Audience Magazine - July 2020

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

magazine

JULY 2020

PNC BROADWAY IN LOUISVILLE Board Member Spotlight Page 6 | ACTORS THEATRE Staging Success, Camps Go Virtual Page 10 | LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA Taking Action on Racial Equality Page 14 | KENTUCKY PERFORMING ARTS Up and Coming, a GSA Story Page 20 | LOUISVILLE BALLET School Celebrates Milestone Anniversary Page 28 | KENTUCKY OPERA Blind Injustice, A Black Opera Conversation Page 36 | KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE Annual Series Announces "Plan T" Page 42 | FUND FOR THE ARTS New Initiatives for Local Artists Page 52

raise a glass for restaurant workers.

Every bottle purchased of our restaurant favorite, Russian River Ranches Chardonnay, helps support our $100,000 donation to the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation.

(Available for purchase at select retailers for a limited time.)

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Text “RWCF” to 56512 to donate directly

BEAUTY, RESILIENCE, AND SOUL We who have means and a voice must use them to help those who have neither.

- Jennifer Donnelly

When stages first went dark in March, none of us had any idea how long live performances would be put on hold. Nearly five months into the pandemic, we still don’t know when we’ll all be able to sit side-by-side in a packed theater again. The truth is, that day could still be a long way away.

What we do know is that the beauty, resilience and soul of theater, music and other performing arts groups are desperately needed during these challenging times — now more than ever.

When we launched Audience Magazine in April, we simply wanted to give our local performing arts organizations an outlet to share their news, their struggles, their pivots and their plans. Because they could no longer take the stage, we offered up these pages as a kind of temporary stage. With no other dedicated arts publications or arts reporters in the Louisville area, Audience Magazine is proud to be able to give these amazing organizations a voice amid the chaos.

Amy Higgs Managing Editor

The response has been overwhelming, not only from arts enthusiasts who are longing to hear the latest updates from the groups they love, but from the organizations themselves.

Many groups are short-staffed and operating on a shoestring budget. But because they know how important it is to stay connected to their audiences, they are taking the time to send us inspiring stories and dynamic photos and videos for each issue.

We’d like to give a shoutout to the hardworking teams at PNC Broadway in Louisville, Louisville Orchestra, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Kentucky Performing Arts, Louisville Ballet, Kentucky Opera and Kentucky Shakespeare, as well as Fund for the Arts, for their hard work behind the scenes — whether that’s writing some of the stories you see in the magazine themselves or connecting Audience writers with the best people to tell their stories.

We are incredibly grateful to our advertisers, most of whom regularly placed ads in our playbills, for their willingness to continue to support the arts in a new way. We would not be able to provide you with Audience Magazine free of charge without their support.

Finally, we’d like to thank you, our loyal readers, for your overwhelmingly positive feedback, and for sharing each issue with your friends. We commit to being a platform for the stories of the performing arts in Louisville for as long as necessary.

Until the curtain rises again,

G. Douglas Dreisbach Publisher

– The Audience Group

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TABLE of CONTENTS JULY 2020

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4

"SPOTLIGHT ON ALAN SINGLETON"

"CELEBRATING 25 YEARS"

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"STAGING SUCCESS"

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"TAKING ACTION"

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"BLIND INJUSTICE"

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"PLAYING IT SAFE"

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M A G A Z I N E

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

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SALES & MARKETING

"UP AND COMING"

G. Douglas Dreisbach CONTRIBUTORS

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

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

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On the Cover:

"KEEPING CREATIVITY ALIVE"

Gabriel Lefkowitz, Louisville Orchestra Violinist and Concertmaster.

Read about his side projects on page 18. Photo

by O'Neil Arnold.

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 J U L Y

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AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

SPOTLIGHT ON

ALAN SINGLETON

LOUISVILLE THEATRICAL ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBER

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

Alan Singleton serves two roles for CGB Enterprises, as President of CGB/ AgriFinancial Services, a farm lending company, and as Vice President of Administration of CGB/ Diversified Crop Insurance Services, a risk management company specializing in the delivery of crop insurance.

His career spans over 40 years, involving direct and managerial experience in both short- and long-term credit to agricultural enterprises, and more recently in the crop insurance industry. His background includes working with farmers and ranchers located across a large portion of the United States and across numerous agricultural commodities.

Alan grew up on a Spencer County, Ind., farm and is a graduate of Indiana University with a degree in economics.

Alan Singleton and his wife Jackie

Alan also serves on the board of directors for the Louisville Theatrical Association and is a member of the Rotary Club of Louisville. Alan and his wife Jackie live in Floyds Knobs, Indiana.

Jackie is a Professor at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry.

Alan and Jackie have been subscribers for Broadway in Louisville for nearly three decades, and have also recruited several friends 6

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to join them for performances over the years — some even becoming season subscribers.

Audience Publisher G. Douglas Dreisbach caught up with Alan to discuss the arts, hobbies, and what the future might hold.

G. Douglas Dreisbach: When did you become interested in the arts?

Alan Singleton: Quite honestly, my interest in music started as a child. My mother was a voice major in college, and she taught piano in our home. I cannot carry a tune in a bucket as a singer, but I did play a saxophone for years, starting with the Preparatory School of Music at University of Evansville during junior high through four years in the band at Indiana University.

I’ve always loved music.

GDD: Do you have a preferred genre? Primarily Broadway or live theater?

AS: My favorite evening is either at a Broadway show, here in Louisville or in New York, or a live concert. Whether it be jazz and blues by Chris Botti or Joe Bonamassa, popular music by Elton, Queen, The Eagles, or classical by Andrea Bocelli and others, I am a fan of them all.

GDD: What are your favorite parts of the shows, and what have been some of your favorite performances?

AS: The two constants in terms of favorite parts of a show are the music score and the story. The story can be historically based, as in Hamilton or Les Misérables or fantasy, such as M A G A Z I N E

...our friends come away ecstatic about the talent on stage, the stories, the music, the staging – everything. Now that I think of it, I can’t remember a show that didn’t end with an enthusiastic standing ovation from the crowd. Quality is the easy selling point!

Wicked and Phantom of the Opera. However, in every case, truly exceptional shows have worthwhile stories that carry significant meaning. The music, and the sheer talent on stage, bring those stories to life. Without going too far back, favorites that come to mind, in no particular order are Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Hamilton, Miss Saigon, Lion King and Jesus Christ Superstar.

GDD: You have been an advocate for Broadway for a long time and recruited friends and others to also subscribe. What is your “pitch” to encourage others to subscribe?

AS: There is no better evening of entertainment in Louisville.

Honestly, I can count on one hand the times folks in my group came away from a show with less-than-stellar comments. With very few exceptions over the many years, our friends come away ecstatic about the talent on stage, the stories, the music, the staging – everything. Now that I think of it, I can’t remember a show that didn’t end with an enthusiastic standing ovation from the crowd. Quality is the easy selling point! One couple we know in our “group” of season subscribers drive 90 minutes each way for the shows. The Broadway Series offers this quality at price points for just about everyone. As a kicker, we talk about group pre-show dinners and one of Louisville’s fine restaurants.

GDD: What factors need to happen for you to feel comfortable returning to a live performance with an audience?

AS: If it were possible to balance social distancing and seating at the Kentucky Center with the economics, we would go today, but in reality. that would be extremely difficult. We should all hope, and pray, for treatments and a vaccine soon.

GDD: In closing what message would you like to send to the team at Broadway in Louisville and fellow Broadway/live theater enthusiasts?

AS: Louisville is an arts community. People across the country recognize that. We have lived in the metro area for almost 40 years and would not want to go anywhere else. There are so many options, including Actors Theatre, The Louisville Orchestra, the ballet and opera companies, community theaters and many live concerts. The Broadway Series stands with these many options as one of the most important in terms of quality entertainment and annual subscriber numbers.

Elijah Malcomb, Joseph Morales, Kyle Scatliffe, Fergie L. Philippe and Company - HAMILTON National Tour. © Joan Marcus 2018

GDD: With shows being dark due to the pandemic, what do you miss the most?

AS: Obviously, we miss the shows — nothing compares to live performances. Almost as important is seeing people.

We generally have the group together, but there are always many other friends from around Louisville at the shows. Socializing before the curtain and at intermission is always great fun.

GDD: Groups are considering different ways to view their content, from reduced capacity to live and recorded streaming options. What alternative options interest you, if any?

AS: It is difficult to envision reduced seating capacity as a viable option from an economic standpoint, although if offered we would certainly attend. Streaming, whether live or recorded, might not appeal to every patron based upon their video, audio, and Internet equipment. That said, we would gladly subscribe to streamed shows, and encourage others to as well, based solely on the support the funds would provide to the artists and others involved in producing the shows. There are many wonderful, talented people in the arts affected by the pandemic, and we should support them whenever possible.

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The Broadway team does an outstanding job every year scheduling high quality shows. LTA supports area school children with opportunities to see fantastic shows many would not otherwise experience. We should all be immensely proud of their efforts; including an attitude of caring service to the community they always exhibit.

As with most things, COVID will pass. The day is coming when we can join one another in celebrating our love of Broadway and live entertainment. Be patient, and until then, take advantage of the opportunities to support the arts.

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PNC BROADWAY AT HOME Stages may be dark across the country, but we invite you to revisit some of Broadway's most iconic performances online, as well as new versions of old favorites. Check out the videos below!  VIDEO: Katharine McPhee, Megan Hilty and Shoshana Bean sing an epic Andrew Lloyd Webber medley/mash-up during the Aids Walk in NYC earlier this month.

 VIDEO: London’s leading classicalcrossover girl group, Ida Girls London, are releasing their Les Misérables medley Stars on iTunes and YouTube, in support of the UK charity, Help Musicians.

 VIDEO: To honor the songwriting legacy of one musical theater's most legendary duos, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, Broadway stars Jelani Alladin ("Frozen," "Hercules") and Christiani Pitts ("King Kong," "A Bronx Tale"), along with dancer Richard Riaz Yoder ("Hello, Dolly!," "Shuffle Along"), present a modern take on their standard, "The Lady Is a Tramp."

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Andy Warhol: Revelation July 5 – November 29

New Hours

Discover another side of the Pop artist of Campbell’s soup can fame. Andy Warhol: Revelation is the first exhibition to comprehensively examine Warhol’s complex Catholic faith in relation to his artistic production.

Advanced ticket purchase strongly encouraged and face masks required.

Andy Warhol: Revelation is organized by the Andy Warhol Museum.

Andy Warhol The Last Supper, 1986 The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh; Founding Collection, Contribution The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. 1998.1.2126 © 2020 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Presented by:

Friday 3 – 8 Saturday & Sunday 10 – 5

speedmuseum.org

Additional support from: Christina Lee Brown The Paradis Family LG&E and KU Foundation DDW, The Color House Land Rover of Louisville Contemporary exhibition support provided by: Augusta and Gill Holland Emily Bingham and Stephen Reily Exhibition season support provided by: Dav Fam Art Fund Cary Brown and Steven E. Epstein Paul and Deborah Chellgren Debra and Ronald Murphy Eleanor Bingham Miller

Media support from:

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SUMMER MUSICAL THEATRE CAMP AND WEST END RESIDENCY GO VIRTUAL 10

A U D I by E N C E M A G A Z I N E Connor Rafferty

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Actors Theatre of Louisville recently announced that all shows during the 2020-21 season will be conducted virtually to ensure the safety of its performers, staff and audiences.

However, it’s more than just the shows that are going virtual — Actors Theatre is striving to keep the bulk of its project development, events, and workshops confined to the digital realm. Two recent projects that went digital were the Summer Musical Theatre Camp and a residency in West End classrooms, both of which were originally planned to be held in-person.

Audience Magazine spoke with Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Director of Learning and Creative Engagement, Erica Denise, about the theatre’s transition to online programming in mid-March due to COVID-19.

Denise began working for Actors Theatre in early December, mere months before the outbreak. She led both the Summer Musical Theatre Camp and the West End classrooms residency and was integral in making the shift to digital.

According to Denise, the team at Actors Theatre was able to pivot fairly quickly to restructure the residency and musical camp, among other programs, to fit into a virtual environment. As it turned out, this type of educational programming translated pretty well into Zoom calls.

MUSICAL THEATRE CAMP Actors’ Summer Musical Theatre Camp was initially planned around a production of Sister Act Jr., a musical comedy about a disco diva going undercover in a convent. The children (ages 12-18) involved in the camp would have been getting hands-on, in-person lessons in singing, acting, costuming, dance, stagecraft, and more in a communal setting with their fellow ensemble cast, all with the ultimate goal of putting on a full-scale performance of Sister Act Jr. What ended up happening, however, was that the participants who signed up for the revamped virtual version of the summer

Student Leilani Bracey peforms during this year's virtual Summer Musical Theatre Camp. Photo courtesy of Actors Theatre.

camp put together a musical revue featuring segments they filmed themselves. They still received training in the areas mentioned above, only over online, 4-hour sessions conducted in virtual meeting rooms.

To audition for the camp, students had to send a video of themselves singing 16 bars from a musical showtune.

Twenty-one students were admitted into the 3-week program, and were informed beforehand of what to expect.

Denise says that, since students knew ahead of time that the camp was online, most of them did not struggle with the format as much as she had expected, and she was pleasantly surprised to find that most participants had a great time. Since they were working from home, students had to do quite a bit of independent work, implementing things they learned in the camp, to prepare for the revue.

 Students participate in this year's virtual Summer Musical Theatre Camp. Photo courtesy of Actors Theatre.

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By the end of the week they were emailing us, ‘Hey this is so great, I had a good time, are we going to Krump tomorrow, did you get my poetry piece?’

It was amazing to see how the kids turned around to embrace what we were bringing. — Erica Denise

Each student worked on two musical theatre songs of their choice while getting ensemble and individual instruction from the diverse array of teachers. Students also received a few days’ training with Louisville native Noah Ricketts, known for playing Kristoff in Broadway’s production of Frozen, who gave insight into vocal training and presenting on film.

One of the big issues of singing over Zoom was the slight delay, which can make it difficult for everyone to sing in sync with each other or with the music.

The camp ran from July 6-24 and culminated in a revue featuring multiple individual segments the young participants filmed themselves, much of which consisted of vocal performances.

The many individual, filmed vocal performances were added to a host of other performances, creating the effect of a large-scale ensemble of campers. Denise says the inspiration for the revue came from Black Broadway’s Antonyo Awards, which featured a similar, virtual collaborative performance.

WEST END RESIDENCY Actors Theatre’s 2-week residency at the West End School had a pretty seamless transition into an online format. It ran from June 29-July 10 and was the first of a series of ongoing community engagements dedicated to the development of Ali Summit, a play by break beat poet and playwright Idris Goodwin that is slated for a spring premiere in Actors Theatre’s 2020-21 virtual season.

Ali Summit is based on a historical moment in the life of Louisville icon Muhammad Ali: His conscientious objection to serving in the Vietnam War, and his meeting with other Black athletes to discuss his decision.

The play is funded by a $90,735 grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. A provision of the grant is to use the funding to creatively engage with the community, specifically the young Black male community, to help influence the development of the play and provide it with greater depth.

Originally, a series of community events was planned to foster engagement in the project, including a 4-day event during National Youth Violence Prevention Week that was to be held at the Ali Center. Unfortunately, all of these in-person events were cancelled, so Goodwin and his collaborators are connecting virtually to further develop Ali Summit.

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For 2 hours each day during the residency, students learned about Muhammad Ali, his legend, and history.

Activities included creating poems and answering writing prompts, elements of which may be featured in the final production. Among the themes of these poems and short essays were legacies, masculinity in America, what it means to be a legend, what it means to protect someone, and other topics and questions intended to provoke thought in the middle schoolers involved in the residency.

Denise says the residency was more difficult than the summer camp in terms of keeping the children interested, mostly at the beginning, though the majority of them eventually became eager participants. A Krumping class that was centered on movement was especially popular with many students.

“By the end of the week they were emailing us, ‘Hey this is so great, I had a good time, are we going to Krump tomorrow, did you get my poetry piece?’ It was amazing to see how the kids turned around to embrace what we were bringing,” Denise says.

She adds that the No. 1 problem in conducting these programs online was technology issues. Wi-Fi cutting out, poor audio and video quality (one student in the residency program could only communicate via typing in the chat), and other problems were occasionally disruptive.

“We did troubleshoot and figure out you can connect your device to your hotspot on your cell phone to get better service, so that worked for a while,” Denise says.

Despite the drawbacks of digital, there is most certainly an upside to all of the adjustments Actors Theatre has made to bring virtual programming to the community.

Thanks to the tech experience the team at Actors is gaining through recent online programming, they’re making some tentative plans to expanding their educational resources across the globe.

And beyond the current season, there’s a good chance the theatre may offer online productions alongside live, in-house shows well into the future, making it possible for anyone confined at home under non-pandemic circumstances to enjoy the arts scene in Louisville.

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ACTORS THEATRE AT HOME Art. Technology. Social Transformation. Liberation. Actors Theatre Direct envisions the future of American theatre with stories about the transformative nature of courage, conviction, and hope.

 VIDEO: Finding Black Boy Joy, by Lance G. Newman, II

 VIDEO: Actors Theatre Unscripted "Protesters: Who's on the Front Lines?"

 VIDEO: Actors Theatre Unscripted "Juneteenth: Why We Celebrate"

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TAKING ACTION

LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA’S STATEMENT ON RACIAL EQUITY 14

A U D by I E Michelle N C E MWinters A G A Z I N E

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s part of this community and as an organization, we of the Louisville Orchestra endeavor to understand, internalize, and support the imperative for racial justice and social equality.

We believe that the systemic threat and danger to the lives of our fellow citizens is unacceptable and must be changed. We grieve for Breonna Taylor, David McAtee, George Floyd, and too many others. We believe that the fear, hopelessness, and anger created under the pressure of endemic racism should never be laid on a human soul.

Your Louisville Orchestra’s community mission is to generate change through the transformative power of music. Called “Your” Louisville Orchestra by Music Director Teddy Abrams and musicians, the board of directors and staff, we are an institution that belongs to our entire community. As an organization, we recognize the strength created by a community sharing music and fellowship.

We also recognize that the traditions of the symphony orchestra are deeply rooted in European culture. While great beauty can be found in that past, extraordinary voices have been neglected and even silenced at the hands of racism, sexism, and the glorification of that past. This damage is especially abysmal with Black music, which because of its textures and rhythms has formed the very nature of American music.

Over the past seven years, the galvanizing leadership of Teddy Abrams has opened our stages to a greater diversity of music and musicians than ever before in the organization’s history.

However, we are not satisfied with our past efforts. We commit to seeking a deeper awareness and broader support of our Black community.

Therefore, Your Louisville Orchestra pledges to: • Celebrate the lives and music of people of wide diversity in race, creed, age, color, and sexual orientation through orchestral music; • Treat all who engage with this organization with respect, peace, fairness, and gratitude; • Feature performers and composers who embody and bring forward the diversity of our community;

“Because musical language is like the very air we breathe – shared by all and impossible to own – as modern musicians we must take this moment to recognize that, defying every injustice and oppression leveled against Black Americans, Black music has inspired our nation and the world for centuries.”

—Teddy Abrams

• Enhance understanding by actively seeking corrections to covert racism and assumed privileges through organizational initiatives; • Examine all policies and practices within the Louisville Orchestra to ensure they reflect the highest standards of equality and justice.

Our mission is devoted to public service. We strive to raise up new and diverse voices, seek out the silenced, and share the richness of musical expression throughout our community.

As an American orchestra in the 21st century, Your Louisville Orchestra embraces the responsibility to do more than simply “reflect” the world around us; we aspire to help build a city that upholds these deeper values: unity, collaboration, empathy, compassion, fairness, and genuine equality.

Recent Performances Have Made Inroads Over the last six years, the Louisville Orchestra has deliberately and intentionality expanded diversity in programming and in our engagement of guest performers. Concerts included music written by African-American and women composers; and performers included people of many races, ethnicities, ages, sexual orientations, and genders.

Examples range from the 4th grade student who celebrated her Black heritage with the LO performing her own rap with the full orchestra (to over 1,800 fellow students at an education concert) to the elderly Native American drummers/singers who shared authentically sacred music with LO audiences.

 Rap school performer Da'Vonn Pitney on stage at the 2019 MakingMUSIC concert with Teddy Abrams and the Louisville Orchestra.

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Jecorey Arthur and Olivia Dawson in the 2018 performance of Teddy Abrams' concert-opera about Muhammad Ali.

classical selection, and all 4th & 5th graders participate in an interactive selection led by Abrams that leaves the concert hall buzzing with energy.

Additional programs during the 2019-20 season brought three college-age conductors of color to Louisville to participate in immersion training with the LO and Abrams. This pilot project with the nationally recognized SPHINX organization will be expanded and become a permanent part of the LO Education program. A concert of contemporary and traditional gospel music was performed at the Kentucky Center as well as at St. Stephen Church in the West End (Feb 2020). Free performances by individual and small ensembles are presented throughout the city serving underrepresented populations at locations including Hiltebrand House, Smoketown Family Wellness, LifeSpring Health Services, Catholic Enrichment Center, ElderServe/ Russell Sr. Center, among others.

Abrams conducting a community music group at Jefferson Park in downtown Louisville on Juneteenth 2020. Louisville Orchestra musicians were joined by community musicians after an invitation was shared on social media.

Additional examples include the orchestral premiere of the Kentucky-based folk opera by Rachel Grimes, “The Way Forth” (Feb 2019), which brought forward the words of women and enslaved people from 180 years ago; the first orchestral appearance by young American R&B/Soul singer-songwriter Cory Henry; the first orchestra commission of jazz composer Tyshawn Sorey; and concerts co-produced with St. Stephen Church music department.

For the completed 2019-20 season concerts, 45% of LO guest performers were people of color. Add women and fully 80% of guest performers reflected wide diversity. Composers/arrangers of color created 30% of all music performed by the LO (add women composers and the number jumps to 42%).

Expanding Inclusion We are proud to serve our entire community at MakingMUSIC veducation concerts. While the full diversity of the Jefferson County Public Schools district is represented at our annual concerts, selected students from all populations take a special role in the performances. Teachers involve one student per class to receive conductor training with Teddy Abrams and then lead the LO at the performances. Three students are selected and coached to create and perform an original rap; one student winner of the Young Artist Competition performs a standard

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The dearth of professional orchestra musicians of color has long been a deep concern to symphony orchestras. The “blind audition” process that was supposed to increase diversity has worked for some but not all. Talented musicians of color still make choices, or find their long career paths blocked, and their efforts shift away from performing in orchestras.

Extensive research has identified that the lack of professional instruction for the youngest musicians is a key issue. In an effort to address the problem of early access, the LO is now seeking funding to work with JCPS to supply individual instrumental music lessons to students who cannot afford them. We hope to help augment the work being done by dedicated groups with powerful successes in this area in Louisville including AMPED, The Blue House, and River City Drum Corps. In addition, the LO will collaborate with JCPS to develop a music magnet school located in the West End (scheduled to open to its inaugural kindergarten class in Fall 2021).

This is just a start. This is a change in mentality and thinking that must be sustained and grown at every level of the Louisville Orchestra as we move forward. The next stage will require listening and learning, and we are prepared for the challenges that await us. Right now, however, we offer our voice of grief, solace, support, and hope to our Black neighbors; we offer our voice that demands change until we are truly equal, and we offer all of the love we can provide to those who have suffered.

Today – and most importantly, tomorrow – we stand up for our Black community, and we stand up for our city because we are YOUR Louisville Orchestra.

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MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT ON CONCERTMASTER

GABRIEL LEFKOWITZ A native of the Boston area, violinist Gabriel Lefkowitz is in his fifth season as Concertmaster of the Louisville Orchestra. A versatile musician of the 21st century, Lefkowitz is also an active soloist, conductor, and composer.

Highlights of Lefkowitz's 2019-20 season included performances of the Stravinsky Violin Concerto and a return to the podium as conductor for a program of Mendelssohn, Haydn, and Brahms as part of the LO's far reaching Republic Bank Music Without Borders Series.

He also performed as soloist in the Ohio Premiere of the Florence Price Violin Concerto No. 1 with the McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra.

Recent guest engagements include performances of Mozart’s Violin

Concerto No. 4 with the Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra, Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 with the Oak Ridge Symphony, Philip Glass’ Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Ocala Symphony, and performing as guest concertmaster with the Britt Festival Orchestra and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

As a composer, Gabriel has written musical scores for various projects, including the video game Popup Dungeon, an acrobatic aerial show called Aureum, and an upcoming themed resort in Tennessee (Ancient Lore Village).

Lefkowitz holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a master’s in violin performance from The Juilliard

 VIDEO: Lefkowitz is a composer for video games, and his score to the new game Popup Dungeon is now available. The game is coming out on August 12th but the album is out now. Listen here.

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School, where he studied with Joel Smirnoff and Masao Kawasaki.

"I feel extraordinarily fortunate and proud to be a member of The Louisville Orchestra,” says Lefkowitz. “Nearly every week of our season is a brand new adventure in which Teddy leads us in pushing the boundaries of our art form, whether it's a world premiere of an exciting new musical collaboration with the likes of Jim James or the St. Stephen's Gospel Choir, or whether it's a train-themed concert performed in our new orchestral-rock venue Old Forester's Paristown Hall. It's hard work but never dull, and I wouldn't want it any other way!"

 VIDEO: Lefkowitz teamed up with LO violist Evan Vicic to create an album with Medieval ambience, titled Tavern Music Vol. 1, which is available now. Listen here.

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Photo by Saul Young

by Michelle Winters

LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA AT HOME The Louisville Orchestra has been providing top-quality streaming content ranging from DUETS with Teddy Abrams to dedications to conversations with community leaders. LO online content is available at LouisvilleOrchestra.org.

 DUET | ANDREA LEVINE AND JACK GRIFFIN | Viva La France! In honor of Bastille Day, July 14, please enjoy the Duet for Two Violins by French composer Jacques Féréol Mazas. In this rendition, Jack Griffin is playing violin not his usual viola and Andrea Levine playing a violin part on clarinet.

 DUET | Jack McFadden-Talbot + Heather Thomas | Shostakovitch Prelude feat.

Teddy Abrams on Piano. Heather Thomas and Jack McFadden-Talbot work as a seamless unit in the beautiful Prelude to Shostakovitch’s Five Pieces for Two Violins and Piano.

Special thanks to Criquet Projects Productions for the extra support for this performance.

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UP AND COMING

THE KENTUCKY GOVERNOR’S SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS CLASS OF 2020

CREATING ARTISTIC COMMUNITY IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS

by Christian Adelberg

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he 34th annual Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) summer program was going to look very similar to previous years: Students living on campus at University of Kentucky and participating in three weeks of immersive faceto-face arts training. Then, the world changed.

The coronavirus pandemic quickly turned our world upside down. Faced with the reality of social distancing along with the question of student, staff and faculty safety, GSA and Kentucky Performing Arts leadership were faced with a question: How do we move forward?

Despite the physical barriers, Kentucky’s brightest young high school art students engaged in a dynamic series of virtual daily seminars, creative projects, master classes, and lectures in the disciplines of architecture and design, creative writing, dance, drama, film and photography, instrumental music, musical theater, visual art, and vocal music.

It was a challenging situation that required a creative solution, and creative solutions are what artists do best.

Then, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, students received instruction in their art form, which included workshops, lectures from guest artists, or self-led work individually or in a group.

In mid-April, the decision was made to shift the program to a virtual environment. Then, the work began and the clock was ticking. The entire summer program plan had to be recreated to fit this new environment. Lesson plans had to be torn down and reassembled, schedules reworked, online learning spaces created and, of course, the students and their families needed to be informed.

In addition, there were the challenges that come with switching from a controlled classroom environment to an online environment. How do you know if students have reliable Wi-Fi, ample performance space, or access to necessary art supplies?

Through the hard work and dedication of GSA faculty, staff and administrative team, as well as the support of GSA students and their families, more than 250 of Kentucky’s most talented young artists came together (online) for the first-ever virtual GSA summer program on June 29.

“Canceling the summer program was never really an option,” says GSA Director Nick Covault. “The students have worked so hard to get here, and we have a commitment to providing not only the transformational artistic experience, but also scholarship opportunities GSA opens up for these Kentucky artists.”

Every day began with the entire class attending a webinar with a featured guest artists or presenter. The webinar included Q&A with the speaker, class announcements and a daily artistic “challenge.”

The students’ day ended with an RA meeting, an informal gathering allowing students to connect and build community with their fellow students all under the guidance of a collegeaged mentor.

One of the advantages of the virtual environment was it created opportunities for guest speakers from all over the world to visit the students via online meeting rooms. The guests included GSA alum Kevin “K.O” Olusola, a member of the three-time Grammy Award winning a cappella group Pentatonix, musicians Martha Redbone and Aaron Whitby, Sunshine Ison, a GSA alumnae who is currently the Cultural Attaché at the United States Embassy in Peru, feature film character actor (and Kentucky resident) Steve Zahn, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

“Despite the physical separation, the students of GSA 2020 have come together as a community,” Covault adds. “This year’s class shows that people are strong, and when they are intent on connecting, nothing can stop them. Neither a computer screen, nor a pandemic. These young artists are magic, and we cannot wait to see how they will help shape our world.”

 A screen shot from ballet class during the 2020 Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE KENTUCKY GOVERNOR’S SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS

CLASS of 2020 Addison Adams Lexington Nehreen Afsa Lexington Liz Aguirre Louisville Jake Alford Lexington Sona Ali Louisville Adeline Allison Harlan Izzy Allison Somerset Joe Ammons Morehead Eric Angel Russell Springs Eloise Apple Louisville Ann Elizabeth Badaracco Louisville Calyn Baker Berea Sam Baker Louisville

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Easton Barham Louisville Bon Bartholomy Owensboro James Beckner Richmond Jack Bell Crescent Springs Anna Berry Louisville Leo Biagi Simpsonville Maire Birdwell Lexington Fiona Blanchet Independence Shi Bonham Taylorsville Meg Booker Louisville Ryan Bosch Edgewood Sierra Bosse Glendale Becca Bowman Florence

Madelyn Brock Corbin John Brown Springfield Katie Brown Georgetown Hunter Broyles Louisville Claire Bryant Lexington Marilyn Buente Louisville A'Taijah Burrus Louisville Bekah Calhoun Madisonville Laine Call Versailles Darius Ca'Mel Louisville Eloise Campbell Edgewood Cesca Campisano Louisville Emilee Casabella Louisville

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Julia Castiello Murray Aiden Caywood Paducah Jared Chance-Martin Oak Grove Joanna Chapman Flat Gap Brian Chu Union Ava Chuppe Paducah Tabby Cline Glasgow Elke Coenders Lexington Jakob Combs Lily Briana Crowder Glasgow Abby Davis Richmond Wes Davis Lexington Emily Day Totz

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Sarah DeGeorge Louisville Reese DeHaven Hardinsburg Avril de la Llana Lexington Lena Dempler Louisville Sachi Dixit Prospect Grace Donahue Union Aidan Dragone Florence Kaden Driver Benton Sydney Dunbar Princeton GG Dunning Versailles JJ Dyche London Parker Dye Louisville Olivia Eley Paducah

Eden Elwell Shepherdsville Anna Erickson Shelbyville Emma Falluji Lexington Wenbo Fan Lexington Ciah Fannin Morehead Colin Ferguson Lexington Adam Florence Lexington Grant Forster Park Hills Aidan Foster Louisville Jacob Fox Coldiron Mark Gaddie Glendale Genevieve Garnett Florence JP Gibbs Campbellsville

Devan Gibson Glendale On'dria Gibson Louisville Izzy Gilvin Dover Elizabeth Gindling Georgetown Katrina Godsey Lancaster Sallie Kate Goff Nicholasville Ethan Goldberg Louisville Alyssa Goodman Louisville Meredith Grefer Richmond Jackson Griffee Mt. Washington Madelyn Groth Lexington Liv Gudmundsson Prospect Jenna Haines Danville Erin Hall Bowing Green Bella Hardin Lexington Ike Harrell Louisville Logan Harris Bowling Green Abigail Haverstick Louisville Jacob Hayes Campbellsville Tarina Henry Louisville Alan Herren Henderson Kole Hester Greenup Sydney Hieneman Flatwoods Ashlynn Hill Liberty Gwendolyn Hinkle Lexington Caroline Hirn Louisville Ainsley Hojnacki Nicholasville Caitlin Holbrook Union Sarah Hopper Covington Jay Howard Louisville

Jaxin Hruby Lexington Fiona Hudson Louisville Mallory Hunt Madisonville Hiroshi Hunter Lexington Emma Huntley Winchester Mia Jaco Benton Molly Jacobelli Lexington Aubin Jefferson Bowling Green Ethan Jenkins Morehead Naomi Johnson Louisville Ethan Johnson Loyall Hannah Johnson Louisville Rhiannon Johnston Louisville Ella Jones Glasgow Karly Jones Benton Lew Jordan Shelbyville Sophie Kelley Lexington Brooks Kidd London Maggie Kinnel Ashland Vivien Kurtz Lexington Ada Ladwig Waynesburg Zach Lamb Mayfield Shane Landis Lexington Madeline Lawson Corbin Jenny Lee Lexington Judy Lee Lexington Lizzy Lepley Louisville Jasmine Lewis Louisville Rylea Lewis Lexington Sydney Lewis Stamping Ground

Sydney Lilley Augusta Cate Longo Union Yolee Louis Nicholasville Breana Lovins Clayhole Emory Lucas Richmond Kaema Mackey Louisville Peyton Mahan Louisville Olivia Manning Louisville Samantha Manning Louisville Madeline Markert Louisville Nick Martin Campbellsville Larisa Matanovic Louisville Piper McConnell Louisville Michael McKeown Lakeside Park Vincent Meiers Louisville Em Mejias Prospect Natalia MendozaAndres Louisville Britton Minks Danville Aaron Moeller Louisville Emma Morris Lexington Noah Morsi Bowling Green Reagan Morsman Prospect Jacob Mullins Williamstown Abby Murphy Bowling Green Haider Nasir Elizabethtown Rabia Nasir Elizabethtown David Neal Lexington Vanor Neto Clinton Kendall Neundorfer Fort Thomas Emma Nevels Lexington

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Xander Newell Burkesville Paris Newell Burkesville Caroline Nitardy Independence Lucy Nunnelley Lexington Travis O'Daniel Louisville Lyne Odhiambo Lexington Hayoung Oh Louisville Kailly Oum Bowling Green Grainger Page Paducah Isaac Pate Florence Harrison Pawsat Fort Thomas Dakota Perry Morehead Brett Phelps Bardstown Ethan Phillips Clarkson Max Pickett Louisville Aidan Poole Florence Nina Powell Louisville

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Adria Poynter Somerset Bria Quinn Louisville Miriam Rairick Louisville Lilly Ramirez Louisville Kendal Rayborn Louisville Grayson Razavi Frankfort Alex Reichl Florence Cole Revel Georgetown Iliana Rich Fisherville Chance Ridgeway Lexington Jane Roberts Erlanger Amarriah Russell Louisville Lydia Sahawneh Boaz Tabito Satoh Pewee Valley Makenna Schibler Prospect Ethan Scott Lexington Jael Sell Corbin

Alyssa Senger La Grange Sarah Sheffer Prospect Jenna Shriver Villa Hills Emma Simpson Bowling Green Abi Singer Bowling Green Emily Sisson Burlington Izzie Skaggs Hazard Stella Skinner Covington Bella Slone Louisville Noah Slone Alexandria Daniel Smith Louisville Richard Smith Lexington Lauren Souther Hagerhill Belle Stansel Lakeside Park Hannah Stein Bardstown Cade Stephens Bowling Green Angelida Stewart Sharpsburg

This year’s class shows that people are strong, and when they are intent on connecting, nothing can stop them. Neither a computer screen, nor a pandemic. These young artists are magic, and we cannot wait to see how they will help shape our world.

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Leah Stewart Louisville Emma Suttles Louisville Conner Sutton Lexington Rivers Tarr Anchorage Roman Tate Louisville Sydney Taylor Lexington Gracie Terry South Shore Connor Thrasher Campbellsville Manya Tiwari Lexington Wyatt Toloczko Shelbyville Ella Tomb Lexington Connor Tucker Danville Collin Tuerk Morehead Hayla Tye Richmond Maggie Van Houten Louisville John Wagner Florence Phoebe Wagoner Carlisle Brandon Wang Lexington Chris Wang Lexington Wendy Wei Lexington Gabe Weible Louisville Sophie Wertz Louisville Reese Willett Lexington Hunter Wooldridge Frankfort Carson Woolums Florence Rachel Wright Pikeville Joyce Yang Lexington Raymond You Mount Sterling Daniel Young Louisville Ethan Young Louisville Hannah Young Shepherdsville

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ABOUT GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS GSA is a public/private partnership inaugurated in 1987 by The Kentucky Center (now Kentucky Performing Arts), the Commonwealth of Kentucky and numerous private supporters. Today, the vital funding required to make GSA a reality is provided by the state through the leadership of the Governor’s Office and the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, as well as The Kentucky Performing Arts Endowment Fund, Toyota Motor Manufacturing and more than 300 corporations, parents, educators, alumni, and friends of GSA. The mission of Kentucky Performing Arts is to build lifelong relationships with the arts. As an integral member of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet, Kentucky Performing Arts, along with the other agencies, seeks to preserve and promote the history, heritage, and arts of the Commonwealth.

The Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts would like to thank: Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear

B.J. Killian Foundation

The Kentucky Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet

PNC Foundation

The Kentucky Performing Arts Board and Foundation Board

LG&E and KU Energy

University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts David F. Young & Cheryl Cahill

Snowy Owl Foundation and private donors for their support of the program

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky

VIDEO: Governor Beshear’s Visit to GSA

VIDEO: GSA Class of 2020 Highlight Reel

Follow GSA on Facebook for updates!

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KENTUCKY PERFORMING ARTS AT HOME After three months and more than 70 performances, the curtain fell on the #KPAatHome series earlier this month. This online series not only provided free entertainment while our stages are dark, it also provided paying gigs to artists throughout the Commonwealth during a time when their livelihoods are impacted by the COVID-19 shutdown.

Kentucky Performing Arts is proud to help shine a spotlight on Kentucky artists, and showcase the Commonwealth’s diverse art forms and unique artistry. The audience for these concerts was truly worldwide, including viewers in Canada, Mexico, Germany, the United Kingdom, India, Italy, Japan, and the Philippines.

VIDEO: Check out our Highlight Reel

We want to thank our statewide partners for their help, and send special thanks to our sponsors Brown-Forman Corp., Commonwealth Credit Union, and the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, & Heritage Cabinet for their support.

The #KPAatHome concerts can be watched anytime on our Facebook page, YouTube channel and our website, kentuckyperformingarts.org.

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RESTORING A TREASURE SPOTLIGHT ON TED & PAMELA ROBERTS

By Christian Adelberg

VIDEO: Meet Ted and Pamela Roberts

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On June 13, 2018, The Kentucky Center building was struck a mighty blow when a fire started within the arched ceiling above the main lobby. In the days that followed, as The Kentucky Center team learned the scope of the damage, one area of great concern was the collection of 20th Century artwork on display in The Center’s main lobby. Fortunately, the artwork was unscathed by the event. Since the fire, ART (Art Recovery Technologies) of Greater Kentucky has been hard at work ensuring the collection was either safely moved off site or properly protected during the restoration project. More than two years later, the building work is complete and ART is able to finish their work cleaning and restoring The Kentucky Center’s signature pieces. We invite you to meet Ted and Pamela Roberts, to learn more about their work on Louise Nevelson’s Night Wave: Moon.

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When has there been A better excuse to escape for a few days?

With 45 state parks in Kentucky, 30 offering camping or private cottages, now is the chance to rediscover your own backyard.

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LOUISVILLE BALLET

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CELEBRATING 25 YEARS 28

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The Louisville Ballet School is delighted to enter its 25th year of inspiring dancers through creativity, collaboration, and discipline. The training center is a leader in dance education and outreach for Louisville and the surrounding region. Over the past 25 years, thousands of children and young adults have developed as artists and well-rounded individuals under the careful tutelage of the Louisville Ballet School’s expert instructors.

A LONG LEGACY

The Louisville Ballet began in 1952, then named the Louisville Civic Ballet. In its early years, the company was mostly composed of local young dancers and functioned much like a training school.

During a time when many Russian ballet dancers were immigrating to the United States, the Louisville Civic Ballet benefited from the discipline and expertise they offered. Many dancers moved on to professional careers after training under the company’s diligent program.

By the 1970s, Louisville Ballet had developed into one of the premier regional ballet companies, and today boasts the title of the Official State Ballet of Kentucky. Twenty-five years ago, in 1995, the company made the decision to bring the Louisville Ballet School completely under its umbrella as its official training center. Since that time, the partnership has fostered a love and dedication to the tradition of ballet instruction.

In 2018, Hailey Bowles became the first company dancer for the Louisville Ballet to work her way through the entire training program. She began training with Louisville Ballet School in 2010, and after six years of dancing in the PreProfessional program, she joined the company as a trainee. She performed as part of the full company until the end of last season, when she retired from dance to pursue a degree in physical therapy. She is a testament to the commitment to the quality education the school provides.

A SHIFT TO VIRTUAL TRAINING This year has presented new challenges with the outbreak of COVID-19. Like most performing arts schools across the country, Louisville Ballet School shut its doors in mid-March to help stop the spread of the disease. However, almost immediately the school began Zoom classes, offering its full schedule so students could continue their dance education. Affectionately nicknamed “Bedroom Ballet,” these remote classes gave students an outlet for activity as they improvised barres with kitchen chairs.

To prepare for reopening, the school’s Education Director, Kristine Orms, researched protocols and best practices in the industry to create a safe environment for students in the studio. As she notes, “While we're so glad we could help them continue their training virtually, we recognize that this is a limited replacement for the learning and experience that happens in the dance studio. So, we’re moving forward with our plans to bring our dance students back into our physical studios — with strict safety measures in place like smaller class sizes, wearing masks, limiting movement, increasing air flow — to balance the risk with the positive, beneficial experience of continuing to learn and grow in this art form.”

 Louisville Ballet School students. Photo by Sam English.

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If you have a bad day at school, or didn't get enough sleep the night before, or are just in a bad mood, let that be a learning experience for you in a new way. Try your best each day to leave all of that outside the door and use your time in the studio to cultivate the artist in you.

MAKING THE STUDIO A SAFE PLACE FOR STUDENTS Orms instituted a safety committee to ensure all faculty and staff were ready to teach safely and effectively. By following guidelines recommended by health officials and adopted by other schools across the country, Louisville Ballet School officials felt confident in their ability to hold live classes. In late June, the school reopened its doors for a Pre-Intensive program.

The Summer Intensive program, also following the same protocols, ended July 17, and so far students and teachers have adapted well to the changing environment.

Although the Louisville Ballet has decided to take its 2020-21 Season of Illumination fully digital, the Louisville Ballet School plans to continue in-person classes for the foreseeable future. At this time, its Spring Dance Festival, a showcase for all of their students, will be held in April as scheduled, but the health and safety of their dancers are paramount.

The school is committed to inspiring wellness and solid training for all students throughout the year, no matter what form that may take.

“We are highly motivated to bring students back to in-person learning safely but surely," Orms states. "We know the benefits of this art form. We recognize that it is a healing art form and can truly help our aspiring dancers deal with the significant changes they have experienced in the past four months. We are hopeful with strict adherence to health and safety protocols in place they can again safely experience the joy of dance and a much-needed outlet for students.”

COMPREHENSIVE BALLET EDUCATION FROM TODDLERS TO ADULTS The Louisville Ballet School is not a performance-based school, but focuses on a comprehensive curriculum that teaches strong dance technique. Its Classical Ballet education is based on 30

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Louisville Ballet School students. Photo by Sam English.

tradition while still inspiring innovation and contemporary vision in the arts. The school offers classes for all ages and abilities in its state-of-the-art facilities on East Main Street in downtown Louisville, and at its St. Matthews studios on Shelbyville Road.

Three ballet tracks are available for students. The first track is the Children’s Division, including creative movement classes for ages 3 to 6. In these classes, children learn to explore gross motor skills and enjoy the art of dance. As an engaging, gentle introduction to a class environment, the Children’s Division can begin a love of ballet for even the smallest enthusiast.

The second track, the Classical Ballet program, is designed to teach young dancers the discipline and musicality of classical ballet in a nurturing, structured progression. Students from ages 6 to 18 are placed in levels based on age and experience.

They also perform in the Spring Dance Festival.

From around age 12, students may be invited to participate in the Pre-Professional track, the third step in a dancer’s training. The school takes physical development very seriously, so students are not allowed to go on pointe prior to this age.

Students in the Pre-Professional track are committed to rigorous training that includes technique, pointe work, variations, pas de deux, and répertoire.

Pre-Professional dancers may also audition for the Louisville Youth Ensemble, the performing division of the school.

The Youth Ensemble is the founding member of the Southeastern M A G A Z I N E

Regional Ballet Association and the continuation of the original Louisville Civic Ballet Company. Dancers learn répertoire, participate in a dance conference, and have the opportunity to perform with the professional company in major productions throughout the season.

Besides the Classical Ballet training available at the school, students are encouraged to round out their dance education with jazz, tap, musical theater, and modern classes. Complementary classes are also available to students who do not participate in a ballet track but would like to learn one of these dance forms.

A special program called “mind. body. balance.” offers open dance and fitness classes for ages 15 and up. All ability levels are welcome to participate in ballet and Pilates training; providing a focus on wellness, strength, and community. Adults may also learn jazz, tap, musical theater, modern dance, and hip hop.

With an option to participate in the Spring Dance Festival, adults can dazzle their families and friends with the skills and musicality they learn throughout the year. Wellness workshops on nutrition, mental wellness, and other pertinent topics are offered quarterly throughout the year, yet another way for adults to be proactive about their health.

Fall semester for Louisville Ballet School begins August 10, and enrollment is open for new and returning students.

The faculty, comprising many former and current professional dancers, has extensive credentials to instruct students to greater athleticism and artistry. With a current enrollment of 330 youth and 300 adults, the school anticipates another robust year of dance education, despite the setbacks from Spring.

FOSTERING A POSITIVE SPACE FOR EXPRESSION Christy Corbitt-Krieger returns for the second year as the school’s Principal. She retired as a principal dancer for the Louisville Ballet in 2018 after 15 years of gracing the stage.

Since assuming her role as Principal, she has overseen curriculum, programming, and student services. She is already beloved for her warm, thoughtful, and engaged interactions with students and faculty alike.

Corbitt-Krieger is particularly proud to work in such a supportive community environment. She says, “This art form is difficult enough without dancers competing or bringing negativity to the space or to each other. I am so proud that so many of our students take ownership of setting the example for our younger students in supporting each other, welcoming new faces, and genuinely caring about respecting the space, the faculty and each other.”

Louisville Ballet School would like to thank the parents, sponsors, faculty, students, and patrons who have supported the program over the last 25 years. Their dedication propels the school’s vision to help students achieve their personal best as they move toward a future as artists, engaged citizens, audience members, and responsible men and women.

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Louisville Ballet School celebrates 25 years with "attitude."

Photo by Sam English.

“One thing I like to remind my dancers of is that dance is a lifetime study,” says Corbitt-Krieger. “There will most likely never be that perfect performance, class, variation — and that ballet dancers are not made when things are going exactly as planned.

Dancers are made by how they are managing the moments that are not! If you have a bad day at school, or didn't get enough sleep the night before, or are just in a bad mood, let that be a learning experience for you in a new way. Try your best each day to leave all of that outside the door and use your time in the studio to cultivate the artist in you.”

Louisville Ballet School has a proud history as the region’s preeminent training center for dance education in the art and artistry of ballet. With its commitment to excellence, the school is poised to build character and grace in the region’s youth for decades to come.

For more information, visit LouisvilleBallet.org/DanceSchool.

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Louisville Ballet Outreach Program Manager Elizabeth Matthews working with a JCPS student. Photo courtesy of Louisville Ballet.

UNCOVERING TRUST & DISCOVERING JOY REFLECTIONS ON THE “EXPLORING MOVEMENT” PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUNG ELEMENTARY

By Elizabeth Matthews, Louisville Ballet Outreach Program Manager

In fall 2019, through sponsorship from The Gheens Foundation, Louisville Ballet introduced a new Exploring Movement Partnership Residency at Whitney M. Young Elementary.

This program engaged every Young Elementary third grade student in an eight-week dance residency with Louisville Ballet teaching artists. The program culminated with participants attending a student matinee performance of The Brown-Forman Nutcracker in December.

My first week at Young Elementary, I quickly noticed how nervous they were about this experience; it was clear I would need to earn their trust. So I set aside my lesson plans, and we played the name game. The instructions were simple – tell us your name, do a movement, and the group responds by saying your name and doing your movement. Some kids were excited to share a popular move, while others didn’t want to share, but I made sure each student found a way to participate.

I’m always nervously excited at the start of a residency – both hopeful students will be excited and open to new experiences and that all of the planning and creation I’ve done before walking in the door pays off. I also know that each group is unique and the best plans adapt to meet the needs of the students in front of me.

If I hadn’t seen the movement before, I let them teach me.

If they were hesitant, I drew a movement out of their gestures/ body language. As we played, I let them see me try new things and put myself out there, even if I looked silly. And taking that time to learn each student’s name meant, for the rest of our time together, we made a personal connection. We may not

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order to all build a meaningful experience for everyone in the room.

Moments like that are sometimes serendipitous, but more often they are a team effort made possible by the dedicated educators and school staff on-site at a residency.

At Young Elementary, it was absolutely a team effort.

I am so grateful for the commitment of each of the staff members to making this a successful program for their third-grade students. The lines of communication were always open, and so many people were willing to put in extra time, energy and effort to make sure that this program would make an impact on their students.

They recognized the value of the arts for their kids and made sure that it could be the best experience possible.

I could not have done it without them.

How much these third-grade students grew over the course of our eight lessons was really something special. Their kinesthetic awareness improved as they learned to create, perform, and respond to various styles of movement through creative, social, and folk dances. But what these students gleaned from this program went beyond dance. Their growth in self-expression, self-confidence, creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration was pretty astounding.

Some students who were too nervous to participate in early classes volunteered to demonstrate and lead the group on the final day. I had a student unwilling to share a movement during the name game, who told me, “I don’t dance.” That same student took my breath away with the expressive movement she created after just four classes.

One of many thank you notes from student participants.

have gotten through everything on the lesson plan that day, but taking those extra minutes made all future sessions more productive and fun because they knew that I was committed to including them in the experience.

I wasn’t just teaching to them, we were learning and growing together.

That team learning and growth shone when I introduced Tokyo Dontaku, a Japanese cultural dance traditionally performed during the Obon Festival. My students had been learning about Japanese culture, and we all were excited to integrate their classroom work into our dance class. It gave the students a deeper experience in both settings. They enjoyed reflecting on how the traditions influenced certain movements and were able to effectively communicate verbally and non-verbally about the similarities/differences between Japanese and American culture, developing cultural competencies, and choosing to be resilient in their learning of the movements and the story behind them.

It was fun to see leaders emerge in the room sharing in different ways, from demonstrating movement patterns to discussing the information they had learned about Japanese culture in L O U I S V I L L E

Working with partners and groups was a regular occurrence in class, and at first there were constant struggles over who students were willing to work with. So, I was very proud when we started working on a dance called La Raspa where students had to work closely with a partner to coordinate their movements.

It wasn’t without hiccups, but everyone participated, and each partnership found ways to collaborate and communicate to reach their goal.

Most importantly and profoundly, the students saw their own growth. They shared on our very last day how dancing made them feel, and those responses included: Happy, brave, confident, good inside, and joyful. They recognized that dance class gave them a place to express themselves, to discover that they were capable, and to build community.

One student shared, “I love when you teach us to dance all together and exercise too. We will not forget what you did for us.

We all love you.”

While our time together was limited, I love these students, and will definitely not forget them and all that we accomplished together.

Find out more about Louisville Ballet’s Community Engagement work in classrooms, community centers and more across our region on our website at louisvilleballet/communityengagement.org.

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SHE RENEWED HER TAGS ONLINE

3OPTIONS TO RENEW CAR TAGS Online ReNew | JeffersonCountyClerk.org Telephone ReNew | 569-3300 Mail-In ReNew | P.O. Box 33033

Louisville, KY 40232-3033

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LOUISVILLE BALLET AT HOME Bring the joy of dance into your home by viewing these beautiful, moving performances.

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VIDEO: Family Dance Series - Episode 8: The Sidewalk Ballet

Louisville Ballet Season of Illumination memberships are available now.

Get a preview of the experience!

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BLIND INJUSTICE

A CONVERSATION WITH SANKARA HAROUNA

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ankara Harouna, a local artist and Kentucky Opera chorister, debuted the role of Derrick Wheatt in Cincinnati Opera’s world premiere production of Blind Injustice (Music by Scott Davenport Richards and Libretto by David Cote) in July 2019. The opera, more than ever, is an important story to tell. We sat down with Sankara to talk about his experience with the production, and with the opera community as a young Black artist.

Kentucky Opera: In 2019, exactly a year ago, you performed in Cincinnati Opera’s world premiere of Blind Injustice, an opera that tells the story of real people freed by the Ohio Innocence Project (OIP). OIP has freed 28 people serving more than 500 years in prison collectively. Can you share more about the opera’s story?

Sankara Harouna: Blind Injustice follows the lives of six exonerees who were wrongfully imprisoned: Nancy Smith, Laurese Glover, Derrick Wheatt, Eugene Johnson, Clarence Elkins, and Ricky Jackson. These are real people wrapped up in a corrupt system. Imagine being accused of a crime you did not commit. It’s completely nerve wracking. But for a lot of Americans, this is a reality. This issue is not just a Black issue, it’s an American issue — and the time is now to fix it.

As I was on the journey of the production, I had to take several moments to myself and ask, “How can this happen?”

Then I heard Evans Mirageas [Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director at Cincinnati Opera] say, “When police and prosecutors stick irrationally to a story they concocted; when they coerce false testimony; when they cherry pick evidence; when they use discredited forensic science to jerry-rig a dirty case; when they don’t have a decent defense … that’s how this happens!”

Cases are different. People are different. But the results are the same. Wrongful convictions.

When I looked in the mirror, I then realized Derrick and I are no different. This is not just his story.

It is my story, and the stories of so many who look just like me.

Telling Derrick’s story allowed me to tell the story of so many others.

KO: You sang the role of Derrick Wheatt, one of the East Cleveland Three. What was that like?

SH: I got a chance to meet the East Cleveland Three. I remember them telling stories of growing up and just kicking it. They were some fly dudes growing up in the ’90s. And you know, in any friend nucleus there’s always room for a little healthy competition on who can be the flyest. But the calm these gentlemen have is profoundly moving — especially Eugene, whose God-spirit can fill a room. To endure incarceration as young people and come out intact is remarkable. They literally grew up in prison. Their entire lives were snatched from them... it’s astounding.

Derrick Wheatt was a young man who was wrongfully convicted of murder along with his two friends Laurese Glover and Eugene Johnson. Derrick, whose character I played, is a man of few

 Sankara Harouna with Terrence Chin-Loy and Miles Wilson-Toliver in “Blind Injustice.” Photo by Philip Groshong/Cincinnati Opera.

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As a Black man in opera, I have been welcomed into the flock. I can’t speak to the struggles of the past on a personal note, but I am fully aware that this industry has come a long way. It hasn’t been an easy road for Blacks in opera, but there are great opportunities for Black singers in opera today.

— Sankara Harouna

words and has an amazing calm to him. When you think of someone who is honorable and noble, you think of Derrick.

He is by far one of the most grounded people I have ever met. Talking to all three of them gave me a sense of hope and peace and a tighter connection spiritually. Just the thought of spending 20 years in prison for a crime you did not commit, and coming out of it all because your faith kept you intact, is utterly amazing.

KO: How did you prepare for the role?

SH: I started to prepare for the role by jumping into the score and trying to figure out who Derrick is and understanding the story. I have always been driven by what the music tells me, and I love the framework the composer Scott Davenport Richards gave us. He was able to incorporate many elements of the Black experience through music. Jazz, gospel, and hip-hop, just to name a few, are colored throughout this piece.

But even with all this beautiful music, nothing was falling on me, and I couldn’t get past the simple lines, dots, and stems on the page. Until one day, they sent out the final version of the score. I noticed a whole scene had been added. I was in terror. Where did this come from? What am I going to do? The new scene was entitled “Visiting Day.” This is the scene between Derrick and his mother (performed by mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel), as they talk during visitation.

As I began reading the text, there was an over-pouring of love and anguish. This scene depicted the harsh reality not only of what the imprisoned go through, but also their families outside of prison. There is a deep connection of a mother’s love for her son, no matter what the circumstances may be. At that moment, everything, everything clicked for me when I thought about the love of my mother and the love of my friends.

That’s when the work as a whole really began for me, and everything came together. It transcended notes on a page at that point. It moved to an understanding of humanity and really sharing emotion and sentiment. When I looked in the mirror, I then realized Derrick and I are no different. This is not

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just his story. It is my story, and the stories of so many who look just like me. Telling Derrick’s story allowed me to tell the story of so many others.

KO: How was the experience for you personally?

SH: This experience was great and challenging all at the same time. There are so many levels of emotion when you are dealing with a piece that is telling a story as heavy as this one. Towards the end of the production, it became emotionally taxing, and I needed some time to decompress after it was all over.

My fellow cast members and I fully dived into the people whose lives we were playing. This art is not easy, but it’s a part of the journey we love. In becoming characters, it grants us the space to discover who we are through them. That is beautiful to me.

Another great and fun aspect of the experience is that I was a part of a world premiere opera. When you think of most of the works that all of the opera houses are doing, the composers and librettists are long dead. You can’t jump into the minds of them directly. Only through education and study can we make decisions to be as authentic and true to what they intended.

With this opera, both composer and librettist are still alive.

Having access to them right there in the room is amazing. I can get every intention and idea from them and be true to the score to bring the whole thing to life.

This debut role has been life-changing moment for me.

My name is now forever a part of a powerful production. Having the chance to work with so many beautiful people and gifted musicians was exhilarating. This was my debut with Cincinnati Opera, and I couldn’t have asked for a better moment in my life.

KO: What was the reaction from audience members?

SH: There were so many reactions from audience members.

Some happy, some sad, but overwhelmingly a sense of, “I didn’t know.” When you look at opera audiences as a whole, it’s disproportionately an older, White audience. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, just saying that’s the demographic that shows up. So, it made sense to me that these folks might be unaware of this issue because it’s not a part of their lives.

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I remember when I attended the final dress rehearsal of Sherlock Holmes at The Shakespeare Theater. Morgan Smith (baritone) and his wife, Amy, invited me.

After the show, I was in the lobby getting ready to leave when an older couple came up to me and said, “Hey, are you the guy who was in the show?” He went on to mention that he had come to Cincinnati Opera the previous night about Blind Injustice and was moved to tears. When people have that response, it means we are doing the right thing. We are in the business of changing hearts and minds.

KO: The East Cleveland Three were there. What did they think of the show?

SH: The East Cleveland Three were all excited that their story was being told. When Derrick saw the show, he didn’t know the scene between him and his mother had been added, and it brought him to tears.

KO: Many opera companies, including Kentucky Opera, have put out statements in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. As a Black man in the opera community, what is your response to that?

SH: It’s so crazy you brought this up, because I was unaware a statement had been published by Kentucky Opera until my mom sent it to me. Once I read it, I felt a sense of belonging. In times of strife and struggle, I know I work for a company that stands by me and is not about lip service. Kentucky Opera has been overwhelmingly supportive of me, not just career-wise, but also supportive of me as a person. I’m not just another voice, and that’s a great feeling to have. From the top down there is nothing but love.

Kentucky Opera is a beautiful family. I can’t even call them an extended family because they are so engrained in my life. I can call any of them up and ask for advice and counsel. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive organization.

As a Black man in opera, I have been welcomed into the flock.

I can’t speak to the struggles of the past on a personal note, but I am fully aware that this industry has come a long way.

It hasn’t been an easy road for Blacks in opera, but there are great opportunities for Black singers in opera today.

When you talk about inclusion, what does that really look like?

That is the question we are living through, and we are still finding the answers to today.

KO: What do you think Opera companies can do to help foster change and understanding of systemic racism?

SH: The one thing I love about opera and theater is that it allows us to raise hard questions about our society and ourselves.

How will we change? I want to be a part of that change.

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Deborah Nansteel and Sankara Harouna in Blind Injustice.

Photo by Philip Groshong/Cincinnati Opera.

Opera companies can help change the world by continuing to produce shows that tell the story of the marginalized and disenfranchised. Opera companies can also give us the voice to tell our stories in interesting ways. We have to make sure our faces are seen and our voices are heard.

There is this concept that occurs over and over in Afrofuturism that basically says, the past is always with us, it affects us, and has the power to make us stronger if we know how to use it properly. West African cultures explore this idea through the Sankofa Bird. This symbol, with its body walking forward and its head looking backwards, means no matter what we carry, the past is with us as we go into the future.

That is the beauty of being Black. Knowing where we have come from to get to the present and using that information to drive us into the future. Understanding what the past means and doing what we can to move forward. Far too often, society tries to negate the past for the present. We treat it like it’s some taboo topic, and we’re not even given the chance to view ourselves in any futuristic light. We must start this discussion, and it starts with the arts. When we have a voice and a platform, we must act. We can’t be idle and passive. It is our duty as artists to spearhead this change and change the lives of people around us. This is the first step in moving forward; this is where we must begin.

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That was one of your best decisions.

This is too.

When you took hold of that wheel, you unleashed a world of possibilities.

Keep on exploring them.

Visit trilogyhs.com today.

INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING/PERSONAL CARE M E M O R Y C A R E | P O S T - A C U T E H E A LT H C A R E S E R V I C E S F O R A F U L L L I S T O F O U R LO U I S V I L L E S E N I O R L I V I N G LO C AT I O N S , V I S I T T R I LO G Y H S . C O M | 40

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CONTINUTING THE CONVERSATION

By Kentucky Opera

What shape must the world be in to provoke you to try to change it? Not just with your vote, but with your voice, power and influence? Do you realize you are enough... to change a community... to start a movement... to educate a child... to fulfill your life purpose? What will be your legacy?

— Sadiqa Reynolds, President and CEO, Louisville Urban League, Kentucky Opera Privileged Systems: Perpetuating Injustice panelist

Dr. Everett McCorvey, Director and Executive Producer of University of Kentucky Opera Theatre, grew up in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement in the ’60s and ’70s. Read why he is calling this time in our nation the second wave of the Civil Rights Movement.

Read the Article Awakenings, a new series at Kentucky Opera, offers artscentered community conversations that challenge tradition, question social narratives, and invite varied perspectives.

For our February 2020 production of The Marriage of Figaro, we held an Awakenings panel discussion at Historic Locust Grove, Privileged Systems: Perpetuating Injustice. The panel comprised community leaders from University of Kentucky, the Urban League, and Americana World Community Center.

Panelists and audience members explored how the opera’s themes of unjust systems and the power of community continue to resonate.

Sadiqa Reynolds, Esq., President and CEO of Louisville Urban League, was interviewed on June 4 on NPR’s All Things Considered on the protests taking place in Louisville.

“I’m proud of these young people for doing what they need to do, and I’m proud of those in my generation, the 40-somethings … that are here to protect them,” she said.

Two esteemed panelists have spoken about the injustice taking place across the United States and in Louisville right now, sparked by the murders of Black Americans, and the protest movement fighting for justice.

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Listen to the Interview

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PLAYING IT SAFE

KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE MOVES IN-PERSON 2020 SEASON TO 2021 42

ByCKyle Ware A U D I E N E M A G A Z I N E

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fter months of careful deliberation and planning due to ongoing COVID-19 safety concerns, Kentucky Shakespeare is pivoting its plans for its 60th anniversary season and officially moving the 2020 summer festival in Central Park to the summer of 2021.

“We never really got to the point where we felt we would be safe to rehearse and perform, and we knew all along that cases needed to go down to move forward, and we couldn't ask our team to take that risk,” says Producing Artistic Director Matt Wallace.

As many theatre companies across the country announced closures and cancellations in March and April, Kentucky Shakespeare was in a better position than most to wait, watch and plan. Kentucky Shakespeare’s performances are free and non-ticketed, and the festival is held outdoors in the C. Douglas Ramey Amphitheater in Central Park, providing options for social distancing.

Rehearsals were originally set to begin in April with the first performance of the season, Shakespeare in Love, scheduled for May 27. The company knew that wouldn’t be possible and quickly moved to a set of contingency plans — often with their own accompanying set of contingency plans.

“We started at Plan B. And we got all the way to our final Plan T with so many different versions and lots of hours of prep,” says Wallace.

Those plans included everything from moving the festival dates, reducing the number of performances, reducing the number of productions, to a very streamlined 5-week, late-summer/ early-fall two-show festival — all with the health and safety of audience, performers, crew, and staff foremost in mind.

Wallace and Associate Artistic Director Amy Attaway kept the cast and crew updated with weekly emails. Those started very early in the process, and in addition to providing much appreciated status updates, they also contained messages of

support, gratitude, tips, and links for artists to find financial assistance during the hold.

Kentucky Shakespeare actor J. Barrett Cooper, who was set to reprise his role of Falstaff for the third consecutive season, says those messages were a big help.

“Matt and Amy have been great about staying in touch and keeping everyone up-to-date, and most of all staying positive during this incredibly weird time. I'm not sure there are many people who could have pulled that off as well as they have,” adds Cooper.

Tyler Tate, who had worked with Kentucky Shakespeare’s Camp Shakespeare in 2019, was set to make his stage debut as a member of the Bekki Jo Schneider Intern Company, named in memoriam for the former Kentucky Shakespeare Producing Artistic Director and Producer/Owner of Derby Dinner Playhouse.

He echoes Cooper’s sentiments.

“For me, the heaviest part of the process was the anticipation and the element of the unknown,” says Tate. “However, despite the unpredictability of it all, there was never a moment where I didn’t trust my directors Matt and Amy to make safe and healthconscious decisions. They also went the extra mile to plug in helpful tips in their emails regarding the pandemic. I felt lucky to have them in my corner.”

 2019 production of As You Like It in Central Park. Photo courtesy of Kentucky Shakespeare.

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In the meantime, Kentucky Shakespeare had been offering free virtual encore presentations featuring shows from 2017-19 on its Facebook page and YouTube channel. Those started back in March as a means to share performances with those in the community following stay-at-home guidance in the early days of the pandemic.

Response to the broadcasts were overwhelmingly positive, with the initial run receiving over 44,000 views, reaching people all over the world. Viewers from as far as New Zealand were able to step into Central Park for the first time, and many viewers reached out on social media to show their own at-home Kentucky Shakespeare set-ups.

It was also a nice boost for the cast. “It was nice to revisit them and it also gave a lot of my friends in other cities the chance to see what I've been up to the past three summers,” says Cooper.

By popular demand, as safety measures continued to place the summer season on hold, the broadcast returned starting in May and ran each weekend through July 5.

By mid-June, Kentucky Shakespeare had worked its way to Plan P. Time was becoming a more daunting adversary as the virus continued to hold. While much of the design work was already complete for the season, the window for production was closing.

By the end of the month, further guidance from Louisville Metro would add more issues to consider, such as audience capacity and pre-registration for attendance. And the underlying health concerns were still ever-present.

On July 7, Wallace emailed the company once more: Dear KSF 2020 Summer Company, I hope you’re well. We continue to think of you constantly and miss you all. It hurts my heart to say this, but we’ve reached the end of options for an in-person summer season.

Plan T: move the season to 2021.

Wallace says that sharing the news with the cast and crew was the hardest part.

“It's our 60th anniversary season,” says Wallace, “and we wanted to hold out as long as we could before making a final decision.

In the end, it was just clearly the right and only decision as health and safety is our top priority. Honestly, we’re nothing without our artists, our staff and our audience.”

Wallace adds the cast and crew have been incredibly positive and supportive about the decision, as they have been throughout the process. And the feedback from the community since the announcement has been equally encouraging.

And the good news: All the shows originally scheduled for the 2020 season get to come back next year, May 26 to Aug. 8, 2021.

Shakespeare in Love presented by Churchill Downs will start the season, followed by Henry V — capping the four-show Henriad or what Kentucky Shakespeare calls its “Game of Kings” series, which began in 2017— and The Merry Wives of Windsor.

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I was really excited to work with my friends at Kentucky Shakespeare.

But I know that after a year’s wait when we reconvene, we’ll be so artistically charged that the 2021 season will boom with energy like never before.

— Tyler Tate After each show receives its own run, the productions will go into rotating repertory for an additional two weeks, followed by A Midsummer Night’s Dream from Kentucky Shakespeare’s Globe Players professional training program, a performance from the Louisville Ballet and Late Night Shakes, improvised Shakespeare with the Louisville Improvisors spread throughout the season.

“We've been working on the season and these productions creatively for nearly a year now,” says Wallace, “so we are well into this process. I wanted everyone to have the opportunity to share their art next summer. It was also important to us to follow through on our promise to this amazing team and to offer them all their same positions and employment next summer, if they're available and interested in joining us in 2021. It's just a pause here, and hopefully the momentum and anticipation of the season will continue.”

Tate is thrilled to have another shot to make his debut. “I was really excited to work with my friends at Kentucky Shakespeare,” he says. “But I know that after a year’s wait when we reconvene, we’ll be so artistically charged that the 2021 season will boom with energy like never before. There’s definitely a light at the end of the tunnel here, and our audiences will get to see it shine next year in the mounting of these shows.”

For Cooper, it offers him a second chance to give the character he’s played for the last two seasons a proper send-off. “I’ll finally get to finish off the Falstaff ‘trilogy.’ I'll be able to say goodbye to him in a fitting way. And hopefully be able to move on to other great roles with the company.”

But that doesn’t mean you’ll need to wait until 2021 to see your Kentucky Shakespeare. A third round of encore presentations are available now and will run through Aug. 9, the date originally slated for the close of the season.

Wallace also teased a 60th season celebration film project with the 2020 summer cast, which has been in the works in the background just in case an in-person summer season proved untenable. Details are all very top-secret for now, but he anticipates it will film in August and arrive by mid-September.

Stay tuned to Kentucky Shakespeare’s website and social media for more information, and there’s a bench waiting for you in Central Park next summer.

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Education Tour, Braden McCampbell with Tessa McShane.

Photo courtesy of Kentucky Shakespeare.

ADVOCATING FOR EDUCATION AND REPRESENTATION Spotlight on Actor Braden McCampbell

by Kyle Ware

Braden McCampbell has been with Kentucky Shakespeare for several years in a variety of capacities. He’s appeared in several mainstage shows — notable roles include Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet and Edmund in King Lear — and he’s also worked with Kentucky Shakespeare’s Education and Outreach department as a touring actor and artist educator, and continues as a guest teaching artist. With theatres shut down due to the pandemic, the actor and dancer is eager to share new projects and how he’s been filling his days.

So contagious was his enthusiasm, 30 minutes passed before I realized I’d yet to start recording.

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Kyle Ware: Braden, I have to start asking you questions so this can be a proper interview. I’ll start with an easy one. Why did you become an actor?

Braden McCampbell: Well, I always liked making people happy, making people smile. That's one of those things in life that I've always tried to do. I was a jock growing up in Texas and you know, the roar of the crowd — that's one of the things that always motivated me.

And then I got to college as a nontraditional student at UofL — I didn't actually go until I was like 27 — and one day I’m out in the hallway, trying to make people laugh, and one of the A U D I E N C E

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professors comes and grabs me and says, “Hey, I want to talk to you.” I’m thinking I’m about to get in trouble but instead he says, “I’m directing Much Ado About Nothing, and I want you to audition.”

So that's what got me into acting: wanting to entertain people, wanting to make people smile and figuring out I could do that with acting just as I was doing it with sports.

KW: Why does that mean so much to you?

BM: I’ve met a lot of people who have gone through some truly horrendous

And some of the kids we see in parts of Kentucky have never seen a play before and they see this, and after being with us, maybe it drives them to literature and history and theatre and art...

KW: Most everyone’s hurting, but the performing arts are in a particularly challenging spot.

BM: It’s true. I'm terrified, I genuinely am. We’re going to want things like theatre to be there when it’s safe to go back.

KW: Let’s backtrack a little. How is that you came to work for Kentucky Shakespeare?

BM: Well, this nice man named Kyle Ware came to my class at UofL while we were working on monologues and …

KW: Go on …

BM: And he got to watch us and apparently thought I had some potential. So, it was you coming in and saying, “Hey, we have an internship, and I believe you should audition for it.

So, thank you for that.

KW: Thank you for the kind words.

The check’s in the mail.

Braden in As You Like It, 2019.

Photo by Bill Brymer.

things — poverty, domestic abuse, social injustice — both in my family and my community growing up, and it made me say, “OK. Well, I can either add to your problems or maybe I can give you a brief moment in time that might give you something else to think about, or remind you things can get better.”

That’s one of my biggest driving forces, and with all that’s going on with COVID-19, I realize how much I miss it.

I miss entertaining people. I miss making people smile.

BM: That was one of the first auditions I ever had in my life for a professional production. Much Ado About Nothing in college was my first Shakespeare play, so it was still pretty new to me.

And now I’m able to perform it and have the chance to watch and listen to these great Kentucky Shakespeare actors and learn from them: “This is how this goes.

This is how this line can work.”

Juliet in high school, and it was one of the most grueling experiences of my life trying to get through it. But it’s how they presented it. “Hey, we're going to read this book out loud.” And I didn’t get it.

My grandma came to see us do Romeo and Juliet a few years ago, and she was like me — never understood Shakespeare. But then she watched and suddenly everyone’s in modern clothes and there were so many things she never caught before within the play, like when the families meet at the end realizing their fight is what ultimately killed their kids. That meant something to her. She got that. Having my grandmother — who’s in her 70s — go, “Oh, I understand Shakespeare now,” is pretty neat.

KW: That’s a pretty great segue because you’ve also worked as an actor and artist educator in Kentucky Shakespeare’s education department.

Is the experience your grandmother had part of what excites you for arts education?

KW: And you’ve been with us for a long time.

BM: Oh, yeah. What I learned right away is that Kentucky Shakespeare has an entirely different way of doing things than the way I was taught.

We go out and get people to engage with the play and what it means and not just as a bunch of odd words that some old British guy wrote. It’s a play.

You’re meant to hear it and see it, so we perform it and then give the breakdown on what’s going on.

BM: I love this company. I don’t feel like we’re just pumping something out; I feel like we’re making something people can understand and relate to. I was not the biggest Shakespeare fan when I was growing up in Texas. We did Romeo and

And then during a Q&A at the end of a show, you get a 10-year-old asking questions about Hamlet or Richard III, and they’re great questions. They get it.

And some of the kids we see in parts of Kentucky have never seen a play before

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KW: He used rhythm and meter and rhyme just like every song you hear uses rhythm, meter, and rhyme.

Braden in King Lear.

Photo by Bill Brymer.

BM: And then she started to get into it.

Went from “No way I’m doing this” to something she wanted to do.

KW: She was our star of that group.

BM: She kept everyone in line. Because if they wasted time, it took away from hip hop.

KW: It’s not just a gateway to Shakespeare, but it’s also raising up the literature they’re already experiencing in other media.

BM: Oh, yeah. For sure. I had another hip-hop workshop not long ago where one of the kids was all about Juice WRLD and I get to say, “You know that song you like so much? That’s Romeo and Juliet.” And his mind is just blown.

KW: You mentioned social injustice earlier. We were talking about Black Lives Matter before we started rolling. I know you’ve been involved here in Louisville.

BM: Yes. But I’d like to take it back to the education side of things first.

We were in Lyon County, and I noticed a student waiting to talk with us and one of the teachers asked if I’d take a photo with him. He’d never seen a black person outside of his family, and he thought I was from Wakanda.

I was his hero. That kind of representation matters. That tells a kid they’re not alone.

and they see this, and after being with us, maybe it drives them to literature and history and theatre and art — it all goes hand in hand. I know if I had something like Kentucky Shakespeare when I was in Texas, I would have found those things much earlier.

KW: The Hip Hop Shakespeare program is a real gateway for that kind of accessibility you mention.

BM: It is. We can take that anywhere,

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and it opens people’s eyes. I remember you and I had a residency we did, and it was a tougher group and they were not very open to it at first. But then we started playing some rap and hip hop for them and this one girl was like, “Why are we listening to this? You’re trying to trick us. I thought we were talking about Shakespeare.” And I said, “We are talking about Shakespeare.

He was a wordsmith just like the people you’re listening to now are wordsmiths.”

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So, with Black Lives Matter, on that side of things, that’s another kind of representation, and I’ve heard some people say, you know, “You’re not accomplishing anything; you’re just holding up traffic,” but in reality?

No-knock warrants — that’s no longer.

We have other things coming up like the CAREN Act. These changes in laws for racial profiling are coming about.

So, when people say, “You’re blocking off traffic,” I say, “Well, when we can move forward, we can all move forward.”

KW: Stay safe out there, Braden.

BM: You too, my friend.

Andy Warhol: Revelation July 5 – November 29

New Hours

Discover another side of the Pop artist of Campbell’s soup can fame. Andy Warhol: Revelation is the first exhibition to comprehensively examine Warhol’s complex Catholic faith in relation to his artistic production.

Advanced ticket purchase strongly encouraged and face masks required.

Andy Warhol: Revelation is organized by the Andy Warhol Museum.

Andy Warhol The Last Supper, 1986 The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh; Founding Collection, Contribution The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. 1998.1.2126 © 2020 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Presented by:

Friday 3 – 8 Saturday & Sunday 10 – 5

speedmuseum.org

Additional support from: Christina Lee Brown The Paradis Family LG&E and KU Foundation DDW, The Color House Land Rover of Louisville Contemporary exhibition support provided by: Augusta and Gill Holland Emily Bingham and Stephen Reily Exhibition season support provided by: Dav Fam Art Fund Cary Brown and Steven E. Epstein Paul and Deborah Chellgren Debra and Ronald Murphy Eleanor Bingham Miller

Media support from:

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When has there been A better excuse to escape for a few days?

With 45 state parks in Kentucky, 30 offering camping or private cottages, now is the chance to rediscover your own backyard.

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KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE AT HOME If you can’t wait for the 2021 season or you need a dose of the bard before Kentucky Shakespeare’s next scheduled virtual performance, check out the videos below featuring amazing performances from the most recent season.

 VIDEO: 2019 production of AS YOU LIKE IT, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park

 VIDEO: 2019 production of HENRY IV PART TWO, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park

 VIDEO: 2019 production of KING LEAR, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park

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KEEPING CREATIVITY ALIVE

FUND FOR THE ARTS LAUNCHES INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS 52

A U D IBy E Jamie N C E

M A G A Z Mountford

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und for the Arts is the oldest united arts fund in the United States, and its donors and supporters are no strangers to the financial challenges many artists face.

Since its inception in 1949, Fund for the Arts has raised over $238 million to provide grants to arts organizations in Louisville and the surrounding region. Nearly 14,000 donors and 225 companies contribute over $8 million annually to support 29 Louisville-area arts groups and programs, as well as grants for over 200 community groups and schools.

This year has presented incredible setbacks to the health and vitality of arts and cultural institutions across the country.

Now more than ever, artists and art groups need financial support to weather the economic impact of COVID-19. This year has also brought to light a need to ensure equitable opportunity for minorities and to build an inclusive community for all creative individuals to share their talents.

In an effort to deliver the necessary emergency relief and longterm recovery that artists and art groups so desperately need, Fund for the Arts has created a multifaceted initiative to provide grants to the Louisville area’s most impacted organizations and individuals.

The Cultural Lou Recovery Campaign is the first step in providing much-needed support for artists, culinary institutions, and arts and culture organizations to recover and rebuild from COVID-19.

The campaign aims to raise $10 million in direct relief funds for local arts programs that are already suffering economic hardships from COVID-19 closures. Without their normal programming revenue, these organizations can’t pay wages to artists, staff members, and contract workers, nor can they meet basic facility expenses like rent and utilities. The initiative has already raised just under $7 million and awarded grants to many individuals and nonprofits.

EMERGENCY RELIEF Initially, the Cultural Lou Recovery Program offered Emergency Support Grants to nonprofit arts and cultural organizations designed to provide immediate financial support for essential purposes like facility expenses and salaries. Individual grants were also available to performing artists to meet basic needs such as rent, food, and medical care.

Many up-and-coming artists already struggle to remain financially independent, so these funds were greatly needed and appreciated. One parent of an Emergency Support Grant recipient said, “Thank you! Our son is fiercely independent and determined to make it on his own as a musician. Your recent grant paid his rent during this difficult time. We appreciate your care for the Louisville community. We look forward to the time when we can savor live music again.”

Most of the Emergency Relief Fund grants have been awarded, but the Cultural Lou Recovery Program continues to provide funding for long-term recovery efforts.

SUSTAINING SUPPORT In order to rebuild a thriving, inclusive arts community, Fund for the Arts is offering grants designed to provide foundational

 Mural artist creates a live painting at the 2019 Awards in the Arts event. Photos courtesy of Fund for the Arts.

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Community members join dancers on stage at a Fund for the Arts event.

and through support of Austin and Janie Musselman, this fund focuses on supporting the basic needs of Louisville-area culinary artists, as well as providing relief funds to culinary institutions.

The Relief Fund includes several programs. The LEE Initiative provides take-home meals to hundreds of restaurant workers who have been laid off or had a large reduction in hours.

The Apron Program aims to provide temporary relief funds to professional food and beverage industry employees who work at locally owned establishments. For restaurant owners, the James Beard Foundation Food and Beverage Industry Relief Fund is designed to provide funding to small, independent restaurants for immediate operating expenses so they can keep their doors open. With the support of Yum! and Rabbit Hole Distillery, another special program is helping keep local, independent, Black-owned restaurants in business.

BRINGING THE ARTS HOME

operating support for established Greater Louisville charitable arts and culture organizations with a proven capacity to steward the financial investment of the Fund for the Arts and its nearly 15,000 donors.

To qualify, arts organizations must provide exciting, regionally or nationally recognized programs that attract business, artists, and cultural tourism. They must be essential to driving educational outcomes, access to the arts, and economic activity. They must also be equitable and inclusive, serving and telling stories of diverse populations. Finally, they must plan to maintain sustainable operations moving forward, while also looking for new opportunities to generate revenue.

Without the support of donors and individuals, arts institutions would be facing uncertainty and possibly permanent closure.

Local arts organizations provide over 9,000 field trips, workshops, performances, and events each year, and their loss would be felt by all who benefit from the creative gifts they provide.

Many local artists and institutions offer classes and events for youth, but those activities have also been put on hold due to the pandemic. “This grant will supplement some of the teaching income that I have missed out on, and gives me the mental and financial security to pay my bills for this month,” comments a dancer from Louisville Ballet. “I’m truly grateful for Fund for the Arts, which has worked tirelessly to support the thriving arts community here in this city, especially during this difficult time.”

SPECIALTY GRANTS Fund for the Arts is committed to fostering a thriving, vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community. As part of the Cultural Lou Recovery Program, the organization has created a dynamic grant program to celebrate, build awareness, and amplify Black voices in the arts. Called the Black Artists Fund, artists in all disciplines and styles, including dance, music, design, theater, visual arts, and literature, can access $500 to $2,000 grants.

Fund for the Arts has also developed a Culinary Initiative Strategic Relief Fund. In partnership with Ashbourne Farms

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Because many venues that offer performances, shows, and events throughout the year remain closed, Fund for the Arts has developed #ArtsandCultureINKY, a web portal to deliver virtual arts experiences to the Louisville community and surrounding region amid the COVID-19 closures.

Art organizations submit content to the site, then viewers can access virtual performances and connect online with the art institutions they love. Education, training, behind-the-scenes videos, tours, and other exciting content is added to the site regularly.

For instance, families can access a Filmmaking video series through the Louisville Children's Film Festival, or arts enthusiasts of all ages can follow along with Louisville Visual Art’s instructional videos to create their own hands-on arts activities.

For those 21 and under, the 2020 Cultural Pass offers free admission to attend cultural and arts opportunities at over 60 venues. Nearly 240,000 passes have been issued over the last six years. This year, the pass is virtual, so families can access the content from their homes. Sign up through your local library’s website. For a list of participating branches, visit the Cultural Pass website.

THE NEED FOR ONGOING SUPPORT In the next year, cultural and arts organizations in the Louisville area and beyond will incur unprecedented losses.

These organizations are a vital part of the life and economy of Kentucky. Fund for the Arts and the Cultural Lou Recovery Program campaign will continue to do their part to keep the arts alive.

Every donation, large or small, makes an impact on not only the artists and arts organization that receive grants, but also on the arts patrons who benefit from their hard work.

A recent grant recipient says it best: “Thank you so much to the Fund for the Arts and its COVID-19 Emergency Support Grant for performing artists! So many great local artists find themselves suddenly out of work today, but we’re so grateful for this kind of support. If you’re able, please consider a donation to help Louisville’s performing artists through this time.”

For more information, visit fundforthearts.org.

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SHE RENEWED HER TAGS ONLINE

3OPTIONS TO RENEW CAR TAGS Online ReNew | JeffersonCountyClerk.org Telephone ReNew | 569-3300 Mail-In ReNew | P.O. Box 33033

Louisville, KY 40232-3033

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AWESOME ACHIEVER

CATCHING UP WITH

KEN CLAY

AWARDS IN THE ARTS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

Ken Clay is the recipient of this year’s Fund for the Arts Awards in the Arts Lifetime Achievement Award, and no one is more deserving. He has been a longtime supporter of the Greater Louisville arts and culture community. In the 1960s, he opened the Corner of Jazz, the first African-American culture shop in Louisville. In 1978, he co-founded the Renaissance Development Corp., which was a cultural arts administrative organization that promoted Black art and culture in Kentucky.

He’s also an entertainment coordinator for WorldFest, and the list goes on and on.

"If you want to understand a culture, listen to their music and you will get a better understanding of the culture and of the people."

Audience publisher, G. Douglas Dreisbach, caught up with Clay and talked about his Louisville roots, his passion for the arts and more.

This is an excerpt of the full interview. To read it in its entirety, visit Audience502.com.

G. Douglas Dreisbach: Congratulations on the award. After all of the time and effort that you’ve put into some very important causes around the community over the years, what does it mean to you to be recognized with this kind of an honor?

Ken Clay: I rank it extremely high in the kinds of awards I have received over my lifetime, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I see it as a recognition of my contributions to the Louisville community and to the arts, and I’m seeing those 56

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 VIDEO: Interview with Ken Clay separately because my past has been involved very much with the community, particularly the African-American community.

So, my focus on the arts has always been community-driven, and I think that’s the kind of recognition this special award gives to me.

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Ken Clay poses with actors from the opening of the play Young Ali at the Ali Center in Louisville.

Ken poses with Eastern Indian Dancers at WorldFest 2018.

He books the entertainment for this annual celebration.

GDD: When you started gaining an appreciation for the arts, was it more in the music genre, or did you also have some involvement with other aspects of the performing arts?

because art is the expression of a feeling, the expression of a reason, and the expression of a cause, and they connect with one another as they progress.

KC: It was mostly in music. I went to Central High School and got into the choir there, and quickly the music instructor, Nanny B. Crews, recognized that I had a special voice. She put me in a group call Les Chanteurs, which was historically one of the top singing groups in high schools, and I ended up being one of the soloists in that group. She also put me in a couple of operas. One day, I was practicing and she brought in Moritz von Bomhard, who was with the Louisville Orchestra at the time, to criticize us on our performance and help us in that respect, and that was a very thrilling moment for me.

GDD: When you first became active in the ’60s and ’70s with the different initiatives, were there any specific colleagues or role models who helped you achieve your vision?

GDD: Why do you think the arts and music is important to our communities and society overall?

KC: The arts have a special power, connective power. It can connect people. It can connect movements. It has that power to bring the people together. If you want to understand a culture, listen to their music and you will get a better understanding of the culture and of the people. I’m fortunate to have been presenting the WorldFest for the city of Louisville for the past 19 years. I book the groups and manage the entertainment aspect of it, and I am always impressed by the quality of performing artists and musicians who live right here in our community.

To be able to bring them all together on a platform such as the WorldFest has been a delight for me. I wish more people understood how important it is to relate to other nationalities.

You can do it through their art, their music, and many other ways.

GDD: Some say that the arts serve somewhat as a mirror of society and reflection of current events. What do you think we will see in the coming years that reflect on our current events?

KC: During the Civil Rights movements, music was created that walked side-by-side with the marches and demonstrations. The music of the civil rights struggle became very prominent. Today, the protest art you see with the Black Lives Matter activities is just another example of how arts and movements go hand in hand. I don’t think there could be one without the other F U N D

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KC: I co-founded the Renaissance Development Corp. with a guy named Clinton Duhane, who was from New York, but had moved to Louisville. He and I got together to create this organization that provided technical administrative assistance to Black artists. We worked with the singers. We worked with theater groups. We did art exhibits for visual artists. We also conducted the first minority survey focusing on minority artists in Kentucky. We went across the state and put together a directory, and then held the first conference of minority artists ever held in Louisville. So, he, indeed, was one person that was really creative, working with me throughout that period.

GDD: What do you think the future of live performances looks like, and when do you think we will see some return to it?

KC: I have no idea, but it is really going to be a challenge.

I think we live in a technically sound world, so we must do the things virtually. We have to use video. But we must make sure we continue somehow to connect the work of art with the audiences that we are here to serve, the communities that we are here to serve.

GDD: Fund for the Arts is a special organization to this community. They have stepped up to help various arts-related nonprofits with leadership, funding and direction overall. In your vision, what else could be done to ensure the arts stay vibrant for years to come?

KC: Well, art is always in need of support, especially financial support. I would also like to see more emphasis on presenting the arts of our multicultural communities. I don’t think we have enough of that here in our city, and I think we need to grow that. But I have been so impressed with what I’ve seen over the years, and right here in Louisville, too, in terms of the talents and the artistic offerings that we could definitely present, and I hope we focus more on that.

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FUND FOR THE ARTS AT HOME Click to view some of the winners from the 2020 Awards in the Arts!

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 Emerging Leader Award

 Arts Innovation Award

 Arts Education Award

 Cultural Equity Award

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That was one of your best decisions.

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When you first held them in your arms, you knew your life had changed for the better. Feel that way again.

Visit trilogyhs.com today.

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Andy Warhol: Revelation July 5 – November 29

New Hours

Discover another side of the Pop artist of Campbell’s soup can fame. Andy Warhol: Revelation is the first exhibition to comprehensively examine Warhol’s complex Catholic faith in relation to his artistic production.

Advanced ticket purchase strongly encouraged and face masks required.

Andy Warhol: Revelation is organized by the Andy Warhol Museum.

Andy Warhol The Last Supper, 1986 The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh; Founding Collection, Contribution The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. 1998.1.2126 © 2020 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Presented by:

Additional support from: Christina Lee Brown The Paradis Family LG&E and KU Foundation DDW, The Color House Land Rover of Louisville Contemporary exhibition support provided by: Augusta and Gill Holland Emily Bingham and Stephen Reily Exhibition season support provided by: Dav Fam Art Fund Cary Brown and Steven E. Epstein Paul and Deborah Chellgren Debra and Ronald Murphy Eleanor Bingham Miller

Media support from:

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Friday 3 – 8 Saturday & Sunday 10 – 5

speedmuseum.org

SPEED MUSEUM AT HOME Take virtual tours of our programs and exhibits from home!

 VIDEO: July 2020 Virtual After Hours at the Speed recording

 VIDEO: Black Artists Matter: Meet Jacob Lawrence

 VIDEO: Ziploc printmaking, #artsparksfromhome

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raise a glass for restaurant workers.

Every bottle purchased of our restaurant favorite, Russian River Ranches Chardonnay, helps support our $100,000 donation to the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation.

(Available for purchase at select retailers for a limited time.)

Please enjoy our wines responsibly. ©2020 Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, Windsor, Sonoma County, ca Msg & data rates apply. Participating carriers only. Void where prohibited. STOP to quit. HELP for info.

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Text “RWCF” to 56512 to donate directly