Hands on.
We are proud to support the Arts.
Since 1904, Stock Yards Bank & Trust has been a cornerstone of the Louisville community. Our team is dedicated to supporting the people and businesses of this city through thick and thin. We provide the resources and experience of a national bank, with the knowledge, familiarity, and trust that can only come from a hometown bank.
A Trusted Partner Since 1904
Member FDIC
PRESENTING … OUR FIRST TIME IN PRINT!
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me, and I’m feeling good.
– Nina Simone
Amy Higgs Managing Editor
G. Douglas Dreisbach Publisher
Well, folks, we’ve officially turned the corner on another year. The immortal words of the High Priestess of Soul above could feel poignant on any day, but they are especially meaningful right now.
At Audience Magazine, we’re feeling good about all the amazing performances on the schedule for 2025. We’re also feeling pretty darn good about the performing arts landscape in Louisville as we move into the new year.
You don’t have to take our word for it. In this issue, we interviewed the leaders of all the flagship performing arts groups in Louisville for their take on the “state of the arts” in our fair city. While they all mentioned challenges we have yet to overcome, they each shared how proud they are to be part of such a vibrant community of creators, dreamers, and artists. Check out our Leaders in the Arts features, starting on page 16
Not only do we have big-picture, high-level observations from our most influential leaders in the performing arts space in this issue, we’re also pleased to bring you a robust list of performances in our Event Outlook on page 7, as well as an exciting preview of the next Broadway show on deck for February, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, on page 14
And not to wear out the Nina Simone theme here, but we’re feeling really, really good about bringing you our first-ever, hard-copy, printed issue of the magazine this month! We started as a digital publication during the pandemic to give a voice to the silenced and offer a stage to those whose curtains could not rise. Today, we’re proud to provide a platform for the Louisville arts community to share their stories. With our first print edition on newsstands all over the city, we hope to help our local arts groups reach larger audiences than ever before!
We couldn’t do any of this without our advertisers, who allow us to bring you both the digital and print editions free of charge. Please join us in thanking them for their continued support and advocacy for the arts. We’re feeling good about our relationship with each of them, and what they mean to our community.
Feel free to share your copy of Audience Magazine with your friends and family!
Here’s to a new day,
Amy & Doug
TICKET GIVEAWAYS SPECIAL INVITES SHOW PREVIEWS
Your source for the arts and entertainment in Louisville and surrounding areas.
PUBLISHER
The Audience Group, Inc.
G. Douglas Dreisbach
MANAGING EDITOR
Amy Higgs
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Rhonda Mefford
SALES & MARKETING
G. Douglas Dreisbach
CONTRIBUTORS
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Speed Art Museum
TO READ CURRENT AND PREVIOUS AUDIENCE PLAYBILLS AND PERFORMANCE GUIDES, GO TO ISSUU.COM/AUDIENCE502.
On the Cover: Robert Petkoff as Harold Zidler and the cast of the North American tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade. Read more on page 14
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 2025. 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
CELEBRATING the ARTS
A Note From Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
STRETCHING from east to west to right here in Louisville and beyond, our New Kentucky Home is full of rich arts and culture. Whether you seek communities with a vibrant arts scene or want to experience the areas that shaped some of your favorite Kentuckians, like Loretta Lynn, Jack Harlow, Crystal Wilkinson, Silas House, Tyler Childers, and others, you’ll find it’s easy to be inspired in Kentucky.
Kentucky’s thriving $6.5 billion arts industry contributes to our $13.8 billion tourism industry, which has celebrated two backto-back record-breaking years — and we fully expect 2024 to beat those numbers. We’ve shown folks across the globe just how special our home is. We’re thrilled you are joining the 79 million visitors we saw last year to explore the rich heritage that makes our beloved traditions so unique, while also discovering the unexpected surprises that are making our future so bright.
Explore the river town of Paducah in Western Kentucky, one of nine UNESCO Creative Cities in the United States, full of creative experiences like the National Quilt Museum. Take in a Broadway show or hear the Louisville Orchestra at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts here in Louisville or see the Lexington Philharmonic perform in the Horse Capital of the World. Shop for Kentucky goods at the Berea Artisan Market, and don’t miss out on the chance to hear live music that has shaped our culture from the Appalachian Mountains to the Ohio River.
These are the experiences we’re proud of in Kentucky. Britainy and I are big fans of the arts, and our kids are, too. We are grateful our home has so many arts-filled experiences for families like ours, because art is transformative. It has the power to open our hearts and minds, bringing us joy, comfort, and inspiration. That is why we not only celebrate and honor the arts but also support and expand them through initiatives like the Team Kentucky Gallery in the Capitol, which hosts exhibits featuring works by Kentucky artists, showcasing the beauty and diversity of our commonwealth.
And no matter where your trip leads you, you’ll quickly find it’s the kindness and warm hospitality of our people — including the more than 50,000 Kentuckians working in our arts industry — that will make your experience so memorable.
With the year ahead full of amazing performances, exhibits, and so much more, I invite you to enjoy all the wonderful experiences our New Kentucky Home has to offer. We know the future we are building is brighter than ever, and we appreciate you being a part of it.
Gov. Andy Beshear
AND WE'RE OFF... TO A GREAT START!
A new year always offers a fresh start and a new perspective. What better way to kick off 2025 than with one of the stellar performances listed in this month’s Event Outlook? From sweeping musicals and classical music on the big stage to big laughs and marquee names at more intimate venues, the first few months of the year have it all. In fact, we encourage you to put “buy tickets for at least one show a month” on your New Year’s Resolutions list! For a full list of performing arts and entertainment events in Louisville, check out our event calendar at Audience502.com.
JANUARY
11 & 12
PNC Broadway in Louisville Come From Away!
The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall
Don’t miss the limited return of the true story of the small town that welcomed the world. Broadway’s Come From Away has won Best Musical all across North America and will be at Whitney Hall for a limited three performances. The production takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers on 9/11 and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.
11 – 19
Kentucky Shakespeare & Actors Theatre
The Importance of Being Earnest Actors Theatre of Louisville
Kentucky Shakespeare presents its first production on the Actors Theatre of Louisville stage this January, with a perfect post-holiday pick-me-up! Oscar Wilde’s delightful comedy, subtitled,
“A Trivial Comedy for Serious People,” sparkles with vibrant characters, mistaken identities, and farcical antics. When bachelors Jack and Algernon both create alter egos named “Ernest,” the lies quickly spiral into chaos, hilarity, cucumber sandwiches, and Victorian handbags. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience what the London Telegraph calls “the most perfect comedy in the English language.”
16 & 17
Tom Segura: Come Together Comedy
Louisville Palace
Tom Segura is a renowned stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster known for his sharp wit and fearless humor. With his signature deadpan delivery, he tackles everyday absurdities and personal anecdotes, often pushing boundaries.
Co-host of the popular podcast, “Your Mom's House,” Segura's relatable, yet edgy style has earned him a dedicated fan base and multiple successful comedy specials.
17
After Hours @ The Speed Speed Art Museum
Enjoy late hours at the Speed Art Museum with food and a cash beverage bar from Marigold Catering as well as other sweet treats and delectable bites. Taking place every third Friday, the Museum will be open until 10 p.m. to experience the Speed “after hours” as you’ve never experienced it before.
17 & 18
Louisville Orchestra
Midori and An Alpine Symphony
The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall
Don’t miss this remarkable concert featuring an incredible performance of Sibelius’ “Violin Concerto” by the acclaimed violinist Midori along with a powerful presentation of Strauss’ “An Alpine Symphony” by your Louisville Orchestra. As part of the coffee series, come early and enjoy a complimentary Heine Brothers Coffee and a pre-concert talk hosted by 90.5 WUOL before the performance begins. Teddy Abrams, conductor.
25
Louisville Orchestra
Teddy Conducts Der Kaiser Von Atlantis
The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall
Step into the world of this poignant and thought-provoking opera that explores
the themes of power, mortality, and the human spirit. “Der Kaiser von Atlantis” is a powerful allegory that resonates deeply with our times, and this performance promises to be a stirring rendition under the masterful direction of Teddy Abrams.
26
Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular Brown Theatre
The Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular is an era-by-era tribute concert celebrating the music and magic of Elvis Presley. The concert begins with the early rock-a-billy, the military years, the movie years, the ’68 comeback special in black leather and the show closes with the Las Vegas concert years.
31 & FEB 1
Lettuce Funk/Jazz Mercury Ballroom
Lettuce is: a.) the prime ingredient in a salad, b.) a slang for cash, c.) a green herb that can be smoked, d.) a genrebusting six-member musical collective formed in 1992 by four alumni of the
prestigious Berklee College Of Music, or e.) all of the above. If you answered “e,” then you’re in on the sheer magic of a band that both feeds the rich history of funk and combines it with strains of hiphop, rock, psychedelia, jazz, soul, jam, go-go, and the avant-garde.
THRU MAR 2
Gee Horton: Be Home Before the Streetlights
KMAC Museum
Chapter 3, Be Home Before the Streetlights is the third installment in a trilogy of exhibitions by Louisville born, Cincinnati based artist Gee Horton. After presenting Chapters 1 and 2 in Cincinnati, Chapter 3 marks Horton’s first time showing in his hometown of Louisville as well as his first solo museum exhibition. Centering on moments from his past alongside present-day scenes inspired by his family in Louisville, his images, while deeply personal to his own experiences, also embody a universal quest for grace, rehabilitation, peace, and reconciliation.
UPCOMING 2025 PERFORMANCES
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde directed by Amy Attaway January 11-19, 2025
Presented by Indian Ink Theatre Company Mrs Krishnan’s Party by Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis directed by Justin Lewis January 31-Feburary 16, 2025
FLEX by Candrice Jones directed by Kendra Ware March 26-April 6, 2025
Presented by Kentucky Shakespeare
THRU MAR 2
Tiffany Calvert: The Tulips are too Excitable KMAC Museum
At the foundation of Tiffany Calvert’s work is a disruption of the binary— between craft and new media, the technology of the past and present, the physical and the incorporeal. Using Dutch still life tradition both as inspiration and data, Calvert’s work presents questions related to the screen space, the role of technology within craft, and the perceived incompatibility between the latter.
FEBRUARY
1 & 2
Louisville Ballet
A Time Remembered
The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust, this concert of art, music, and movement tells the story of the healing power of the human spirit to overcome great tragedy. Offering powerful perspectives on both the
darkness and the light of humanity.
A Time Remembered honors the millions of lives lost and illuminates the spirit of hope in those who survived.
1 & 2
Ron White Comedy
Louisville Palace
1 The Cleverlys Paristown Hall
The Cleverlys are a one-of-a-kind comedy and bluegrass fusion band, known for their humorous takes on popular songs. Led by Digger Cleverly, the group combines virtuosic musicianship with quirky, family-band personas, delivering unexpected bluegrass renditions of hits ranging from pop to hip-hop. Their energetic performances and witty satire create an unforgettable, laugh-out-loud musical experience.
humor and a spontaneous wit that has become the stuff of legend. She regularly plays theaters across the country, hosts a weekly comedy podcast, “Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone,” and is a regular panelist on NPR’s “Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me.” Paula has starred in several HBO specials, including “Cats, Cops and Stuff,” which nabbed a cable ACE award for Best Comedy Special.
4
Shane Smith & The Saints Rock/Folk/Country Mercury Ballroom
Shane Smith and the Saints are a Texasbased band known for their unique blend of Red Dirt country, folk, and rock. With powerful vocals and rich storytelling, their music features dynamic instrumentation and heartfelt lyrics, earning them a loyal following in the Americana and country music scenes.
6 Jo Koy: Just Being Koy Tour
Comedy Brown Theatre
As one of today’s premiere stand-up comedians, Jo Koy has come a long way from his modest beginnings performing in a Las Vegas coffee house. Jo’s uniquely relatable comedy pulls inspiration from his colorful family that has reached all kinds of people and has translated into sold-out arenas around the world.
7
Charles Wesley Godwin Louisville Palace
Charles Wesley Godwin's concerts are a soulful journey through Appalachian storytelling and heartfelt Americana. With rich vocals and poignant lyrics, he weaves tales of love, struggle, and resilience, backed by an authentic blend of folk, country, and bluegrass. His passionate performances and magnetic stage presence create an intimate, immersive experience that resonates deeply with fans of genuine, roots-driven music.
14 & 15
Louisville Orchestra
Ravel’s Romantic Reverie
The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall
Prepare for a Valentine’s Day celebration with Ravel’s Romantic Reverie and enjoy the baton of conductor Ken David Masur, joined by the acclaimed pianist Louis Lortie. This concert promises to be an enchanting experience for you and your loved ones featuring beautiful, romantic pieces performed exquisitely by your Louisville Orchestra.
14
Trae Crowder
Comedy
The Kentucky Center, Bomhard Theater
Trae Crowder first gained international attention (or notoriety depending on your politics) in 2016 for his hugely viral series of “Liberal Redneck” comedic “porch rant” videos. Since then, Trae has written a best-selling book, “The Liberal Redneck Manifesto: Draggin Dixie Outta The Dark,” toured the country thrice over playing sold out theatre shows under the WellRED Comedy Tour banner, appeared on “Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO), “Nightline” (ABC), “The View,” “Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell” (MSNBC), NPR, WTF with Marc Maron, MTV, CNN, Huffington Post and in the Veronica Mars reboot, as “Chattanooga Charlie,” among many others.
15
Back 2 Mac: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac Headliners Music Hall
Back 2 Mac is a Louisville-based tribute band dedicated to faithfully recreating the music of Fleetwood Mac. Their performances span hits from the Buckingham/ Nicks/ McVie era, as well as early classics like Peter Green's "Black Magic Woman."
19 – MAR 30
Urinetown The Musical Derby Dinner Playhouse
A side-splitting and award-winning musical comedy about greed, love,
and revolution during a time when a 20-year drought led to a governmentenforced ban on private toilets. A wickedly funny comedic romp!
20, 22, 23, 27 – MAR 1, 2, 6, 8
CenterStage
Disney’s High School Musical
The Trager Family JCC
It’s the first day after winter break at East High. The Jocks, Brainiacs, Thespians and Skater Dudes find their cliques, recount their vacations and look forward to the new year. Basketball team captain and resident jock, Troy, discovers that the brainy Gabriella, a girl he met singing karaoke on his ski trip, has just enrolled at East High. They cause an upheaval when they decide to audition for the high school musical that is being led by Ms. Darbus.
21
After Hours @ The Speed Speed Art Museum
Enjoy late hours at the Speed Art Museum with food and a cash beverage bar from Marigold Catering as well as other sweet treats and delectable bites. Taking place every third Friday, the Museum will be open until 10 p.m. to experience the Speed “after hours” as you’ve never experienced it before.
22
Marc Maron Comedy
The Kentucky Center, Bomhard Theater
Marc Maron has released five hit standup comedy specials throughout his career. His most recent, “From Bleak to Dark” premiered on HBO February 11, 2023, and received rave reviews from critics and fans alike. Maron’s other specials include “End Times Fun" (2020) on Netflix, which was nominated for a 2021 Critics’ Choice Award, “Marc Maron: Too Real"(2017), “Moe Later” (2015) on Epix, and “Thinky Pain” (2013).
25
Tall Tall Trees
Folk/Indie/Bluegrass
Zanzabar
Tall Tall Trees is the musical project of banjo innovator Mike Savino, blending elements of folk, indie, and experimental music. Known for his creative use of the banjo, looping, and effects, his sound offers a vibrant mix of melodic storytelling and genredefying instrumentation.
MARCH
1
Tailspin Ale Fest: Louisville’s Winter Warmer
Bowman Field
Don’t miss the largest beer festival in the region with over 50 breweries sampling more than 250 beers. Guests receive a tasting cup upon entry, which they use to visit the various beer stations for tastings throughout the day. Referred to as “Louisville’s Winter Warmer” this event has turned into a transition into spring and regularly entertains thousands of
ale enthusiasts with live music, a silent disco, food trucks and more.
2
Mania: The ABBA Tribute
Brown Theatre
Mania: The ABBA Tribute has successfully toured every continent in the world, playing over 3,000 live concerts in over 35 countries. Recent highlights included a second run in London’s West End where the show performed for a month in the iconic Shaftesbury Theatre, London in May 2021. The show also enjoyed an 80-date sell-out U.S.A. national tour in 2022/2023. Mania continues in its quest to bring the music of the Swedish “Supergroup” to millions of fans, old and new!
7
& 8
Louisville Orchestra
Stravinsky’s Firebird
The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall Prepare to be transported to a world of enchantment and wonder with Stravinsky’s “Firebird” on March 8 at Whitney Hall. Under the baton of conductor Joseph Young, this concert promises a mesmerizing musical journey.
12
Mandy Patinkin in Concert: Being Alive
Brown Theatre
Mandy Patinkin in Concert: Being Alive presents the acclaimed actor / singer / storyteller in his most electrifying role: concert performer. “Mandy Patinkin is in the business of showstopping,” raves The New Yorker, and that’s exactly what he does in this powerful, passionate evening of song. Being Alive is a marriage of many of Mandy’s favorite Broadway and classic American tunes, along with selections from his newest recordings on Nonesuch Records, Mandy Patinkin Diary January 2018 and Mandy Patinkin Diary April/May 2018. From Randy Newman to Stephen Sondheim, from Harry Chapin to Rufus Wainwright, Mandy Patinkin takes you on a dazzling musical journey you’ll never forget.
15
Rodney Carrington Comedy
The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall
Rodney Carrington is a multi-talented comedian, actor, singer and writer playing sold-out shows around the world
tailspin ale fest
TICKETS &
as one of the top 10 highest-grossing touring comedians for the past two decades. As a platinum-recording artist, Rodney has recorded eight major record label comedy albums, followed by three albums on his own record label, and incorporates his songs and comedy for a night of fun and laughs.
16
Paul Taylor Dance Company
Choreographed Dance
Brown Theatre
The genesis of the Paul Taylor Dance Company occurred on May 30, 1954, in Manhattan, when dancemaker Paul Taylor first presented his choreography with five other dancers on the Lower East Side. That performance marked the beginning of 64 years of unrivaled creativity, and in the decades that followed, Taylor became a cultural icon and one of American history’s most celebrated artists, and was part of the pantheon that created American modern dance. Leading the company that bears his name until his death in 2018, Taylor molded it into one of the preeminent performing ensembles in the world.
23
Nulu Bock Fest & Wurst Fest 2024 Market Street in Nulu
The NuLu Bock Fest & Wurst Fest returns for the seventh year, and we can’t wait! This street festival spanning 4 blocks within the NuLu Neighborhood features the Jefferson County Farm Bureau adult and baby goat races, locally crafted beer, live music, kids activities, local vendors and more! NuLu is coincidentally home to two goat named alleys, Nanny Goat Strut and Billy Goat Strut, making it a fitting place for Louisville’s largest bock beer festival. Local breweries will serve up their 2024 bock beers, along with other selections. There will also be craft cocktails and mixed drinks for sale. Don’t miss a great day of locally brewed bock beers and enjoy the famous goat races on Market Street in a fun and safe atmosphere!
25-30
Broadway in Louisville
Peter Pan
The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall
Broadway in Louisville welcomes the timeless tale of Peter Pan in a magical production that’s sure to delight audiences of all ages. This enchanting musical follows the adventures of Peter, the boy who refuses to grow up, as he whisks Wendy, John, and Michael Darling away to Neverland. Together, they encounter mischievous Lost Boys, feisty pirates led by the infamous Captain Hook, and even a bit of fairy dust from Tinker Bell.
28 Shadowgrass
Bluegrass/Jam
Zanzabar
Shadowgrass is a young, dynamic bluegrass band rooted in traditional Appalachian music while incorporating modern influences. Known for their virtuosic musicianship and energetic performances, they blend classic bluegrass with contemporary flair, showcasing a fresh take on the genre that appeals to audiences of all ages.
29 – JUNE 20
Speed Art Museum
Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900-1939
During the early twentieth century, Paris was the destination of choice for
talented and independent American women determined to move beyond the limitations that restricted them at home. Drawn by a strong desire for independence, they crossed the Atlantic to pursue personal and professional ambitions in a city viewed as the epicenter of modernity. Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900-1939 recaptures the experiences of these unorthodox women who found in Paris the freedom to blaze new trails in a variety of fields, including art, literature, design, publishing, music, fashion, journalism, theater, and dance.
APRIL
25
Dwight Yoakam
Classic Country
Iroquois Ampitheater
Dwight Yoakam is a country music icon known for his distinctive honky-tonk sound and electrifying stage presence. Blending traditional country with rock influences, he revitalized the genre with hits like “Guitars, Cadillacs” and “Fast as You.” With his signature twang, tight jeans, and heartfelt lyrics, Yoakam continues to captivate audiences, embodying the spirit of authentic, modern country music.
MAY
8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 18 CenterStage 9 to 5: The Musical The Trager Family JCC
Pushed to the boiling point, three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. In a hilarious turn of events, Violet, Judy, and Doralee live out their wildest fantasy –giving their boss the boot! While Hart remains “otherwise engaged,” the women give their workplace a dream makeover, taking control of the company that had always kept them down. Hey, a girl can scheme, can’t she?
Know of a great concert, performance, or arts event we should share? Email the details to ddreisbach@theaudiencegroup.com.
PERFORMANCE PREVIEW
A JOURNEY of PASSION
MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL FUSES CONTEMPORARY MUSIC WITH A HISTORICAL SETTING
by PNC Broadway in Louisville
PERFORMANCE PREVIEW
BROADWAY IN LOUISVILLE PRESENTS Moulin Rouge! The Musical February 18 - March 2, 2025
Broadway in Louisville performances continue to shine as they welcome back Moulin Rouge! The Musical, a dazzling theatrical adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film, capturing the essence of the bohemian spirit and the allure of the famed Parisian nightclub.
Set in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris during the Belle Époque at the turn of the 20th century, the narrative follows Christian, a young American composer who falls deeply in love with Satine, the star courtesan of the Moulin Rouge. Their romance faces challenges from the club’s financial troubles and the machinations of the wealthy Duke of Monroth, who seeks Satine’s affection in exchange for his investment in the club. The story intertwines themes of love, art, and sacrifice, all set against a backdrop of vibrant music and dance.
The musical is renowned for its eclectic soundtrack, featuring a medley of contemporary and classic pop songs. Audiences can expect to hear renditions of hits from artists like Elton John, Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry, seamlessly woven into the narrative to enhance the emotional depth and energy of the performance. This fusion of modern music with a historical setting creates a unique and immersive experience that resonates with audiences across generations.
The production’s visual spectacle is a feast for the senses. The set design transforms the theater into the Moulin Rouge itself, complete with lavish decorations, a vibrant color palette, and intricate details that transport viewers to the heart of Paris’s nightlife. Costume design plays a pivotal role, showcasing extravagant and period-appropriate attire that reflects the opulence and decadence of the era. Choreography is equally impressive, with high-energy dance numbers, including the iconic can-can, that captivate and enthrall the audience.
Critics and audiences alike have lauded Moulin Rouge! The Musical for its dynamic performances and production quality. The show has garnered multiple awards, including 10 Tony Awards, underscoring its excellence in various aspects of theater production. The combination of a compelling storyline, memorable music, and stunning visuals makes it a must-see for theater enthusiasts.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical is more than just a stage performance; it’s an immersive journey into a world of passion, music, and artistry. Its compelling narrative, combined with spectacular production elements, ensures an unforgettable experience. Whether you’re a fan of the original film, a lover of musical theater, or someone seeking an evening of exceptional entertainment, this production promises to deliver on all fronts.
For more information on showtimes and tickets, visit louisville.broadway.com
Christian Douglas & Gabrielle McClinton in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
Harper Miles, Sarah Bowden, Nicci Claspell, and Max Heitmann in the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade.
PUTTING the PIECES TOGETHER
Leslie Broecker – President, Broadway Across America – Louisville Theatrical Association
by G. Douglas Dreisbach
BROADWAY in Louisville has been bringing the best Broadway productions to Whitney Hall at The Kentucky Center since the early 1980s, including hit productions of Hamilton, Wicked, CATS and more. Each season seems to outdo the previous one. Still on the schedule for this year is Come From Away (Jan 11 & 12), Moulin Rouge! (Feb. 18-March 2), Peter Pan (March 25-30), &Juliet (April 22-27), Shucked (May 13-18) and The Wiz (July 29-Aug 3). You will always find a wide selection of performances on the schedule, ranging from adult-oriented productions to ones geared more toward families and children. Plus, there is always a beloved classic sprinkled into the line-up, which always makes it exciting!
We got the opportunity to talk with the President of Broadway Across America and the Louisville Theatrical Association, Leslie Broecker, who shared some of her insights on the season outlook, how she decides what shows to put on the schedule and more. Leslie has been with Broadway for 37 years and currently oversees the markets for Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis, and Kansas City, so she certainly has a full plate, and we are always excited to hear what she has to say.
Doug Dreisbach: Day to day, can you tell us a little bit about what your primary roles and responsibilities are?
Leslie Broecker: Obviously, the biggest thing probably that I do is look for the right shows to bring to Louisville. I’m responsible for booking all of them, and while you might think, “It’s just a few months out,” or “She’s just started looking at the very next season,” we are in fact many years out. We have to look at how these shows skip across the country, because dates that I may have available in The Kentucky Center need to relate to dates in other theaters nearby so that the shows can move fairly effortlessly across the country.
On a day-to-day basis, it’s taking all of those shows that we have landed and really looking at all the pieces, including tying together the marketing pieces, the technical pieces, parts of the theater, stagehands, all of the things that go on backstage, along with ticketing and customer service.We’re sort of a fullservice agency, and we have great teams that put all of that together. For the day-to-day stuff, I mainly make sure that everyone is working well together, and everybody is kind of clicking.
DD: What are some of the harder things that are associated with what you do?
LB: I think managing the jigsaw puzzle of getting the shows across the country. That is difficult, because there are only so many shows that come from New York, and we want to book the best in every single city. You want to book something that is uplifting. You want to sometimes book a show that’s challenging and thought-provoking. You want something that maybe is for the family. The challenge is to find that right mix of shows that creates a package that somebody says, “I’m grabbing seats for the whole season. I want to have season tickets. I want to guarantee I’ve got the best seats.” Every year, it’s something that is somewhat out of your control, because we’re not producing shows. We’re buying the shows that are hitting big on Broadway, and clearly, that’s out of our control. I think getting that right mix, getting the right recipe, is always the hardest part of the job.
DD: What are the most rewarding things about what you do?
LB: I love walking backstage and seeing the show come together and the gals in wardrobe getting their costumes ready. You hear people warming up their voices
and the instruments, and then you walk through a couple of doors, and you walk into the lobby, and suddenly, here are all the people who are about to experience that. And for me, really, that’s why you do it. That’s the payoff — everybody is happy on both sides of the stage.
DD: What are some accomplishments you are proud of during your time with Broadway?
LB: I think there are a couple things, but I’ll have to say that our education program just tickles me to death. We get about a thousand kids from across the state every year. Our subscribers have the option to contribute $10 per subscription, and that, along with other fundraising, helps us generate enough to be able to bring these kids into a production. We don’t have student matinees. We only have our normal, regularly subscribed performances. When these kids come in, they’re with an audience. They’ve been prepared. And to see a life-changing Broadway show for the first time, it opens their eyes to all kinds of possibilities. I think that’s probably the biggest thing.
DD: Louisville is such a great arts city. What are your overall thoughts about the arts in Louisville based on where we’ve been, where we are, and where we could maybe be in the future?
LB: I think our Broadway series is really doing great. We’ve hit almost two recordbreaking years in a row, so clearly, there’s a hunger for it in our market. Our shows are selling out in advance, and that’s great. I think that overall, the arts are trying to find what its new place is. I think the changes in funding via corporations, and the way that that had been handled over the years, has softened a bit, as corporations have left or refocused their interests. I think our arts groups have challenges, but I’m very proud of what my colleagues are doing to make sure that they’re putting the art on the stage and making sure folks have something that’s creative and fun to attend. The arts are an economic engine, so we need that. We need people downtown. We need everybody to come to the theater.
DD: For someone who has never been to a Broadway in Louisville show, give
us the elevator speech about why they should give it a try?
LB: Everybody’s got a little bit of Broadway in them! Every one of our shows covers a different topic in a different way. It should speak to you, or maybe I should say it should sing to you. But Broadway shows either tell a story about somebody you wanted to learn about, or it tells you something you didn’t have any idea about. It’s a discovery. It’s escapism, and it’ll give you goosebumps.
For more information about the rest of the Broadway in Louisville season and tickets, visit Louisville.Broadway.com
Leslie Broecker
This is an excerpt of the interview with Leslie Broecker. Scan the QR code
A LEGACY of BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER
Kim Baker – President, Kentucky Performing Arts
by G. Douglas Dreisbach
KENTUCKY Performing Arts (KPA) is the nucleus for performing arts and entertainment in Louisville. Hosting over 400,000 visitors annually for Broadway in Louisville performances, Louisville Orchestra concerts, headlining entertainers and more, the organization is also a big proponent of Kentucky’s cultural and economic growth, contributing millions to the local economy, as well as an advocate for arts education with programs like the Governor’s School for the Arts. KPA champions accessibility, nurtures young talent, and strengthens communities through artistic expression.
KPA owns and oversees The Kentucky Center, Brown Theatre, and Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, which all host a variety of performances each year under the direction of CEO Kim Baker. Kim was in the first class of the Governor’s School for the Arts. She also received her Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Kentucky’s College of Fine Arts and has navigated the group through its many peaks and valleys since 2014.
Kim is a strong and dynamic leader in the arts community, with extensive experience in the areas of arts administration and theater management, communications, programming, and
"...there’s no better place than the performing arts to bring people together, to experience a social return on investment, so to speak. It really touches all of the important parts of a community..."
–- Kim Baker
development. We were excited to catch up with her to talk about KPA, her vision for the community and what she loves about what she does.
Doug Dreisbach: What is Kentucky Performing Arts, and what are some of your roles and responsibilities?
Kim Baker: Kentucky Performing Arts is a nonprofit organization, and our mission is to connect and inspire through the arts. We do that through a couple of different methods, but one that most people really know and think about is the facility. Our main facility is The Kentucky Center, which is 40 years old and sits right in Downtown Louisville on Main Street. The building is home to three theaters and all kinds of rooms and wonderful contemporary art. We also have Old Forester’s Paristown Hall and
the Brown Theatre for events and performances.
We also really work to fill all those spaces with the broadest type of entertainment and cultural experiences. We work with community artists and international touring artists, as well as our wonderful resident companies that are professional local companies. There’s just a number of ways that we fill the spaces and end up doing upwards of 400 different kinds of events a year.
The other thing we do is more of a broad outreach focusing on cultural programming and education out in the community. Signature programs like the Governor’s School for the Arts and a new program that we’re going to be launching a little bit later this year called the Bradley Award. We want to
make sure we are connecting and really building relationships with the broader community.
DD: From your perspective, how important is it for a city to have a vibrant arts and entertainment scene? Where are we now and where would you like to see our arts and entertainment scene in the future?
KB: I really think a vibrant arts scene is critical for a community to thrive, really, because it not only makes a place more interesting as a cultural center, but it also really supports the economy. It creates jobs. It creates talented workers, and it’s also really a driver of health.
I think, ever since we came through the pandemic, we understand the importance of gathering and coming together, and there’s no better place than the performing arts to bring people together, to experience a social return on investment, so to speak. It really touches all of the important parts of a community, and that is something I am dedicated to improving and growing here in the commonwealth.
DD: What challenges do you see that might hinder the arts and entertainment culture being vibrant?
KB: Well, there are challenges and there are opportunities. I think, right now, you want to have a community that is filled with artists. Artists like to be around
other artists. That’s where they have an opportunity to create together. We have great artists in our community. We need more, and we need to be a friendly community for artists to work and to perform and to create. I think that’s really something I would like to work with city leaders on and figure out how to attract more artists and culture carriers to live here in our community.
I think downtown is really trying, with the decrease in folks living downtown after COVID and businesses, work-fromhome having a big impact on downtown.
I think it’s made it a little quieter.
I would say that I see, on Main Street, so much activity coming up and down the street through tourism, but also just the Museum Row on Main that kind of goes to the west of the center, and the facilities that are to the east.
I just think there’s a lot of opportunity in this corridor to create more of a cultural district, and that’s something I am interested in also working with the leaders on, and really the commonwealth. How can we kind of use arts and culture and all the great things we’ve got going to really turn it up a notch and attract businesses and restaurants and artists and so many other wonderful things?
DD: What are some accomplishments that you’ve achieved since you’ve been with KPA?
KB: I think the best thing that I’ve accomplished is just working with our board and the team here on a vision that says, “We’re not sitting still. We have an opportunity to support and serve the community where it needs us. We have an opportunity to create change.” Some of the things that I’m the proudest of, I would say, are the real expansion of the audiences that we reach. We built Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, and that opened a whole new market of audiences and artists for us to work with, and that’s been great fun. Then, caring for the Brown Theatre, which is a 100-year-old historic theater, making sure that that cultural jewel that we bought a number of years ago, is taken care of. It is one of the busiest theaters in the city right now doing all kinds of different programming, from comedy to, of course, the Kentucky Opera housing their season there. I think it’s more of a mindset that I’ve been the most proud of. I am also excited about the team I have in place, and just kind of that idea of, “OK, what’s next? What can we do next?”
DD: Is there anything you would like to add?
KB: I would say that any time I direct people to learn more about the shows that happen here at one of our theaters, they’re always blown away by the broad diversity of performances and experiences that they can have. I would just really encourage the community to plug in. And at a very entry-level rate, a donation of just a little over $100, you can really get plugged in and learn all about the things that are happening here and get some really one-of-a-kind experiences, as well. But regardless, just come and see what we’re up to.
For more information about upcoming shows and tickets, visit KentuckyPerformingArts.org
The Kentucky Center for the Arts
This is an excerpt of the interview with Kim Baker. Scan the QR code to read or listen to this interview in its entirety. Audience502.com
FROM HIP HOP to POPS:
LO HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Graham Parker – CEO, Louisville Orchestra
by G. Douglas Dreisbach
THE Louisville Orchestra, founded in 1937, has a rich history of innovation and excellence, known for its commitment to contemporary music and premieres of new works including a recent concert compilation with Louisville’s own Jack Harlow. Under the leadership of Music Director Teddy Abrams, it continues to push boundaries and receive countless accolades.
The upcoming season promises a vibrant mix of classical masterpieces, groundbreaking premieres, and community-focused programs, showcasing the orchestra’s dedication to engaging and inspiring audiences across Kentucky and beyond.
We recently caught up with CEO, Graham Parker, who came on board in 2021 with energy and enthusiasm and has garnered numerous awards including a Grammy award just last year. He is excited about the current state of the Louisville Orchestra, Louisville as a whole and what lies ahead for everyone involved.
Doug Dreisbach: When you collaborate with the composers like Teddy and Bob Bernhardt and others, what does that look like? Are you guys in a room just throwing ideas out and seeing what sticks?
Graham Parker: Our artistic North Star is Teddy. He is the guy that we rely on to have big ideas and have breakthrough imaginative concepts. And oftentimes, we’ll start with regular meetings. We have monthly programming meetings, and we’re always working on the season right in front of us, the one, two in front of us, three in front of us. We’re always anywhere between one and three years out.
When it comes to programming, it’s very iterative. Yes, we’re often in a room together. I really do think that in-person is the best way to do it, because you can look at people’s faces, gauge their reactions, that kind of thing.
One of the things Teddy and I try hard to encourage each other, just between the two of us, as well as with our colleagues, is that no idea is a bad idea. You’ll come up with 100 not-great ideas until you come up with the one that really sticks. And those 100 that didn’t quite land were not bad ideas. They just maybe weren’t the right one.
DD: In November of last year, you had Louisville’s own, Jack Harlow, come in and do a couple of very innovative concerts with the orchestra, which was a huge success and awesome to see. How did the Jack Harlow composition
and collaboration come about, and in hindsight, are you going to pick up new fans and subscribers because of the concert?
GP: This is a great example of how well Teddy and I work together. Teddy had formed a friendship with Jack after they had been at some events and things together and had started chatting. I think Teddy was invited to one of Jack’s birthday parties and they just started texting and just checking in now and again. I don’t know which one of them said it, but one of them said to the other one, “We’d love to do something together,” and the other person said, “Oh, my gosh, that would be incredible.”
And so, when I arrived, Teddy explained this to me, and I was like, “Well, that’s a brilliant idea. What’s happened with it?” He goes, “Well, right now it’s just me and Jack,” and I was like “Well, OK, and could you speak to his manager, and I’ll meet up with him and let’s chat about how real this really is?” So I met up with Chris Thomas, who’s a well-known manager and has been Jack’s manager for quite some time, and we really hit it off.
We definitely had some work to do to line up when this would happen, and then we had to get Jack and Teddy to really talk about what this evening was
going to be. What kind of music was Jack going to sing? We obviously expected his music, but how did he want the orchestrations to sound? What was the tone of the evening? And that took about two years, and it kind of came down to eventually deciding everything, Jack and Teddy, and then Brad Ritchie, who was an extraordinary arranger who arranged every note of those charts, really coming together on an artistic vision, and then I worked with bringing all of our teams together with their agents and promoters and managers and press people and media to line up the announcement date, because we knew it was going to be very, very popular and wanted to be sure that people who were in the queue would have a chance to buy tickets and all the rest of it.
And then, for those who were in the audience, it was two spectacular nights, and I think showed Jack off in a way that I think some people were not expecting. I mean, certainly there’s been a lot of chat about the two standards he did, the Elvis number and then “Fly Me to the Moon.” Both of those have certainly got a lot of buzz, and we are very aware of the videos out there, which is very exciting. We were just thrilled to share a stage with Jack. He does so much for Louisville. He regards Teddy as an absolute musical peer, which is extremely generous, and the two of them have built a strong
friendship, and I am really excited to see where this might go.
DD: Last year, you and Teddy and Yuja Wang collaborated and were the recipients of a Grammy Award. Is that one of the peaks of your career, as far as rewarding things you’ve done?
GP: It is definitely a highlight, yes. I feel very, very fortunate in my career that I’ve gotten to work with some incredible artists, and I’ve led some innovative projects and many things and received some very nice accolades. But getting a Grammy is one of those things that everyone knows what that means, and it’s the same Grammy that a Beyoncé can win or the Louisville Orchestra can win. It’s the same value, in essence, to reputation, to a signal of quality and acceptance by the music community of really high standards. And I think, for Teddy to write a piece for his old college friend, Yuja Wang, who is probably the greatest pianist on Earth — it’s an immensely difficult piece. We recorded it live during COVID. I mean, it was kind of — if you would try and recreate it, no one in their right mind would do it. But that’s what ended up happening, and the producer was in New York. He didn’t even come to Louisville, because he was all worried about traveling, so we recorded this thing live, and then to get nominated for a Grammy, and then to
"...so we recorded this thing live, and then to get nominated for a Grammy, and then to go to the Grammys, and then to win — yeah, it was a pretty special evening."
–- Graham Parker
go to the Grammys, and then to win — yeah, it was a pretty special evening.
DD: What should patrons and others who are listening be excited about this season?
GP: I hate to use the phrase, “We’ve got something for everyone,” but I kind of think we do. In our film series, we’ve got the final two Harry Potters, and we’ve got “Raiders of the Lost Ark” with a live orchestra. Bob Bernhardt is bringing some really extraordinary pops and really lighthearted fare to our stages. On the classical side, Teddy is presenting a really important couple of weeks of programming in January with the Alpine Symphony, which is one of the great works of late Romantic, kind of indulgent — an absolutely enormous orchestra on stage. And then the following week, we’ve got a very important work, a small chamber opera that was written during the Nazi period that has a particularly big connection to Louisville. And then, through the remainder of the season, we’ve got some guest conductors bringing Ravel and all sorts of other beautiful — Stravinsky’s “Firebird,” so there’s kind of something for everyone.
If someone hasn’t come to the LO this season, maybe they’ll think about coming to us for the first time, or if they’ve been, they’ll come back again, and I’ll guarantee they’ll have a great night.
For more information and tickets to the Louisville Orchestra, visit LouisvilleOrchestra.org
Graham Parker and LO Music Director Teddy Abrams at the 2024 Grammy Awards where they accepted the award for "Best Classical Instrumental Solo."
Parker.
A LEGACY OF PERFORMANCE, EDUCATION, & COLLABORATION
Leslie Smart – CEO, Louisville Ballet
by G. Douglas Dreisbach
FOUNDED in 1952, the Louisville Ballet is Kentucky's official state ballet and is a cornerstone of the city’s performing arts scene. Renowned for its innovative choreography and compelling storytelling, the company presents a diverse repertoire ranging from timeless classics to bold contemporary works. With a commitment to artistic excellence and community engagement, the Louisville Ballet inspires audiences through its performances, education programs, and collaborative initiatives. The creative process delivers moving art that respects tradition, encourages innovation, and fosters life-long learning.
We caught up with CEO Leslie Smart, who shares insight about the company, her background, and the benefits of dance for both physical and mental health.
Doug Dreisbach: In addition to the main performances, what other programs does the Louisville Ballet offer?
Leslie Smart: We think of the Louisville Ballet as three buckets. The performance aspect of what we do — 52 performances annually and 24 professional company artists. The Louisville Ballet School actually has 900 students enrolled serving children from
the age of 3 months all the way to 76 years of age in our mind/body/balance program. We also have students that come from 27 states around the country for our summer internship program, and we provide over $677,000 annually in scholarships.
The last bucket would be the community engagement program that is also critically important. This programming is focused on diversity and really building a pathway of diversity in dance. Last year, we served nearly 22,000 participants and taught over 600 classes with in-school performances, community performances,
and before- and after-school programming. We also have adaptive dance programming and, of course, our student matinees for Title I schools. Last year, we served 179 unique locations through our community engagement program.
DD: What are some of the most rewarding things about what you do at the company?
LS: I’ve spent the majority of my career in health care philanthropy, with a focus particularly on social determinants of health, and there is rapidly expanding research around neuro arts. Neuro arts is
Dedication of the Community Healing Garden. (L to R) First responder, Darrin McCauley, Leslie Smart, Governor Andy Beshear, Karen Tutt, and Maryanne Elliott
PHOTO
"Parents should really understand that if their child is involved in arts education, on average, they’ll score an average of 150 points higher on their SAT. They’re five times more likely to graduate from high school, and twice as likely to graduate from college."
– Leslie Smart
a transdisciplinary study of how arts and aesthetic experiences measurably change the body, the brain, behavior, and how this knowledge is translated into specific practices that advance health and wellbeing.
I really think it is an answer to many of the issues we face in this city — educational attainment, homelessness, mental health, and physical health. I really believe a serious investment in the arts is a paradigm shift that we need today, and I encourage our community and leaders in our community to learn more about neuro arts.
In studying ballet, you’re improving mobility, memory and speech, and ballet can release pain and trauma. It can enhance mental health and learning outcomes. It builds resilience. It can prevent disease, and this is part of this all part of the neuro arts research that is expanding. It is even reducing the anxiety in patients and improving motor coordination.
I recently had a meeting with Jefferson County Public Schools and their Community Engagement Program Director, Stacey Blakeman. Stacey is teaching ballet as the first class of the school day, and the math teacher told her that it is absolutely remarkable how well the students perform in math on the days that they have ballet. Their brain is fired up. It’s functioning at a high level, and they’re able to achieve more.
DD: A big part of the success of the Louisville Ballet and most major arts groups is philanthropic funding. When you talk to donors and supporters, do you discuss the mental benefits of dance and the arts with them?
LS: Yes, most definitely. Also, parents should really understand that if their
child is involved in arts education, on average, they’ll score an average of 150 points higher on their SAT. They’re five times more likely to graduate from high school, and twice as likely to graduate from college. There’s less violence in a classroom with children involved in dance movement, and their overall mental and physical health outcomes are better when a child is involved in dance.
DD: Coming off a strong holiday season with another traditional Nutcracker, what are you excited about for the rest of the season?
LS: It is going to be fantastic. We have the performance, A Time Remembered performing February 1st and 2nd marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust. It really tells the story of the healing power of the human spirit to overcome great tragedy. It is a concert of arts, music, and movement, and offers a powerful perspective on both the darkness and the light of humanity. It is in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Louisville and the Kentucky Opera, so the production will actually feature two poignant works, like the Holocaust and Humanity project, which was originally choreographed by Ballet Austin’s artistic director/choreographer Stephen Mills, a Kentuckian, by the way, as well as Another Sunrise, which is a 30-minute chamber opera that’s performed by Kentucky Opera.
I am also incredibly proud of the nonprofit arts organizations that have stepped forward to participate in programming — the Filson Historical Society, Speed Museum, Louisville Orchestra, and The Kentucky Center for the Arts, and all of that will culminate in February with our performance of A Time Remembered.
It's important to us, because 30 years ago a great Kentuckian, Minx Auerbach, commissioned a ballet to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust for the Louisville Ballet, and this is truly a tribute to her in honor of the impact she had in Kentucky. We are hosting the Remembrance Dinner on Sunday, February 2, to honor her legacy.
DD: For someone who has never been to a Louisville Ballet performance, what should they expect, and why should they give it a try?
LS: Not all cities have a professional ballet company, and certainly not the caliber of the Louisville Ballet. We are the only regional company Baryshnikov performed with twice, so that should tell you something. There are tremendous benefits to watching ballet, including music, the storytelling, broadening your thinking, and your social connection. I would also say that ticket prices, compared to other forms of entertainment, are reasonable, and they will witness some of the greatest athletes in the world performing on the stage. I know some folks may not have seen one of our most recent ballets, 502, to the soundtrack of Jack Harlow and choreography by Ching Ching Wong, but it drew national attention, so I would really encourage people not to miss the next opportunity to witness this caliber of dance in your community and help us keep the lights bright!
For tickets and more information, visit LouisvilleBallet.org .
TELLING STORIES of VALUE AND IMPORTANCE
Robert Barry Fleming – Executive Artistic Director Actors Theatre of Louisville
by G. Douglas Dreisbach
ACTORS Theatre of Louisville has been a longstanding pillar for theater in Louisville since 1964. Located in the heart of downtown, Actors is known for its innovative productions and commitment to new works, garnering national attention and awards for its various works. It continues to be a vital hub for contemporary American theater today. We caught up with the theater’s Executive Artistic Director, Robert Barry Fleming, to hear more about his outlook on the arts community, his roles and responsibilities, biggest accomplishments, and more.
Doug Dreisbach: You have been at Actors Theatre for six years now. How has your time with the group been so far?
Robert Barry Fleming: It’s been fantastic and thrilling to be engaged with the artists and creating art, telling stories. It has been a whirlwind of a couple years with the pandemic and the racial reckoning and the continued fluidity of the nature of the landscape in arts and particularly theater. But, it has been a wonderful adventure, and I am thrilled that I get the privilege to serve in this capacity as a leader.
DD: As the Executive Artistic Director, what are some of your day-to-day roles and responsibilities?
RBF: Part of my role is framing the narrative around who and what we’re doing and making that legible and inspiring to those who feel aligned with what we’re doing. Not everybody will feel aligned with working in a deeply transparent and accountable way. That is antithetical to some parts of how American society works. It’s usually “keep it quiet” and like, “Don’t say anything. Don’t upset anything.” I think, frankly, there’s not a lot of data that shows that that is a sustainable practice for humankind. We do, however, seem to do better when we show up as our authentic selves and continue to be in the space of learning, where you can make mistakes, be accountable for them, and move forward. Be in a space of curiosity. Don’t assume that you know everything. Learn how to defer with humility and continue to be one who learns. Continue to tell the truth, rather than lie. Some people think that’s for suckers. Some people recognize that as a natural way that you sustain authentic intimacy in your emotional relationships and can be accountable on multiple levels, whether that’s economic, cultural, and your stewardship.
Finding and creating stories that are constantly investigating these things is
such a rich and joyful way to live my life, and I can’t complain about the amount of joy I have getting to do this work, day after day.
DD: What is the process to determine what programming is going to be on your stages and what messages are important to portray on the stages?
RBF: I was always taught that theater is the place where you speak the unspeakable. Sometimes, you just go into those spaces that folks are a little hesitant to step in. It’s like, “Oh, if we open that Pandora’s box, who knows where we’re going to end up.” It’s like, that’s clearly the box, and you kind of want to open it up and see if you can explore that.
Certainly, in a racialized, capitalistic society, race being at the center of many of those conversations, gender, in terms of who has privilege, who does not, who gets to make the decisions, who gets to participate in the process, who’s in the in-group and who’s in the out-group — those are the kinds of things that are existentially true about humankind, and when you get to focus those within your own country and your own region, and then kind of keep narrowing that into what the Kentuckiana has in common with the global community in Beirut or
in Brazil or any other place around the globe, that’s when the conversations get really interesting.
We look for stories that foreground local acknowledgement of our values and our importance. When you know people are struggling with a sense of both of those things, you want to kind of lead with that conversation. You want to create more consciousness and awareness around the things that people are pondering, so you look at the research and say, “What is on people’s minds? What are we discovering in the quiet wee hours when folks are alone, occupying those spaces?” Great plays tend to do that with a great sense of regularity, and then have the rich, wonderful group conversations that you can have around that content and around that experience, shared in a space that’s very much an ancient ritual, where you gather in the dark and you share your stories. We’ve been doing it since we were in the cave, and we’ll do it
until we are no longer on the planet. We’ll always tell stories, and just being a part of that long legacy is such a privilege. It’s such a gift. It’s such a joyous thing.
DD: In your perspective, where does Louisville stack up in the theater and arts world? Do other cities around the country and world look to us for advice, guidance, and ideas?
RBF: There are many people who are looking at us. The real question is, “Do we look at us?” Or are we externally focused? Are we internally focused on the things that really nurture how Louisville and Greater Louisville, Kentuckiana, our country, can live up to its potential? And in what ways have we continually failed to miss the opportunity to do so?
A lot of people want to pit this very rich, creative community against each other. We’re too busy enjoying each other and supporting our work to fall prey to that kind of scarcity mentality.
We believe in abundance. Louisville is full of extraordinary talent, as is our great country, and we love having guest artists from New York and across the country, artists from other countries who are collaborating with us, as much as we do our local folks, because we’re a place of belonging for people across the globe. There are so many of us who are committed to telling very diverse stories that resonate around the globe.
DD: What are you most excited about for the upcoming season?
RBF: The whole season, because that’s the thing that’s great about having ongoing programming, that you get to continue to explore the human condition, no matter what you’re doing. We’ve got programming that is still on our digital platform, with the Ali Summit to Romeo and Juliet: Louisville 2020, so you can still see that work. And the upcoming works with The Importance of Being Earnest, with Kentucky Shakespeare and the fantastic play Flex, that was derailed by the pandemic. We’ll continue to have new work, young people with our New Voices bilingual initiative. We’ve got a wonderful partnership with Metro doing the language café, so you can, through storytelling, learn French, Spanish, Vietnamese, or Swahili. In the spring, we are excited about a new educational initiative that will be a welcoming place where, rather than separating, again, in our differences, we’ll be bringing all our differences together for a lively engagement of different cultures. We’ve got this fantastic immigrant population that is so full, so rich, and it’s just adding to the magnificence of what greater Louisville is and continuing to evolve the story. We’re just thrilled to be a part of all of that.
For more information and upcoming shows at Actors Theatre of Louisville, visit ActorsTheatre.org .
Robert Barry Fleming This is an excerpt of the interview with Robert Barry Fleming.
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS
Matt Wallace – Producing Artistic Director, Kentucky Shakespeare
by G. Douglas Dreisbach
K"...we’re into the libraries in our Shakespeare in the Libraries tour, then the parks tour, then the summer season. We have many, many productions and exciting things to share this year."
–- Matt Wallace
ENTUCKY Shakespeare may be most known for its world-class Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, but there is so much more to the organization. The group also provides education programs for schools, public performances, and community outreach programs. In fact, it’s the most comprehensive in-school arts education provider in the commonwealth. The group serves schools throughout the region with interactive educational programming directly tied to academic standards, helping to impact student achievement. Many of the programs explore conflict resolution, empathy building, and communication in a range of settings from preschools to senior centers.
We caught up with Producing Artistic Director, Matt Wallace, to hear more about what it takes to maintain excellence in the Shakespeare space, the programs they offer, and the importance and results of how said programs benefit students in the schools they visit. Be sure to visit KYShakespeare.com for an updated schedule of events and more information.
Doug Dreisbach: As Producing Artistic Director, what are your main tasks and roles day to day, as well as annually?
Matt Wallace: I oversee a combination of both the artistic and the managerial leadership of the company, but the main thing is implementing, guiding, and overseeing our mission and vision. We have many different programs and operate the longest-running free, nonticketed Shakespeare festival in the country. This is our 65th season coming up! We are also the most comprehensive in-school arts provider in the state, so we are touring everywhere providing indoor productions, community programs, and more. I get the honor and the privilege to oversee all of that and drive the mission forward.
DD: What have been the most rewarding things you’ve done in your time there?
MW: I would say that a big one was when we expanded the summer season from one professional production, and our student production to six or seven productions in our summer season, expanding that length to 11 weeks.
I would also include the creation and expansion of our parks tour. It was exciting since it took Shakespeare to parks outside of Central Park. We started with about nine parks in 2014, and we toured 38 parks this past season and will be hitting even more this spring.
Another big advancement was the expansion of our indoor productions. This was monumental as we have never really done indoor, ticketed shows.
And, of course, our new headquarters was something great that came out of COVID time. We lost our office and rehearsal space down at Artspace, but we were able to move into this 8,000-squarefoot facility, right by Central Park. And thanks to 33 incredible donors, we were able to design it to fit our needs. Now we have all our offices, our costume shop, and a 4,800-square-foot rehearsal hall right here by Central Park. There is actually a lot to be proud of, and it wouldn’t be possible without the dozens and dozens of amazing people who made it possible, our staff and our board and all of the main donors that made all of this a reality.
DD: What are your thoughts on the arts in Louisville? Where we’ve been, where we are now, and where do you feel we are going in the future?
MW: I think everyone is continuing to build and the world looks different post-COVID. I think we have a lot more competition with streaming devices and other forms of entertainment, so I think — and you see this in our arts community, just the wonderful creativity, exciting collaborations, outside-the-box thinking, exciting programming, and I think that’s what’s changed a lot. There’s so much exciting programming going on, and we must do that to make sure that we’re relevant and needed in our patrons’ lives, because there’s so much competition.
We really need to look at, how can we break down barriers? How can we serve more people? And some of it is arts groups bringing the art to where people live and engaging with them and engaging them. Removing barriers can include providing transportation to get them to us or eliminate financial challenges. I think something great you’re seeing in this city is the Cultural Pass with Fund for the Arts that is celebrating its 10th anniversary. I would like to see the Cultural Pass expanded to a year-round program to help further remove barriers for people between art and themselves. That would be great to see.
DD: Where do you get your inspiration — other markets, other states, other Shakespeare companies around the country? Where do you get your ideas?
MW: I think it’s a mix. A lot of my ideas just come from my inspiration from this community, from our artists, from working at this company a long time and thinking about things that I’ve always wanted to do with this company. Like our outside-the-box Halloween productions. Like our silent disco show we just did. Some of that is just coming from that childlike inspiration of, “How we can reinvent this, or how we can engage with more people?” I have traveled to other Shakespeare festivals, particularly early in my tenure, when I was able to get a couple fellowships to allow me to go to Utah Shakespeare and see Shakespeare in the Park in New York. I’m constantly inspired by what theater companies are doing around the country, particularly Shakespeare companies, to make it more accessible and more inclusive.
We are part of the Shakespeare Theatre Association, which is an international network of Shakespeare theaters, and we learn from each other, and we share best practices. I also look at local places. I had the opportunity to see so many great local theater companies here, doing such exciting work. I get inspired by that. In Louisville, Chicago, across the river in Clarksville, and what they’re doing at
Derby Dinner Playhouse, it’s such a rich scene here, and I’m constantly inspired by what others are doing.
DD: What are you most excited about for this coming year?
MW: In January, a first for us is taking the stage at Actors Theatre of Louisville on the Pamela Brown Auditorium stage with our annual winter production. This will be Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, presented in partnership with Actors Theatre of Louisville from January 11th through the 19th. We’re so excited to share this delightful comedy with some favorite Kentucky Shakespeare actors in the production. It’s going to be a great way to kick off the new year, and then the month after that we’re into the libraries in our Shakespeare in the Libraries tour, then the parks tour, then the summer season. We have many, many productions and exciting things to share this year.
DD: For someone who has never been to a Kentucky Shakespeare performance, give us the elevator speech on why they should give it a try.
MW: If you’ve not been, just come once. Give us a chance. So many times, people will come for their first time to Shakespeare in Central Park, and then they might have a misconception or not know what it’s going to be, and then they come. Come as you are, and it’s a fun, accessible experience. We have food trucks in the summer. We have our Brown-Forman bar. We have community pre-shows. We have really engaging Shakespeare, and when people come, they’re very often just shocked, because they didn’t know what to expect, so we always say, “Just come once.” Just give it a shot, and I have a feeling you’re going to come back.
Matt Wallace speaks to a crowd in Central Park.
This is an excerpt of the interview with Matt Wallace. Scan the QR code to read or listen to this interview in its entirety.
COMBINING INNOVATION with A RICH HISTORY
Erin Silliman – Producing Director, CenterStage at the Trager Family JCC
by G. Douglas Dreisbach
CENTERSTAGE at the Trager Family Jewish Community Center is one of the oldest continuously operating theater groups in the region, known for its high-quality productions of musicals and plays. The theater company moved to JCC’s new, state-of-the-art facility in April 2022.
Established in 1913, CenterStage enriches Louisville's cultural landscape by showcasing local talent and fostering a love for the performing arts, while celebrating diverse stories and perspectives. Each season consists of four to five productions with six to seven performances each. This year’s line-up includes The Music Man, Bent, and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, that were both in 2024, and upcoming productions include Disney’s High School Musical (Feb. 20, 22, 23 & 27; March 1, 2, 6, 8 & 9) and 9 to 5: The Musical (May 8, 10, 11, 15, 17 & 18).
We caught up with CenterStage Producing Director, Erin Silliman, to get the inside scoop about what’s going on with the season and what makes it such a special place for theater productions in Louisville.
Doug Dreisbach: CenterStage typically produces five to six productions per year. What is your cycle there?
Erin Silliman: Our main season consists of four large-scale musicals, and this year we actually departed a little bit from that and incorporated a play into our mainstage timeline, which was a wonderful addition. We wanted to offer something different.
DD: When you put together programming … how do you manage the overall world for choreographing, getting actors and actresses, and where do those students and actors come from? Can you give us an overview of what that looks like?
ES: Every year, we have our season audition and do kind of a full cattle call, if you will. We do a full season audition in the summertime. Last summer, we welcomed over 150 people who auditioned, and they were from our community. Everybody is from Louisville or from the surrounding area, and they’re wanting to do community theater. We hold our auditions and simultaneously, we are putting together our production team, which does include our guest directors, if we have those, our choreographers, music directors, our kid musicians, our technicians, lighting designer, you name it. That’s when we’re putting everything together.
DD: Since 2018, what have you seen change, other than the home stage and auditorium, at CenterStage? And what are some of those accomplishments that you’re proud of since you’ve been there?
ES: When I started, I was the educational program director and got to work with all the young people that came to our building for our program. And as a classroom teacher before that — that is a passion of mine — is working with young performers and young technicians alike. Personally, what I’ve seen, the biggest change, is moving into this position as director. And having gotten to work with incredible directors before me, I had great examples that came before me that I got to learn from and then grow from, as well.
Something that I’m most proud of, I guess, in that transition — of course, I can’t go without saying we went through a global pandemic in that time, and so not only were we contending with reopening our theater after a global pandemic, having changed live theater everywhere and live performing arts, but we were also moving into our new building.
It was a contentious time for everybody, and those of us working in the
at the Trager Family JCC
"...we strive to make [theatre] affordable and accessible for everybody in our community."
–- Erin Silliman
performing arts, it really changed the work that we do. And I’m most proud of the fact that we were able to reopen and reopen thoughtfully and intentionally, and I’m so thankful to be working with a team around me — that includes our marketing team here at the JCC, our IT team, our building management team, as well as my colleague, Logan McNeely. We worked so hard to open up thoughtfully, and not bite off more than we can chew, but honoring our past with looking towards our future. And that’s what I’m most proud of, is to continue that over 100-year tradition of CenterStage.
DD: Overall, Louisville’s a pretty artscentric kind of a community. Where do you feel like we are as a city, not only in the arts, but more of theater arts and theatergoers, as you just mentioned? Where do you feel like
that’s been, say, in the last 10 or 15 years? Where are we now? And what do you think the future holds for theater patrons?
ES: I think, as I said earlier, the pandemic really changed how we’re approaching performing arts. And I think, at least myself, along with many other directors in the city — it feels more collaborative these days. It feels like everyone is supporting each other a little bit more authentically, and we’re genuinely curious and excited about what each other is doing, and I think that that brings a whole other energy to our work, knowing that my colleague across the street at the other theater company is there to support me as a director, and there to support our audiences and get people just in front of live theater again. That’s the goal of all of ours, which is so exciting. There’s room for
everybody at the table when it comes to community arts. And I think that has been a big shift over the last 10 years, at least in my experience, and what better realm, what better environment, to be creative in, than an environment that is supportive with your colleagues?
DD: For somebody who’s never been to a CenterStage production, can you give us a little reason why maybe they should give it a try, and what they can expect?
ES: We’ve always boasted high-quality performing arts, and I still tout that. That is something that we aim for, and it’s high quality because of the people that come through our doors, both on the production side of things and our audiences having high expectations. And we want them to come through the door with high expectations, because we all want a joyous experience when we walk into a theater. And we strive to make it affordable and accessible for everybody in our community. … We are centrally located, which gives us that advantage, and also we strive to have affordable pricing for those people in our community, of course, always aiming to be vigilant to what our community needs and what it desires out of performing arts. But if people haven’t given CenterStage a try, I hope that our tradition of high-quality, affordable and accessible theater speaks to them, and that they’re willing to come on over to Dutchmans Lane.
DD: How can people get tickets?
ES: They can go to our website, JCCLouisville.org , and on there, they’ll look for CenterStage under the Arts and Ideas department. Or they can call our box office at (502) 238-2797. We are excited, like I said, to get anyone through our doors. Everyone deserves the arts, and they deserve to feel like they belong and they can belong here.
This is an excerpt of the interview with Erin Silliman. Scan the QR code to read or listen to this interview in its entirety.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Explore Boston With a Direct Flight from SDF
WE are excited to present Audience Broadway Getaways, featuring great destinations that you can travel to with a non-stop flight from Louisville’s Muhammed Ali International Airport.
Boston, Massachusetts is known for its rich history, championship sports franchises, amazing food and a worldclass arts and theater scene, and Broadway in Boston always delivers highquality performances year after year.
Direct flights from Louisville to Boston are just over two hours and less than $400 for round trip fare, making for a perfect Broadway Getaway!
Boston’s current Broadway season has already delivered fan favorites including Mamma Mia! (September 2024), & Juliet (November 2024) and Six (December 2024), and the remaining season promises to pack the punch of more classics with Peter Pan (January 2025), Funny Girl (February 2025), Shucked (April 2025), The Book of Mormon (April
2025), Kimberly Akimbo (May 2025), Back to the Future: The Musical (July 2025) and The Wiz (August 2025).
The performances take place at either the Citizens Opera House or the Emerson Colonial Theatre. The Citizens Opera House was built in 1928 and offers a grand setting for a variety of performances throughout the year. This historic theater features exquisite Baroque architecture and can accommodate over 2,600 patrons. It has been lovingly restored to provide modern comforts while preserving its rich heritage and offers an intimate and
comfortable setting for the audience. The Emerson Colonial Theatre, one of the oldest continuously operating theaters in the U.S., is known for its historic charm and has a seating capacity of 1,600.
Both venues are located in Boston’s vibrant Theater District and offers a mix of dining, shopping, and entertainment options for both before and after performances. With such an impressive lineup and historic venues, Boston’s Broadway season is set to enchant audiences year round.
Visit FlyLouisville.com to book your flight today for a Broadway Getaway!
BROADWAY GETAWAY
Emerson Colonial Theatre Auditorium in Boston
Citizens Opera House in Boston
PHOTO BY PATRICK FARRELL
BRILLIANT EXILES:
AMERICAN WOMEN IN PARIS, 1900-1939
A TIME OF REINVENTION AND SELF-DISCOVERY
On Display: March 29 - June 22, 2025
by Speed Art Museum
THE curators at the world-renowned Speed Art Museum are spinning with excitement as they jump into a world of exciting exhibits, films, and more for the upcoming year. One that is not to be missed highlights American women in Paris in the early 1900s. Curated by Erika Holmquist-Wall, the Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900-1939 exhibit will be located on the third floor of the north building of the museum from March 29 to June 22, 2025.
During the early 20th century, Paris was the destination of choice for talented and independent American women determined to move beyond the limitations that restricted them at home. Drawn by a strong desire for independence, they crossed the Atlantic to pursue personal and professional ambitions in a city viewed as the epicenter of modernity.
The exhibit recaptures the experiences of these unorthodox women who found in Paris the freedom to blaze new trails in a variety of fields, including art, literature, design, publishing, music, fashion, journalism, theater, and dance. As foreigners in a cosmopolitan city,
they escaped the societal expectations and constraints of both the United States and France. Many used their newfound liberty as an opportunity for selfreinvention and discovery.
Portraiture provides a revealing lens through which to view the cultural shifts American women helped instigate in Paris. Their defiance of social, professional, and gender norms rendered conventional modes of female portraiture obsolete. Brilliant Exiles highlights the dynamic role of portraiture in articulating the refashioned sense of self and the new conceptions of modern female identity that resulted from the interventions of American women in Parisian life.
Despite significant differences in their circumstances, the women in this exhibition shared many experiences and points of contact. Featuring over 85 artworks across various media and accompanied by a comprehensive catalogue, Brilliant Exiles visually graphs the social and creative networks and points of intersection that linked these various groups, with an emphasis on sites of sociability and production that were overseen by women.
Through vivid portraits and compelling biographies, the catalogue and exhibition recover a history that will be unfamiliar to many museum visitors, revealing the impact that American Women had on modernist Paris, as well as the city’s transformative effect on these brilliant exiles from the United States.
This exhibition has been organized by the National Portrait Gallery and received federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
For more information, visit SpeedMuseum.org
Katharine Nash Rhoades by Alfred Stieglitz
SHAPE YOUR YEAR WITH ARTFUL INSPIRATION AND COMMUNITY
A membership to the Speed Art Museum is your path to a year filled with creativity, culture, and connection. Whether you’re discovering new artists, attending thought-provoking programs, or simply enjoying unlimited access to our diverse collections, your membership allows you to celebrate art in meaningful ways all year long. Join us and make 2025 your most inspiring year yet!
BRILLIANT EXILES: AMERICAN WOMEN IN PARIS, 1900-1939
March 29 – June 22, 2025
LOUISVILLE’S BLACK AVANT-GARDE: GLOUCESTER CALIMAN (G.C.)
COXE
June 9 – September 7, 2025
CURRENT
SPEED: VIAN SORA
October 2, 2025 – January 18, 2026
October 17, 2025 – February 1, 2026
OTHERWORLDLY JOURNEYS: THE FANTASTICAL WORLDS OF BOSCH AND BRUEGEL LAVON VAN WILLIAMS JR. EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE
November 6, 2025 – March 8, 2026
Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900-1939
Organized by the National Portrait Gallery
Frances Cranmer Greenman Detail of Self-Portrait Oil on canvas, 1923
The Minneapolis Institute of Art, Gift of Mrs. Patrick Butler
Adventure Awaits in
