8 minute read
CONNECTING FOR A CAUSE
THE POPULAR SERIES CONTINUES THIS MONTH
by Christian Adelberg
Even 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.
Check out what's on sale now at KentuckyPerformingArts.org:
Sheryl Rouse
FRIDAY, MAY 21, 8 PM KMAC Couture on the Big Screen Featuring special guest 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.
Jo Koy
Tommy Emmanuel
Alton Brown
SEPTEMBER 12
Franco Escamilla Brown Theatre
SEPTEMBER 19
Jo Koy: Just Kidding World Tour Brown Theatre
OCTOBER 9
Tommy Emmanuel Brown Theatre OCTOBER 16
Michael W. Smith: 35 Years of Friends Brown Theatre
APRIL 3, 2022
Alton Brown LIVE: Beyond the Eats The Kentucky Center Whitney Hall
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.
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.
A HISTORIC MOVE
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. F “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.
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 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.
