Audience Magazine | Louisville Arts & Entertainment | March 2023

Amy Higgs Managing Editor

THE BEST IS YET TO COME

G. Douglas Dreisbach Publisher

Let’s get real, people. It’s not so much springtime in the ‘Ville as it is allergy season. But despite March’s soundtrack of sneezing, this time of year also means that our local performing arts group will be announcing their new performance calendars soon. (If you hear an echo of happy squeals in the East End of Louisville, it’s probably us.)

As you’ll read on p. 20, Kentucky Shakespeare has announced its spring and summer performances, and there’s a lot to look forward to. Also, a little birdie told us that Broadway will announce their 2023-24 shows on March 15 (and we’ll include all the details in next month’s issue of Audience Magazine). The Louisville Orchestra, Kentucky Opera, and others will no doubt follow suit in the coming weeks. We’re positively vibrating with delight!

It’s a fun time of anticipation for sure, but we don’t want to forget that the current performing arts season still has plenty of surprises and excitement in store. In this issue, you’ll get a sneak peak of Broadway’s Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations, a highly anticipated musical about the legendary singing group that will immerse you in their music, and their journey to fame.

The Louisville Orchestra hops in their time machine for two concerts this month — one celebrating the big hair and pop music of the 1980s, and the other showcasing a couple of early 20th century classical composers. And Kentucky Performing Arts will host the touring improv group from the beloved TV show, “Whose Line is it Anyway?” We were lucky enough to sit down with one of the troupe’s most prolific performers. Read the interview on p. 16.

Yep, there’s no shortage of fantastic performances ahead of us this month and next, and with new season announcements on the horizon, we know it will get even better from there. Thanks to our generous advertisers for allowing us to share our enthusiasm about the performing arts in these pages month after month. We’ll see you at the theater!

Happy (ah-choo!) spring,

Amy & Doug

The stage is a magic circle where only the most real things happen, a neutral territory outside the jurisdiction of Fate where stars may be crossed with impunity. A truer and more real place does not exist in all the universe.”

– Author P.S. Baber, “Cassie Draws the Universe"

CONTRIBUTORS

Daniel

Bill Doolittle

PERFORMANCE PREVIEW

THE UNTOLD STORY

AIN’T TOO PROUD HIGHLIGHTS THE LEGACY OF ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC R&B BANDS OF ALL TIME

by Daniel Chioco

April 11 – 16, 2023

If you're a fan of classic R&B and soul music, you don't want to miss Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations, the electrifying new musical that's taking the stage in Louisville from April 11 to 16.

The Temptations are one of the most legendary music groups in history. With its Grammy-winning songs and Tony-winning moves, Ain't Too Proud is a totally immersive experience that features their unforgettable music, stunning choreography, and the thrilling untold story of the group’s rise to fame, as well as the challenges they faced along the way.

A LEGENDARY HISTORY

The Temptations are an iconic American music group that needs no introduction.

Their soulful and infectious music has been a favorite for decades, and their influence on the genre of R&B is immeasurable. With Ain't Too Proud, audiences will have a chance to experience the band's music in a new and exciting way.

Founded in Detroit in the early 1960s, The Temptations began as a vocal harmony group known as The Elgins. After signing with Motown Records, they changed their name to The Temptations and began recording a string of hits that would take the music world by storm. With their smooth harmonies and slick dance moves, they quickly became one of the most beloved groups of their time.

But The Temptations' rise to fame was not without its challenges. The group underwent several personnel changes over the years, and they faced their share of personal and political conflicts that threatened to tear the group apart. Ain't Too Proud tells the story of how The Temptations overcame these challenges

and went on to secure their legacy as one of the greatest R&B singers of all time.

Featuring hit songs like "My Girl," "Just My Imagination," and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," Ain't Too Proud is a celebration of The Temptation’s enduring influence on American culture. With a talented cast and creative team, the show is a must-see for anyone who loves classic R&B and soul music.

 (L – R)- Marcus Paul James, Jalen Harris, Elijah Ahmad Lewis, Harrell Holmes Jr., James T. Lane from the National Touring Company of Ain’t Too Proud. Photo by Emilio Madrid.

National Touring Company of Ain’t Too Proud.

Photo by Emilio Madrid.

AN IMMERSIVE MUSICAL EXPERIENCE

If you're looking for a night out that's equal parts entertaining and educational, Ain't Too Proud is the show for you. What makes it so special?

According to Leslie Broecker, President of PNC Broadway in Louisville, it’s a totally immersive experience that has something for everyone.

"If you're a fan of their music, you won't want to miss it,” says Broecker." It's an entertaining evening, with lots of toe-tapping numbers. How can you not enjoy it?

"You can learn more about the music that you love," she adds. "If you enjoy the great tunes, you now get some background.

You get to see the drama of the artists' interpersonal relationships. It adds depth to the music that you love in your own life."

And even if you're not familiar with The Temptations, Ain't Too Proud is a great way to get to know the band and their music. "Maybe the musical brings you along and turns you into a fan," says Broecker.

Ain't Too Proud is so much more than just a history lesson, though. It's a night of incredible music, unforgettable performances, and dancing-in-your-seat fun. Tickets are available now, so be sure to secure your spot for a night of music, drama, and pure entertainment.

For tickets and info, visit louisville.broadway.com

BRINGING BROADWAY HITS TO LOUISVILLE

the orchestra, ballet, and opera all share The Kentucky Center, so meticulous planning happens behind the scenes to determine how shows are scheduled.

Broecker works with the booking team in New York City to determine which shows make sense to bring to Louisville. They try to look at it as a season package, bringing a mix of hot new shows, classic revivals, and familyfriendly productions.

already on the road so they could reach their next location by Tuesday."

Despite these challenges, Broecker and her team are dedicated to bringing the best of Broadway to Louisville. "We want everyone to feel welcome," she says. "We're in crazy times, and we want to make sure that people have a chance to escape and enjoy themselves."

One of the most exciting things about the Louisville performing arts scene is the Broadway season. From beloved classics to brand new productions, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

We spoke with Leslie Broecker, President of PNC Broadway in Louisville, to learn more about the process of bringing these incredible shows to town.

"Three years ago, our team began working on the availability for the 2022-23 season," she said. In Louisville,

"It's important to us to bring a diverse mix of shows to Louisville," she says. "We want to make sure there's something for everyone to enjoy, and that we're showcasing the best of Broadway in our city."

One of the biggest challenges is the logistics of the tour schedule. Each show can only travel so far distancewise, and they usually perform Tuesday through Sunday. Then, immediately after the last performance on Sunday evening until the following Tuesday, they have to pack up, travel, and set up at their next location.

"When Annie came to Louisville, they wrapped the performance at 9:30 p.m.," Broecker says. "By 7 a.m. the following day (Monday), they were

With shows like Ain't Too Proud on the schedule, it's clear that PNC Broadway in Louisville is doing just that. The show has been breaking box office records across the country, and Louisville audiences are in for a treat when it comes to town in April.

But Ain't Too Proud is just one of the incredible shows that are coming to Louisville this year. Hadestown is next up in May, with the 2022-23 season closing on To Kill A Mockingbird in June. The new and exciting 2023-24 season will be announced on March 15.

Whether you're a longtime theater buff or a newcomer to the scene, there’s something for you. "We're committed to bringing the best of Broadway to Louisville," Broecker says. "And we can't wait to see you at the theater."

Leslie Broecker

(L – R) Elijah Ahmad Lewis, Jalen Harris, Marcus Paul James, Harrell Holmes Jr., and James T. Lane from the National Touring Company of Ain’t Too Proud.

Photo by Emilio Madrid.

TIME

AFTER TIME

LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA REVISITS TWO ICONIC 20TH CENTURY ERAS IN MARCH

by Bill Doolittle

PERFORMANCE PREVIEW

March 18, 2023

March 31 - April 1, 2023

The musical time machine that is the Louisville Orchestra makes stops in two eras of the 20th century in March — with a March 18 Pops concert in Whitney Hall that celebrates the glittery pop smashes of the 1980s, and classical concerts March 31 and April 1 that feature two star composers of the first half of the 20th century — who sound almost nothing alike. A pretty wide divergence.

But not to worry. As Louisville Orchestra Music Director Teddy Abrams likes to say, “The good news is, our orchestra can play it all.”

BIG HAIR, DON’T CARE

Under the baton of LO Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt, the orchestra goes gold plated in Decades: Back to the ’80s, delivering the hit songs that dominated the charts, filled stadiums and owned Top-40 radio air. It’s likely many listeners will know all 19 hit songs, from “Power of Love” to “Higher Love,” and re-meet all the characters that gave the age its edge, from “Betty Davis Eyes” to “Material Girl.”

It's all about the time.

As in: Do you remember who sang “Time After Time?” Or which period movie featured the song, “I’ve Had the Time of My Life?” See! It’s the songs you know. Answers: Cindy Lauper and “Dirty Dancing.”

The Back to the ‘80s show is dreamed up and orchestrated by Jeff Tyzik, with singers Paul Loren, Brie Cassel, Colin Smith and instrumentalists Shubh Saran and Jacob Navarro covering the hits.

Tyzik has collaborated with artists such as Chris Botti, Tony Bennett, Wynonna Judd, Leslie Odom Jr., and Doc Severinsen, so it’s no surprise his shows range from classical to Motown to Broadway, and, of course, the ‘80s.

The orchestra is encouraging concert goers to live it up, and relive it all, by hauling out period outfits – “Oh, I can’t wear that!”

Sure you can.

And one more for you: The previously mentioned “Power of Love,” was a hit for Huey Lewis and the News, and was featured in what 1985 movie?

Hint: If you have the Flux Capacitor App on your smartphone, you can set the dial for 7:30 p.m. on March 18, 2023, at Whitney Hall to go Back to the ‘80s

OPPOSITES ATTRACT

Composers Bela Bartók and Serge Rachmaninoff lived in almost identical time periods. Bartók was born in 1881 and died in 1945. Rachmaninoff lived from 1873 to 1943. They are paired in a March 31 concert at the Paul Ogle auditorium at Indiana University Southeast, and again April 1 at The Kentucky Center. The orchestra frequently appears at the Ogle, which is noted for its excellent acoustics. Visiting conductor Christian Reif leads the symphony in both concerts.

Except for musical genius, the shared time of the two composers is almost all Rachmaninoff and Bartók have in common. Listeners will find a great contrast. But that could make for an interesting show.

One day in his apartment in Budapest, young Bartók heard his housekeeper singing a song with a kind of haunting melody and note progression of a kind he had never heard before. He quizzed the girl who said she’d learned the song from her grandmother, who lived in a remote village in Hungary. Bartók was transfixed and set about on what became a lifelong quest to discover and catalog the folk songs of his native land. And as Bartók grew into a prominent compositional career, the sounds of his native land may have imbued his music with distinctive colors.

 Bob Bernhardt will conduct Decades: Back to the '80s on March 18.

In the opening notes of Bartók’s “Violin Concerto No. 2,” a harp mysteriously introduces the violinist, who comes in on low strings, dark and earthy, but beautiful. From there the concerto takes on speed — often slashing and clashing. And difficult. It sounds like Bartók.

Taking on the Bartók challenge is rising violin soloist Alexi Kenney. Born in Palo Alto, Calif., and now living in New York City, Kenney is recipient of the 2020 Borletti Buitoni Trust Award and an Avery Fisher Grant. He’s been nicely reviewed by the New York Times.

But Bartók is tough — on players and audiences. During his lifetime, music intellectuals hailed his compositions, and admired the way he veered into modernity. But audiences did not warm so much to his music.

He was championed more in the United States than in Europe. Probably the peak of Bartók’s popularity came at the very end of his life. In 1943, Boston Symphony conductor Serge Koussevitzky visited Bartók in New York and commissioned him to write a “Concerto for Orchestra,” which became Bartók’s most celebrated composition. In those final years, Bartók was

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES:

Decades: Back to the ‘80s

March 18 | The Kentucky Center

Rach & Bartók

March 31 | The Ogle Center at IUS

April 1 | The Kentucky Center

Tickets & Info: LouisvilleOrchestra.org

physically fading. He couldn’t make his hands write the notes. He devised a kind of shorthand that his son could read, and together they fleshed the marks into notes.

But Bartók’s music has never lost its fire. Today, Bartók’s string quartets have soared in popularity — often performed here in Chamber Music Society of Louisville concerts.

A BEAUTIFUL ENDING

The other half of the Ogle concert is easier, with Serge Rachmaninoff’s “Symphony No. 3.” Though he overlapped in time with Bartók (and Stravinski and Schoenberg), Rachmaninoff remained steadfastly anchored in the music traditions of the 19th century. Virtuosity is paramount, and beauty carries his heart.

Writing to a friend about his famous piano concertos, Rachmaninoff explained, “I intend to ‘sing’ a melody on the piano as singers do, and to find a suitable accompaniment which would not drown out the theme.”

Rachmaninoff started out as a star pianist in Russia, but made a daring escape to the United States, where he found his hand composing and conducting, as well as at the keyboard. Safe to say he found more joy in the Hollywood Bowl, than dodging guards at the Russian border.

And audiences could feel it.

“I try to make music simply and directly that which is in my heart at the time I am composing,” Rachmaninoff told an interviewer. “If there is love there, or bitterness, or sadness, or religion, these moods become part of my music — and it becomes either beautiful or bitter or sad or religious.”

For more information about these performances and to buy tickets, visit louisvilleorchestra.org .

Paul Loren Brie Cassil Colin Smith

Bela Bartók Serge Rachmaninoff Christian Reif Alexi Kenney

The restaurants below are certified and recommended by Audience as premium places for pre-show dinner, drinks or mingling. Let them know we sent you!

PENNYRILE FOREST STATE RESORT PARK

Dawson Springs, Kentucky

With the dawn of March comes the itch for shedding winter clothes and embracing warmer weather. Thoughts begin to turn to budding flowers, outdoor activities, and Spring Break. If you’re reading this thinking, “Oh no, I still haven’t made Spring Break plans,” Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park has you covered.

The park’s 24-room stone lodge overlooks Pennyrile Lake near Dawson Springs, Ky., and offers comfortable rooms in close proximity to the park’s restaurant. A large stone fireplace invites visitors to relax, along with the outdoor stone patio that overlooks the lake and forest. Cottages are also available, including a few on the lake with private docks. For those who prefer camping, the campground is open from mid-March through midNovember, with equestrian campsites open year-round.

If you’re a golfer, be sure to check out the regulation 18-hole golf course, which is open all year, weather permitting. A pro-shop, golf carts, and rental clubs are all available. For little ones, an 18-hole miniature golf course is onsite.

Hikers will enjoy the seven trails, with options from easy to difficult, that loop around the lake and through the forest areas. For those who prefer exploring trails aboard their equine friends, a 1.25-mile horse trail near the horse campground connects riders to the 40-plus miles of horseback riding trails in Pennyrile State Forest.

Pining for spring birding prospects?

The Lake Trail offers year-round birding opportunities, with a range of winged creatures on display. To view sightings of specific species, check out Kentucky State Parks’ eBird page: parks.ky.gov/things_ to_do/birding . You can also observe the birds while you dine at the lodge restaurant by requesting a table near the birdfeeders.

Fish for your supper at Pennyrile Lake, where bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, and largemouth bass may all be caught. The park offers loaner fishing gear upon request. Just remember to purchase your fishing license online through the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife. While you’re at it, stop by Fisherman’s Rock off the Lake Trail for a terrific fishing spot and a beautiful view of the lake.

Other family fun options include playgrounds, a horseshoe pit, a tennis court, basketball court, and picnic areas.

Come back after Memorial Day for swimming in the park’s pool and lake. Lounge on the lake’s beach, where sandcastles and sculptures are known to pop up in the summer. The boat dock offers rentals of pedal boats, stand-up paddle boards, canoes, and kayaks for seasonal use.

For a reasonably priced Spring Break trip that is full of fun and outdoor activities, book a stay at Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park or one of Kentucky’s other 45 state parks, including 17 resort parks with restaurants, 30 campgrounds, and 13 golf courses. Reservations are available through Parks.ky.gov.

KENTUCKY

LEXINGTON,

Original art by Sebastian Duverge

AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

IMPROV, ANYONE?

WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY BRINGS BELOVED, HILARIOUS TELEVISION SHOW TO THE STAGE

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

April 2, 2023

hose Line is it Anyway is an improv TV show adapted from a British show of the same name. It first aired in America in 1998 and has been popular ever since. Hosted by household names like Drew Carey and Wayne Brady, it features a group of actors and friends taking suggested themes from audiences and featured guests, and acting them out on stage.

In Whose Live Anyway coming to the Brown Theatre on April 2, cast members Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis, and Joel Murray will leave you gasping for air at the witty scenes they invent before your very eyes. Audience participation is key, so you might be asked for suggested themes or even to join the cast on stage.

We caught up with Proops, an actor-comedian who has appeared on many of the televised shows and is now immersed in the Whose Live tour, to talk about what we can expect from the show.

Doug Dreisbach: We can’t wait to see you and the crew here in Louisville on April 2. Your show has been a great success, and the adaptation to a live setting is going to be really fun to watch. You have your hands full with a lot of projects, in addition to “Whose Line” and Whose Live. You’re doing stand-up gigs, podcasts and more. Where do you get your energy to do everything? And do you gravitate to some of these projects more than the others? How do you divide Greg into so many pieces to do all these different things?

GREG PROOPS, WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY

April 2, 2023 | The Brown Theatre

TIckets: KentuckyPerformingArts.org

WGreg Proops: Thank you for having me, and I am excited about coming back to Louisville, too! Lately, I’ve been very unambitious, but having said that, I did a stand-up album over the new year in San Francisco and am putting it all together now, and then we will go back on the road with Whose Live for the whole year soon, so I am preparing for that as well. We did 100 days last year so it takes a lot of me. And then, of course, I have the podcast that I do with my wife, “The Smartest Man in the World,” and the film club that my wife programs, called the “Greg Proops Film Club.”

But with Whose Live, we have so much fun and I am very excited to be back on the road. I love working with the fellows on Whose Live because we improvise every night, and we make up a new show, and we sing, and we can go and make cracks and all that. When I do stand-up, I can say what I like, and when it’s the podcast, I can kind of get my own opinion out. I also love the movies and the film club, because we can talk about old movies, and that is always fun. So, I try to keep myself interested.

DD: How do you come up with your content for stand-up, podcast topics, and other projects? Do you have a think tank, or do you and your buddies come up with things?

GP: I generally go with topical subjects like where I’ve been, what I’m thinking, how I’m feeling, and how I perceive the country is feeling about things. The album that I just did, I improvised it, but I did one in 2018 that was strictly written. I didn’t tell anyone I improvised the album before, but lately I’ve been telling everyone, since evidently everyone thinks it’s a big deal. I go in with a bunch of ideas and things that are happening in the world and places I’ve been and whatnot,

 Don't miss Whose Live Anyway on April 2 at the Brown Theatre.

and then I, if you’ll pardon the expression, as we say in jazz — I riff on them.

Because I’ve been around a long time, I can articulate fairly well what I want to do, and then over the course of four or five nights, I am able to put an album together using all the best parts and the way that I’ve said it the best. Then I can take that material and hone it down, memorize it and put it in some sort of semblance of an order.

GDD: When you go on stage, do you have an idea of the order of topics you’re going to do? Do you script any of it prior to going on stage?

GP: I try not to think about the audience too much. I mean, obviously, I do care about what the audience thinks, but on the other hand, if you don’t do it for yourself, you’re not doing it for the right person. You must care somewhat what they think because you want them to laugh and be participating. But you also can’t write just for the audience. Otherwise, I think you lose yourself. You have to do what you want.

On the night, you get a pretty fair read of whether they’re getting it or not, which is the immediacy of stand-up comedy and all comedy. If they’re not laughing every 15 to 30 seconds, or whatever, you know that it’s not happening. So, that’s how I sort of gauge it. Also, I’ve been making albums in San Francisco, which is kind of my hometown and my home base. I don’t live there anymore, but it’s certainly a place that I love and lived there a long time, so I have a reasonably good idea of what’s going to happen.

But again, I think trying to make mistakes and incorporate some of those mistakes into the comedy and then into a craft is the whole saga. Like with improv, you don’t know what’s going to happen. Sometimes you mess up. But sometimes when you mess up, it turns out better than what you thought you were going to do.

DD: How did you originally get involved with the TV show, “Whose Line is it Anyway?” And has it progressed the way you thought it would when you first were approached, or you approached them? How did all of that happen?

GP: I’m going to answer the last part first. I had no idea that it was going to be like this. I got on the show in 1989. A friend of mine, Mike McShane, had done this show the year before. (The show originally aired in the United Kingdom before coming to America). They’d come to San Francisco and audition, because our producer, Dan Patterson, loves Americans, and he went to school in Chicago, so he made sure that he brought his group out to audition us in America. So, of course, when they added me, Ryan, Mike McShane, Colin Mochrie, Chip Estin and all that to the group, it changed the flavor of the show. It made it a little more international because we were on English TV for like 10 years.

So, that was 1989 and now I find that we’ve taped a whole new season of “Whose Line” for the CW. I think it’s our ninth or 10th season. I’m not kidding. So, we’re way over 30 years into this, and I don’t think, when you start doing a TV show, that you

think it’s going to last 30 years because they never do. I mean, I don’t think anything’s been on for over 30 years, except maybe the “Today Show” or the “Tonight Show.”

GDD: For anybody who hasn’t seen the show, it’s basically improv situations where your host is talking about the topic, and then you get input from the audience, and you act out a scene. Is that pretty much the gist of it?

GP: I’d say it’s a bunch of jerks playing charades, but yes, that’s a fairly good summation of it, yeah.

GDD: Can fans expect something similar on stage to what they see on television? Or is it something different? Will you get some audience members to participate? How is it going to work?

GP: We absolutely bring people out of the audience. We bring people out and sing to them. We bring people out, and they have to move us around on stage. We bring people out to do sound effects, where they have to provide all the sound effects in the scene. We improvise everything we do. Everything we perform on stage is based on a suggestion we get from the audience, so we’re not generating the ideas for the scenes.

Also, there is not a big pane of glass between you and us like there is on TV. It’s a lot more intimate. We’re standing there right in front of you. So, sometimes people will sit in the front row, and I’ll call on them and say, “Do you have an idea for this or this?” And they’ll look at me and go, “Oh, my God, I didn’t know you were going to say something to me!” And it’s like, “You’re at the front row of an improv show, so you’d better be ready to go!” If you come to our show, if you don’t want to participate, sit in the back, because if you sit in the front, you’re going to get called on, and we’re going to ask you for stuff. That’s how

Comedian Greg Proops improvs his way through a scene during a stop on the Whose Live tour.

that works. The audience is as much part of the show as we are, and we’re totally dependent on everybody for ideas for songs and sketches.

If we say, “What’s a job someone might do?” or “Where is a place people might meet?” and we say it to someone in the audience, and they go, “I don’t know,” you’re like, “Whoa, that doesn’t work.” Also, you might want to wear something that you like, because if we call you on stage, you’re going to be in front of everybody, so maybe you don’t want to be wearing sweatpants and Crocs.

GDD: That’s not a fashion statement in L.A.?

GP: It’s a fashion statement everywhere. As Don Rickles, the late, great comedian once said, “People come to this show in their underwear.” We all dress up, so I’m a big fan of dressing up to go out. You wear what you like, but I’m just saying, if we pull you on stage, and you’re wearing that last shirt that you pulled out of the laundry, you’re not going to be that happy.

GDD: Are there any improv situations that you personally love, or that you hate to do, or despise, whether it’s making noises or doing different things?

GP: I love to sing. I’m not a trained singer. I’ve never taken lessons or anything. I don’t think I sing on key, but I think I’m really loud, and I’m pretty fearless. So, Ryan and I sing more than we do on TV. Jeff Davis sings. And we have Bob Derkach on, who’s our musical director, and he was at Second City Toronto for 25 years, and he’s a superb keyboard player. So, I like singing best of all. I think it’s really fun. We play a lot of the same games, but we mix them up. We change the order around of what games we’re in, so that we don’t get too bored or tired of doing anything.

On TV, we’ve been doing Hoedown forever, but we never did it on stage until a year or two ago, because Ryan really hates it. I mean, none of us love it because we didn’t think of Hoedown. Hoedown was one the producer thought of. But now, if you come to see us, it’s likely we’ll do a Hoedown for an encore on stage in Louisville. We try to get an encore every night. We’re out there swinging for the fences, so if we don’t get an encore, we’ll know the reason why.

GDD: Is it an unwritten rule for improv that you try not to laugh on stage? Sometimes you see the smirk come, and then it goes away.

GP: Oh, no, I never try not to laugh. I break all the time. I am the world’s worst. In England, they call it corpsing. In America, they call it breaking, and I just totally break all the time. I laugh at everything everybody does. I made up my mind years ago I was never going to be able to hold it together. If you remember the old “Carol Burnett Show,” I’d fill in the Harvey Korman slot. GDD: Is there anything you’d like to add for the folks in Louisville interested in coming to the show?

GP: It’s a real audience-interactive show and it’s a lot more fun than it is on TV. The TV show is fun because there’s a sense of urgency and danger. You don’t know what’s going to happen. On stage, we bring people out of the audience, and it’s really all about you guys. We really try to focus on where we are and what we’re doing, so I think it’s totally worth your time. It’s not like any other comedy show you’re going to see. We come out swinging. We don’t drag on stage. We’re there to slay, as we say in comedy.

THE BARD IS BACK!

Kentucky Shakespeare announces 63rd season

by Amy Higgs

Louisville is fortunate to be home to the longest-running non-ticketed Shakespeare festival in the United States, and we’re in for another exciting season of The Bard’s classic plays!

The 63rd annual Kentucky Shakespeare Festival will be held from May 24 to August 6, 2023, at the C. Douglas Ramey Amphitheater in Old Louisville’s Central Park. All performances are presented free of charge.

“I’m honored to kick off my 10th season as Producing Artistic Director and announce a thrilling 63rd season of your Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park! The 11-week season features 62 performances, seven productions, all presented absolutely free to audience members.” said Matt Wallace, Producing Artistic Director.

“We’ll kick off the main stage season with a magical production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream featuring a flying Puck, made possible by ZFX Flying Effects. It will be followed by witches returning to Central Park in the classic spooky tragedy,

Macbeth, and a whimsical production of Love’s Labor’s Lost, set at a resort in the 1950s. The play was last performed on the main stage in 2001; incidentally, my first season with the company as an actor. The season will again feature two weeks of rotating repertory in July in which all three productions will rotate nightly.”

In addition to the three main stage productions, Kentucky Shakespeare will present The Two Gentlemen of Verona by its Globe Players professional training program for high school students, plus a new production of Shakespeare in Dance from Louisville Ballet (this year inspired by Macbeth), and Late Night Shakes,

a Shakespearean improvisation comedy show from the Louisville Improvisors.

New this year, the Louisville Fringe Festival will present three, late night performances of its GLOBE Arm Wrestling, featuring Shakespeare characters going arm-to-arm in a unique live theatrical experience.

But before the main stage season kicks off in May, Kentucky Shakespeare is going on the road. Its Shakespeare in the Parks tour will present Hamlet at community parks across the region from April 1 to May 22. Schedule coming soon!

Visit kyshakespeare.com for more information.

PHOTO BY BILL BRYMER

KENTUCKY WOMEN: HELEN LAFRANCE

August 26, 2022–April 30, 2023

Image: Helen LaFrance

(Detail): Barn Dance, 1997

Oil on canvas

22 x 28 inches (sight)

Collection of Kathy Moses

Kentucky Women: Helen LaFrance

(1919-2020) is a survey of the artist’s nearly six-decade-long career, with artwork that features glimpses of everyday life and powerful civic and spiritual moments. The exhibition is organized by the Speed Art Museum

speedmuseum.org

and curated by Erika Holmquist-Wall and Marissa Coleman, the Speed’s 2022 American Association of Museum Directors intern. Support for the exhibition is provided by J.P. Morgan, Lopa and Rishabh Mehrotra and Anne Brewer Ogden.

EVENTS CALENDAR

Audience is your connection to the performing arts and entertainment in Louisville. Below are some of the events we are looking forward to in the coming months and we hope you enjoy them all!

MARCH 10-11

Louisville Orchestra Festival of American Music: Journeys of Faith 2 11AM, 7:30PM

The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall louisvilleorchestra.org

10 Paul Thorn in Concert

8PM

The Kentucky Center, Bomhard Theater kentuckyperformingarts.org

11

The Dark Side of the Wall: Echoes Through the Wall

8PM, The Brown Theatre kentuckyperformingarts.org

17

Drive-By Truckers

7:30PM, Old Forester's Paristown Hall kentuckyperformingarts.org

18

The Sinatra Experience with David Halston

7:30PM, The Brown Theatre kentuckyperformingarts.org

18

Louisville Orchestra

DECADES: Back to the 80s

7:30PM

The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall louisvilleorchestra.org

21 STOMP

7:30PM

The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall kentuckyperformingarts.org

22 Step Afrika!

8PM

The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall kentuckyperformingarts.org

24 Comedian Rodney Carrington

7PM

The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall kentuckyperformingarts.org

Mar. 25 - Apr. 21

StageOne Family Theatre: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

The Kentucky Center, Bomhard Theater stageone.org

24

Comedian Jo KoyWorld Tour

8PM

The Brown Theatre kentuckyperformingarts.org

31

Comedian Kenny Sebastian

8PM

The Brown Theatre kentuckyperformingarts.org

31

Louisville Orchestra

Rach & Bartók

7:30PM

The Ogle Center, IUS louisvilleorchestra.org

APRIL 2

Whose Live Anyway?

7:30PM

The Brown Theatre kentuckyperformingarts.org

7 Louisville Orchestra

The Texas Tenors

7:30PM

The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall louisvilleorchestra.org

11-16

PNC Broadway in Louisville: Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations

The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall kentuckyperformingarts.org

18

RAIN: A Tribute to The Beatles

7:30PM

Brown Theatre kentuckyperformingarts.org

For more of our preferred arts and entertainment recommendations, visit Audience502.com/audience-events

Coming soon to the Bomhard Theater!

“THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE”

By Kate DiCamillo

PUBLIC PERFORMANCES

SATURDAYS AT 2 PM & 5 PM

MARCH 25, APRIL 1* & APRIL 15

*Sensory Friendly performance April 1 at 2 pm

STUDENT MATINEE PERFORMANCES START MAR. 27…

…and continue on through April 21 2023 - 10 AM & 12 PM-Mondays thru Fridays, For 2nd grade & up. This is the story of Edward Tulane, a China rabbit who becomes lost from the little girl who loves him. His travels span the course of more than 30 years as he tries to find love and happiness again, even if it means having a life without his former owner. (Estimated Running Time: 75 minutes.)