Audience Magazine - April 2021

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

magazine

APRIL 2021

Special thanks to our premium sponsors whose support lets us provide this publication at no charge to you.

ACTORS THEATRE OF LOUISVILLE The Humana Festival of New American Plays: A Synopsis of Shows Page 6 | LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA Sarah Lempke O'Hare Discusses Opportunities in Music Education Page 12 | KENTUCKY PERFORMING ARTS Eric Spears Discusses Social Distancing and a Return to Live Theater Page 18 | KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE Live Theater Coming to a Park Near You Page 26 | FUND FOR THE ARTS Metro Council's New Arts & Culture Initiatives Page 32

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REAL, LIVE SHOWS! Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burdens behind us.

— Scottish author Samuel Smiles

Whether you’re a creator, producer, performer or patron of the arts, the relentless challenges of the past year have no doubt taken their toll. You’re tired of patiently waiting in the wings for the day stages will light up once more. Don’t lose hope; your wait may soon be over.

Here at Audience Magazine, we are practically vibrating with anticipation over the possibility of gathering for live performances again. With vaccines becoming more widely available every day, we can finally see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

And for a change, it’s not a freight train!

Our local performing arts organizations are doing everything they can to bring back in-person shows, whether that’s in limited capacity or a hybrid model that includes virtual access, or making building improvements and implementing new safety measures.

The return to the stage is going to be a gradual process, but we are so excited to see that plans are underway.

Amy Higgs Managing Editor

In this issue, you’ll hear from Kentucky Performing Arts’ Director of Security and Building Services on the future of KPA venues, and get a preview of this year’s Humana Festival of New American Plays, hosted by Actors Theatre of Louisville as a virtual exhibition.

We also sat down with Louisville’s Orchestra’s new Director of Education and Community Engagement to find out how the organization’s outreach efforts may be expanding. And two of Metro Council’s newest members, Cassie Armstrong and Jecorey Arthur, share their insights about how to further elevate the arts in Louisville.

Perhaps the most exciting news this month — which is a big reason for the hopeful light we mentioned earlier — is the return of Kentucky Shakespeare’s Spring Parks Tour, with an abridged (but in person) performance of Romeo and Juliet.

“But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”

Those words will never sound sweeter than when they’re uttered in front of a real-live audience starting April 17. We can’t wait!

Thank you to our faithful advertisers for their unwavering support of the arts and Audience Magazine over the past year. While our performing arts community is beginning to emerge into the sun, casting shadows of the past year’s journey behind it, we remain committed to giving Louisville’s arts groups a voice as long as we are needed.

G. Douglas Dreisbach Publisher

Until the curtain rises again,

– The Audience Group

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TABLE of CONTENTS APRIL 2021

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26

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THE 2021 HUMANA FESTIVAL

COMMUNITY CONNECTOR

INTERVIEW WITH ERIC SPEARS

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A TRIUMPHANT RETURN

S U B S C R I B E

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UPLIFTING THE ARTS

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TICKET

GIVEAWAYS

SPECIAL INVITES

SHOW PREVIEWS

A behind-the-scenes look into Louisville’s performing arts and entertainment 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

Actors Theatre Louisville Orchestra Kentucky Performing Arts Kentucky Shakespeare Fund for the Arts

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

On the Cover: The Block Association Project runs April 20 through May 1 as part of Actors Theatre's Humana Festival of New American Plays Read more on page 6.

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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 M A R C H

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THE 2021 HUMANA FESTIVAL A VIRTUAL EXHIBITION OF NEW WORK AND EMERGENT TECHNOLOGIES

by Actors Theatre of Louisville

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ctors Theatre of Louisville is an arts and culture organization as social enterprise, sharing experiences centered in a commitment to create a more just society. In pursuing this synthesis of art and service, we’ve taken a deep dive into digital production and have become an interdisciplinary laboratory for a storytelling (r)evolution.

The Humana Festival of New American Plays has always been about bringing together extraordinary artists and expanding the possibilities of form and content, and in that spirit, this year we’re transforming our annual celebration of world premieres into a 2021 virtual exhibition of new work and emergent technologies.

Adding to our growing library of digital experiences, we’ll be rolling out projects that seek to transport audiences into surprising, previously unimagined story worlds where you can journey with a powerhouse blues singer or with history-making athletes through virtual and extended reality, immerse yourself in an interactive video game that unfolds in four historic time periods, jam at an R&B concert in a virtual pub and supper club, join a community built online over email and ZoomOSC, and more.

Actors Theatre of Louisville’s unique creative innovation partners in this laboratory include narrative technology company Wolf 359; the Louisville-based game development studio Two Scoop Games; nurse, dancer, and Artistic Director Tara Rynders of The Clinic; and Crux Cooperative, a Black-led home for artists working in extended reality.

These remarkable collaborators, hailing from our home state and around the globe, share the aim of building new bridges across disciplines and communities. By bringing them together with many other formidable talents, Actors Theatre of Louisville is investigating how the intersection of art, civic discourse, liberatory practices of anti-oppression,

and emergent technologies can aspire to bring about socioeconomic transformation, abundance, and prosperity in comprehensive health and wellness outcomes, through an investment in holistic human-centered service and creative artmaking.

Humana Festival projects will become available on a rolling basis over the coming months, and tickets for several offerings can be reserved now at ActorsTheatre.org. Read on to learn about all the upcoming experiences that are part of this innovative virtual exhibition.

BLOCK ASSOCIATION PROJECT APRIL 20-MAY 1, 2021

Written by Michael Yates Crowley, Directed by Michael Rau, Created by Wolf 359 Welcome to the Oak Street Block Association, a group of neighbors fired up to work for the common good — if anyone can agree on what that means. Join our inaugural Zoom meeting and participate in neighborhood decisions in this funny, thought-provoking look at what makes a community, and what breaks it.

Tickets are available for purchase at ActorsTheatre.org. This is a live, interactive online event and space is limited, so sign up soon to reserve your spot.

THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COMPANY PROJECTS APRIL 16-MAY 31, 2021

Created by the 2020-21 Actors Theatre of Louisville Professional Training Company This collection of boldly imaginative short pieces is the culmination of the Professional Training Company’s season spent learning how to create, film, edit, and produce their own work. The dynamic range of material — by turns satirical, meditative, and uncanny — illuminates the many ways we

 Actors Theatre of Louisville's Professional Training Company. Photo courtesy of Actors Theatre.

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interpret and communicate with the world around us through our senses.

Visit ActorsTheatre.org to reserve free tickets to stream The Professional Training Company Projects.

figures who questioned Ali about his conscientious objection to military service, this virtual project is a collaboration between playwright Idris Goodwin, director Robert Barry Fleming, and the extended reality storytellers and immersive artists of Crux Cooperative.

Watch for dates to be announced for the following projects:

BEYOND THE CROSSROADS

STILL READY

Created by Candrice Jones and Ruffin, Produced in collaboration with Crux Cooperative, Commissioned by Actors Theatre of Louisville

Created and performed by Christina Acosta Robinson and Ken Robinson, Directed by Robert Barry Fleming, Commissioned by Actors Theatre of Louisville They met as acting students in graduate school, got married, and became parents. He writes songs, she’s a poet and visual artist, and both have navigated careers as Black performers on the Great White Way. This music-filled, three-part docuseries shares the creative partnership between the Robinsons, in love for more than a decade and still surprising each other all the time.

LOUISVILLE SESSIONS: FULL JAM Featuring Tiny Tiny, Chanson Calhoun, Bridge 19, Kiana & the Sun Kings, Sasha Renee, Tez of 2Deep, JonJohn, Coyia, and more From bluegrass to hip hop to rock to jazz, Kentucky’s rich musical traditions have energized a wildly diverse range of contemporary recording artists. Louisville Sessions is a new series that celebrates the vast sound, feel, and artistry of our state, featuring local musicians responding to the current moment through an original song and video. Tune in to watch the entire compilation of sessions from these extraordinary artists.

The individual Louisville Sessions that have been released to date are available to watch at ActorsTheatre.org.

PLAGUE DOCTOR: CONTAGION 430 BCE–2020 AD A video game developed in partnership with Two Scoop Games, Game design by Alex Bezuska, Story by Robert Barry Fleming and Jenni Page-White Athens, 430 BCE. Marseille, 1720. Philadelphia, 1918.

Louisville, 2020. Four cities, each contending with a deadly epidemic capable of unleashing profound social, political, and cosmic upheaval. In this new interactive video game, explore the fault lines and inequities exposed by these monumental public health crises — and with the help of a mysterious stranger, race against time to control the outbreaks for the sake of humanity.

THE CLINIC Artistic Director and Founder: Tara Rynders

ALI SUMMIT Written by Idris Goodwin, Directed by Robert Barry Fleming, Produced in collaboration with Crux Cooperative, Commissioned

by Actors Theatre of Louisville In 1967, nobody could doubt the athletic strength of boxing champ Muhammad Ali. But what about the strength of his convictions? Inspired by the summit of prominent Black sports

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In this interactive adventure from the minds of playwright Candrice Jones and creative media technologies thought leader Ruffin, you can help a young blues singer chart her own path and liberate the music that’s in her heart. It’s a branching narrative journey that springs from the collaboration between two remarkable Black women, both innovative thinkers in their respective fields.

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Actors Theatre of Louisville is developing a partnership with nurse and dancer Tara Rynders, Artistic Director of The Clinic, to support nurses in our region and help strengthen community within the healthcare profession. Through immersive experiences and resiliency moments that counteract compassion fatigue and burnout, this work creates space for frontline healers to rediscover the joy of caring for another human being.

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THE KENTUCKY CENTER FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE PRESENTS

CELEBRATING WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE, CHARACTER, COURAGE, COMMITMENT MARCH 1, 2021 KCAAH.ORG

CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN FROM KENTUCKY AND THEIR EXTRAORDINARY CREATIVITY, DETERMINATION, AND TENACITY. KCAAH WILL RECOGNIZE AND HONOR 24 WOMEN FEATURING BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ABOUT THESE WOMEN ON KCAAH’S WEBSITE: WWW.KCAAH.ORG. ALBERTA JONES • ALICE DUNNIGAN • ANNA CLARKE • AUDREY LOUISE GREVIOUS • BERTHA WHEDBEE • EFFIE WALLER SMITH • ELEANOR YOUNG LOVE • GEORGIA DAVIS POWERS • GRACE MARILYNN JAMES • HELEN HUMES • HELEN LAFRANCE ORR • JANE ROBERTA SUMMERS • MAE STREET KIDD • MARILYN YARBROUGH AINSWORTH • MARY ANN FISHER • MARY BRITTON STRIP • MARY CUNNINGHAM SMITH • MARY MERRITT • MURRAY ATKINS WALLER • NANCY GREEN • NANNIE HELEN BURROUGHS • NELLIE CONLEY • SARA MARTIN • WILLA BROWN CHAPPELL

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AUDIENCE EATS

Audience Eats is a collection of some of our favorite restaurants and why we love them.

We hope you enjoy the suggestions and will give them a try on your next night out!

BOURBONS BISTRO Celebrating Kentucky's Native Spirit

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

Charcuterie Board

Filet of Beef

Located on Frankfort Avenue among an array of fantastic eateries, you will find Bourbons Bistro, a one-of-a-kind restaurant that celebrates Kentucky’s native spirit. While the name may lead you to think you need to be a bourbon connoisseur to step into the restaurant, that is far from true. Owners John Morrison and Jason Brauner were on the forefront of Louisville's love affair with the popular spirit, and after 16 years, they continue to offer a dining experience that rivals any in the area with a wine and bourbon selection that is second to none.

Bourbons Bistro 2255 Frankfort Avenue BourbonsBistro.com 502-894-8838

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Led by Executive Chef Jereme McFarland, the seasonal menu offers a variety of Southern-inspired flavors from seafood and vegetarian dishes to their fantastic filet and steak frites.

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cheese, tomato jam, greens, pink peppercorns, honey, house cut fries tossed in herbs and parmesan. If you are a pork chop connoisseur, the Bourbon Chop ($26) just might be the best in the city, and there is a lot of competition in this category.

The 12 oz. Frenched, bone-in pork chop is wrapped in prosciutto and topped with Asadero cheese and a bourbon veal demiglace, Yukon mashed potatoes, and garlic haricot verts.

Grilled Chilean Salmon

DESSERT Save room for dessert! House-made favorites include Chocolate Cake ($9), Apple Cake ($9), and the famous Bourbon Bread Pudding ($8) made with a custard soaked bread, bourbon caramel, and dried dark cherries soaked in bourbon syrup.

BOURBON APPETIZERS

When it comes to bourbon, for a taste of the “brown water,” choose from over 130 labels including Bourbon Bistro’s own private-barrel selections as well as some of the most soughtafter brands in the world. Also be sure to check out the Flight of the Month, a rotating selection of interesting bourbons. It’s a great way to sample something new.

Appetizers include the Garlic & Goat Cheese Spread ($10), a Charcuterie Board ($20) served with artisan cheeses and cured meats with French bread, fig and almond cookie, whole grain mustard, pepperoncini and olives, and you can’t go wrong with the Knob Creek Maple Bacon Wings ($9) glazed with a housemade maple bourbon BBQ sauce and chopped bacon that is out of this world.

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Tuesday-Thursday 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m.

Popular main dish selections include a grilled Chilean Salmon ($27) served over a butternut squash risotto, dried cranberries, pepitas, and crumbled goat cheese; Filet of Beef ($43) topped with sage brown butter and a balsamic reduction, herb and parmesan fingerling potatoes, and jumbo asparagus; and the Bourbon’s Burger ($18) served on a brioche bun with brie A P R I L

Friday and Saturday 4:30-11 p.m.

Daily happy hour from 4:30-7 p.m., featuring $4 off appetizers, $3 off bourbon, $2 off wine. and $2 off bottled beer Reservations are available through OpenTable and at BourbonsBistro.com or by calling (502) 894-8838.

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COMMUNITY CONNECTOR

LO’S SARAH LEMPKE O’HARE BRINGS COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO ARTS OUTREACH

by Denise Lacey-Corcoran

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ince 1940, thousands of students have benefitted from hearing live orchestral music because of the successful partnership between the Louisville Orchestra and Jefferson County Public Schools. Louisville Orchestra’s MakingMUSIC and Landfill Orchestra programs provide a curriculum to public schools, with an emphasis on literacy and math, in conjunction with Common Core and the National Arts Standards.

Sarah Lempke O’Hare joined the Louisville Orchestra as Director of Education and Community Engagement in February 2021 and is an integral part of its school outreach. Her background is in oboe performance and arts administration, and she holds degrees in music, arts administration, and fundraising management.

O’Hare has dedicated her career to using arts education as a catalyst for change in various communities. She brings a collaborative approach to creating and building impactful arts programs that will make lasting changes in schools and communities. She has utilized this successful approach with other orchestras, music festivals, museums, and arts education organizations throughout the country.

Joining Louisville Orchestra is a homecoming for O’Hare.

Not only did she graduate from the University of Louisville’s School of Music, she also completed an internship with the orchestra during her senior year of college. Some of LO’s musicians were her professors during her undergraduate years.

O’Hare’s new role allow her to work closely with Music Director Teddy Abrams, the LO board, and senior leadership “to think about how education can become more of a forefront initiative with the orchestra and build out the educational reach, not just within Louisville, but thinking broader across Kentucky and beyond,” she says. “I’m doing a lot of strategic planning and thinking.”

Sarah O'Hare is Louisville Orchestra's new Director of Education and Community Engagement. Photo by O'Neil Arnold.

COVID’S UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ARTS “COVID has presented this unique opportunity for so many arts organizations to really look inward and be reflective on where have they been successful and what they possibly want to do differently,” O’Hare adds. “I think that’s really where the orchestra is right now in terms of their education programs.

So, it’s been a lot of fun to do a lot of dreaming and thinking big about what can be possible.”

The Louisville Orchestra “saw very quickly that they needed to adapt,” she adds. “And like so many organizations across the country, how would they do that? And the answer is digitally,

 Since 1940, the Louisville Orchestra MakingMUSIC program has introduced the orchestra experience to elementary students through engaging and interactive performances. Photo courtesy of Louisville Orchestra.

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Students bring their Landfill Orchestra instruments to the 2019 MakingMUSIC concert.

broader audience as well as reach our current audience in a new way,” she says. “There’s no looking back. We have to think about engaging and having a virtual presence in conjunction with in-person programs.”

...it’s been a lot of fun to do a lot of dreaming and thinking big about what can be possible. with video. I think that that’s a challenge specifically for performing arts organizations where they are so involved in their art form and the performative experience that translating that to video is hard.”

O’Hare is helping LO understand the nuances of transitioning to video. “When you translate a performance to video, you’re translating it into another art form. Video in itself is an art form that has its own unique engagement style, needs, and new graphic ideas. You engage with video very differently than you engage with an orchestral performance.”

The use of video has opened up new opportunities for LO to reach the community, she adds. “It’s allowed the LO to start to build an educational library resource that can live and be updated and supported for the years to come. What’s so great about this is not only does that allow us to reach teachers in our own community that might not have been able to participate with us in our past initiatives, but anyone can access it.

Thinking about how to use that content to support people beyond the immediate community gets O’Hare excited.

“There’s so much potential and opportunity for us to reach a 14

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O’Hare works very closely with LO musicians to create and implement educational outreach programming. She describes herself as a “community connector,” as she meets “with other arts education people in the city, other community builders, figuring out how could we work together and how can we support the great work that they’re doing on the ground.”

By creating connections and having conversations with community members, she is able to learn what has been successful and unsuccessful in past years.

During the past year, LO members have provided numerous virtual visits to classrooms, recorded instructional videos, and given master classes. Teddy Abrams has also given conducting master classes.

ARTS INTEGRATION THROUGH MAKINGMUSIC Louisville Orchestra established the MakingMUSIC program to connect with as many Jefferson County Public Schools teachers as possible through an approach called arts integration, which helps students demonstrate their understanding of core subjects through the arts. In past years, half of JCPS elementary schools were given a concert by a small ensemble of Louisville Orchestra musicians on location at their schools. Fourth- and fifth-grade students from the schools that did not host concerts were also invited to attend. The following year, the schools that did not host concerts would get their chance.

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be with the main music leadership team for the district, which we hadn’t had in quite a few years. We have a weekly meeting with that leadership team, which has completely opened the doors to what we can do in the JCPS school district and how we can think about supporting not just general education teachers, but music education teachers. Through them, we’re learning what type of support they need, what type of programs they want for their classrooms.”

CONNECTING TO FAMILIES

Teddy Abrams awards students for their Landfill Orchestra instruments on Earth Day at the Louisville Zoo (2017).

O’Hare sees “such a value in the integration approach because of the immense amount of pressure and expectations that are put on teachers before even COVID hit. I was able to see the profound impact that the arts can have on a teacher’s teaching ability when they have a cultural partner to meet them in their room that’s going to allow for their content to provide different access points for their kids. In investing in those teachers, we are then investing in the kids.”

COVID has opened the door to further collaboration with the JCPS district, O’Hare says. Before the pandemic, “LO was primarily working with fourth and fifth-grade teachers, so the focus was on integration within general education. Because all of those teachers had to reel back and focus on NTI (non-traditional instruction), JCPS directed our contacts to

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Louisville Orchestra has an online library for JCPS teachers that’s filled with resources, including ensemble performances, MakingMUSIC concerts, instrument demonstration videos, and the Landfill Orchestra curriculum. The Landfill Orchestra project was inspired by The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura in Paraguay. Students of all ages are encouraged to use recycledcontent and multi-use materials to create musical instruments.

O’Hare says the Landfill Orchestra Program is something she is “really looking to shift and have become, in addition to a school opportunity, a family program opportunity. I’m really passionate about family programs. ... I know just how impactful good, quality arts family programming can be, not just for a kid’s learning experience, but the model for parents to know how to engage with their kid through the arts in an educational way.”

In the coming months, she plans to build on LO’s family programming overall. “To me, that’s such an opportunity for where arts can provide some healing for our community right now,” she says. “Through being there for families there’s this opportunity to have arts transform so much, and Louisville needs those experiences right now. We need those spaces to come together in joy, and I think arts can provide that space.

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WE HAVE A

1 in 50 kids were abused or neglected in KY in 2019*

BIG

1 in 68 kids were abused or neglected in IN in 2019*

PROBLEM

Dear Grown Ups, I am a child at the park. I am your neighbor. I go to school with your children. And I need your help. Kentucky and Indiana have a big problem–child abuse.

Kentucky and Indiana rank first and 15th in the nation in cases of child abuse and neglect.

You likely know a kid who needs help. Will you protect them by supporting Kosair Charities’ Child Abuse Prevention efforts?

The pandemic has been hard. Not being able to see our friends, having to wear a mask, and learning online aren’t easy. I am safe in my home, but not every child is so lucky. Some kids live with people who hurt them. Since we are not going to school or other activities, we aren’t seeing the adults who typically help watch over us. Child abuse reports have decreased by 29%** since the community shut down, and I am scared for what that means for my friends.

I hear grown-ups say raising kids is the hardest job of all, so we have to help each other.

Will you check on your neighbors, learn signs of abuse and neglect, and support prevention efforts?

Your donation to the Kosair Charities Child Abuse Prevention Fund could provide funding to hundreds of non-profit organizations who help protect kids like me, as well as doctors, nurses, forensic units, and so many others. These are the HELPERS who prevent, recognize, and report child abuse, as well as offer resources to parents and other caregivers. They need your help to continue this crucial work.

Will you stand up for kids like me and be the face that ends child abuse?

Sincerely,

A child you know

Support the Kosair Charities Child Abuse Prevention Fund:

* 2019 Child Maltreatment Report ** KY Department for Community Based Services: Reports of suspected child abuse/neglect fell by 29% from March 1-June 30, 2019 to March 1-June 30, 2020.

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LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA AT HOME Many Louisville Orchestra musicians have filmed videos, sharing what makes their instrument unique. They are wonderful tools for introducing children to orchestra instruments like the clarinet, trumpet and bassoon. LO also plans to share instructional videos on how families can create their own Landfill Orchestra with common objects found around the home.

Later this spring, these and more educational videos will be available on the Louisville Orchestra website.

 VIDEO: LO clarinetist, Robert Walker, discusses the similarities between the world we are living in now and Stravinsky’s world when he wrote Three Pieces for Clarinet.

 VIDEO: LO musician, Trevor Johnson, demonstrates the look and sound of an oboe.

 VIDEO: LO’s Music Director Teddy Abrams and Metro Councilman Jecorey Arthur discuss the History of Black Music in America.

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ERIC SPEARS AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SECURITY AND BUILDING SERVICES

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

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entucky Performing Arts’ family of venues serve as the primary performance sites for the Louisville Orchestra, Louisville Ballet, Kentucky Opera, StageOne Family Theatre, and PNC Broadway in Louisville. KPA’s outstanding spaces, The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, the Brown Theatre, and Old Forester's Paristown Hall, provide a stage for every type of performance experience, from large-scale Broadway productions to intimate concert events.

As Senior Director of Security and Building Services, Eric Spears is one of KPA’s longest-tenured employees. He started at The Kentucky Center for the Arts in November 1990. Audience publisher, G. Douglas Dreisbach, got the chance to catch up with him to talk about his career, what’s changed over the years, and what the future looks like for KPA venues.

G. Douglas Dreisbach: When COVID-19 shut down stages last year, what were some of your initial thoughts from a protocol and logistics perspective? And looking back, would you have done anything differently?

Eric Spears: We never thought we would be down for this long.

We thought we’d come back in the late fall or the winter (of 2020) at the latest. We never envisioned being out for over a year, plus.

We took all the correct actions by shutting down. There was nothing that we would have done differently. We were forced to close — the shows just were not there; they were not touring.

I was hoping that I would be able to get my staff back at the time, but there was nothing we could have done differently.

GDD: As we return to live performances, everybody’s clamoring and chomping at the bit for that moment to happen. What are some of your areas of concern?

ES: Social distancing is going to be a challenge. We are looking at some work-arounds for the space that we have, to make sure

Eric Spears is the Senior Director of Security and Building Services. He has been with Kentucky Performing Arts since 1990.

that we can accommodate a full house in the Whitney Hall.

If we cannot accommodate a full house in our theaters, then that’s going to be an issue with touring companies.

GDD: With a show in an auditorium like Whitney Hall, which holds 2,400 people, how will you put social distancing in place?

ES: There’s no way to socially distance in any of the spaces at 100% capacity. We are looking at some things in engineering, when it comes to airflow within those spaces. We are looking at changing out and upgrading filters that we will be using, moving forward, that better filter out some of those small particles. So, airflow and maybe the way we enter — such as how and when people enter, whether or not it’s a timed entry for groups of rows — these

 Whitney Hall at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. Photo courtesy of Kentucky Performing Arts.

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Exterior of The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts on Main Street in Downtown Louisville.

Photo courtesy of Kentucky Performing Arts.

are some of the things that we could look at now to alleviate the situation.

It’s going to take a lot of communication with patrons to make sure that they are fully aware of times to come in, to arrive, where to arrive. The upside of it is, with the additional communication, it may speed up patron entry to a certain degree, take some of the guesswork out of where to go to park and what door to come into.

GDD: How did you feel about the logistics at The Kentucky Center before COVID? Is this an opportunity to improve on some of those processes that you wanted to tweak all along, but didn’t really know how? Is this a silver lining or opportunity to improve on logistics for your patrons?

ES: When the building was constructed and opened in ’83, convenience for the patron was their top priority. There’s a lot of ways to get into The Center. It can be confusing to the person that has not been down here before, or does not come down here regularly. Now we have an opportunity to communicate to our patrons very specific ways of parking and entry and even, to a degree, exit from the space, if it helps them to get out and to get to their car a little faster.

We’re taking this time right now to look at all of our policies and procedures. It’s allowing me time to write some additional policies that I have not had a chance to do before, when it comes to screening of patrons coming into the building.

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things that we’ve thought about doing for quite some time.

With the year-plus absence of The Center, and shows going on, and performances, everybody’s going to be coming in here kind of anew, so this will be a fresh start for everyone, and it’s the perfect opportunity to enact some of our new policies and procedures.

GDD: Some venues across the country are implementing rapid COVID testing and other protocols like temperature taking.

Do you see that happening at KPA venues?

ES: We’re going to have a certain set of guidelines and procedures, and we’re going to work with those companies to make sure that they fully understand those guidelines and procedures, coming in, and what that would realistically take to safely produce a performance in The Center.

GDD: What are you most excited about having patrons back in your house?

ES: I’m really looking forward to arts coming back to this city, lights coming back on on the stage, the excitement of patrons of all ages. One of the things that we really miss around here is our StageOne performances and the excitement of the kids and the young teenagers coming into the building. A lot of times, this is their first interaction with the arts, and I love seeing the looks on their faces. And I’m also really excited about getting a lot of my staff back — those people that really enjoyed working here and put a lot of years into The Center — having them come back through the doors, come back to work again.

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KPA'S UPCOMING PERFORMANCES As the saying goes, “the show must go on.” Kentucky Performing Arts' venues may be temporarily closed due to COVID-19, but we are happy to bring you new performances.

APRIL 6-18 Kentucky Performing Arts presents:

Dixie’s Happy Hour Virtual Events Tickets: KentuckyPerformingArts.org $35 per household On the heels of the international smash hit Dixie’s Tupperware Party and the inspiring Dixie’s: Never Wear a Tube Top While Riding a Mechanical Bull (and 16 other things I learned while I was drinking last Thursday), Dixie Longate has returned with a new show for these unpredictable times.

Almost everybody loves a cocktail, and who better to share one with than America’s favorite bar hopper, Dixie Longate? She’ll be mixing drinks with the four basic food groups — rum, gin, vodka, and tequila — while sharing stories with you that prove that happiness is not only found at the bottom of a margarita glass. It’s an uplifting story that challenges the audience to search for their personal happy hours by looking for the good in even the most complicated situations.

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APRIL 11, 18, 25 Louisville Folk School and Kentucky Performing Arts present:

Exploring the African American Influence on Kentucky Music Virtual Events Free, Live Streaming on Louisville Folk School Facebook and Kentucky Performing Arts Facebook.

APRIL 11, 4 PM Henry Hart: Music Along the Riverways Composer Rachel Grimes, educator Dr. Clark Kimberling, and historian Michael L. Jones explore the legacy of S U B S C R I B E

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celebrated, Kentucky-born violinist, composer, and bandleader Henry Hart (1839-1915). Hart was the grandson of an enslaved woman who participated in the March 1775 expedition to build Fort Boonesborough, one of the earliest non-indigenous settlements in Kentucky.

Hart began his musical career playing on steamboats along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, but went on to lead the most popular society bands in Indianapolis.

APRIL 15-18 Kentucky Performing Arts presents:

A New Stage Virtual Events Tickets: KentuckyPerformingArts.org $20 per household. View on-demand, as many times as you like, from April 15 until midnight on April 18.

Tiler Peck and CLI Studios invite you to join us virtually for A New Stage, a thrilling set of performances feature a star-studded cast from the worlds of classical ballet, commercial dance, and Broadway.

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inspire a generation of Kentucky string band players including a young Bill Monroe.

APRIL 18, 3 PM Connecting for a Cause Music in Motion: A Collaboration with Louisville Ballet + River City Drum Corp Christy’s Garden, 720 Brent Street (outside Old Forester’s Paristown Hall) Tickets: Free event, reservations required Register at KentuckyPerformingArts.org Join Louisville Ballet and River City Drum Corp as they bring the arts back to life this spring with Music in Motion.

The live, in-person program will feature performances by young artists from both organizations and is sure to get the audience up on their feet in celebration of the arts!

Get a front-row seat to experience world-class artistry from the comfort of your home, with three incredible performances in a range of styles from ballet to hip-hop to tap. Together for the first time, Tiler Peck, Lil Buck, Sierra Boggess, Brooklyn Mack, and the Syncopated Ladies take the stage in works by Chloe Arnold and Jennifer Weber, and a world premier from Christopher Wheeldon.

In addition to each performance, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at how this reimagined production came together in the midst of a global pandemic. From rehearsals over Zoom to collaborating in quarantine, these artists' passion for creating and bringing new art to the beautiful arts community gave birth to a new way, a new form — A New Stage.

Presented by CLI Studios, Curated by Tiler Peck Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon, Jennifer Weber, Chloe Arnold Performers: Tiler Peck, Sierra Boggess, Lil Buck, Brooklyn Mack, Chloe Arnold, Maude Arnold, Anissa Lee, Assata Madison, Gisele Silva, Sharon Lam, Marek Szpakiewicz Filmed at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, La Mirada California

Kentucky Performing Arts’ Connecting for a Cause series features dynamic events curated in partnership with regional cultural and service organizations that work daily to support the health and harmony of our community.

Somewhat shrouded in mystery, the story of this musical pioneer will be revealed by panelists Keith Lawrence and Dr. Richard Brown, who will discuss the enduring legend that has grown around Shultz and the ways that his story still remains relevant to bluegrass music today. The panel will be moderated by historian Michael L. Jones and Dom Flemons, The American Songster.

View the full calendar at KentuckyPerformingArts.org

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT There are many causes worthy of your support during this uncertain time. We invite you to consider a gift to Kentucky Performing Arts, so that we may continue to build lifelong relationships with the arts across the Commonwealth. Donate.

APRIL 18, 4 PM The Caribbean and String Band Music:

How Did Haiti Get Written Out of the History of the Banjo?

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SEASON SPONSORS:

New Orleans based multi-instrumentalist and activist Leyla McCalla and Louisvillebased music historian Michael L. Jones discuss the often-overlooked role Haiti and Haitian musicians played in the journey of the banjo from Africa to North America. They will also discuss the island-nation's connection to string band music that developed in river towns like New Orleans and Louisville.

APRIL 25, 4 PM ARNOLD SHULTZ: GODFATHER OF BLUEGRASS This discussion will explore the legacy of Arnold Shultz, an African American fiddler and guitarist from Morgantown, Ky., whose musical innovations would

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REVEAL

THROUGH APRIL 30, 2021 An annual competitive exhibit of large format two-dimensional art

Photos top left, clockwise: “Edges” by Dean Hill; “Crazed 8: Incarceration” by Kathleen Loomis; “Anxieties # 6: Disruptions” by Vickie Wheatley; “The Siren, the Silkie and the Jackalope” by Risa Yost; “Star Gazer” by Kathy Conroy; “Synthesis” by John Andrew Dixon

KENTUCKY ARTISAN CENTER 200 Artisan Way • Berea, KY • 859-985-5448 OPEN DAILY 9 AM TO 6 PM

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The Kentucky Artisan Center is an agency in the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet of the State of Kentucky

WOMEN & MIGRATION

National Geographic Live Tuesday, April 13, 7 PM

Photo by Danielle Villasana

Danielle Villasana Danielle Villasana is a photojournalist based in Istanbul whose documentary work focuses on human rights, gender, displacement, and health around the world.

She is a National Geographic Explorer, Magnum Foundation awardee, and an International Women’s Media Foundation fellow. Villasana strongly believes in pairing photography with education and community. She is a co-founder of We, Women, an Authority Collective board member, a member on

MIORA RAJAONARY

Miora Rajaonary is a documentary photographer born and raised in Madagascar, currently based in Mauritius. Through her work, she focuses on identity and the social impacts of and adaptations to climate change in Africa. Rajaonary was named the winner of the Juror’s Choice of the 2019 edition of The Fence, the First Prize of the Addis Foto Fest’s Portfolio Review sponsored by National Geographic in December 2018, and one of the four winners of the inaugural Getty + Array Grant in July 2018. She was named one of the “10 emerging photographers of color to watch” in January 2018 by I-D magazine.

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Saiyna Bashir is a Pakistani photojournalist currently based in Islamabad.

After studying journalism at P E R F O R M I N G

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the Columbia College, Chicago, Bashir worked as a staff photographer for Cap Times in the United States for two years.

The overarching themes of most of Bashir’s long-term project publications involve human rights, healthcare, migration, climate change and gender.

Her photos have been published alongside news stories in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Al-Jazeera, and The Telegraph, among others. She has also worked for international nonprofit organizations such as Unicef, Sightsavers, Medicin du Monde, and the WHO. JENNIFER SAMUEL (Moderator) Jennifer Pritheeva Samuel is a photo editor at National Geographic, where she produces stories about culture and the human condition for the magazine and website. She edited many of the stories in the magazine’s 2019-20 series highlighting women, and the 2018 series on race and diversity.

In 2019, Samuel received second place as POYI’s magazine media visual editor of the year and an honorable mention from NPPA as magazine picture editor of the year. Prior to National Geographic, she oversaw public programming for Photoville and managed Anastasia Photo gallery and Hank Willis Thomas’ studio.

She was a co-founder and curator of the Brooklyn Photo Salon.

Photo by Rebecca Hale

SPEAKERS

Photo by Mark Thiessen, National Geographic

Photographers with The Everyday Projects, who use their medium to challenge stereotypes and amplify storytellers worldwide, have come together to document the impact of migration on women around the globe in a major National Geographic magazine feature and several online stories. The project was created with additional support from the National Geographic Society.

The Everyday Projects’ Community Team, and a Photo Bill of Rights co-author. She is also a member of Women Photograph and Ayün Fotógrafas. Ultimately, Villasana works by the words of Donna De Cesare: “You are a human being first and a journalist second.”

Photo by Amber Arnold

Never before has the world been more tightly woven and the movement of people greater between and within continents and countries. Although COVID-19 has slowed migration, in 2019 more than 270 million people — nearly half of them women — were living in countries other than the one where they were born. Drawn by the promise of a better future, women increasingly have traveled to wealthier countries, taking jobs in child- and eldercare and domestic work, as well as manufacturing and agriculture — a shift described as “the feminization of migration.”

For women who are forced to leave home because of famine or violence, migration is a gamble for their very survival.

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A TRIUMPHANT

RETURN KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE’S SPRING PARKS TOUR PREVIEW

by Daniel C. Chioco

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reative freedom. Magic. Joy.

After months of social distancing and isolation, the light at the end of the tunnel is finally growing brighter.

Some semblance of normalcy is emerging with the spring, and that includes Kentucky Shakespeare’s return to the parks for the first time in two years.

On Saturday, April 17, at 6:30 p.m., Kentucky Shakespeare kicks off its 2021 Spring Parks Tour at Maples Park with an abridged performance of Romeo and Juliet.

“Romeo and Juliet will be our first step back into parks since the summer of 2019,” says Amy Attaway, Associate Artistic Director.

The company was two weeks into its 2020 spring season when COVID shuttered live performances and gatherings nationwide.

Just two years before Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, Elizabethan England relied on lockdowns and social distancing to curb an epidemic. The Bard was personally affected, as it was ordered that plays be “restricted or banned” entirely.

“For us as artists, being back in the room together, making this play has been very cathartic and a very important step forward,” Attaway adds. “Even though it’s strange because we can’t touch each other, or have to wear masks, or can’t sit next to each other off stage, the family is back together. It’s meaningful. Personally, it’s meaningful — and I hope it will be for people we are able to reach.”

Before its annual Spring Parks Tour, Kentucky Shakespeare brought the Bard’s works to schools all over the state. Abridged versions of Shakespeare’s most famous plays were strategically designed for school assemblies, keeping educational performances to 50-90 minutes in length and allowing for in-depth guided discussions to support school curriculum and academic standards.

Currently, there are 23 scheduled live, in-person performances in April and May for audiences throughout the state of Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Locations operated by Metro Parks performances are pending permit approval. Those details and other performance information can be found on the Kentucky Shakespeare: Parks Tour website.

For many students, these performances bring Shakespeare to life, breathing meaning and understanding into the written words on the page.

SHAKESPEARE FOR THE PEOPLE When many people think of William Shakespeare, they likely think of English class essays or elaborate performances in exclusive venues.

Kentucky Shakespeare aims to change that by making his plays accessible to everyone.

The educational programming became so successful that in 2014, Kentucky Shakespeare expanded by taking the tour to local parks around Louisville, thanks to the support of Metro Council. This was the birth of the annual Spring Parks Tour, which now covers the entirety of the Bluegrass state as well as Southern Indiana.

“We wanted to take Shakespeare off the pedestal and make him ‘Shakespeare for the people,’ ” Attaway says. Everything about the tour’s production, preparation, and performance contribute to this end goal.

 Kentucky Shakespeare's performance of Romeo & Juliet at Locust Grove in 2016. Photo courtesy of Kentucky Shakespeare.

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But perhaps the biggest selling point to the public will be the play itself. Romeo and Juliet is a classic story — and possibly the Bard’s most famous — and the timing of this production as Kentucky Shakespeare’s return to the stage could not be more serendipitous.

One of the benefits of performing an abridged version of the play is that it involves minimal props and costume requirements compared with a full-fledged production. As Attaway puts it, the smaller ensemble is a “down and dirty, actor-centric version of what we do.”

AN ECHO OF THE PAST

In a typical season, Kentucky Shakespeare does not travel with front-of-house staff for its Spring Parks Tour. This year, the company is traveling with extra front-of-house staff to assist with audience spacing and to help manage hand sanitizer stations for the audience. All precautions are being taken to ensure that audience and company members alike are protected during the season.

At its core, Romeo and Juliet is a story about two lovers who desperately want to be close together, yet are not able to be close to each other. Of course, the theme itself is not new, but it has refreshed meaning and depth as everyone can relate to forced long-distance relationships in the midst of the pandemic. “This theme feels perfect for this time,” says Attaway.

Romeo and Juliet dives into deep-seated feuds that the title characters are born into and simply can’t understand.

These inter-family feuds have existed for so long that the older characters don’t even know the reasons for them anymore, yet they find themselves intertwined in this struggle. Could this not also relate to the current struggles in our community?

Perhaps Romeo and Juliet was penned for a time such as this.

The best estimates of Shakespeare writing Romeo and Juliet are between 1591 and 1596, with the Norton Anthology of Shakespeare claiming it was penned precisely in 1595.

Though the Bubonic Plague preceded Shakespeare and the Great Plague of London came much later, an outbreak of the Black Death occurred in London in 1592-1593.

Just two years before Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, Elizabethan England relied on lockdowns and social distancing to curb an epidemic. The Bard was personally affected, as it was ordered that plays be “restricted or banned” entirely.

As if that similarity weren’t enough, there were 12 major protests in London in June 1595. Historians count a total of 35 major protests between 1581 and 1602. Again, Shakespeare likely witnessed this firsthand, as the demonstrations typically began at theaters before spreading outwards with a “carnival atmosphere.” These protests focused on class and religion.

If there is any semblance between the landscape and characters in Romeo and Juliet and our current experiences, it is likely more than mere coincidence. Shakespeare faced challenges that we still grapple with today. And Attaway expects the company’s return to the stage to be a cathartic and serendipitous experience for the actors and audience alike.

While public parks are the key focus of the Spring Parks Tour, Kentucky Shakespeare is also returning to its roots, providing schools with various opportunities to engage with Romeo and Juliet. The first option is to book a pre-recorded performance.

Students will still have the opportunity to hear first-hand from the actors and company members, as a pre-recorded questionand-answer session will be included after the performance.

For schools that want more interconnectivity but are unable to safely host assemblies, they can book a live virtual performance that will be streamed directly into their classrooms. The Q&A portion following the performance will happen in real time, allowing students to truly dig deep into the contents of Romeo and Juliet.

Finally, schools that can safely assemble and bring in outside guests may book a live performance (including a Q&A session) with Kentucky Shakespeare.

MEET THE 2021 SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKS TOUR CAST When previewing the 2021 Parks Tour cast, Attaway couldn’t help but brag on the cast. All of the actors are local, and many have worked with Kentucky Shakespeare during previous summer seasons. To ensure maximum safety, they all are currently in the process of getting their COVID-19 vaccines.

For Romeo and Juliet, there were no production-specific auditions. Rather, the company holds ongoing regular auditions so they can keep their eyes on Louisville’s impressive talent pool. The company utilized players already on their roster, but also reached out to new talent who were adept at Shakespeare, playing multiple characters, and education.

Mollie Murk (Juliet) has performed previously with Kentucky Shakespeare as well as the Actors Theater of Louisville. As a co-founder of the Hope Summer Repertory Theatre’s education program, she has a heart for education.

AN UNPRECEDENTED SEASON, MONTHS IN THE MAKING As the pandemic shuttered in-person gatherings and live performances, Kentucky Shakespeare’s behind-the-scenes production processes had to evolve as well.

Tony Reimonenq III (Romeo) graduated in May 2020 from the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s of fine arts degree. He began working with Kentucky Shakespeare in August 2020, serving as an Artist Educator.

Early rehearsals and initial table reads occurred via Zoom, providing the actors with the opportunity to work on character development and establish rapport with the other players.

As production moved forward, the cast and crew began rehearsing indoors in a large hall with social distancing guidelines in place.

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Georgette Kleier (Nurse/Prince/Apothecary) is an Adjunct Professor with the Indiana University Southeast theater department, boasting over 15 years of teaching experience at Youth Performing Arts School. She lives in New Albany with her husband, Michael, and their dog, Riley.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Abigail Bailey Maupin (Mercutio/Lady Montague/Balthazar) is a longtime friend of Kentucky Shakespeare, having worked with the company regularly since 2014.

Coincidentally, her last onstage performance with the organization was in the 2016 summer season, where she also performed in Romeo and Juliet, appearing as Speed and Lady Capulet.

Friday, April 23 – 6:30 PM

Gregory Maupin (Lord Capulet/Friar Lawrence/Gregory) is married to Abigail Bailey Maupin. Together, they are ukulele duo Rannygazoo. They also co-founded Le Petomane Theatre Ensemble in 2004.

Maupin has worked extensively with both Kentucky Shakespeare and the Actors Theatre of Louisville.

Big Four Station Park: 215 W Chestnut Street, Jeffersonville, IN Sponsored by the City of Jeffersonville, Mike Moore, Mayor, Jeffersonville Public Art Commission, and Arts Alliance of Southern Indiana

Brittany “BeeBee” Patillo (Tybalt/Lady Capulet/ Peter/Friar John) served as the reigning 2019 Kentucky Derby Festival Queen.

She is a Louisville native and graduate of the University of Louisville. Aside from her impressive list of credits, which includes an acting apprenticeship at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Patillo is known to many as an active volunteer in her community.

Shaquille Towns (Benvolio/Paris/Watch) is a local actor and a graduate from the American Music and Dramatic Academy in New York, where he studied musical theater. Among his credits are Hairspray (Seaweed) and A Raisin in the Sun (Asagai).

Similar to the themes of Romeo and Juliet resounding more clearly in 2021, the cast and crew of this year’s tour will leave their own artistic fingerprints on Shakespeare’s classic work.

Continue to check our website as we are adding performances. Dates are subject to change.

Saturday, April 17 – 6:30 PM

The Maples Park: 6826 W State Hwy 22, Crestwood, KY Sponsored by the City of Crestwood, Jim Kramer Mayor (Pending Louisville Metro special event permit approval) Carrie Gaulbert Cox Park: 3730 River Road, Louisville, KY Sponsored by Councilwoman Paula McCraney, District 7

Saturday, April 24 – 2:00 PM

(Pending Louisville Metro special event permit approval) Emerson Park: 1100 Sylvia Street, Louisville, KY 40217 Sponsored by Councilman Patrick Mulvihill, District 10

Saturday, April 24 – 7:00 PM

Sunday, April 25 – 2:00 PM

(Pending Louisville Metro special event permit approval) Riverview Park: 8202 Greenwood Road, Louisville, KY Sponsored by Councilman Rick Blackwell, District 12

Sunday, April 25 – 6:30 PM

(Pending Louisville Metro special event permit approval) Hounz Lane Park: 2300 Hounz Lane, Louisville, KY Sponsored by Councilman Markus Winkler, District 17

Sunday, May 2 – 2:00 PM

(Pending Louisville Metro special event permit approval) Victory Park: 1051 S 23rd Street, Louisville, KY Sponsored by Council President/Councilman David James, District 6

Sunday, May 2 – 6:30 PM

(Pending Louisville Metro special event permit approval) Sun Valley Park: 616 Ashby Lane, Louisville, KY Sponsored by Councilwoman Cindi Fowler, District 14

Thursday, May 6 – 6:30 PM

(Pending Louisville Metro special event permit approval) Highview Park: 7201 Outer Loop, Louisville, KY Sponsored by Councilman James Peden, District 23

Friday, May 7 – 7:00 PM

Riverfront Amphitheater: 201 E Water Street, New Albany, IN Sponsored by the City of New Albany, Jeff Gahan, Mayor, and Arts Alliance of Southern Indiana

“One of the brilliant things about Shakespeare,” Attaway says, “is that it shows you something different with different actors with different times in life.”

Saturday, May 8 – 2:00 PM

The first several performances are listed to the right.

For the full performance schedule, visit Kentucky Shakespeare: Parks Tour.

Saturday, May 8 – 6:30 PM

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(Pending Louisville Metro special event permit approval) Petersburg Park: 5008 E Indian Trail, Louisville, KY Sponsored by Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin, District 2 Shively Park: 1902 Park Road, Shively, KY Sponsored by Shively Councilwoman Tiffany Burton-McBroom

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AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

UPLIFTING the

ARTS

SPOTLIGHTING METRO COUNCIL’S NEWEST MEMBERS

by Daniel Chioco

W

hen people think of Louisville, chances are the Kentucky Derby, Muhammad Ali, and bourbon are the first things that come to mind.

But we also know that Louisville’s arts scene is among the largest in the nation.

Before the pandemic, Louisville’s arts and culture industry generated an eye-popping $462.5 million in economic activity annually, according to the latest data from 2017. Additionally, the Louisville’s arts industry supports 17,529 jobs, attracts a mammoth 9.2 million annual attendees, and generates $21.3 million in local and state government revenue.

This spring, live performances and public gatherings are slowly returning for the first time in a year. For Kentucky Shakespeare, it will be the first time since 2019 that they hold their Spring Parks Tour series.

With 472 arts and culture venues and establishments in Louisville, as well as 1,800+ artists living and working in our community, the impact of the pandemic on the arts scene cannot be overstated.

Fortunately, the Louisville Metro Council is taking proactive steps to support and invest in the city’s arts community.

Audience Magazine recently had the opportunity to speak with newly elected Councilwoman Cassie Armstrong and Councilman Jecorey Arthur about their interests in elevating the arts and culture in Louisville.

Councilwoman Armstrong is a lifelong Kentuckian. She was born into poverty to two young parents living in a trailer who couldn’t afford air conditioning. It was Armstrong’s community, including local government, that gave her the opportunity to grow and thrive. Thanks to those opportunities, she earned a scholarship to Yale College, graduated from Harvard University Law School, and is now advocating for all the residents in District 8.

At the age of 28, Councilman Arthur became Louisville’s youngest elected official in 2020. Prior to serving District 4, he was dubbed “Mr. Arthur — your new favorite music teacher,” by the New York Times for his service to over half a million students around the world in schools and community centers.

He is also an award-winning musician whose music has reached over 1 million listeners.

Below is our conversation with two of Louisville’s newest Metro Councilmembers.

How can investing in Louisville's arts and culture play a role in moving forward from the pandemic and improving racial equity?

Councilwoman Cassie Armstrong: So much has happened in our community over this past year, and so many people are struggling. I think art can play a role in helping us process and heal from this past year. It can also embody and help us think critically about our hopes and values for the future. We need art that uplifts us, challenges us, and brings us together — now more than ever.

Councilman Jecorey Arthur: Before the pandemic, our arts scene had over $460 million in economic impact. When we invest here, we get it back tenfold economically but even more so psychologically, spiritually, and culturally. As we invest here, we have to acknowledge the truth about American art — it is a product of the blood, sweat, and tears of slaves. All arts funding should reflect that. This means we have more Black ownership in the industry, more jobs in the industry, and more overall opportunity in the industry.

Can you tell us about how you are planning on continuing to support and elevate the arts? From a public servant standpoint, are there any initiatives in particular?

Or, organizations that you are working with?

Armstrong: Right now, I'm working with Councilman Arthur to think about how we build out systems to make sure arts are a part of regular conversations we have in this city. We are looking at developing a permanent workgroup or other structure to allow us to explore arts-focused policies that would make sense for Louisville.

Since we don't have an official arts and culture committee at Metro Council (yet), we need to find ways to be intentional about making sure arts are a part of the ongoing conversation, and not something that only pops up from time to time.

Arthur: We need to start an arts and culture committee for our Metro Council. This will give us a dedicated body of legislatures to make arts specific laws. On the service side, I'll be organizing citywide arts programming for neighborhoods that lack activities for young people. This will need partnerships — from government to grasstops to grassroots.

 Councilman Jecorey Arthur is an awarding-winning musician and teacher. He is pictured performing at a Fund for the Arts event.

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Photo courtesy of Ms. Armstrong.

Photo courtesy of Mr. Arthur.

Councilwoman Cassie Armstrong was elected in 2020.

She represents District 8.

Councilman Jacorey Arthur became Louisville’s youngest elected official in 2020. He represents Disctrict 4.

Councilman Arthur, you have a background in music and the arts and are still incredibly active and influential in the creative community. What inspired you to run for public office?

sacrificed to create opportunities for me. That idea of the importance of community has stayed with me, and formed me. Local government is the closest to the people and the place where you can really know that the policies you pass have a tangible impact. For me, this work is about building and strengthening community.

Arthur: It was a natural journey from watching music, to making music, to teaching music, to organizing music, to just organizing. If you can organize a festival, you organize anything. And I think that's what politicians are or should be — community organizers.

What role do the arts play in education? Building community?

Arthur: All arts are core subjects that stimulate other core subjects. From history to science to physical education and every subject in between. Arts education is the best of all worlds.

It is clear listening to both of you that the arts in Louisville will play a vital role in our economic, emotional, and physical recovery from the pandemic. Councilwoman Armstrong, can you tell us a little more about your background in public health?

Armstrong: I have a master's degree in public health, which helped me understand how important it is to think about the holistic health of our communities. Health is a multifaceted concept, and implicates everything from our built environment, to our social service network, to the ways we build and support a sense of community. Health means everything from making sure we have sidewalks so people can walk and exercise to being intentional about disparity, inequity, and poverty in our communities.

Aside from your background in public health, you're also a lawyer and professor. What inspired you to run for public office? Did you grow up in Louisville?

Armstrong: I grew up in Eastern Kentucky in a family that didn't have a lot of resources. But my family and my community

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You authored “Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains.” What was it like writing this book? Who do you hope it speaks to?

Armstrong: This book is my attempt to tell what I call an antibootstraps narrative. I was born without a lot of resources, and went on to graduate from Ivy League institutions. In some ways, that sounds like a "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" narrative.

But these stories are never as simple as that, and I explore how it took three generations of women, supportive social structures, and more to give me the opportunities I've had.

I loved writing the book, and I've loved being part of a community of writers after its publication. I'm currently working on my second book in my free time. For me, writing is an important outlet for stress, and lets me focus on something other than my day-to-day work on the council.

What is unique about Louisville's art scene?

Arthur: To a certain extent, us not having an identity helps create a unique one. We are a city of collaboration and surprises.

My rap performances across the country with orchestras started right here at home with our very own Louisville Orchestra, and before that, with an orchestra that I made with friends in college.

Fifty years from now when we look back on this era, I know we will have timeless art. Without art we can't truly reflect these times. I always say you can't spell “artifact” without art, and that's a fact.

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LOOKING BACK AND PLAYING IT FORWARD

SUMMER CAMPS ENROLLING NOW

Camps run in June & July Choose a week-long Dramaworks Camp or a 2-3 week Performance Camp Intensive

Themed camps: Ages 4-5, 6-7, 8-11, and 12-18 10% discount for 2+ siblings OR 2+ classes*

LEARN MORE ABOUT PROGRAMS, SAFETY MEASURES, AND OTHER INFO HERE:

stageone.org/kids-academy-dramaworks

DON’T MISS OUR 75TH ANNIVERSARY KICKOFF EVENT

Please join us and our guest speakers as we celebrate the transformational power of theatre for young people in our community.

Facebook Live Event

Tuesday, 4/20: 7 AM & 12 PM REGISTER FREE BY 4/9

stageone.org/celebrate-75 *Discount offers cannot be combined.

BE ENTERED TO WIN A PINT OF 75TH ANNIVERSARY ICE CREAM FROM STAGEONE & LOUISVILLE CREAM