 | LOUISVILLE BALLET Two dancers take their final bows, an exclusive interview. Page 40 | KENTUCKY OPERA How they're conquering new challenges. Page 46 | KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE Accessible, interactive, and timeless. Why you should bring the whole family. Page 48 | FUND FOR THE ARTS How art keeps us centered, connected, inspired, and hopeful. Page 58

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OUR INAUGURAL ISSUE Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.

- Thomas Merton

Written in 1955 by the celebrated American Trappist monk, theologian and writer Thomas Merton, these words were never truer than they are right now. Sequestered in our homes, asked to remain apart from one another and removed from nearly everything that makes us feel normal, the arts have become our salvation.

Here at Audience, we were heartbroken along with everyone else when the stages of our beloved theater companies went dark in March. But Louisville’s performing arts community is resilient. As you’ll see in the pages that follow, it didn’t take long for our arts groups to rally and do what they do best — get creative.

While most live, in-person shows are being postponed until the Fall, Louisville’s performing arts groups are finding new and imaginative ways to reach theater and music lovers here and around the world.

G. Douglas Dreisbach Publisher

Through online experiences and virtual programming, the groups are offering us a chance to envelope ourselves in the warmth of storytelling, and escape the fear and anxiety we’re all feeling right now. During this time of uncertainty and chaos, they are also helping us to reconnect with our humanity, and to find the blessings amid the difficulties.

As the COVID-19 crisis emerged, we were inspired to launch Audience Magazine as a new voice for the performing arts in Louisville. Our arts groups are among the best in the world, and we wanted to provide a collective communications outlet to help keep them in front of patrons and arts enthusiasts during these trying times.

In this issue and others to come, we’ll be showcasing the efforts of PNC Broadway in Louisville, Louisville Orchestra, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Kentucky Performing Arts, Louisville Ballet, Kentucky Opera and Kentucky Shakespeare. We’ll highlight how each one is showing incredible resiliency and continued vibrancy in the face of unprecedented challenges.

We’re grateful to the support of our advertisers, who are making the magazine possible at no charge. We would like to offer a special thanks to both Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Governor Andy Beshear for not only their ongoing support of the arts, but for all they are doing to protect our community. Their leadership now will help ensure we’re all still here to enjoy the magic of music and theater when the crisis has passed.

Amy Higgs Managing Editor

Audience is so proud to be able to shine a light on the work our city’s performing arts groups are doing behind the scenes, both now and in the future. We hope you enjoy our inaugural issue.

Until the curtain rises again.

– The Audience Group

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C R A F T E D C A R E F U L LY. D R I N K R E S P O N S I B LY.

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W O O D F O R D R E S E R VA E I SU A RD E G I SI T E REE D N T R A DC E M AE R K . © 2M 020 A B R OG W N -A F O RZ M A NI. AN L L R IEG H T S R E S E R V E D .

Team Kentucky, Together we have embarked on a chapter in history that will be remembered as one of the most challenging times in our lives. The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has spread across the world, changing our everyday lives and, sadly, taking far too many.

To protect the lives of Kentuckians, we took aggressive, but necessary action to slow the spread of COVID-19. I am thankful and proud of Kentuckians who are making great sacrifices. Your efforts are helping us flatten the curve – that is, slow the rate of coronavirus infections – and protect our most vulnerable.

As we engage in social distancing and stay healthy at home, I encourage families to take time to support our arts community by taking advantage of virtual and digital opportunities.

Through the Kentucky Performing Arts, you can support our dedicated, talented professionals by tuning into #KPAatHome a virtual concert series designed to connect Kentuckians to the arts and support local artists impacted by COVID-19. I applaud their innovative efforts to continue to bring art and culture directly to Kentucky families.

As we continue to battle COVID-19, I am confident that we will get through this and we will get through this together. Thank you for doing your part as a member of Team Kentucky.

Sincerely,

Andy Beshear 63rd Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky

KYCOVID19@KY.GOV

#TEAMKENTUCKY

#HEALTHYATHOME A P R I L 2 0 2 0

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I NEEA LT H M A N A G E M E N T P E R S O N A L • M O R T G AAGUED •I EBNUCSEI NMEAS G S A•Z W

OVID19 outbreak in our world, the fibers of our connections and our have been tested. Thankfully, in this time of social distancing, ealth and economic concerns, our arts community is at the forefront and ensure our connections remain strong.

GREETINGS FROM MAYOR FISCHER

agazine for sharing uplifting content in this time of need. Arts are nd together, we have looked to are the the arts soul for inspiration and comfort Arts of our community, and together, n met with innovation and creativity. ourinspiration and we have That’s lookedthe to power the artsoffor time when our treasured arts and cultural facing comfort in neworganizations ways — andare we've been met with ir first efforts centered around their united mission to deliver innovation and creativity. That's the power of our gh quality arts experiences. These organizations never wavered on selfless arts community. e all better for it. Arts are part of what makes us special. Arts will

Greetings! covery Campaign, Louisville’s Fund for the Arts is working to erable nonprofit arts organizationsPartare strongly positioned to of what makes us a compassionate city is the recognition that we are all ty for years to come. I urge you toconnected. contribute toauthor that and effort andmonk theThomas Merton once wrote of As noted Trappist experience in downtown "I was suddenly overwhelmed with the and cultural institutions are a vitalanpart of our city’s Louisville, spirit and realization that I loved all those people, theyof were mine and I theirs, that duty and a privilege to help ensure they remain an invaluablethat part we could not be alien to one another even though we were total strangers." ome.

Sincerely,

Today, in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak in our world, the fibers of our connections and our sense of community certainly have been tested. Thankfully, in this time of social distancing, closured, cancellations, and health and economic concerns, our arts community is at the forefront of efforts to bring us together and ensure our connections remain strong.

I'd like to thank Audience Magazine for sharing uplifting content in this time of need. Arts are the soul of our community, and together, we have looked to the arts for inspiration and comfort in new ways — and we've been met with innovation Greg Fischer and creativity. That's the power of our selfless arts community. At a time when Mayor our treasured arts and cultural organizations are facing profound financial losses, their first efforts centered around their united mission to deliver community-wide WWW.LOUISVILLEKY.GOV access to high-quality arts experiences. These organizations never wavered on that mission, and today we are all better for it. Arts are a part of what makes us special.

527 WEST JEFFERSON STREET LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 40202 502.574.2003 Arts will help us heal.

Greg Fischer Mayor

Through the Cultural Lou Recovery Campaign, Louisville's Fund for the Arts is working to ensure our economically vulnerable nonprofit arts organizations are strongly positioned to reopen to serve our community for years to come. I urge you to contribute to that effort and the vibrancy of our city. Our arts and cultural institutions are a vital part of our city's spirit and economy, and I consider it a duty and a privilege to help ensure they remain an invaluable part of our community for years to come.

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TABLE of CONTENTS APRIL 2020

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The 2020-21 PNC Broadway in Louisville Season is STACKED!

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Anastasia-inspired art installation

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Catching up with President Leslie Broecker

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Actors Theatre Direct From the stage to your living room

Spinning Disks Louisville Orchestra’s Long-Playing Legacy of Creating New Music

The curtain will rise again This is Just Intermission

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Upcoming Performances

Actors Theatre & Chill

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Catching up with Chief External Affairs Officer Patrick Owen

LO returns to Carnegie Hall!

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Catching up with President John Malloy

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Catching up with President & CEO Kim Baker

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Two Dancers Take Their Final Bows Exclusive Interviews with Dancers Emily Reinking O'Dell & Hailey Bowles

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Catching up with Artistic & Executive Director Robert Curran

A behind-the-scenes look into Louisville’s performing arts during this unprecedented time of reflection and artistic creation.

PUBLISHER

The Audience Group, Inc. G. Douglas Dreisbach MANAGING EDITOR

Amy Higgs CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Rhonda Mefford SALES & MARKETING

G. Douglas Dreisbach CONTRIBUTORS

PNC Broadway in Louisville Actors Theatre Louisville Orchestra Kentucky Performing Arts Louisville Ballet Kentucky Opera Kentucky Shakespeare Fund for the Arts

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Catching up with General Director Barbara Lynne Jamison

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The Play's The Thing Why Family Time at Kentucky Shakespeare Is Our Thing

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About Kentucky Shakespeare

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Catching up with Producing Artistic Director Matt Wallace

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Come Together Art keeps us centered, connected, inspired, and hopeful

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Delivering World-Class Arts & Cultural Experiences to YOU!

To read current and previous Audience playbills and performance guides, go to issuu.com/audience502.

On the Cover: Kentucky Shakespeare in Central Park.

From the show, As You Like It. Photo by Bill Brymer.

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5 Questions with JP Davis Fund for the Arts' Senior Vice President

GOT AN ARTICLE IDEA? Audience Magazine is a platform for the arts in Louisville. If you have an article idea or something you think we should cover, email ahiggs@theaudiencegroup.com © Copyright 2020. The Audience Group, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Audience® Magazine is published by The Audience Group, Inc. 136 St. Matthews Avenue #300 Louisville, KY 40207 502.212.5177 | Audience502.com

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THE 2020-21 PNC BROADWAY IN LOUISVILLE SEASON IS

STACKED! The new season accounts for 22 Tony Awards and includes four shows still on Broadway.

“We are so fortunate to have a blend of hot premieres, direct from Broadway, and our most asked-for returns!” says Leslie Broecker, President of PNC Broadway in Louisville.

And Broecker is right! Leading the pack is Mean Girls, Tina Fey’s hit comedy film adapted for the stage, followed by the Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Masterwork, To Kill A Mockingbird, directed by Tony Award® winner Bartlett Sher.

Broecker is also excited to bring back to Louisville something that was taken from us. “We’re especially pleased to be able to bring Waitress back to the Kentucky Center after having to cancel its 2018 run due to the fire.”

Rounding out the season is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s recordbreaking musical spectacular Cats, the unanimously funny and laugh-out-loud Tootsie, and the Tony Award-winning production of Ain’t Too Proud– The Life and Times of the Temptations.

And of course, the return of Hamilton, which just played Louisville in June 2019.

Photo by Joan Marcus 2018

Every year around the same time, PNC Broadway in Louisville announces the upcoming season of touring productions coming to The Kentucky Center, and every year there are at least one or two shows that stand out as a reason for some to get a season subscription. Those shows include true audience favorites (The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, The Lion King) as well as the hottest titles on Broadway (Dear Evan Hansen and Hamilton, both of which have already premiered in Louisville).

Well this year, the shining star of Broadway in Louisville’s 20/21 season is... well, the season. Boasting nine playing weeks, the new season accounts for 22 Tony Awards and includes four shows still on Broadway, which includes a return of the juggernaut Hamilton.

Hamilton returns to Louisville February 9-28, 2021.

Never has there been a better buffet of Broadway for Louisville audiences of all different tastes. But that’s not where it ends or begins. Through Broadway in Louisville’s nonprofit partner, the Louisville Theatrical Association, and their established Amy Broecker Kessler Education Program, students from the Greater Louisville area and around the state will have the opportunity to see some of the upcoming performances and participate in various programs where they can interact with the show companies on many different levels.

“We are really looking forward to introducing more youth to Broadway theatre in the upcoming season and, as always, can’t wait to make a difference in the lives of future theatre-lovers,” says Broecker. “It’s the goose bump moments that create that spark for young people. And it’s also seeing themselves fit into this industry whether one day they’re on the stage, behind the scenes, or at the box office. We welcome them with open arms.”

 Clockwise, starting with Top Left: 1-Bailey McCall as Jenna, and Company in the National Tour of WAITRESS. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

2-Mean Girls, National Tour. 3-The North American Tour Company of CATS. Photo by Matthew Murphy. 2019. 4-AIN’T TOO PROUD. Photo by Matthew Murphy. 5-TOOTSIE Original Broadway Company. Santino Fontana and Company. Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2019. 6-To Kill A Mockingbird, Photo by Julieta Cervantes.

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The larger-than-life exhibit will now be on display August 4-9 at the Kentucky Center along with the rescheduled performances.

ANASTASIA-INSPIRED ART INSTALLATION Anastasia, originally scheduled to play at the Kentucky Center March 17-22, was postponed just days before due the COVID-19 outbreak, but to Louisville’s delight, it was rescheduled fairly quickly to play August 4-9. This is not only great news for all the ticketholders hungry to be together again to relish in the joy of live theatre, but it’s also an opportunity for Amanda Thompson’s eighth grade art students to show off their hard work that was abruptly preempted by the pandemic.

The Nesting Project, a sculptural installation work created by artists from the Western Middle School for the Arts, was originally scheduled to be on display during the March run of Anastasia. The larger-than-life exhibit will now be on display August 4-9 at the Kentucky Center along with the rescheduled performances.

Don’t miss this!

After doing quite a bit of research and watching the Disney film, Thompson and her class conceived and created a series of three Russian Nesting Dolls that each represent different parts of Anastasia’s journey.

This project was made possible by the Louisville Theatrical Association’s Amy Broecker Kessler Education Program.

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AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

CATCHING UP with PRESIDENT LESLIE BROECKER

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

Leslie Broecker

This is an excerpt of the full interview.

To read it in its entirety, visit Audience502.com.

Douglas Dreisbach: Tell us about your role with Broadway in Louisville and Broadway Across America, and what your top priorities are.

Leslie Broecker: Our top priority is to find the very best shows from Broadway, with a lot of diversity, and get them into the cities that we work in. In addition to Louisville, I am also responsible for Kansas City, Cincinnati, Columbus and Indianapolis, so it has been an interesting picture to watch unfold.

For decades, PNC Broadway in Louisville has brought the biggest hits on stage to Louisville. Most recently, Hamilton entertained sold-out shows for a three-week stint in 2019 and is scheduled for an encore visit as part of the 2020-21season.

We caught up with Broadway's President, Leslie Broecker, to talk about everything from the exciting new season, to the importance of the arts in our community and what goes into scheduling, and rescheduling a season for Broadway.

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DD: With Broadway shows traveling around the country and intertwining with other shows, I can only imagine the task of rescheduling and the decisions to cancel. What goes into scheduling, and rescheduling, shows?

Is it like a big puzzle to make sure all the pieces fit?

LB: It’s not a 1,000-piece, it’s a 5,000piece puzzle. It is the most complicated puzzle you’ll ever see. Trying to figure out which shows are stuck in theaters A U D I E N C E

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"Trying to figure out which shows are stuck in theaters and can’t leave due to quarantines and other reasons, and what shows might be available and when, is challenging." and can’t leave due to quarantines and other reasons, and what shows might be available and when, is challenging.

From juggling the avails in theaters, the shows that won’t be able to make it and some shows that are at the end of their tour and not continuing in the fall, I would say our programming team, along with all the folks like me who are representing cities, have been doing at least 18-hour days ever since this started, trying to navigate what’s available and when.

The other thing is so much of this is open-ended. As optimists, we are moving forward as well as we can.

We rebooked Anastasia for the first week of August because we know that, when the time is right and it’s safe to go

back, people are going to want to be at the theater. That’s what our business is about, bringing people together for this shared experience. And if August is too early and we have to move it, so be it.

DD: How is your team seeking creative inspiration or using this time in a positive way?

LB: It is exciting to see the Broadway folks coming out and doing inspiring videos they can share. Andrew Lloyd Weber has made his catalogue available, and you’ll be able to download and watch his musicals. Patti LuPone has made a video in her game room or basement or whatever, and it’s a hoot to see where everybody lives and where they’re performing. Rosie O’Donnell hosted her show for like three and a half hours from home, and had around 60 different Broadway performers doing performances to raise money for Broadway Cares. That is certainly inspiring.

To Kill a Mockingbird and Waitress, which was cancelled due to the fire two seasons ago. And then you fold in Mean Girls, Tootsie and Ain’t Too Proud to Beg. This might be one of the best seasons in a long time, maybe ever, for Broadway in Louisville. Tell us about what goes into determining what shows come to Louisville and what went into determining this amazing season.

So, it’s a jigsaw puzzle, but normally not the 30,000-piece jigsaw puzzle it is right now, where everything is moving at one time because of the circumstances.

DD: Why do you think the arts are so important to the community and our overall state of mind?

LB: When you see a production or you hear a musical, there is a sense of escapism. You are transported completely out of your space and time into a different place, and if it’s really great, you’re completely and totally engaged.

DD: What is the best way for the arts enthusiasts of Louisville to support Broadway in Louisville and your team during these times?

LB: I think the best support is buying tickets and coming back and supporting not only the theater, but the Broadway series as well. That’s really what we ask. Order season tickets. Look towards the future. Support us. I think speaking for the arts community as a whole, if people had tickets to cancelled shows, donate those tickets back to the arts organization. Some folks have sent tickets back to us for the local theatrical association, and we put that right into our fund to purchase tickets for kids.

There are a million ways to come back and support the arts, but most importantly, I think for all of us, is to buy tickets and come back to the theater when you feel safe and when we’re open.

DD: The new season looks amazing!

In addition to bringing back Hamilton, there’s a buzz about Cats,

Then you look at the expense.

You don’t want to book shows that price themselves out of everybody’s price range, so a nice balance of programming, well-priced so that it’s affordable. The other side of the coin, particularly in Louisville, would be with the Kentucky Center for the Arts. It is a great building that we share with the Orchestra, the Ballet, and the center’s programming, so we all navigate each other’s calendars and weave the complications of the shows on the road and their tours along with the dates that are available in the arts center.

Victoria Bingham (Little Anastasia) and Joy Franz (Dowager Empress) in the National Tour of ANASTASIA. Photo by Evan Zimmerman, MurphyMade.

LB: I get to know the shows early on.

I am a Tony voter, so I go to New York and see most, if not all, of the productions that open on Broadway. We survey our audiences to find out where their tastes are running and what is their familiarity with various shows. Everybody has favorites that are the chestnuts of Broadway, the revivals that we love, so I want to put something in that whets that appetite. You want something that’s maybe a date-night show. You want something that’s a family show.

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I also think it lends itself to introspection and makes you see some of yourself in the characters, and perhaps there’s affirmation in that or understanding.

I just think it opens so many doors and avenues for your creative mind to process through things. And when we share and do that with people in a theater for a unique, live experience, it just — I don’t know — pulls emotion.

I get goosebumps when I watch a show.

I’ve been doing this for 34 years, and I still sit there and all of a sudden, that crescendo or those two people singing and hitting those notes together or that emotional moment — then my eyes get filled, and I have goosebumps.

I think the arts is something our psyche needs, and it feeds it.

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ACTORS THEATRE

DIRECT

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FROM THE STAGE TO YOUR LIVING ROOM A U D I E N C E

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ello! Like so many organizations across the country and throughout Kentuckian, we too were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognized our responsibility as global citizens to curtail all activity that necessitated public assembly and made the painful decision to cancel this year’s Humana Festival of New American Plays.

For over 40 years, this Festival has served as a launching pad for the playwrights, directors, designers, actors, and technical artisans whose groundbreaking work has profoundly influenced our field and resonated throughout the American cultural landscape.

The need to share stories in community remains strong, even if it is a virtual one. That’s why I’m so pleased to introduce Actors Theatre Direct and the digital experience of two productions from our 44th Humana Festival: • Where the Mountain Meets the Sea by Jeff Augustin, music by The Bengsons, directed by Joshua Kahan Brody, and commissioned by Actors Theatre of Louisville.

• Are You There? by Vivian Barnes, Jonathan Norton and Gab Reisman, directed by Robert Barry Fleming, performed by the 2019-20 Professional Training Company and commissioned by Actors Theatre of Louisville.

Virtual tickets and more information are available at ActorsTheatre.org/direct.

The outpouring of benevolence and compassion at this difficult time has been heartening. I encourage you to combat this period of anxiety and isolation with direct support to the artmakers in your community. Thank you for your support, and I look forward to a time when we can once again celebrate in the theatre together.

Robert Barry Fleming Executive Artistic Director Actors Theatre of Louisville

 Allan K. Washington and Shaun Bengson in WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE SEA by Jeff Augustin, part of the 2020 Humana Festival of New American Plays. Photo by Jonathan Roberts.

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It’s about connecting and saying the words you wish you could’ve said to loved ones.

- Jeff Augustin discussing Where the Mountains Meet the Sea

 Allan K. Washington, The Bengsons and Nathan Hinton in WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE SEA by Jeff Augustin, part of the 2020 Humana Festival. Photo by Jonathan Roberts.  Nathan Hinton, Allan K. Washington and The Bengsons in WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE SEA by Jeff Augustin, part of the 2020 Humana Festival. Photo by Jonathan Roberts.  Kaitlyn Boyer and Andrew Rodriguez in ARE YOU THERE by Vivian Barnes, Jonathan Norton and Gab Reisman, part of the 2020 Humana Festival. Photo by Jonathan Roberts.

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ACTORS THEATRE & CHILL Actors Theatre Direct is a multi-channel, on-demand creative content platform developed to ensure world-class theatre continues to thrive and to enrich lives during this turbulent time. Stream Where the Mountain Meets the Sea and Are You There? with a virtual ticket that puts you in the front row from the comfort of your own home! Go to actorstheatre.org/direct/.

WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE SEA Setting off from Miami, a Haitian immigrant named Jean takes a once-in-a-lifetime road trip out west. Decades later, his son Jonah heads east, following Jean’s route in reverse — and discovering he’s inherited his father’s love of Appalachian folk music. Separated by time, yet side by side, the two men trace their journeys and the complicated bond they share. With lyrical storytelling and live music, this play vividly imagines how a father and son who longed to connect might come to see each other at last.

ARE YOU THERE? From the cacophony of telephone party lines, to CB radios on lonely highways, to the glory days of online chat rooms, technology has revolutionized the way we communicate with each other. But is it always for the better? In this collection of boldly original short plays, three writers and this season’s Professional Training Company explore the hightech evolution of our social interactions. Are our devices getting in the way of quality, in-person time with our friends and family? Or could they be another pathway to intimacy?

A sense of play, lightness and sparkle that makes it a pleasure to watch..”

- WFPL discussing Are You There?

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AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

CATCHING UP with CHIEF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OFFICER PATRICK OWEN

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

Patrick Owen

about how the team at Actors is working through the current crisis and what we can look forward to in the 2020-21 season.

This is an excerpt of the full interview.

To read it in its entirety, visit Audience502.com.

Douglas Dreisbach: You joined the Actors Theatre team in January, and immediately were introduced to this current situation. How have you, and the entire Actors team, been dealing with everything?

Actors Theatre of Louisville has been a staple in the Louisville community since 1964, when Actors, Inc. and Theatre Louisville merged. The combined organization was designated the “State Theater of Kentucky” in 1974. Known as one of the America’s most innovative theatre companies, Actors Theatre hosts almost 400 performances annually and welcomes an annual attendance of approximately 150,000 guests.

Patrick Owen: It’s been incredibly hard and challenging. Starting with the cancellation of Humana Festival, where artists that were anticipating being here for the full festival had their contracts ended early. But right now, there is a core team that is still here and we are optimistic and hopeful. In a way there is something interesting about being forced into this moment. Everything has changed, and we have to be smarter and more agile than we’ve ever been before to figure out, “What is that new normal?”

We caught up with Chief External Relations Officer, Patrick Owen, to talk

After the initial “We have to cancel the series” announcement, a lot of people

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"Great art thrives through conflict and turmoil, and in a way, I think this challenging time is going to lead to so much innovation and good art." were not working any longer. We just did some other staff reductions to get us through the next bit of time. But we are certainly not alone, and the resiliency of the team and how we’ve come together is pretty cool. People are saying, “All right, what do I need to do? What can I do?” And we’re starting to figure it out.

DD: That day, when Actors and the stages around the world went dark, what were some of your first thoughts? Do you think they set you on the right path?

PO: I do feel like we are on the right path. Because I’m so new, I was so excited that the Humana Festival was going to give me this great opportunity to meet so many of the Actors Theatre family, and meet folks that are core supporters, that have been subscribers

Michael Allyn and Alex Might in ARE YOU THERE by Vivian Barnes, Jonathan Norton and Gab Reisman, 44th Humana Festival, 2020.

Photo by Jonathan Roberts.

and ticket buyers and donors for such a long time. I hosted a few small groups for drinks before the shows that did run, and there was a great energy. Soon after, there was a great deal of sadness. Since then, it seems like there’s something new every day that we have to take in and understand and figure out. But I think everything we’ve done has been in the right direction, both locally with arts leaders and arts groups here in Louisville, as well as nationally through some of the groups we are a part of.

Great art thrives through conflict and turmoil, and in a way, I think this challenging time is going to lead to so much innovation and good art. There will come a time when we can gather again, and that’s exciting.

DD: The new season looks fantastic once again with staples such as Dracula and A Christmas Carol.

It also includes some familiar names like Steel Magnolia and Romeo and Juliet, and then some new ones with Chasin’ Dem Blues and Where do We Sit on the Bus? What are your thoughts about the new season?

PO: It is certainly an exciting season, and there are a lot of interesting, creative people that our amazing artistic director, Robert Fleming, worked with around those shows. We look forward to being able to convene whenever that’s safe to do, but the season is on sale now, so please secure your tickets!

DD: Also included in the 2020-21 season is the Ali Summit. Can you expand on what that is?

DD: Why do you think the arts are so important to our community and individuals?

PO: The Ali Summit is one of our most exciting projects. It is a play that will be in Humana next year by Idris Goodwin.

He is writing the play through this whole community engagement effort, where the play is essentially built around the moment in time when several other major African-American sports figures were asked to meet with Muhammad Ali to find out if he was really a man of his convictions. Was he saying he wouldn’t fight in war, or was he just trying to get out of going to the war? They met with him and made the decision to have his back when he came out with that.

Idris is working with a lot of community groups... to help him write the story through a number of workshops.

PO: Theatre is how we tell our story.

That’s how we understand who we are, and it’s how we get through times like this. If you think about all the folks sheltering at home, what are they turning to for diversion? They’re going to Netflix or they are sharing stories through Facebook. Families are coming together and doing these wonderful music videos about being cooped up together or singing. Art is absolutely essential in telling those stories.

DD: What is the best way people can support Actors Theatre during these times?

PO: Just donating to us, of course, is going to be exceedingly helpful. Let’s not live in the fear of what’s going on, but lean into it and know that we’re going to come through this. We need all the financial support we can get right now, but it’s not just a donation. It’s also not asking for refunds, and that is a big help within itself.

The easiest way to help out is through our website at ActorsTheatre.org/giving.

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DD: What last thoughts would you like to leave with the readers?

PO: Every day, there is something that happens that inspires me. Whether it is from the resiliency aspect of the arts community, or something from a call I am on with the arts organizations in Louisville, or seeing people are sharing things that are happening on Facebook, I continue to be inspired and, again, hopeful. I keep reminding myself and everyone that we’re going to get through this, and it’s going to be a different world, but I think in a way, it’s going to be really fascinating and interesting to see what the arts look like, moving forward, when we’re through the worst of this.

21

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ENDS CHILD ABUSE Join the Movement: Offer words of encouragement or a helping hand to a parent or caregiver Know the TEN-4 rule for key indicators of child abuse: faceitabuse.org/ten4rule Report suspected child abuse or neglect: 1-877-597-2331 or reportitky.org Text to 555-888 the words FacingIt and follow Kosair Charities and Face It on social media

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Share this list with ďŹ ve friends, family members, and co-workers

Helping children reach their potential while overcoming their obstacles.

Join us:

kosair.org/donate

22

A U D I E N C E

M A G A Z I N E

A Year in Review Thanks for joining us this year! Enjoy a look back at some of our favorite pictures from the 2019-20 season.

ďƒŁ Clockwise, starting with top left: Dracula, The Santaland Diaries, Tell the Truth, Once on This Island, The Wolves, A Christmas Carol, Ring of Fire, Measure for Measure, Hype Man: A Break Beat Play. Photos by Jonathan Roberts, except for Ring of Fire

by Christal Ludwick.

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SPINNING DISKS

Mayor Charlie Farnsley congratulates Robert Whitney on Rockefeller Foundation grant.

LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA’S LONG-PLAYING LEGACY OF CREATING NEW MUSIC 24

by Bill Doolittle M A G A

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hen Teddy Abrams was introduced as the new Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra in 2014, he said a part of his vision would be to rekindle a legacy of the past — the Louisville Orchestra’s pioneering efforts in commissioning, performing, and recording new musical works by contemporary composers.

Teddy Abrams with Sam Hodges, April 2019.

Sam Hodges, a lifelong Louisville Orchestra fan, was listening.

Hodges, now 92, had been on hand 73 years ago when Louisville Orchestra conductor Robert Whitney staked out an important spot on the musical map by doing what no other American symphony was doing — commissioning new works, bringing the composers to Louisville to conduct their pieces, then recording those compositions on the exciting new musical medium of high-fidelity Long Playing (LP) records.

That all began in 1947, and the effort gained the young Louisville Orchestra broad national recognition, leading to stories in New York newspapers and live appearances on the NBC and CBS radio networks. Soon the symphony’s pioneering musical efforts were being broadcast around the world on the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe.

Whitney began with four to five new commissions each season. By 1952, the orchestra had signed a 12-record deal with Columbia Records. Then in 1954, the LO hit the jackpot when it was awarded a $400,000 Rockefeller Foundation grant.

It was soon premiering a new work each week, in 46-week seasons. The new works were presented as a separate series from its regular concert schedule, but one new work was always included in each subscription concert. The new compositions were then recorded on the LO’s own First Edition label.

“The way they’d do it,” recalls Hodges, “is the orchestra would play a new work each week, as well as repeating the three previous weeks compositions, then record usually three or four at one time.”

Hodges, then a student then in the University of Louisville School of Music, and later a public school teacher and instructor at UofL, attended nearly every LO concert, and sometimes was on hand on Saturdays when the orchestra recorded.

“That was one of the best things about it,” says Hodges. “You’d hear the new composition, then hear it again for three weeks before they recorded it — so you’d get to know the music, really learn it. Then in a few weeks, the new record would arrive in the mail.”

Long after the 1950s, Teddy Abrams was growing up in the San Francisco Bay area and preparing for a musical career when he came across some of the Louisville Orchestra recordings and became an avid listener.

L O U I S V I L L E

On day one in Louisville, Abrams was talking about his personal memories of those Louisville Orchestra recordings. And on day two (or not long afterward) Hodges decided to give Abrams his entire collection of Louisville Orchestra records and CDs — a complete set containing over 300 new compositions by American and international composers.

“I thought Teddy would be the perfect person to have those recordings right at his elbow for research, and maybe even re-program some of them,” says Hodges. “He was very appreciative — and maybe a little at a loss for words, which isn’t like Teddy!”

But Abrams was not a loss for words for long.

Since his arrival in 2014, Abrams has fueled his fervor for supporting contemporary composers (himself included), and contemporary performers. The first piece of music on his first Classics concert was his own Overture in Sonata Form.

“Abrams wrote a song for the funeral of Louisville’s own Muhammad Ali — and that gave a start to a major orchestral presentation celebrating Ali’s life.

Admirers of Ali loved the show, and so did critics.”

It’s been a whirlwind of new music ever since. In 2016, Abrams wrote a song for the funeral of Louisville’s own Muhammad Ali — and that inspired a major orchestral presentation celebrating Ali’s life. Admirers of Ali loved the show, and so did critics. For Abram’s first album with the orchestra, he collaborated with singer Storm Large on a mixed-set of new and established music called All In, released in 2017 on the Decca Gold label.

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New music keeps on radiating from the symphony and its director. Just in the last year, the LO debuted Rachel Grimes’ The Way Forth, which is also now a movie. Abrams created a piece called The Song of the River, commissioned by Louisville arts patron Nana Lampton, featuring singer Morgan James. And just off the recording presses, the LO has released an album called The Order of Nature, a song cycle by Abrams and Jim James.

And there’s more on the way, Abrams promises. “The Louisville Orchestra has a focus on recording that is unique and special to our town, our orchestra, and can’t be found anywhere else,” says Abrams. “We’re focused on projects that we’ve created or commissioned, and relationships with artists that we’ve developed — and documenting that so we share the quality of our orchestra and the energy of our community. That’s what recording is to us right now.”

THE MAYOR AND THE MUSICIAN The Louisville Orchestra’s long association with new music began with an idea sparked by a remarkable partnership of symphony director Robert Whitney and Louisville Mayor Charles Farnsley.

By 1947, Whitney was in his 10th year as the founder of the orchestra. Farnsley was an attorney who had joined the orchestra board as a member of the city’s Board of Alderman.

When Farnsley became mayor, he threw everything he had in to help the orchestra succeed — in a big way.

Farnsley wasn’t a devoted classical music fan (though he became very knowledgeable) so much as he was one of those can-do, progressive-type mayors who recognized that big corporations with lots of employees wished to locate in cities with vibrant arts scenes — and building up the Louisville Orchestra was his signature bold step in that direction. (He also paved every street in Louisville.)

Farnsley came to Whitney with a four-part plan: 1. Commission composers to write new works for the orchestra, rather than hiring touring soloists.

2. Take advantage of the booming new market in longplaying, high-fidelity records.

3. Reduce the orchestra to 50 players by releasing amateurs and retaining American Federation of Musicians professionals.

4. Move performances from Memorial Auditorium to Columbia Auditorium (now a part of Spalding University).

Columbia was smaller, but far superior in acoustics.

Whitney was a great chronicler of Farnsley, and in the conductor’s diary/memoir he recalls the string-tie wearing mayor explaining that 19th century music called for big orchestras, and was too expensive to produce. “But there really isn’t anybody playing contemporary music,” Farnsley noted. “A man writing a novel, all he needs is a pencil and a pad of paper. A composer needs an orchestra.”

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American composer William Schuman with legendary dancer Martha Graham.

"For the 1950 season, the orchestra commissioned William Schuman to write a piece for international ballet star Martha Graham, a musical concerto for a ballerina soloist. The piece was Judith.”

Well, Charlie, that’s fine,” said Whitney, “but how about the audience?”

“Oh, don’t worry about the audience, they want what’s good,” said Farnsley. “If you do what’s good, they’ll come.”

Whitney loved the daring plan but had no illusion that everyone would enjoy difficult and often dissonant new music. “Years of experience had taught me the intense hostility modern music aroused in most audiences,” the director said. “I was well aware there would be rough seas ahead, and there were.1” Whitney flew off to New York to recruit composers for the first season, and he and orchestra manager John Woolford wrote to others. The first signees included prominent composers Roy Harris and Gian Francisco Malipiero. In coming years, the orchestra commissioned nearly every prominent contemporary composer, including the Soviet Union’s Dmitri Shostakovich, during the height of the Cold War. The LO courted Igor Stravinsky, but couldn’t coax a piece from him. The orchestra did land Aaron Copland.

1 For these and other details, the writer is much indebted to Sandra Lee Fralin, from her doctoral dissertation at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and to Carole C. Birkhead, from “The History of the Orchestra in Louisville.”

M A G A Z I N E

Robert Whitney with the first edition record.

Louisville Orchestra cellists (l-r) Susannah Onwood, Julia Preston and Louise Harris outside Carnegie Hall in 1989.

The re-routing of precious funds from soloists to composers wasn’t universally popular. Fans had loved hearing such stars as violinist Jascha Heifetz and soprano Helen Traubel. But as one columnist put it, “Soloists put money in the box office, but after the concert, leave with most of it.”

To secure the grant, Farnsley worked behind the scenes in New York with executives of CBS Radio and Columbia Records, and orchestra board president Mary Helen Byck wrote the grant application. Previously, the Rockefeller had supported only science and education. The foundation’s first arts grant went to the Louisville Orchestra.

There was a notable exception to the composers-instead-ofsoloists policy, and it helped the Louisville Orchestra achieve one of its greatest artistic triumphs.

MAKING NEW MUSIC

For the 1950 season, the orchestra commissioned American composer William Schuman to write a “dance concerto” for ballet star Martha Graham to choreograph and perform.

Schuman called it Judith.

Graham came to Louisville for two performances, and important critics from the New York Herald-Tribune and Time Magazine followed her. For the concert, the orchestra was placed behind a rose-colored scrim. Graham, dressed in black, had almost the entire Columbia Auditorium stage — and filled it gloriously.

Graham insisted upon taking the show to Carnegie Hall, and the Louisville Orchestra hopped on a plane to New York. One orchestra member made it to the airport just in time, after working a shift at his factory job.

On Dec. 29, 1950, the curtain came up in New York, and Graham and the Louisville Orchestra knocked ’em out — both audience and critics.

By 1953, the Louisville Orchestra was in the news again, winning that $400,000 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation (later increased to $500,000).

L O U I S V I L L E

From the start, the commissioning contracts negotiated Whitney and orchestra manager John Woolford, and successor Richard Wangerin, called for composers, whenever possible, to come to Louisville to conduct their works in rehearsals and concerts.

That proved resoundingly popular with the composers.

And the musicians.

Retired cellist Louise Harris, who performed many commissions under the batons of Louisville Orchestra music directors Jorge Mester and Lawrence Leighton Smith, says turning the notes penned on sheet music into the concert music the composers imagined was a great source of pride with the musicians.

“I remember Witold Lutosławski told us he’d always heard the Louisville musicians were good (sight) readers. And we were!” says Harris, “Because we played new music all the time. We practiced it, rehearsed it, played it, and we were really good at it.”

The process hasn’t changed. The orchestra today, under music director Teddy Abrams, is still making new music the oldfashioned way – from scratch.

And, notes assistant principal violist Evan Vicic, “There aren’t any recordings or YouTube videos for players to consult for clues.

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“That’s the job of an orchestra, to preserve the music of the past, and guide the way forward so composers have access to great musicians.”

It’s brand new music, with the ink still drying on the score.”

The players embraced the challenge.

“When you just have the notes in front of you, your preparation has to be... I guess the best word, is ‘bulletproof,’ ” says Vicic.

“In practicing, you spend a lot of time with a metronome, and imagining where your part could fit into the big puzzle. When we get to the first rehearsal there are always things that are slightly ‘off,’ and you have to figure ways to adjust. But usually we’re all pretty close.”

Harris says rehearsals are especially important for the composers.

“One thing I learned playing new works is that the composers who were successful were great orchestrators,” says Harris.

“You can’t really orchestrate unless you hear your music being played. The ideas may be good, but maybe the orchestration isn’t. Like in painting, sometimes you have to see the paint drying on the canvas to see whether you’re going anywhere.”

Back in 1947, when the Louisville Orchestra stepped forward to become the first American symphony to champion the new music, Roy Harris was one of the first composers selected to contribute a new work. Harris titled his piece Kentucky Spring, and traveled from the University of California to work with the orchestra in rehearsals to debut the work.

The premiere was a resounding success, and after returning home, Harris sent a note of thanks.

“You may be assured it was a very fine experience to work with your orchestra and your friendly ‘Man of Good Will’ Robert Whitney,” wrote Harris. “I look forward to the time I may come back to be with you again.”

Harris’ letter was typical of the many notes of appreciation from composers thrilled with the exposure their music received with Louisville Orchestra and its First Edition LP recordings.

In those days, almost all orchestras stuck with familiar works from the “old masters.” Louisville played Brahms and Beethoven, too, but every concert featured a new work by luminaries such as Paul Hindemith, Francis Poulenc, Joan Tower, Aaron Copland, and Dmitri Shostakovich.

Roy Harris was one of the first composers selected to contribute a new work.

Mester and Lawrence Leighton Smith. (Collectors alert: There’s a Louisville Orchestra First Edition CD out there somewhere featuring all three Roy Harris pieces).

Today, Abrams is re-igniting the Louisville legacy.

“There are so many composers who are writing in styles that range from popular to experimental – and the great thing about our orchestra is that we can play all of them,” says Abrams.

Vicic says the orchestra loves being in on the creation of things.

“We’re hoping to broaden the orchestral world,” says Vicic.

“Some of the compositions we are playing right now could eventually be part of the standard repertoire.”

According to a New York Times report in 1967, 21 of the 33 albums of new music recorded after World War II were cut by the Louisville Orchestra.

“That’s the job of an orchestra,” Abrams adds. “To preserve the music of the past, and guide the way forward so composers have access to great musicians. We’re ready to play their compositions.”

And Mr. Harris was right about coming back. He returned to debut two more commissioned works, with conductors Jorge

Click here to watch the Louisville Orchestra performing Roy Harris’ Kentucky Spring.

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Modern dance legend Martha Graham performed on the orchestra’s first trip to Carnegie Hall in 1950, and her spirit inspires our program.

LO RETURNS TO CARNEGIE HALL! We may not be making music on Whitney Hall’s stage now, but we are working on making history at Carnegie Hall in February!

We’ve titled the LO’s upcoming 2020-21 Season, “The Road to Carnegie Hall,” because every concert of the new season will reflect the energy and excitement of our return to New York’s most illustrious stage in February 2021.

Just as we do for most of our concert programs, we combine the traditional with the contemporary. Modern dance legend Martha Graham performed on the orchestra’s first trip to Carnegie Hall in 1950, and her spirit inspires our program. We perform Appalachian Spring with new choreography by Andrea Schermoly, featuring members of the Louisville Ballet. Ms. Graham created and performed the original choreography to this American masterpiece by Aaron Copland.

Louisville musician Jim James, frontman of the band My Morning Jacket, will join the LO in New York to perform the song cycle of Order of Nature, co-written by James and Music Director Teddy Abrams.

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and online for updates on how you can join us on “The Road to Carnegie Hall” for the 2020-21 Season. !

Join us on the road L O U I S V I L L E

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AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

CATCHING UP with PRESIDENT JOHN MALLOY

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

John Malloy

direction of some of the most talented conductors in the world. We caught up with President John Malloy to find out more about the importance of the arts, the orchestra and the upcoming performance at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall.

This is an excerpt of the full interview.

To read it in its entirety, visit Audience502.com.

Douglas Dreisbach: Tell us about your role with the orchestra and what your priorities have been, and how they may have changed since the current situation began.

The Louisville Orchestra has been instrumental in the growth of the arts in Louisville since 1937 when conductor Robert Whitney, Louisville Mayor Charles Farnsley and other business leaders of the community launched Louisville’s now-beloved fully professional symphony orchestra.

The Louisville Orchestra has hosted thousands of performances and enlightened the souls of many under the 32

John Malloy: I’ve been on the board of the orchestra for about 10 years, and in the last three, I have served as the president. Our top priorities, even during this uncertain time, have been the same. We remain focused on our mission of changing lives throughout our community by promoting a culture of music through outstanding performances and really pushing hard on the educational front.

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"Music, and the arts as a whole, have been and will continue to be a healing modality... The arts... allows us to bring folks together in a way that is very nonjudgmental."

Additionally, we work with the other arts groups and the Louisville arts ecosystem to collaborate with the opera and ballet and seek out other opportunities where we can. As the president and leader of the organization, I am really trying to make sure we concentrate all of our efforts on bringing about the artistic vision of our maestro, Teddy Abrams.

We are making sure not only that we are reaching the broader community that we serve, but also taking advantage of some of the national opportunities that we have, as well. These opportunities recently included the partnership with Jim James and the CD (The Order of Nature) that was released, which resulted in the invitation to perform

at Carnegie Hall. So really, following Teddy’s lead, and making sure we are getting the reach and the brand lift we need in order to touch all of the organizations and individuals we seek to touch is important.

DD: Speaking of Teddy, we have seen a lot of artists creative expressions with “quarantine concerts” and local musicians playing for nursing homes and elder care facilities in different ways. These are so inspiring to see.

Why do you feel the arts and music is so important to our community and the overall mental state of society?

JM: Music, and the arts as a whole, have been and will continue to be a healing modality. I think what is most important is that we are increasingly living in a divided world, politically, racially, etc., and it is terribly concerning to many of us. The arts, and the vision of Teddy, allows us to bring folks together in a way that is very nonjudgmental. Everyone can experience our concerts, our interaction with our musicians and Teddy in their own way, and still be part of a collective whole. I think that’s what’s magical about the arts community.

We have taken the opportunity to stream content and creativity and for Teddy to get out in the community.

We have musicians doing virtual ensembles. Just recently, we had musicians playing individually and sending those mini-concerts through to our donors, our board and our patrons.

We need to thank our musicians for all of the effort they have put forward and just continue that outreach. We are getting great feedback through social media about those efforts, and we can’t thank them enough.

DD: What have you learned from this situation and do you think there will be anything positive to from it?

JM: I don’t know that we’ve learned a great deal other than the need to quickly react to the situation. We have

Teddy Abrams and Gabriel Lefkowitz perform Franz Ries' Perpetuum mobile op. 34, no. 5 for Louisville Orchestra's Online DUET series April 2020.

been very proactive in our planning and responded exceptionally well. I think one of the great benefits of calamities of any kind are the ability of people to come together collectively and solve problems with viable solutions.

We had a call recently with the musicians, several board members, and staff just to talk about next steps and what we’re going to do in the Fall.

These interactions really strengthen our bond between one another and allow us to work through these difficult times.

We may even be in a situation in which we don’t open in the Fall, depending on how long this extrapolates out and whether our venues will be available for us to even play. But through it all, we want to stay focused on Carnegie Hall.

It is a lifelong dream of many of our musicians to play there. We were very blessed to get invited to play.

DD: What is the best way for patrons to support the Louisville Orchestra and your team during these times?

JM: First, we need to pass on our appreciation for the season ticket holders and ticket holders that we had during this past season and the concerts that we had to cancel. Just north of 50% donated their tickets that allowed us to continue to pay staff and musicians L O U I S V I L L E

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and keep the cash flow moving in the orchestra. I would say I’d ask them to do what we are doing and plan for a normal season. We are planning to get right back up with our September kickoff and have a great season, but in order to prepare for that, we need our subscription ticket-buyers to go on and commit. I think there’s some timidity in the patron market right now with the uncertainties, and that’s certainly understandable, but we are preparing full steam ahead to come back in September. If we could continue to s ell our subscription series, it would be fantastic and supply us the money we need to effectively plan and pull off that season.

DD: In closing, is there anything you would like to add?

JM: I think it’s important that we really thank our patrons and sponsors, and at the end of the day, if we don’t have them, there’s no one to play to, and the music just evaporates in the air.

So, we can’t thank them enough.

Not only for staying with us season after season, but also in these uncertain times. We encourage them, and I’ve been sending out notes to patrons, “Don’t forget about us. Come back, and we’ll see you in the Fall.”

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THE CURTAIN WILL RISE AGAIN

THIS IS JUST INTERMISSION 34

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T

he last few weeks have been a whirlwind here at Kentucky Performing Arts as COVID19’s impact hit home. While it has been nothing short of heartbreaking to have to close our beautiful Kentucky Center building again after completing the restoration resulting from the June 2018 fire, as well as closing down the venerable Brown Theatre and our newest venue, Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, it is so important help keep our artists, patrons, staff, and volunteers safe.

The closure of our theaters has challenged us in many ways.

We have had to make some painful decisions in the short term to ensure we are able to weather this storm and return stronger than ever when we reopen.

Despite the difficulties we all face, it is in times of crisis that we see innovation shine brightly. Right now, there are many creative ways artists and cultural organizations are continuing to bring the arts to our communities through the digital platform. #liftuplou and #ArtsAndCultureINKY are examples of two great resources to follow, and Kentucky Performing Arts is programming in the digital space as well.

Thanks to our partnership with Brown-Forman, Kentucky Performing Arts has launched #KPAatHome, a free, daily virtual concert series for patrons to enjoy the excitement of live performances from the comfort and safety of their homes. #KPAatHome was created to connect people through the arts in these uncertain times and provide local artists with paying gigs as their livelihood is impacted by the COVID-19 social distancing protocols.

"Viewers can watch live, set up a virtual Facebook Watch Party with friends, or return to the saved video at a later time."

The artist roster was curated by KPA’s Senior Programming Manager Erin Palmer in consultation with KPA colleagues and local artists. Palmer is also the creator and administrator of Louisville Bright Spots Facebook Group, an online arts exchange for community members to stay connected and creative amidst the trying times of the coronavirus pandemic.

Performances are streamed on KPA’s Facebook page.1 Viewers can watch live, set up a virtual Facebook Watch Party with friends, or return to the saved video at a later time. The performance schedule is being updated often so, if you are not doing so already, this is the perfect time to start following Kentucky Performing Arts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

These channels are the best way to receive updates and stay connected.

Even though we are all facing major challenges right now, keep in mind this is just intermission, and soon the curtain will rise again.

Many of our Kentucky Performing Arts presents programs have rescheduled into our 2020-2021 season, and we are booking new performances as well. We thank you for your support and promise to continue bringing great music, dance and art directly to our community, as we look forward to the day we can experience the arts together again.

Stay safe and we will see you soon.

1 Performance dates subject to change

 Don’t miss Tommy Emmanuel, CGP with special guest Sierra Hull, July 7 at the Brown Theatre!

K E N T U C K Y

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A U D I E N C E

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UPCOMING PERFORMANCES JULY 7

SEPTEMBER 6

Tommy Emmanuel, CGP

Goodtimers Derby Day Party Finale

Brown Theatre

Old Forester’s Paristown Hall

AUGUST 13

Hippie Sabotage: Direction of Dreams Tour Old Forester’s Paristown Hall

AUGUST 15

Thunder at the Center The Kentucky Center

NOVEMBER 12

Welcome to Night Vale Old Forester’s Paristown Hall

DECEMBER 5

SEPTEMBER 17

Everything Beautiful Tour with Jenna Bush Hager

AUGUST 17

The Dollop with Dave Anthony & Gareth Reynolds The Kentucky Center

The Kentucky Center

Black Label Society Old Forester’s Paristown Hall

SEPTEMBER 26

Jo Koy-Just Kidding World Tour AUGUST 30

Brown Theatre

Heather McMahan: The Farewell Tour

OCTOBER 16

JANUARY 24

Straight Up With Stassi Live

Patty Griffin

Brown Theatre

Brown Theatre

Old Forester’s Paristown Hall *Note-all performances are subject to change

For ticket information, go to kentuckyperformingarts.org K E N T U C K Y

P E R F O R M I N G

A RT S

P R E S E N T S

37

AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

CATCHING UP with PRESIDENT & CEO KIM BAKER

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

We caught up with KPA President and CEO, Kim Baker, to see how they are doing amid the current situation.

This is an excerpt of the full interview.

To read it in its entirety, visit Audience502.com.

Kim Baker

Kentucky Performing Arts’ family of venues are the primary performance spaces for several major art groups in Louisville including PNC Broadway in Louisville, Louisville Orchestra, Louisville Ballet and more. The KPA venues are The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, the Brown Theatre and Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, Louisville’s newest, state-of-the-art performance venue.

KPA venues are currently closed due to the COVID-19 social distancing protocols.

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"At that moment, all I could think about was the health and safety of the staff, the volunteers, the artists and all of the audiences."

Douglas Dreisbach: Tell me about your role at KPA and some of your top priorities. Have any of those priorities changed since the COVID-19 pandemic?

Now, everything is accelerated, and it’s very timely. So very practically, I have to ensure that KPA remains healthy through this time period and that we come back strong when the virus passes and we can reopen our doors.

Kim Baker: My responsibilities mainly include working with our board to create a vision for KPA and then developing the strategy that supports it. So, as you might imagine, right now we’re in close contact with trying to figure out what we need to do for the future of the organization.

DD: When stages around the world went dark, what were some of your first thoughts, and looking back, were those thoughts accurate?

Leadership is a big part of what I do, not only within KPA, but around the community, I’m having to be very accessible and be a part of bigger conversations. I also spend time staying connected to the national sector to be aware of what’s happening.

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KB: I don’t remember the exact moment that it happened, but we really started increasing our cleaning regimen and making sure we had the right cleaning supplies initially. Then I remember across the country, that certain governors were just closing down places with gatherings of over like 300, and then it went down to 100, and then it went to 50 and 10. In a matter of hours, we went from, “This is coming.

It hasn’t gotten here yet” to, “It’s here.”

At that moment, all I could think about was the health and safety of the staff, the volunteers, the artists and all of the audiences.

DD: Being the house for so many great organizations, how do you decide when to cancel or postpone a performance or show?

KB: We are staying in close communication with the groups who use KPA venues as well as the promoters that come in. We’re really just trying to plan out far enough where we can.

For example, Anastasia is one of the shows that had to move, and they’ve got a time that’s slotted in August.

We’re moving a lot of events, and we’re rescheduling a lot of events. We have been creating a lot of “Plan Bs” so that if we’re not able to be open, we can push those a little later into the season.

We continue to stay very flexible, stay in close communication with a lot of the renters for the center itself.

DD: Why do you think the arts are such an important part of our community?

KB: There are two sides of the coin.

There is the economic importance of the arts that is undeniable, producing around $462 million in annual expenses and total economic activity. There is just no question it is a huge driver from an economic impact standpoint.

And then there is the cultural importance of the arts and live events.

The arts have always been a reflection of who we are as a community and it gives us an opportunity to reflect and to come together and share those stories that relay the human condition. It provides a very powerful outlet for people to experience and think about things in a way they may not usually experience or think about.

DD: How can people support the Kentucky Performing Arts?

KB: I think the best way people can help right now is to take care of themselves and their loved ones and support KPA if you can. We have our annual donations,

Lila Coogan (Anya) and Jake Levy (Dmitry) in National Tour of ANASTASIA, which was recently rescheduled for August. Photo by Evan Zimmerman, MurphyMade.

where individuals become KPA donors and have access to advance ticket sales and many other things that connect them to KPA programming. We are asking that people continue to support KPA, give to the annual fund, and if you are able, to offer support during this time that would be great and critical for the arts community.

DD: Has there been anything this situation has forced you to do, that you weren’t doing before, that you will continue to do when it is all over?

KB: I would like to be laser-focused on what our priorities are and try to make sure we really give the time executing the plan. We have talked for a long time about building a work-fromhome scenario for our teams to offer more flexibility and all of a sudden, overnight, everyone’s working from home, and we’re staying connected, and we’re making it happen. I think that is something that we will continue to do more of. In the performing arts, we are so busy. We are working during the days,

K E N T U C K Y

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evenings and weekends, and so much of your heart and soul goes into what you do, but you really have to feed that part of your life that is your family, and those personal things.

If there is anything good that comes out of this, for me it is reconnecting with that and making time for that having a healthy life, which is so important to artists and to a creative community.

DD: Is there anything you’d like to add?

KB: I would like to put out there that KPA is just an anchor institution in our community, and it is so important for us to stay healthy and strong through this. We will come back.

We will be there. We will be strong.

And it’s going to take the community and their support to ensure we are here in the way we need to be. The arts are so interconnected in our lives and the center is really the heart and the hub where so many things come together.

We can’t wait until can have that energy here again.

P R E S E N T S

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TWO DANCERS TAKE THEIR FINAL BOWS

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS with DANCERS EMILY REINKING O'DELL & HAILEY BOWLES A U D I E N C E

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Two of Louisville Ballet’s company members bid farewell to the stage this year — Emily Reinking O’Dell and Hailey Bowles.

Their stories show the divergent paths an artist can take toward a career in ballet.

EMILY REINKING O’DELL Emily Reinking O’Dell is the Eli Manning or Cal Ripken of dance.

She spent her entire career with Louisville Ballet and retires having danced dozens of leading roles and carrying a lifetime of memories. Now, she will create new ones with her three children — Maya, age 12, and 8-year-old twins Eli and Bella.

Both Bella and Maya are students at the Louisville Ballet School.

Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Emily trained and danced at Fort Wayne Ballet. She earned her degree in ballet and arts administration from Indiana University in 2000 and joined Louisville Ballet upon graduation.

Emily had the distinctive privilege of working under the directorship of three Artistic Directors: Alun Jones, Helen Starr, Bruce Simpson, and Robert Curran. Some of her most memorable classical roles include Fairy of Charm in Sleeping Beauty, Winter Fairy in Cinderella, Rose in The Nutcracker, and Two Swans in Swan Lake.

Some of her favorite contemporary roles have been in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Square Dance, Concerto Borocco, the Pas de Trois in Agon, Rubies, and Theme and Varations, as well as Paul Taylor’s Company B, Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs, and Ma Cong’s Tethered Pulse. Emily’s favorite moments have been working with Adam Hougland to create new works such as Cold Virtues, Made to be Broken, Devolve, Unyielding Radiance, Union, and above all, performing the principal role as the Chosen One in his Rite Of Spring.

How did you decide it was time for the next phase of your career?

I’ve been toying with it for a very long time. For the past 10 years, I’ve had the great fortune of not being plagued with injuries. Lots of people get plagued with injuries and their body tells them, “It’s time to go.” That hasn’t happened to me.

Genetically, some people are a little more blessed to have a body that can withstand the strains of ballet. I worked hard at ballet. The older I got, the better I got. Now that my children are

Emily Reinking O’Dell and Leigh Anne Albrechta in Serenade.

Choreography by George Balanchine. ©The George Balanchine Trust.

Photo by Sam English.

"Hopefully, the discipline and hard work I’ve had in ballet will carry me forward.

I’ll take the passion and drive, taking pride in my work, and being incredibly focused, to my next career." getting older, it was time to give someone else a chance for the great career I’ve had.

How will ballet help you with the next phase of your career?

Hopefully, the discipline and hard work I’ve had in ballet will carry me forward. I’ll take the passion and drive, taking pride in my work, and being incredibly focused to my next career.

Having had a career I loved for such a long time that fulfilled my heart, I hope whatever I do next provides some of that same passion. Although I know it will be different, I expect to find that same fire and love in work. That next step might be in ballet.

I’ve talked to Robert (Curran) about it. I do have a degree in arts administration. I would love to stay within the nonprofit world and work with people. While there may be things to learn, as a dancer I’ve had to learn and adapt so quickly in the studio.

 Emily Reinking O’Dell performs a grande jeté in Serenade. Choreography by George Balanchine. © The George Balanchine Trust. Photo by Sam English.

L O U I S V I L L E

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I know I will be able to take those skills and apply them to my next job.

What is your favorite role or memory from your time at Louisville Ballet?

Without question, my favorite role and memory was playing the Chosen One in Adam Houghland’s Rite of Spring.

He choreographed it on Louisville Ballet. I was in the corp de ballet [ensemble] the first time he staged the work. [New York City Ballet principal] Wendy Whelan worked with us for weeks.

I watched her do the role and then later was able to perform it.

It was such a special time. In ballet there are often two casts that alternate. The Chosen One in the other cast was my friend, and I was able to watch her tackle the role. After the ballet was over, I got pregnant with the twins! They all combine to make that ballet stand out. Adding to the icing on the cake, Adam became a close personal friend.

A dancer’s life is so regimented. What are you looking forward to now that you have new flexibility in your schedule?

I’m hopeful there will be more normalcy in my schedule.

As much as I loved theatre week, I relied on community to help me with my children. I look forward to adapting to my new schedule and having the ability to take on more normal hours.

I also look forward to being able to leave work behind. As a dancer coming home at the end of the day, sometimes you can’t stop thinking about choreography. You have the music stuck in your head. I look forward to not taking it home, but I also know maybe people are never able to be separate from their job.

I’m also curious to see what life will be like without exercise.

Ballet has been my lifeline for that. Now I will have to find something else to keep me healthy. Ballet has provided amazing perks and benefits to my life.

Is there anything you are looking forward to eating now that you aren’t training all the time?

I’m a pretty healthy eater, but I am looking forward to having dinner with my children.

What’s special about Louisville Ballet?

Definitely its family atmosphere. When I was a trainee, I saw how Bruce Simpson cared about everyone, and Robert [Curran] has carried that on. At Louisville Ballet, people care about people. They support people. So many of us invest our lives here, and people stay because they are loved and looked out for. We’re allowed to build families. It’s a wonderful city that loves its arts.

HAILEY BOWLES Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Hailey Bowles began dancing at the age of 11. In 2010, she joined The Louisville Ballet School to further her training in classical ballet and attended summer intensives with Pacific Northwest Ballet and San Francisco Ballet.

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A U D I E N C E

Hailey Bowles waits backstage, with fellow dancer Madison Alston, in the Brown-Forman Nutcracker.

Photo by Sam English.

After she graduated from Ballard High School, she joined the company as a trainee in 2016 and in 2018 accepted a contract as a company dancer. She’s enjoyed performing roles in ballets such as Robert Curran’s Swan Lake, Val Caniparoli’s The Brown-Forman Nutcracker, Alun Jones’ Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, and George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, and Rubies.

Next fall, she will attend Bellarmine University to pursue her degree in physical therapy.

How did you decide it was time for the next phase of your career?

I had decided to go into Louisville Ballet’s trainee program as a tester to see what a career as professional dancer was like. I was on the fence if I should go straight to college or pursue dance.

Having the opportunity as a trainee gave me a taste of what it was really like to pursue a career as a professional dancer.

Once I really tested the waters and I got that coveted contract to be in the company, I knew Louisville Ballet was for me. It was something I had set my sights on and worked hard to obtain.

I realized over time being a professional dancer wasn’t what I wanted to do for a long-term career. In the back of my mind, still had that desire to get a degree and expand the knowledge that comes with going to college. I could say I enjoyed four years in the professional dance world. I felt so happy with what I got to do and felt really fulfilled. Even though it was a short time, I am really satisfied with the repertoire I got to do and all my different experiences.

So being reflective of what I had done, it just felt like the right time to step away and start something new.

There’s so many things to learn in the professional company, but what I’m looking for now is to expand my horizons. I want to learn more about myself and more about the world beyond the four walls of the studio. I’m sad to be leaving but ready to grow more as a person and see what the world holds.

M A G A Z I N E

Hailey Bowles performs in the Brown-Forman Nutcracker.

Photo by Sam English.

How will ballet help you with the next phase of your career?

The self-discipline and work ethic I learned in ballet will help me. You can’t get far as a dancer without a strong work ethic.

I didn’t start at Louisville Ballet until I turned 12. I had a lot of work I had to make up. I felt so behind, I wanted to be at the level that I should have been for my age. I put in so much work.

I now realize how valuable that work ethic is— especially when it comes to school work. It’s hard to have that self-discipline and sit down and get that work done. I’m hoping my work ethic will transfer. I’m hoping that discipline will help me overcome the four-year gap between high school and my starting college.

What was your favorite role or memory from your time at Louisville Ballet?

My favorite role was the whole process of learning the choreography for George Balanchine’s Rubies. It was the second Balanchine work I learned. The first was Theme and Variations.

Rubies was by Stravinsky, and the music is so difficult, the [music] counts keep changing. Everyone was counting out loud in rehearsal: 12, then a nine, and then 10, then six. It was crazy.

I had never danced to anything with such inconsistent counts.

The choreography was quirky and different. It was so fun, everybody coming together to solidify the counts. I had a blast.

It was difficult and frustrating, but I had so much fun dancing on stage.

A dancer’s life is so regimented. What are you looking forward to now that you have new flexibility in your schedule?

L O U I S V I L L E

"I’m sad to be leaving but ready to grow more as a person and see what the world holds."

A dancer’s routine is insane compared to a typical person’s daily routine. Everything is timed out and regimented. I’m not sure what am I going to do. I never realized how little free time I had until now.

Is there anything you are looking forward to eating now that you aren’t training all the time?

Cheesecake! It is the best, and you can’t eat it and then go on stage and perform.

What’s special about Louisville Ballet?

Robert Curran. I had my first experience with him when I was a senior in high school. Robert taught us every day! It was special to have that time with him. He was so knowledgeable about everything. It made me want to work with him longer. I’d seen such a big progress in myself and how I could grow as a dancer.

After my second year as a trainee, it was time to audition for other companies. The more I saw, I realized I really wanted to dance in Louisville. I loved Louisville’s family atmosphere.

I didn’t want to dance anywhere else. I absolutely loved working with everyone there. Each company has its bond. Louisville Ballet, because it is so small but still an upscale company, you literally feel like a big family. That is my favorite thing.

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AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

CATCHING UP with

ARTISTIC & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ROBERT CURRAN

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

The Louisville Ballet was founded in 1952 and is now recognized as one of the most highly-regarded regional ballet companies in the country.

As the official state ballet of Kentucky, it has hosted some of ballet’s biggest names — including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Twyla Tharp and Wendy Whelan — and has performed for tens of thousands of people, and reached more than 20,000 school-age children through its educational programming.

We caught up with with Artistic and Executive Director Robert Curran about how the team at the ballet is coping with the current crisis and what we can expect in the company’s 2020-21 season.

This is an excerpt of the full interview.

To read it in its entirety, visit Audience502.com.

Doug Dreisbach: How are you and everyone at the Louisville Ballet doing?

Robert Curran: We are managing the same as everybody else. We are meeting and communicating as often as we can and trying to stay positive while really taking a look at the harsh reality of what the world is facing right now, and prioritizing where we can.

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DD: With everything going on, how have priorities changed at the Louisville Ballet?

RC: I don’t think the priorities have changed as we have always had a focus on how we serve our community in the broadest possible sense. I feel it is important for our community, and indeed the entire world, to be looking forward to better times, and we can facilitate those better times as an art sector. I also feel priorities exist in our Louisville Ballet School. “What do virtual classes look like?” “How do we keep communication with our dancers?”

“How do we keep them moving at a time where we’re very, very isolated?”

Those are priorities right now.

The same thing goes for our community engagement, in a more broad sense.

We are looking very hard at how we message, what we talk about, how we stay positive, and how we continue to deliver the all-important art experience to our community.

DD: Since stages went dark, we have realized just how important the arts are in our lives and how much we miss it. Why do the arts play such a key role in our community?

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M A G A Z I N E

"I would love for patrons, donors, and arts lovers to engage with us. Talk with us. Get on our social media.

Let us know that you’re OK. Let us know what you need.

Let us know what you love about the Ballet."

RC: Even before this new paradigm, the arts were incredibly important because it’s storytelling. We all need storytelling to make us feel less alone. ...And that was before this new paradigm, where we’re even more isolated. I feel like the arts, right now, are vital in that storytelling, creating that opportunity for empathy, where we can appreciate, understand, respect and love each other’s stories, so that we can be a stronger community.

DD: How have you seen some of your team and others staying positive, being creative, being inspired to maybe try something new or to stay in a good mental place?

RC: The dancers are sharing some fantastic stories with us. A lot of them are diving into projects they wouldn’t normally have the time to do. The

Robert Curran, Artistic and Executive Director of the Louisville Ballet rehearses in the studio.

Photo by Sam English.

dancers are an incredibly creative bunch, and all of that creativity now is seeping out of them in new ways.

What I am most proud of, in terms of the Louisville Ballet family, is their resilience. We are not operating, in any way, shape, or form, like we normally do and the level of comfort we once had is gone. But the staff, the administration, the artists, the creators and all of their resilience has just been an inspiration to me and to each other during these uncertain times.

DD: What are your plans for announcing the 2020-21 season?

RC: We are intending to launch a season, no doubt. That’s a definite.

But what is the right time to do that?

And in doing that, how are we serving our community? Is our season rising to the top of people’s priority levels? Or is launching a season at a particular time insensitive when people are focused on their health and their family’s health and mitigating the spread of this virus?

It may not be an appropriate time for us to put out a season.

We’re wanting to be really sensitive to changes that are happening daily and listening to our community and trying to give them what they need, whether that be space and time, or whether that be hope and looking forward to recovering from this challenging time. That’s a decision that fluctuates on a daily basis, but rest assured, everybody at the Ballet is working on a season that is going to be hopefully what this community needs to recover and to get back to our new normal.

on our social media. Let us know that you’re OK. Let us know what you need.

Let us know what you love about the Ballet. Let us know what you love about the art sector. Just get involved with the conversation with us, so that we can make those decisions about how we serve our community in the best possible way in this very, very uncertain time.

DD: A lot of people need help in different ways right now. What is the best way people can support the Louisville Ballet and your team during these times?

RC: We are here for you. We are here to engage with you. We are here to support you. We’re here to create a community or an experience or a digital world that does that, and also to let you know that we will survive, and we will come out the other end of this. We will be able to come back together again and celebrate what it means to be human in this world. Whether that is digitally or in person, that we are, as a sector and Louisville Ballet as an organization — we are so focused on how we can serve now and how we can serve in what our new future is going to be.

RC: Fundraising is a huge challenge right now. Our board is doing fantastic work in fundraising to sustain the ballet, but of course, if you are adequately resourced, we would certainly welcome any support that you could give us right now. Another thing I would love for patrons, donors, and arts lovers to engage with us. Talk with us. Get L O U I S V I L L E

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DD: What is your primary message to patrons and supporters of Louisville Ballet?

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AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

CATCHING UP with GENERAL DIRECTOR BARBARA LYNNE JAMISON

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

Lynne Jamison, to talk about how the organization is dealing with our current challenges.

This is an excerpt of the full interview.

To read it in its entirety, visit Audience502.com.

Douglas Dreisbach: How are you doing, and how are your staff and performers dealing with the current situation?

Barbara Lynne Jamison

Kentucky Opera was founded in 1952 and designated the State Opera of Kentucky in 1982. Its mission is to enrich and engage our community through spectacular music, creative storytelling and the thrill of the human voice. The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, supports Kentucky Opera with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

We caught up with with Kentucky Opera’s General Director, Barbara 46

Barbara Lynne Jamison: We’re doing all right. My team has been working from home since March 13th, and that’s been a challenge for us because we’re a community. Our office is its own little community, and we miss each other.

But we’re meeting by video conference regularly and keeping spirits up, and we have a lot of work to do getting ready for next season. We don’t know what the next few months will look like, but what we are committed to doing what keeps our community safe and healthy.

DD: Tell me about your role with the Kentucky Opera. What were some of your top priorities over the last two years, pre-coronavirus?

What were some of your roles and responsibilities?

A U D I E N C E

M A G A Z I N E

"I do believe that constraint is the mother of creativity. And for the arts, creativity is where we excel. We are embracing the challenge, and I believe we’ll come out a much stronger company because of it."

BLJ: My main roles and responsibilities include being the chief executive of the company, as well as the artistic director of the company, so I hold both of those hats. And that’s not unusual in an opera company. Some of my objectives and goals, when I first got here — and still are— have been looking at ways to reach families with youth and younger audiences, as well as new audiences, and we’ve been rehearsing a youth opera, our first youth opera in many years, Robin Hood. We’ve had to postpone that, unfortunately, but that was something that we’ve been working on diligently throughout the year. It’s also important to us to make sure that

we’re producing great operas that speak to the current condition of our society.

The opera’s we’re choosing to produce must prove, no matter when they were written, that they’re significant to who we are today in the 21st century.

We’ve had a really successful season on the main stage. We just closed our season with The Marriage of Figaro, and I was very pleased with how it turned out, and I heard our audiences were very pleased, as well. Now we’re on to getting ready for the next season now.

I think, in that regard, it’s made us think a little differently on the mechanics of what we’re doing. But essentially, our mission and our goals and objectives remain very steadfast. We are a community organization, a community engagement company that does great art on the stage with a distinct purpose of connecting our community. How we reach our community when we can’t gather together is a challenge, but it’s one we’re trying to embrace. I do believe that constraint is the mother of creativity. And for the arts, creativity is where we excel. We are embracing the challenge, and I believe we’ll come out a much stronger company because of it.

DD: Why do you feel like the arts are so important to our community and the overall mental state of our society?

BLJ: The arts have always been important to humans. As long as humans have existed, we’ve come together to celebrate our happiest times and mourn our losses with the arts.

Human relics show that humans painted on cave walls. We sang songs, beat drums, created instruments, acted out stories around a campfire — long before stages, curtains, and lights!

We know they’re important. And I’m really encouraged to see how many professional and amateur artists and musicians alike have taken to expressing themselves through music, art, and drama on social media. It just shows that, when we are at our best and at our worst, we call on the arts to connect

Don't miss La bohème by Giacomo Puccini. September 11 & 13, 2020 at the Brown Theatre.

us and to express our deepest joys and fears. It’s how we connect.

One of the main reasons I moved to this community is because I saw how much it truly valued the arts. This is also one of the most community-oriented places I’ve ever lived. It’s all about being together here. And I think it makes sense that this community would value the arts, knowing that community and the arts have gone together for millennia. That’s why I believe that the arts are going to survive and thrive during this time.

DD: What goes into determining the new lineup? And what can fans be excited about, about that 2021 season?

BLJ: I think what goes into it — our first priority is thinking about, “What are the themes that will resonate with our community today?” We know that this is a community that, as I said earlier, cares about being together, cares about taking care of one another and being a healthy society, healthy community, all around, and knowing that that takes all of us to do our part. La bohème is about a group of people, a family, that have chosen K E N T U C K Y

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each other, friends that have chosen each other as family. Some people may recognize this story in its adapted format as the Broadway musical Rent.

These friends come together to help each other and be together. I think now, more than ever, it’s probably going to take some different undertones than it might have before this crisis. But that’s what’s important to us is that through these operas we recognize and celebrate the universal human stories that they contain. They still apply to today.

DD: Are there any specific things that patrons can do to help support the opera during this time, and some of your team or performers? Is there anything that they can do to help financially with donations or support?

BLJ: Absolutely! We are so grateful for continued contributions and gifts during this time. It’s the end of our year, and we’ve had to cancel some of the fundraising events that we had scheduled to close our fiscal year. This was a crucial time for us, and it’s been very difficult to lose these fundraisers that we had planned.

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THE PLAY'S THE THING

The Tempest.

Photo by Holly Stone.

WHY FAMILY TIME AT KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE IS OUR THING

by Tonilyn Hornung 48

Previously published in Today's Woman A U Dmagazine I E N Cand E TodaysWomanNow.com M A G A Z I N E and reprinted with permission.

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he lightning bugs are blinking through the trees, but on this lovely summer evening my 5-year-old isn’t chasing fireflies. He has barely noticed the scenery around him because he’s too riveted by the scenery in front of him.

Comedy of Errors.

Photo by Bill Brymer

The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival plays to everyone in the house, bringing free comedy and tragedy to Old Louisville’s Central Park, and my son is glued to his seat for every emotional moment.

“The themes we’re performing in these plays are timeless,” says Matt Wallace, the producing artistic director of Kentucky Shakespeare.

Love, friendship, and loyalty are just a few topics that kept my 5-year-old motionless on the bench between his dad and me.

He watched with an attention so fierce that I thought he might jump on stage and save the heroine himself.

“Timeless characters make it all understandable to watch and absorb,” Matt says.

When my family and I first arrived, we were greeted by friendly ushers and the promise of ice cream at intermission. I figured if my son (or his dad) needed to stretch his legs we could take a quick stroll around the park.

“The beauty of Central Park is there, and you can go for a walk and still watch the show,” Matt says.

I started to understand that even though my kid may not understand the heightened language of a 400-year-old Shakespeare play, the feelings in the story need no translation.

His heart quickly connected to the identifiable emotions with which Shakespeare imbues his characters.

“Live theater is interactive,” Matt says. “It’s where anything can happen. Being able to see yourself up on the stage and learning from what happens are all ways theater can help a child develop empathy.”

I sometimes find it tricky explaining all those complex feelings in a way a kid can grasp, and live theater connected my kid to his own emotional makeup so he could see aspects of himself in the characters on stage. What a great way for him to expand his world — and all from the safely of his own seat!

After the show, our family discussed the play and talked about each character’s feelings. I loved hearing my son’s thoughts K E N T U C K Y

“We try to make it accessible with child-specific arts activities, and also it’s free — and fun!” about why characters made the choices they did as he searched his own emotions to come up with answers. Admittedly, it was much deeper than we’d ever gone while watching Paw Patrol.

I’m always on the lookout for unique ways to spend time together with my family, and Kentucky Shakespeare gives us that memorable experience.

“We try to make it accessible with child-specific arts activities, and also it’s free — and fun!” Matt says.

Kentucky Shakespeare has been performing since 1960. “It’s amazing how many families I’ve seen grow up at Kentucky Shakespeare,” Matt says.

We hope to be one of them. There’s a magic that’s achieved by the alchemy of a lovely setting and great performances, with all of this made merry by the creativity of the master himself: William Shakespeare.

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And after, every of this happy number That have endur’d shrewd days and nights with us Shall share the good of our returnèd fortune.

- As You Like It

Arial view of Kentucky Shakespeare in Central Park.

Photo

by Ezra Ness.

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GET YOUR SHAKESPEARE FIX! In the wake of Covid-19, Kentucky Shakespeare will present free, weekly virtual theatre featuring past performances of the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival In Central Park. Beginning at 7p.m. Fridays through May 2020, weekly performances will be streamed on Kentucky Shakespeare's Facebook and YouTube pages.

Featured performances so far have included The Comedy of Errors and Richard II. Kentucky Shakespeare has presented three of the plays over the last three years in their Game of Kings series – following Richard II was Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2. The 2020 season culminates with Henry V, which is the Festival’s 60th season.

Audience members enjoying the free virtual encore presentation of As You Like It.

Stay tuned for announcements of future virtual free encores of past performances at kyshakespeare.com and on Facebook.

As You Like It. Photo by Bill Brymer.

K E N T U C K Y

S H A K E S P E A R E

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Hip Hop Shakespeare Workshop

...last season Kentucky Shakespeare toured to 97 counties, serving 71,000+ students with interactive educational programming directly tied to academic standards, helping impact student achievement..

ABOUT KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE Founded in 1949 as the Carriage House Players, Kentucky Shakespeare currently serves 107,000+ people annually through the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, education programs in schools, public performances, and community outreach.

2020 marks the 60th season of the free Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, designated as the Official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth by the Kentucky legislature. As the most comprehensive in-school arts education provider in Kentucky, last season Kentucky Shakespeare toured to 97 counties, serving 71,000+ students with interactive educational programming directly tied to academic standards, helping impact student achievement. Our many community programs explore conflict resolution, empathy building, and communication in a range of settings from preschools to senior centers.

Kentucky Shakespeare has been recognized by the Folger Library and the Kentucky Humanities Council for exemplary programming, is a multiyear recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Shakespeare in American Communities program, and is a past recipient of the Kentucky Governor’s Award in the Arts.

Kentucky Shakespeare has been awarded multiple LEO Weekly Reader’s Choice Awards, Broadway World Louisville Regional Awards, the 2015 Center for Nonprofit Excellence’s Art of Vision Pyramid Award, the 2017 Louisville Awards in the Arts Bobby Petrino Family Foundation Arts Impact Award, and the 2019 Arts for All Kentucky Community Partner Award for arts inclusion work with people with disabilities.

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AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

CATCHING UP with

PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

MATT WALLACE

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

Matt Wallace

One of the signs of summer is when the crowds start filtering to Central Park for the annual Kentucky Shakespeare performances. On the brink of their 60th season, and potentially one of the first groups back on the stage after the COVID-19 crisis diminishes, we caught up with Producing Artistic Director, Matt Wallace, to hear more about this exciting season.

This is an excerpt of the full interview.

To read it in its entirety, visit Audience502.com.

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Douglas Dreisbach: What are your top roles and responsibilities as the Producing Artistic Director for Kentucky Shakespeare? Have any of those regular priorities changed since this situation happened?

Matt Wallace: I handle both the artistic leadership and vision of the company, as well as the administrative and business part. I produce the summer seasons and also direct a lot of them, but also support the amazing work that our team is doing in schools and outreach programs. A lot of folks just know us as Shakespeare in the Park, and that’s an important part of what we do, but it is just a part of what we do.

Before all of this, we toured 97 counties and got in front of 71,000 kids in schools with our interactive arts programming.

We also have community programs, like Shakespeare with Veterans and the Shakespeare in the Libraries tour and Shakespeare in the Parks. I’m a part of those programs, whether it’s overseeing it or providing the financial support or, for a lot of them, actually facilitating them and directing some plays.

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"...to see people commenting from Japan and New Zealand, and then of course, all of our amazing local audience members — we were there.."

DD: Kentucky Shakespeare is offering several virtual options and opportunities to experience Shakespeare on your website at kyshakespeare.com. How are those going?

MW: Within that first week, we were dealing with this crisis management here, but figuring out how we could continue our mission even though we can’t be with people. We quickly realized that we had the past three seasons recorded. Abby Sage, our amazing videographer, has gotten pretty good getting the HD quality footage and the sound quality is good, too. We decided to do it and see how it went.

The first production was As You Like It from last summer, which I directed as a love letter to Kentucky. It featured

original bluegrass music composed

by Aaron Bibelhauser, and even when the doors closed on the set for the reveal, it was in the shape of the state of Kentucky.

We set that up for Friday night Shakespeare, and then LEE Initiative wanted to partner with us on dinner and a show to support restaurant workers. The first weekend, we had about 12,000 people watch it. The comments were great and really kept us going. It reminded us what it felt like to get to perform our mission again — even though it wasn’t in person, to see people commenting from Japan and New Zealand, and then of course, all of our amazing local audience members — we were there. And even though it was on video, just hearing the cicadas and the cheer of the audience and the laughing — for us, it really brought us all back, just for a couple hours, to share this magical experience of a much simpler time.

We decided to start doing it every Friday night, and we are still seeing several thousand people watch it each weekend.

We have also moved several of our programs to Zoom and other interactive scenarios including the popular class for adults, called “Off the Page with Gregory Maupin.”

DD: How are your performers staying prepared knowing there is a possibility of being postponed even more?

MW: I have been working on this season for nearly a year now. We started meeting with our designers in January from a design and a directing aspect, and with Amy Attaway, who is directing Henry V, and me directing Shakespeare in Love. Our designers are moving forward with concepts, designs and logistics. We finished hiring all of our staff, so we have about 60-65 people contracted for the summer.

One of the first preemptive decisions we made was to move our opening

As You Like It. Photo by Bill Brymer

from May to June. With so many people involved, we really wanted to work to take care of people and to give them as much notice and let them know about opportunities for relief. We only had the delay for two weeks, but we did make the decision to pull our third show, Merry Wives of Windsor, out of summer season to allow for some further flexibility as we needed. As of now, we are planning to start rehearsals in mid-May if we can.

I have many different scenarios that could still allow us to produce a summer season. Right now, we’re on Plan B, and my list goes to the letter M! Right now, the season is scheduled to go through August 9, so we’re looking at all of the options. We fully understand that some of the decisions will be made for us, because we are in a Metro Park, and it is a Metro-permitted event, so that will dictate some of that.

The next priorities we are looking at will be when we can start assembling in smaller groups because that is what our rehearsal process would look like.

We are ready to be flexible and determined to work to produce a 60th summer season.

DD: There is a chance that Kentucky Shakespeare might be the first live

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arts event once we get through this, creating what is probably the highestanticipated performance ever.

How are you using that as a motivation to continue to grind through this time, to make sure you’re prepared for that?

MW: That is helping us be vigilant in this time and certainly keeping us motivated.

Just to be able to picture, to envision, what that could be like, when we can get back, to be able to serve people with this free professional public event, and how important it’s going to be, how much we are all going to need that to heal. That is what I keep thinking about.

And that is what helps get us through the more challenging and darker times.

DD: What is the best way for patrons and supporters of the arts to support Kentucky Shakespeare?

MW: Without this pandemic, this is normally a big fundraising time for us, so it is an extra-important time for us.

We are working hard to keep our artist educators employed and working on envisioning the future. We’re currently accepting donations on our website at kyshakespeare.com/donate. Our goal is to have donations in by May 15 to be able to acknowledge them in the Audience program guides.

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COME TOGETHER

ART KEEPS US CENTERED, CONNECTED, INSPIRED, AND HOPEFUL 58

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he events of the recent weeks have been surreal. We are in unprecedented times and people are coming together to support each other, the most vulnerable, and the community in new and extraordinary ways.

Fund for the Arts is redirecting all of its efforts to combat the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our cultural sector.

Ultimately, we want to ensure our organizations are able to weather this storm and are ready to re-open as soon as possible in the strongest position to serve our community for many years to come.

As we continue this time of social distancing and uncertainty, we are looking to the arts for inspiration and comfort in new ways, and raising the awareness of the impact creatives already have on our daily lives. The music you may be listening to for relaxation was created by an artist. The video games your children may be enjoying were designed by artists. The books you’re reading and the television shows you’re watching or streaming were all created by artists.

In our most difficult and trying times, art is what keeps us centered, connected, inspired, and hopeful. Right now, it is crucial that we offer support to the arts and culture community.

Christen Boone President & CEO of Fund for the Arts

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Numerous studies have shown that youth music and arts education not only improve math and reading skills, but also boosts creativity, social development and self-esteem.

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DELIVERING WORLD-CLASS ARTS & CULTURAL EXPERIENCES TO YOU!

#ArtsAndCultureINKY is an innovative collaboration between Fund for the Arts and The Greater Louisville Arts and Culture Alliance to deliver world-class arts experiences to our community, even as the doors to our arts and culture venues are closed. Together, we are working with artists, arts organizations and culinary artists throughout the Commonwealth to provide an online library of virtual arts and culinary experiences enjoyable in the comfort of your own home.

Here, you will find online and virtual offerings from our diverse community, from educational opportunities, trainings, behind-the-scenes work, engaging videos, and virtual tours.

And, as you enjoy the content, we hope you’ll engage with us on social media using the hashtag: #ArtsAndCultureINKY

YOUR SUPPORT IS CRITICAL The Arts and Culture sector is centered around bringing people together. Right now, we need this community to come together to generate crucial dollars to sustain nonprofit arts organizations and individual artists. The Fund for the Arts has created the Cultural Lou Recovery Campaign to provide immediate aid to those facing the most profound financial losses.

If you have already pledged to our campaign this year, please consider an additional gift to help address the immediate needs of our organizations and artists and to ensure the long-term vibrancy of our treasured cultural institutions.

Please click here to make a gift today.

We also invite you to add to our online and virtual page.

Please click here to submit content!

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DID YOU KNOW...

In Greater Louisville, Arts & Culture generate $462 million in economic impact annually and more than 17,000 jobs.

The unexpected loss of revenue, income for artists, and declines in charitable contributions are beginning to come into focus and will grow over time. One month of lost revenue can be crippling to organizations, the artists they employ, and the artists who rely on freelance or contract work. Months without revenue will have a devastating impact.

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If you have the resources, please text: ART4ALL to #20222 to give $10 to Fund for the Arts.

Or Text LOUARTS to #20222 to give $50 Fund for the Arts.1 1 A one-time donation of $10 or $50 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. All donations must be authorized by the account holder. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. User must be age 18 or older or have parental permission to participate. By texting YES, the user agrees to the terms and conditions.

Service is available on most carriers. Message & Data Rates May Apply. Donations are collected for the benefit of the “Fund for the Arts” by the Mobile Giving Foundation and subject to the terms found at www.hmgf.org/t. You can unsubscribe at any time by texting STOP to short code “20222”; text HELP to “20222” for help.

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WATCH OUR

VIDEO IMPACT STORIES

 Dave Christopher: AMPED

 Kaet Barron: Maryville Elementary School

 Who We Are: Fund For the Arts 62

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5 QUESTIONS with JP DAVIS Fund for the Arts' Senior Vice President

Why do the arts matter to you, JP? JPD: Artists and entrepreneurs are my favorite people. They’re risk takers, innovators, creatives, and doers. In Louisville, I’ve also noticed many have a community mindset with a genuine desire to make a difference in our city.

What do you want Greater Louisville to know about the arts and culture community?

JPD: The artists and the arts organizations we support have community-focused missions with razor-thin budgets. This means they spend a lot of time out in the community, not just putting on performances or exhibits. It’s about the impact of their work, not merely for entertainment. This underscores the critical need for community support.

How did arts and culture shape your life?

JPD: The arts carried me through school. Signing up for choir and theatre was such a stress reliever for me.

Participating in the arts as a kid helped me develop social skills, public speaking skills, and helped me build confidence in myself. It’s the earliest memories I remember truly being vulnerable in front of others.

What parts of the Greater Louisville Arts community do you enjoy most?

JPD: I don’t think I’m allowed to have favorites in my role, but I love the theatre. I’ve always enjoyed poetry and dance. There’s nothing better than a powerful orchestra performance (I was really looking forward to Elton John).

I do enjoy the opera and try to attend as many as I can. I will say, however, I’m not a fan of long performances, no matter how much I’m enjoying myself.

People close to me will tell you I can’t sit still for too long.

What are your hopes for the Greater Louisville arts and culture community?

JPD: My dream for our sector is for our elected officials to figure out a way to designate funding for our community arts and cultural organizations. It’s critically important. Our peer cities are already doing it across America.

Thank goodness for our amazing donors! Louisville has one of the largest communitywide arts campaigns in the country.

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"Artists and entrepreneurs are my favorite people. They’re risk takers, innovators, creatives, and doers."

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