Audience Magazine - May 2021

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

magazine

MAY 2021

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

ACTORS THEATRE OF LOUISVILLE The Humana Festival of New American Plays: A Synopsis of Shows, Part 2 Page 6 | LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA Entertaining & Inspiring a Diverse Community Page 10 | KENTUCKY PERFORMING ARTS Free, Live Events This Month! Page 14 | KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE A Midsummer Dream Come True Page 20 | FUND FOR THE ARTS Interview with the Fund's Campaign Chairperson Page 24

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THINGS ARE LOOKING UP Nothing beats a live performance. Nothing.”

– American film director Jonathan Demme

While Louisville performing arts organizations have done an outstanding job bringing audiences high-quality virtual content during our time of isolation over the past year, we couldn’t agree more with Mr. Demme. We are beyond ready to scan our ticket at the door, grab our program and take our seat in front of the stage!

With vaccinations now open to all and more restrictions on gatherings lifting by the day, things are certainly looking up for the arts. The success of a socially-distanced Kentucky Derby, plus upcoming summer/fall music festivals like Railbird, PeteFest and Louder Than Life confirm that we’ve got what it takes to hold events safely, while not sacrificing the exhilarating in-person experience that we’ve all been craving.

Amy Higgs Managing Editor

Are we back to normal? Not yet, but we’re getting there. As you’ll read in this issue of Audience Magazine, Kentucky Shakespeare is moving closer to its roots, and bringing performances back for the first time since 2019. Louisville Orchestra has announced that in-person concerts will return for the 2021-22 season, and Kentucky Performing Arts is hosting live shows in Christy’s Garden, the green space outside Old Forester’s Paristown Hall. We have no doubt more announcements are on the horizon.

You also don’t want to miss what’s up next in this year’s Humana Festival of New American Plays, presented by Actors Theatre of Louisville. And be sure to check out our conversation with Brown-Forman’s Campbell Brown, Chairperson of this year’s Fund for the Arts Campaign. It has been a difficult year, but Fund patrons have really stepped up to make sure the arts community has the help it needs to survive and thrive.

Speaking of thriving, we’re able to bring you these stories and more thanks to our generous advertisers. Check them out on social media, and give them a like or follow to let them know you appreciate their support.

We’re so close to relishing the thrill of live shows, we can taste it. We can’t wait to see everyone all dressed up with drinks in hand, mingling in the lobby while we eagerly await the theater doors to open. See you soon!

Until the curtain rises again,

– The Audience Group G. Douglas Dreisbach Publisher

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TABLE of CONTENTS MAY 2021

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2021 HUMANA FESTIVAL

NEW BEGINNINGS

CONNECTING FOR A CAUSE

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A HISTORIC MOVE

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CAMPBELL BROWN

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TICKET

GIVEAWAYS

SPECIAL INVITES

SHOW PREVIEWS

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

PUBLISHER

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

Amy Higgs CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Rhonda Mefford SALES & MARKETING

G. Douglas Dreisbach CONTRIBUTORS

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

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

On the Cover: World-renowned pianist, Yuja Wang, will perform with the Louisville Orchestra in January 2022.

Photo courtesy of Louisville Orchestra.

Read more on page 10.

Stay Connected with Sign up for our e-news and be the first to hear about ticket giveaways, special invites, email news alerts, show previews, reviews and the latest happenings in the performing arts scene in Louisville.

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GOT AN ARTICLE IDEA? Audience Magazine is a platform for the arts in Louisville. If you have an article idea or something you think we should cover, email ahiggs@theaudiencegroup.com © Copyright 2021. The Audience Group, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

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

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UP NEXT IN THE

2021 HUMANA FESTIVAL STORY WORLDS, MUSIC, COLLABORATIONS, AND A CONVERSATION

by Actors Theatre of Louisville

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

Throughout the season, we’ve taken a deep dive into digital production, becoming an interdisciplinary laboratory for a storytelling (r)evolution. Adding to a growing library of virtual experiences, we’re continuing to roll out projects that transport audiences into surprising, previously unimagined story worlds — where you can journey with a young Blues singer or with history-making athletes through virtual and extended reality, jam at an R&B concert in a virtual pub, and more.

Upcoming next in the Humana Festival, the remarkably versatile hyphenate performers Christina Acosta Robinson and Ken Robinson will share their creative partnership and original work in Still Ready, a music-filled docuseries that celebrates love, joy, and expansive Black artistry. In addition, Actors Theatre of Louisville will soon be releasing several new experiences produced in collaboration with one of our creative innovation partners, Crux Cooperative, a Black-led home for artists working in extended reality (XR).

Beyond the Crossroads is co-created by Crux co-founder Ruffin and playwright Candrice Jones, while Ali Summit brings the voice of playwright and break beat poet Idris Goodwin (How We Got On, Hype Man) back to Actors Theatre. In conjunction with Ali Summit, Actors Theatre of Louisville will host our annual Community Conversation event online on the evening of May 20, as part of our ongoing work to connect the arts and civic dialogue.

Read on for an overview of offerings planned for May, and please stay tuned at ActorsTheatre.org to learn more about specific release dates, reservation information, and additional details as the 2021 Humana Festival continues to unfold.

 Actors Theatre of Louisville presents Still Ready, an original docuseries in Three Parts. Graphic courtesy of Actors Theatre.

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STILL READY

ALI SUMMIT

A musical docuseries in three parts

Written by Idris Goodwin Directed by Robert Barry Fleming Produced in collaboration with Crux Cooperative Commissioned by Actors Theatre of Louisville

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

For more details about Still Ready and to reserve tickets, please visit ActorsTheatre.org.

BEYOND THE CROSSROADS

In 1967, nobody could doubt the athletic strength of boxing champ Muhammad Ali. But what about the strength of his convictions? Inspired by the summit of prominent Black sports figures who questioned Ali about his conscientious objection to military service, this virtual project is a collaboration between playwright Idris Goodwin, director Robert Barry Fleming, and the extended reality storytellers and immersive artists of Crux Cooperative.

This work was supported by a Building Demand for the Arts grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION

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

The Community Conversation is an annual event hosted

by Actors Theatre of Louisville that brings members of the community together to explore important topics in Louisville's cultural landscape. This year, our event centers on themes from the upcoming Humana Festival entry, Ali Summit, as well as the entire year of programming at Actors Theatre of Louisville and our evolution into an arts and culture organization as social enterprise. The Community Conversation takes place online on Thursday, May 20 at 6:30 p.m.

Please RSVP here to receive updates about the Community Conversation, information about the panelists, and the link to watch.

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LOOKING AHEAD TO LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA’S 2021-22 SEASON

by Denise Lacey-Corcoran

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The 2020-21 orchestral season was, for many symphonies, difficult to say the least. Instead of buckling under the challenges of the pandemic, the Louisville Orchestra pivoted to offer innovative performance opportunities and continued operating in a modified capacity.

LO reimagined its whole season, realizing the way to persist was through online performances. Musicians adapted to challenging performance environments, socially distanced themselves on stage, and performed with masks and shields.

The orchestra’s online offerings included concerts, chamber music performances, and a variety of educational videos.

Matthew Feldman, LO’s Director of Artistic Operations, was integral in reimagining the 2020-21 season. “I am in the artistic department of the orchestra, serving as a sort of sounding board for our Music Director, Teddy Abrams, and our Principal Pops Conductor, Bob Bernhardt,” he says. “Along with Teddy, Bob, and some others at the organization, I help to develop an artistic strategy both within and between seasons for the Louisville Orchestra. I have, over my career, developed and maintained relationships with a number of incredible conductors, guest artists, composers, creators, and my position here is really meant to further that cultivation, as we’re just searching for the next great talent or program concept, or idea, or individual to bring to Louisville.”

Feldman added that he and his team are there “to make sure that our musicians have their music on time, that they know where to go, what to wear, and can really focus on the important thing, which is the music-making.”

DIVERSE & COMMUNITY-MINDED PROGRAMMING Feldman offered a unique analogy about the workings of a performing arts organization. He says they “are somewhat like the inside of a ticking clock, with all these elements moving in the same direction, but on their own axis and sort of at their own pace. But when we are collectively aligned in our

...we are purveyors of an art form and that we’re serving our audiences by presenting concerts that not just entertain people, but inspire people, and possibly even challenge people to try something new. progress, in terms of moving forward, that’s when real results happen and that’s when progress is made, and that’s the most important thing.”

The Louisville Orchestra is making a great deal of progress while also keeping the needs of its community in mind. Feldman feels that “it’s important that our programming be broad and diverse enough to serve as many people in the community as possible, which is why we have a terrific Pops series here, we have neighborhood concerts by way of our Music Without Borders Concerts.

“It’s also equally key for us to recognize that we are purveyors of an art form and that we’re serving our audiences by presenting concerts that not just entertain people, but inspire people, and possibly even challenge people to try something new,” he says.

Feldman praised Abrams for being one of the most passionate advocates of the arts he has ever seen. “Teddy is a whirlwind of energy, enthusiasm, ideas, and he’s truly interested in all aspects of how we can engage with people here in Louisville. He’s always looking to find ways to persuade people, our audiences, that the arts and music are essential to our experience together in this community.”

 World-renowned pianist, Yuja Wang, will perform with the Louisville Orchestra in January 2022.

Photo courtesy of the Louisville Orchestra.

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NEW BEGINNINGS The passion that Feldman sees in Abrams is evident in everyone involved in the Louisville Orchestra. This enthusiasm is one of the reasons why LO was able to persist through last season’s trials.

It is also why the orchestra is able to announce programming for a thrilling, new, live season of music, centered around new beginnings.

“The 2021-22 season’s offerings really reflect this extraordinary, unprecedented moment as we come together once more,” says Feldman. “Importantly, this is a season that is more diverse than any in recent memory — full of stories, and new voices, and incredibly varied themes and threads.”

He adds that Louisville Orchestra members missed the energy that comes from performing for live audiences. “Opening night will feel like we’re seeing a family member for the first time in a long, long time,” Feldman says. “Many feelings of happiness, gratitude, and excitement will accompany that moment.”

A SNEAK PEEK AT UPCOMING PERFORMANCES The first concert of the season, A Concert for Unity, will memorialize, in song, the many experiences that people have had over the last year. The orchestra will be performing a piece called Umoja, meaning “unity,” by Louisville native Valerie Coleman. Abrams has also invited local guest artists from different musical genres to write works reflective of what they have experienced since early 2020. Those works will be performed after Umoja, and before Tchaikovsky's moving Symphony No. 6 (“Pathetique”).

There will also be six world premieres during the 202122 season, including a piece by Louisville native, KiMani Bridges. Another new work, to be premiered in January 2022, was written by Abrams specifically for world-renowned pianist, Yuja Wang. Feldman anticipates that there will be “lots of electricity at this concert” and that it will be “absolutely breathtaking to experience.”

Feldman adds The Festival of Latin American Music, in March 2022, will celebrate “the rich sounds, booming percussion, and velvety textures of Latin music, with composers from a number of different countries, and a vibrant line-up of works, which are meant to give you a taste of what the sound palette is of composers old and new from Latin America.” A salsa band, called People of Earth, will also join the orchestra and offer the world premiere of a work by Dafnis Prieto.

“Teddy is beginning this multi-series exploration of how important Black and Jewish composers have been silenced and displaced across history,” says Feldman. “Our offering this season includes an Oratorio for vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra, entitled, The Ordering of Moses.”

This work, which tells the story of Moses leading his people to the Promised Land, was composed in 1934 by AfricanCanadian Composer, R. Nathaniel Dett. He was one of the first conservatory-educated Black musicians in America.

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A descendant of escaped slaves, Dett also toured as a pianist and was a respected choir director.

“During the broadcast premiere of this work, way back in the 1930s — I believe it was on NBC — the broadcast was halted mid-way due to ‘technical difficulties.’” says Feldman. “I think it’s widely thought that NBC sort of caved to calls of complaint and outrage from listeners. So, we’re giving Dett the attention that he is due.”

Another work that will be performed at this April 2022 concert was composed by Jewish composer, Ernst Toch. After witnessing the rising of Nazi power, Toch fled Europe to live in America.

While here, he wrote Notturno, which was commissioned by the Louisville Orchestra.

LO’s Principal Pops Conductor, Bob Bernhardt, will be celebrating his 40th season. Over several decades, he has built meaningful relationships with musicians and audiences. Bernhardt works very hard to make the Louisville Orchestra a pops destination for fans, and will conduct a number of pops concerts for the 2021-22 season, including a concert of Christmas favorites, along with performances highlighting the music of Elton John, ABBA, and John Williams.

“The theme of the season is New Beginnings, and it's our way of saying as we look toward a season of new performances again, after being kept apart for so many months — welcome back to the symphony!” Feldman says. “Please come and enjoy and celebrate the joy and inspiration of music anew with us. There are many incredible journeys in store.”

Social distancing requirements may limit seating for these and other performances. Subscribers will get priority seating.

For more information and to subscribe, visit louisvilleorchestra.org.

2021-22 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS AT A GLANCE • LIVE and IN-PERSON performances return!

• Yuja Wang will perform a world premiere piece composed by Teddy Abrams.

• The season will feature SIX world premiere performances, including a LO commission by up-and-coming composer and Louisville native, KiMani Bridges.

• New this season! The Festival of Latin American Music is an expansion of the Festival of American Music, which Abrams started in 2016.

• Audiences will enjoy THREE First Edition commissions, two of which will be performed during the Festival of Latin American Music.

First Edition Records is LO’s record label that began commissioning works in 1948.

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CONNECTING For A CAUSE

THE POPULAR SERIES CONTINUES THIS MONTH

by Christian Adelberg

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ven though Kentucky Performing Arts (KPA) venues remain temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue in our mission of building lifelong relationships with the arts.

Thanks to series sponsors the Owsley Brown II Family Foundation and the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet, with additional support from Fund for the Arts, Kentucky Performing Arts’ Connecting For A Cause series continues this spring. Held in Christy’s Garden, the green space outside Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, these free, live events bring Kentucky’s vibrant and diverse artists together to promote the health and well-being of our community.

Our first event, Music in Motion: A Collaboration with Louisville Ballet + River City Drum Corp, was held April 18.

The event featured performance by young artists from both Louisville Ballet and River City Drum Corp.

The series continues this month.  Top: KPA President and CEO Kim Baker and Louisville Ballet Artistic Director Robert Curran.

Center: River City Drum Corps.

Bottom: Louisville Ballet's Ballet Bound class.

Photos courtesy of Kentucky Performing Arts.

 The April 18 audience dancing along. Photo courtesy of Kentucky Performing Arts.

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UPCOMING EVENTS Check out what's on sale now at KentuckyPerformingArts.org:

FRIDAY, MAY 21, 8 PM KMAC Couture on the Big Screen Featuring special guest Sheryl Rouse

Sheryl Rouse

KMAC Museum’s annual showcase of original couture pieces of wearable art and high-concept fashion comes to Christy’s Garden!

Louisville vocal powerhouse Sheryl Rouse and her band will provide the live musical soundtrack as KMAC Couture models turn the space into a garden-sized runway event, followed by a screening of the KMAC Couture: Star Stuff. Produced by KMAC Museum and Audi of Louisville in conjunction with Uproar Films, the film gives viewers an up-close look at the breathtaking creativity of emerging and established artists, costume and clothing designers, and milliners, while documentary-style vignettes provide a glimpse at the hard work behind the glamour.

Kentucky Performing Arts will be announcing more Connecting For A Cause events soon. Keep an eye on our website, KentuckyPerformingArts.org, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates.

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Jo Koy Tommy Emmanuel

Alton Brown

SEPTEMBER 12

OCTOBER 16

Franco Escamilla Brown Theatre

Michael W. Smith: 35 Years of Friends Brown Theatre

SEPTEMBER 19 Jo Koy: Just Kidding World Tour Brown Theatre

OCTOBER 9 Tommy Emmanuel Brown Theatre

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

Donate.

APRIL 3, 2022 Alton Brown LIVE: Beyond the Eats The Kentucky Center Whitney Hall

Be the first to know about upcoming shows.

Visit KentuckyPerformingArts.org and sign up for our Free eClub to receive show announcements and presale opportunities.

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A HISTORIC

MOVE KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE ANNOUNCES NEW HEADQUARTERS IN OLD LOUISVILLE

by Daniel C. Chioco

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or Kentucky Shakespeare, returning to the “new normal” includes a return to its roots this spring.

The new building, located at 616 Myrtle St., is just blocks away from Central Park in Old Louisville, where the company holds its mainstage performances.

“It's a historic move and situation, and we've never had anything like this — never had anything like this in Old Louisville,” says Matt Wallace, the company’s Producing Artistic Director. “A location right by the park was something we didn't expect to find.”

Though the early Kentucky Shakespeare offices were based in Old Louisville, the organization has been operating out of ArtSpace on West Broadway in the heart of Downtown for the past 10 years. ArtSpace began as a mixed-use development and later became home to several of Louisville’s arts organizations, including Kentucky Opera, CirqueLouis, and West Louisville Performing Arts Academy. The recent sale of the building meant that those arts and culture organizations, including Kentucky Shakespeare, would have to find new homes.

“In the fall, we looked at 20-plus spaces to try to find that perfect space for us,” says Wallace, recounting the exhaustive effort to secure a suitable and affordable new headquarters. “We didn't expect to find a space with everything in one location.”

The new headquarters boasts 2,600 square feet of office space, newly designed exactly as the organization wanted it.

In addition to the office spaces, there is dedicated space for a costume shop, rehearsal hall, and community space, as well as a storage warehouse next door. This is the first time that Kentucky Shakespeare will be able to consolidate every aspect of its operations in a single location.

The building at 616 Myrtle Street in Old Louisville, prior to its renovation.

A DREAM COME TRUE Wallace was initially not optimistic about finding such an ideal space, not to mention the added challenges of financing it.

“We didn't think it was possible because we didn't want to take on a construction project, especially without funding, [since] additional fundraisers could cannibalize existing donations.”

Existing fundraising events directly support Kentucky Shakespeare’s operations and performances, though individuals can contribute at any time. Individual donors at levels $60 and up are recognized in summer playbills and on the organization’s website, unless the donor requests to remain anonymous.

Thanks to generous community members, the fear of taking away funding from existing fundraisers with new fundraisers never materialized.

 Architectural rendering of Kentucky Shakespeare's new headquarters. Photo courtesy of Kentucky Shakespeare.

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Kentucky Shakespear actors checking out the new headquarters during its renovation. The new space boasts 2,600 square feet of office space, a costume shop, rehearsal hall, and community space, plus a storage warehouse next door.

The theater company’s longtime friends and supporters, Charlie and Jennie Marsh, led the way as cornerstone donors and angel investors. Charlie just so happens to be in the construction industry, so he also served as a mentor and resource during the process. Thanks to the leadership of the Marshes, Kentucky Shakespeare was able to rally other investors and raise over $300,000 to fund the build-out of the 2,600 square foot office space, with relocation on track for early May. “It wouldn't have happened without them and 24 generous stakeholders who’ve come forward to support this vision,” Wallace says. “Emerging from these challenging times with ideal new custom-built headquarters makes this homecoming to our roots in Old Louisville all the more special, setting us up for success.”

“We met with the new building owner, Henry Sanders,” Wallace adds. “He believed in what we were and are doing, and he’s going to allow us to be there for a long time.”

Wallace expects the theatre company to stay in the new space for at least 25 years, as the contract provides for a 10-year term, with the option to extend three times for five years each.

A TIME OF TRANSITION Though Kentucky Shakespeare will be moving into its new headquarters this spring as the construction of office space wraps up, the transition of all operations is not expected to be complete until summer 2022.

The current phase of renovation is focused on completing the costume shop as well as purchasing HVAC for the back half of the building, which will house the rehearsal hall for the theater company and meeting space that will be open to the 22

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community. Once the HVAC is installed, Kentucky Shakespeare will be able to use the unfinished rehearsal space as early as May 18. The organization is working to raise an additional $50,000 to complete this portion of the project.

The final phase of construction will focus on finishing the rehearsal hall, meeting space, and landscaping. A grant from the Gheens Foundation will cover a portion of the rehearsal hall and community space, with the remainder of funds coming from individual donors.

The timing for this new headquarters couldn’t be better, as Kentucky Shakespeare just kicked off its return to live performances, with shows scheduled at 25 parks this spring.

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

In addition to the Spring Parks Tour, the organization is preparing for the 61st anniversary season of the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in the Park.

The festival’s schedule includes: Shakespeare in Love, presented

by Churchill Downs, will run June 16 through July 31; Henry V, directed by Amy Attaway, runs July 8 through August 1; A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed by Kentucky Shakespeare’s Globe Players, a professional training program for high school students, from August 4 to 8; Light Night Shakes by Louisville Improvisers will run on select Saturdays this summer at 10:30 p.m.; and Shakespeare in Dance by the Louisville Ballet will run August 11 to 15.

With the return to the new normal in full swing, this historic move couldn’t be more serendipitous! To show your support for Kentucky Shakespeare, please visit KYShakespeare.com.

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AUDIENCE INTERVIEW

CAMPBELL BROWN

PRESIDENT & MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BROWN-FORMAN’S OLD FORESTER BRAND, & FUND FOR THE ARTS 2021 CAMPAIGN CHAIRPERSON

by G. Douglas Dreisbach

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he mission of the Fund for the Arts is to maximize the impact of the arts on economic development, education, and quality of life by generating resources, inspiring excellence, and creating community connections.

With that being said, the costs to provide these resources are extraordinary and would not be possible without the support of Louisville’s biggest companies. Many corporate partners step up each year to provide funding, leadership and social equity to help the Fund achieve its vision to serve the greater good for the community.

The goal of this year’s fundraising campaign is $7.5 million, and with everything going on in our community, and around the world, the team at Fund for the Arts certainly has a tall task ahead of them. To help with the fundraising efforts, the Fund names a Campaign Chairperson each year to step up and be the face of the fundraising efforts. This year, they turned to Campbell Brown, the President and Managing Director of Old Forester Bourbon at Brown-Forman Corp. From the moment of accepting the role, he has proven to be a great pick for the task. The Fund is over halfway to the goal, with time left to get across the finish line.

Audience publisher, G. Douglas Dreisbach caught up with Campbell to talk about the campaign, the need for arts in our community and why he is driven to give back.

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

G. Douglas Dreisbach: Congratulations on being named this year’s Campaign Chairperson. Being from a prominent Louisville family that is well known for supporting the community, did you feel an obligation to continue that trend and represent not only Brown-Forman, but your own legacy in the Brown family?

Campbell Brown: My mother was and continues to be a huge advocate for the arts, the classical music and opera, and I would

...when we’re given a green light to congregate in larger groups, the arts will be a magnet of attracting people back to downtown, back into the venues, into restaurants, out on the sidewalks and into the boutiques. say she has the greatest amount of responsibility for me and my brothers’ interest in arts in general. She would literally drag us to operas whenever she felt she could get away with it. So, while it didn’t come to me naturally, I do feel an appreciation for what musicians do and what the arts can do to really lift an audience in ways I couldn’t really appreciate as a young person.

In terms of philanthropy, I think that certainly came into focus when I started working at Brown-Forman. There was just so much of it occurring here, particularly by the leaders of the company, and, early in my career, I saw it as a way to rub shoulders with some of them. We had these large employee campaigns, and I learned about why private-sector companies thought these campaigns were important, why the arts played a role here, and the roles they played for our community.

GDD: What made you take on the role of the 2021 Campaign Chair for Fund for the Arts?

CB: Well, Christen Boone (President & CEO of Fund for the Arts) was pretty persuasive. I joined the Fund for the Arts as a board member three years ago after having a conversation with her and JP Davis (Fund for the Arts Senior Consultant) and a few other folks. I really liked where she was going with

 Campbell Brown joined the Fund for the Arts boad three years ago. This year he is the Campaign Chairperson.

Photo courtesy of Fund for the Arts.

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Campbell Brown

Every dollar counts; not just the traditional, large, multi-year contributors to the Fund for the Arts, but the $10, the $1, the $15, $100 contributions— they all count more now than they ever have. the organization and the momentum that was occurring.

Some of the shifts they were taking strategically were interesting, and looking a little bit more broadly at the landscape here with arts and culture was important. I thought that was appealing.

Then, of course, with the emergence of COVID, and the pressures that we are all feeling as a result of that, it was pretty apparent these funds and these campaigns were going to be pretty critical and very difficult, frankly.

GDD: The goal of this year’s campaign is to raise $7.5 million

by June 30. You are currently just over halfway there.

Given everything that you just mentioned, and the new ways of raising those funds, what’s it going to take to get across the finish line? And why is it important for business leaders to step up to support these initiatives?

CB: It seems that historically we have been very reliant with the larger employee campaigns that we’ve been able to do.

With COVID, that’s created a very difficult barrier to overcome because we have been forced to go online to virtually try to create the same sort of engagement around the campaign, but we’re not all together, we’re not looking at each other, we can’t sit down and see a performance or go into the office.

These are all things we have always been able to do, but now we can’t.

So, when it becomes clear that you may not produce as much through an employee campaign, then those folks that are leading the conversation of securing resources from individuals — those conversations become way more critical. Every dollar counts; not just the traditional, large, multi-year contributors to the Fund for the Arts, but the $10, the $1, the $15, $100 contributions — they all count more now than they ever have because we just don’t have the ability to engage with broad bases of potentially interested and engaged contributors. It is hard when we don’t have those central moments where we bring everyone together to create some awareness around what we’re trying to accomplish. So, we turn to a lot of phone calls, the conversation I’m having with you today, the meetings that we have virtually, all of those things play a big role and are really critical. So, I just hope people pick up the phone when I call, basically.

GDD: When the effects from the pandemic and civil unrest in the community really started to set in, both economically

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S U B S C R I B E

T O

and fiscally, many arts groups and individuals turned to Fund for the Arts for help. How do you think the arts will play a role in helping to heal our community and rebuild the downtown economy, the tourism economy, and social capital needed to bring everybody together again?

CB: I think it will be in a number of different ways. Clearly, when we’re given a green light to congregate in larger groups, the arts will be a magnet of attracting people back to downtown, back into the venues, into restaurants, out on the sidewalks and into the boutiques. It will begin to basically inject some vibrancy into our downtown economy again. I think that’s going to be important for many and likely the first step back to something normal, or back into their offices, or having a nice evening out downtown and seeing what they’ve missed. So, I think the arts can function, and cultural organizations can function, as a Trojan horse to get people back into our downtown economy.

I think the creativity the arts delivers and the ability they provide to let us engage in some of the harder conversations that need to occur in the city and in our community is important.

I know I’ve grown up literally worshipping musicians and artists, whether it was posters in my bedroom or looking for tickets to a concert or getting a hard-to-get ticket to a festival, meeting somebody that’s performed professionally. They’re kind of, in many respects, heroes to a lot of us, and when we see them on stage and performing again, it’s going to give us more social confidence about getting started again. Really, that’s what I’m just hoping for and encouraged already to hear how venues and some of our organizations are thinking about reopening for the public as we get closer to doing that, probably in the late summer and fall.

For more information about getting involved with Fund for the Arts and the 2021 Capital Campaign, visit FundfortheArts.com.

A U D I E N C E

F R E E !

February 19 – August 22, 2021

This show-stopping exhibition features life-size, trompe l’œil paper costumes spanning nearly 500 years of fashion, replicating historical garments found in European masterworks and in collections from around the world.

Members see it all for free!

Learn more at

speedmuseum.org

Advanced ticket purchase strongly encouraged and face masks required.

This exhibition is organized by Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, in cooperation with Isabelle de Borchgrave Studio.

This exhibition is supported by: W. L. Lyons Brown, Jr. Foundation (Cary Brown & Steven Epstein)

Media sponsorship from:

Images: Isabelle de Borchgrave (Belgian, b. 1946) Detail of Paysanne, 2009 Based on a costume design by Mikhail Larionov for the Ballet Russes

Exhibition season sponsored by: Cary Brown and Steven E. Epstein Paul and Deborah Chellgren Debra and Ronald Murphy

F U N D

Isabelle de Borchgrave (Belgian, b. 1946) Detail of Pallas, 2007 Inspired by a figure in Sandro Botticelli’s painting Pallas and the Centaur, dated 1482, in the collection of the Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

FMixed O Rmedia, T H E A R T S primarily acrylic, ink, metallic powder, and adhesive on paper

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