Audience Magazine | Louisville Arts & Entertainment | September 2023

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

OCTOBER 2023

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

KENTUCKY PERFORMING ARTS An Exciting 40th Anniversary Season Page 6 FUND FOR THE ARTS Sustaining Impact Grants Distributed to 27 Organizations Page 16 EVENTS WE LOVE Broadway-style, Animal-free Circus Returns to Louisville Page 24

Amy Higgs Managing Editor

BREAKING WITH TRADITION

G. Douglas Dreisbach Publisher

We don’t know about you, but when the days get shorter, the leaves start to turn, and the weather goes from balmy to crisp, we are in our happy place. That’s because it means Louisville’s fall performing arts programming is in full swing!

As you can see in this issue of Audience Magazine, there is something for everyone on the calendar between now and the end of the year. You want theater? Check. Dance? Check. Comedy? Check. In fact, not only will you find all the traditional offerings you might expect, there are quite a few surprises on the schedule as well.

One of those very pleasant surprises is the Venardos Circus, a Broadway-style animal-free circus coming to Waterfront Park this month. (More on page 24.) Another exciting, nontraditional must-see show is coming to the Brown Theatre in the form of a live musical performance alongside the blockbuster film, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” Read more on page 11

Our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is not the only reason we need to acknowledge Kentucky Performing Arts — the group’s entire season is full of unique acts and a wide variety of talent. If you don’t believe us, check out a sample of upcoming shows on page 6.

As we all know, these fantastic performances would never see the light of day without financial support. That’s why we’re also pleased to share a story of impact — you can find the latest recipients of a vital Fund for the Arts grant program on page 16.

Make sure you check out future issues of Audience Magazine for special features and details about upcoming shows and announcements. Thank you to our generous advertisers for continuing to allow us to bring you the latest news about Louisville’s thriving performing arts scene free of charge.

As the leaves fall and the curtain rises,

Amy & Doug

The arts make a bridge across this world in ways that nothing else can.

– Actress Julie Andrews

The

PUBLISHER

G.

MANAGING EDITOR

Amy Higgs

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Rhonda Mefford

SALES & MARKETING

G. Douglas Dreisbach

CONTRIBUTORS

Bourbon

G.

Kentucky

Larissa Nemeth

Speed

HONORING THE PAST & FUTURE

by Kentucky Performing Arts

entucky Performing Arts (KPA) is celebrating its 40th season with a wide variety of exciting and diverse entertainment offerings at The Kentucky Center, the historic Brown Theatre, and Old Forester’s Paristown Hall.

While KPA is celebrating this 40-year milestone, there is also a strong focus on the future. The organization’s new strategic plan is centered on KPA’s mission to connect and inspire through the arts — deepening and strengthening its continued commitment to removing barriers and creating spaces that are innovative, accessible, and welcoming for artists, organizations, and audiences, and bolstering KPA’s position as an arts and culture leader and employer that builds upon an environment of joy, belonging, and growth.

The new season is representative of this KPA’s mission, vision, and values, and more shows will be added to the lineup throughout the season. To stay informed and receive presale invitations, create a Kentucky Performing Arts’ eClub account at KentuckyPerformingArts.org/login. Be sure to follow Kentucky Performing Arts on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), or Instagram for the latest ticket availability and updates.

Frequent attendees are encouraged to become Kentucky Performing Arts patrons. Donors at the $120 level and above enjoy perks including waived processing fees, priority seating, VIP hospitality, and an exclusive ticketing hotline. Click here for more information.

Here are some of the highlights of the Kentucky Performing Arts Presents 2023-24 season so far:

SEASON PREVIEW

Louisville Public Media presents AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS

October 17, 7:30PM

Brown Theatre

David Sedaris, author of the previous bestsellers “Calypso,” “Naked,” “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim,” and regular National Public Radio contributor, will be live on stage for one night only, following the release of his newest book “Happy Go Lucky.” This is a unique opportunity to see the best-selling humorist in an intimate setting.

 KPA's 40th season brings a variety of exciting acts to The Kentucky Center on Main Street.

Kentucky Performing Arts presents SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE - LIVE IN CONCERT

October 20, 7:30PM

Brown Theatre

Featuring a soundtrack that blends symphonic orchestral music with hiphop, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Live in Concert pairs a screening of the Academy Award-winning animated film with musicians and turntables featuring a DJ scratcher live on stage.

Kentucky Performing Arts and Production

Simple present POD SAVE AMERICA LIVE

October 28, 8PM

Brown Theatre

Pod Save America is bringing its signature no-BS conversations about politics to cities across America. Former Obama administration officials and co-hosts Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Tommy Vietor, and Dan Pfeiffer will be joined by politicians, journalists, comedians, activists and more to break down the political news of the week that makes us laugh, cry, and scream into the void.

the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and Canada.

Glenview Trust Enriching Life Series presents THE OLD FRIENDS ACOUSTIC TOUR STARRING BEN RECTOR WITH JORDY SEARCY

November 9, 8PM

The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall

Ben Rector has amassed over a billion streams across all platforms, and his records have topped numerous Billboard charts, with his last two records landing at No. 1 on Billboard's U.S. Folk and No. 2 on Billboard's U.S. Rock and U.S. Indie charts.

Kentucky Performing Arts and Round Room present PEPPA PIG'S SING-ALONG PARTY!

November 18, 2PM

Brown Theatre

Outback Presents and Kentucky Performing Arts present JAMES “MURR” MURRAY

October 2, 7PM

Brown Theatre

James Murray is a writer, executive producer, and comedian, best known as "Murr" on the hit TV show “Impractical Jokers” on TruTV and “The Misery” Index on TBS. For more than a decade, Murr and his lifelong friends Sal, Joe and Q have been making audiences laugh across the country. And now he’s bringing the laughs to you!

AEG Presents and Kentucky Performing Arts present NURSE BLAKE: SHOCK ADVISED TOUR

October 24, 8PM

Brown Theatre

Blake Lynch, aka Nurse Blake, is a nurse, creator, internationally touring comedian, health care advocate, and keynote speaker. Hailed as a “genuine phenomenon” by The New York Times, Blake worked in trauma centers around the country before his career in comedy. As a way to cope with the stress of his nursing job, Blake started posting original comedy videos aimed at his profession.

Brown-Forman Midnite Ramble Series DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM

November 3, at 8PM

The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall

Considered “one of ballet’s most "exciting undertakings” (The New York Times), Dance Theatre of Harlem is a leading dance institution of unparalleled global acclaim, encompassing a professional touring company, a leading studio school, and a national and international education and community outreach program.

Kentucky Performing Arts presents KIP MOORE - DAMN LOVE WORLD TOUR

November 9, 7:30PM

Old Forester’s Paristown Hall

Multi-Platinum singer/songwriter

Kip Moore recently released the title track off his forthcoming fifth studio album, “Damn Love.” Known as “one of country’s more thoughtful artists” (Billboard), Moore has toured the world earning acclaim and a rabid fanbase as an all-in performer in each setting, consistently selling out headlining shows internationally with huge followings in

Peppa, George, Mummy Pig, and Daddy Pig are throwing a Sing-Along Party and you are invited! In this new show, you can join in the fun as Peppa and friends teach some of their favorite songs. Dance, clap, and sing with Peppa and her family along with Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep, and Gerald Giraffe.

Kentucky Performing Arts presents CHRIS ISAAK – IT’S ALMOST CHRISTMAS TOUR

November 2, 7:30PM

Brown Theatre

Over the course of his 40-year career, Platinum-selling and Grammynominated singer and actor Chris Isaak has performed to sold-out crowds across the globe with his longtime band Silvertone. Newly released “Everybody Knows It’s Christmas” is Isaak's second career Christmas album and features 13 tracks of originals and covers.

Kentucky Performing Arts presents JAKE SHIMABUKURO –CHRISTMAS IN HAWAI’I

December 13, 7:30PM

The Kentucky Center-Bomhard Theater

Ukulele master and jolly ambassador of aloha, Jake Shimabukuro, will bring joy to the world this upcoming 2023 holiday season by delivering a special gift for all with the debut of his highly anticipated holiday show. $2 from every ticket will be donated to the Hawaii Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund.

Kentucky Performing Arts presents MICHAEL W. SMITH

March 24, 7PM

Brown Theatre

Michael W. Smith has been releasing new music regularly and performing around the world to sold-out crowds for the last 35-plus years. During his storied career, he's written and recorded more than 36 number one songs, been bestowed with three Grammy Awards and 45 Dove Awards, one American Music Award, was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and has sold more than 15 million albums.

AN EVENING WITH IRA GLASS –SEVEN THINGS I’VE LEARNED

June 1, 8PM

Brown Theatre

Ira Glass is the host and creator of the public radio program, “This American Life.” The show is heard each week by over 5 million listeners on public radio stations and the companion podcast.

Kentucky Performing Arts presents MOMIX: ALICE

March 28, 7:30PM

Brown Theatre

Seamlessly blending illusion, acrobatics, magic, and whimsy, MOMIX sends audiences flying down the rabbit hole in Moses Pendleton’s newest creation, Alice, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic, “Alice in Wonderland.”

Brown-Forman Midnite Ramble Series presents TREY MCLAUGHLIN & THE SOUNDS OF ZAMAR

February 17, 7:30PM

The Kentucky Center-Bomhard Theater

Trey McLaughlin is a passionate vocalist, educator, composer, arranger, and clinician. Known for fusing together an eclectic mix of musical genres, he arranges and performs original works with his own touring and recording ensemble, The Sounds of Zamar, who concluded their first national tour in the 2018-19 season.

Visit kentuckyperformingarts.org for additional performances coming to KPA’s family of venues.

Kentucky Performing Arts and Emporium present BRAD WILLIAMS: TOUR ’24

June 29, 7PM

Brown Theatre

One of the most in-demand comedians working today, Williams’ first one-hour special, “Fun Size,” was the highest rated special on Showtime. His second, “Daddy Issues,” prompted The New York Times to write, “No one is doing stand-up comedy more hilariously than Brad Williams.”

Louisville Public Media and Kentucky Performing Arts present

AN EPIC SAGA

Academy Award-Winning Marvel Film to be Accompanied by Fusion of Live Orchestra, Band, and DJ

An all-new national tour is coming Louisville’s Brown Theatre on Friday, October 20, at 7:30PM, bringing fans a whole new way to experience their favorite box office hit, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse."

The Academy Award-winning film from Sony Pictures Animation will be accompanied by a live orchestra, band, and turntables with a scratch DJ playing music from the score and soundtrack. Joining the tour is The Broadway Sinfonietta, an all-women and majority women-of-color orchestra. Emily Marshall is the tour’s conductor. The tour launched with a sold-out world premiere at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn this past March.

The film’s music score was composed by Academy Award nominee, multiple Golden Globe nominee and Emmywinning composer Daniel Pemberton, known for his work on movies such as "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” “Oceans 8,”

“Enola Holmes,” “The Bad Guys,” and “Steve Jobs.”

“‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ is one of my favorite scores I’ve ever written,” says Pemberton. “Utilizing a full orchestra, crazy electronics, and unbelievable turntable scratching techniques amongst a million other things is so technically complex, I never thought we’d ever be able to actually reproduce it in a live setting; but somehow, we have. I am ridiculously excited for fans around the country to see their very first Spider-Verse concert later this year.

The hip-hop infused film score contains original music showcasing elements of heroism and resilience, and is complemented by song contributions from industry greats Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Jaden Smith, and Nicki Minaj.

Set in New York City, ”Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” introduces Brooklyn teen, Miles Morales, who after

being bitten by a radioactive spider gains Spider-Man like powers. The film was directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, screenplay by Phil Lord and Rothman with a story by Lord based on the Marvel Comics, and produced by Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, Lord, Christopher Miller, and Christina Steinberg.

It features an accomplished and diverse cast, including Shameik Moore (Miles Morales), Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy / Spider-Gwen), Jake Johnson (Peter B. Parker), Chris Pine (Peter Parker), and Mahershala Ali (Aaron Davis / Prowler). The film received widespread praise from critics for its groundbreaking visual style, characters, story, voice acting, and soundtrack.

For tickets and more information about ”Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse” Live in Concert, visit kentuckyperformingarts.org

A full orchestra will take the stage at the Brown Theatre to perform songs alongside the animated movie.

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSELIVE IN CONCERT | OCTOBER 20, 2023

STORIES RETOLD

American Art from the Princeton University Art Museum

With the Princeton University Art Museum closed during new construction, the Speed Art Museum has been granted a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase more than 100 works of American art from its collection.

On September 29, the Speed unveiled Stories Retold: American Art from the Princeton University Art Museum It is only one of three art museums showcasing this celebrated art exhibition, which will be on display through Jan. 7, 2024. Spanning four centuries of EuroAmerican, African American and Native American art, Stories Retold features fresh art historical investigations and considers how contemporary perspectives can inform and enrich the meaning of an artwork.

Museum collections slowly evolve over the decades to reflect shifting priorities and perspectives, and as a result, objects and artworks are considered and presented in ever-changing ways. Stories Retold reveals many of the fascinating, challenging, and even controversial stories that have been told about these artworks over time – and offers us compelling new ways of seeing these works to reflect the times in which we now live.

Prior to the Speed, the exhibition was on display at the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens, Georgia, and the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut.

“The Speed is honored to serve as the third and final venue for Stories Retold: American Art from the Princeton University Art Museum. As the title suggests, the exhibition tells new stories about American art, and breaks scholarly ground by revealing previously hidden histories and considerations,” says Erika Holmquist-Wall, the museum’s Chief Curator and Mary and Barry Bingham Senior Curator of European and American Painting & Sculpture. “Our shared visual culture often reveals what has been valued in our collective past, and this exhibition takes a renewed look at many of those stories and topics that have resonated with artists and collectors over the centuries.”

HIGHLIGHTING AMERICA’S COMPLEX HISTORY

Organized by Karl Kusserow, the Princeton University Art Museum’s John Wilmerding Curator of American Art, the exhibition focuses on three areas of critical inquiry and topical relevance: race, gender, and the environment. It arranges its works of art in 30 separate groups with an intention to introduce and encourage questions about America’s complex history and culture.

“We’re glad to have this opportunity to bring some of Princeton’s most compelling American art to Louisville, presented in fresh ways that resonate with current issues and ideas. It’s in keeping with the Speed’s impressive

Henry Inman (American, 1801–1846), O-Chee-Na-ShinkKa a, 1832–33.

Asher Brown Durand (American, 1796–1886), Landscape, 1859

record of forward-thinking exhibitions and programs,” says Kusserow.

Stories Retold is both a relevant and timely presentation for Kentucky’s largest art museum, as the Speed is currently in the process of reinstalling all of its permanent collection galleries and updating the stories told about its own artworks. “This exhibition is about expanding our ideas and notions about American art history,” adds Holmquist-Wall. “And, it provides a helpful framework for

opening up new perspectives on the art in the Speed’s collection.”

The exhibition is grounded in the understanding that the meanings of art objects change over time, in different contexts, and as a consequence of the way they are considered, even as collections evolve over time to accommodate shifting priorities and viewpoints. Drawn from several Princeton collections of historical American art,

these artworks are installed alongside examples of contemporary art that imaginatively appropriate and reframe subjects, style and content.

Stories Retold includes work by the enslaved potter David Drake, whose craft was a bold statement of resistance, and the artist Frederic Remington, who represented the Wild West in ways that stereotyped both white settlers and Native Americans, alongside recent works by contemporary artists such as Rande Cook, Renee Cox, and Titus Kaphar.

One section will feature three iconic portraits of George Washington, including one by Rembrandt Peale that lionizes the first American president as a godlike celebrity together with a photograph by Luke C. Dillon of the ruins of the slave quarters at Washington’s home, Mount Vernon, to remind us of the complexities of the man and his legacy. The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated catalog distributed by Princeton University Press. For more information, visit speedMuseum.org

Eats

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!

John Singleton Copley (American, 1738–1815), Elkanah Watson, 1782.

EVENTS WE LOVE

FESTIVAL RECAP

Bourbon & Beyond 2023 Welcomed 120,000 Fans to Louisville

The 2023 edition of Bourbon & Beyond has now wrapped, adding another incredible year to the history of the fan-favorite event, hailed as the ”World’s Largest Bourbon & Music Festival.” More than 120,000 fans of all things music, food, and bourbon culture joined together September 14 to 17 at the Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville for the four-day weekend full of nonstop entertainment.

This one-of-a-kind live experience featured some of the best and brightest music stars in Americana, roots, blues, country, and rock ‘n’ roll, as well as a range of culinary programming from some of the country’s top chefs and a wide palette of bourbon tastings and workshops celebrating the rich culture of Louisville.

Bourbon & Beyond 2023’s memorable music performances included a Day One

finale from Brandi Carlile featuring special guest Billy Strings, who helped on covers of Wings’ “Live and Let Die” and Queen’s “We Are the Champions.” Earlier in the day, Billy Strings also crashed the Bluegrass Situation Stage where he joined

fiddle player Michael Cleveland for a few numbers.

As the festival weekend continued, patrons were treated to hit-packed headlining sets from The Killers and The Black Keys, as well as Bruno Mars where Louisville native Jack Harlow was seen taking in the performance.

Other attention-grabbing sets included a rousing performance from recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Duran Duran, as well as new wave/punk legends Blondie, Wayne Newton — who played his first rock festival ever— and Old Crow Medicine Show, who paid tribute to the late Jimmy Bufffett with a cover of “Margaritaville.” Bourbon & Beyond also marked the first time that husbandand-wife couple, The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney and singer-songwriter Michelle Branch, played the same event together.

In addition to music, stars headed to the Monogram Culinary Stage and Kentucky

Blondie

PHOTO BY STEVE THRASHER

Bruno Mars

PHOTO BY DANIEL RAMOS

Venues Bourbon Stage to participate in the one-of-a-kind programming throughout the weekend. That included Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson (Louisville native, Food Network’s ”Superchef Grudge Match”), Sara Bradley (“Top Chef” contestant), special guest Joe Kwon of Avett Brothers joining at the Monogram Culinary Stage, which was hosted by Chef Chris Santos (“Chopped”), Chef Edward Lee (“The Mind of a Chef”) and Chef Amanda Freitag (“Top Chef,” ”Chopped”).

Over at the Kentucky Venues Bourbon Stage, bourbon expert Chris Blandford was joined by the world’s leading bourbon authority Fred Minnick, as well as Chef Amanda Freitag, actors Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley (behind Brother’s Bond Bourbon), actor Graham McTavish (“Outlander,” ”Men in Kilts”), singer Wayne Newton, and country music artist Hailey Whitters. In addition, the Bourbon & Basketball panel featured former University of

Louisville Championship basketball stars Robbie Valentine, Chris West, Wiley Brown, and Scooter McCray discussing why they love bourbon.

Bourbon & Beyond is produced by Los Angeles-based Danny Wimmer Presents, one of the largest independent producers of destination music festivals in America. Other 2023 events include Aftershock, GoldenSky Country Music Festival, Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival, Louder Than Life, Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, and Welcome To Rockville.

“Since 2017, Bourbon & Beyond has drilled down on Kentucky’s No. 1 export and the presence of its famed Bourbon Trail to give fans a unique opportunity to sample rare whiskeys and Kentucky bourbons,” according to Forbes magazine. “Featuring some of America’s best chefs, the Louisville festival’s celebration of the culinary arts, spirits, live music and more makes it one of America’s most unique festival offerings.”

“Not only did the Danny Wimmer team put out an amazing lineup of musicians, they also flawlessly executed a logistically seamless festival from parking and concessions to the acts on stage and sound clarity. A true gift to Louisville and the state of Kentucky,” adds Audience Magazine Publisher, G. Douglas Dreisbach.

For information on upcoming festivals, visit dannywimmerpresents.com.

The celebration of great music and whiskey is known for offering dozens of specialty bars and exciting musical performances across four days.

— Courier Journal

The Killers

PHOTO BY CHRIS PHELPS

Brandi Carlile with Billy Strings

PHOTO BY STEVE THRASHER

SHARING THE GIFTS

FUND FOR THE ARTS DISTRIBUTES $2.7 MILLION IN GRANTS TO 27 GROUPS

by Fund for the Arts

Fund for the Arts recently announced recipients of its 2023-24 Sustaining Impact Grants (SIG). A total direct investment of $2.3 million was committed to 27 local arts institutions.

“While emergency pandemic grants and gifts are drying up and/or disappearing, Fund for the Arts remains committed to providing crucial, unrestricted resources to arts institutions of all sizes, disciplines, and missions,” says Andre Kimo Stone Guess, President and CEO of Fund for the Arts.

The purpose of Sustaining Impact Grants is to provide missionbased operating support to Greater Louisville nonprofit arts organizations in order to ensure the organization’s ongoing capacity to drive community impact. The Sustaining Impact Grant is guided by the mission of the Fund for the Arts as well as community-driven priorities within Imagine Greater Louisville 2025.

“Prominent Youth of America (PYOA) is very proud and excited to receive the Sustaining Impact Grant from Fund for the Arts,” says PYOA President LaVon Clark. “As a first-time recipient of this award, we acknowledge this is a huge accomplishment for our organization to provide quality arts and educational experiences to participants in our programs. This opportunity will allow us to continue providing free arts experiences and educational resources to youth who reside in lowincome communities.”

“The Sustaining Impact Grant has helped us deepen and widen our work in the community. It is essential funding towards the commitment to art as a part of our cultural heritage,” says Michelle Amos, Executive Director of the Little Loomhouse.

 A performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream by Kentucky Shakespeare, one of this year's grant recipients.

Fund for the Arts supports a diverse array of performing and visual arts groups in the Louisville area.

THE SIG RECIPIENTS ARE:

• Actors Theatre of Louisville

• Adventurous Minds Produce Extraordinary Dreams (AMPED)

• Arts Alliance of Southern Indiana

• Commonwealth Theatre Center Inc.

• IDEAS xLab

• Kentucky Opera

• Kentucky Shakespeare

• KMAC Museum

• The Little Loomhouse

• Looking for Lilith Theatre Co.

• The Louisville Academy of Music

• Louisville Ballet

• Louisville Folk School

• The Louisville Orchestra

• Louisville Story Program

• Louisville Visual Art

• Louisville Youth Choir

• Louisville Youth Orchestra

• Pandora Productions

• Portland Museum Inc.

• Prominent Youth of America

• Queer Kentucky

• Redline Performing Arts

• Speed Art Museum

• Squallis Puppeteers Inc.

• StageOne Family Theatre

• Young Authors Greenhouse

“With deep gratitude, I recognize that the Sustaining Impact Grant’s substantial unrestricted funds allow us to do things that other grants don’t, such as meeting payroll and keeping our facilities in shape,” says Grant Johnson, Interim Executive Director for Louisville Visual Art (LVA). “All of LVA’s staff members are working artists or curators whose employment at LVA enables them to pursue artistic practice. By helping us pay their salaries, Fund for the Arts supports LVA’s mission of nurturing local artists throughout their creative lifecycles.”

The SIG grantee organizations represent a wide variety of arts disciplines, including arts education, dance, folk and traditional arts, literary arts, media arts, museums, music, opera, presenting and multidisciplinary, theater, and visual arts. Their staff sizes vary from one employee to over 110 employees.

Of this year’s 27 recipients, 24 have received a Sustaining Impact Grant before. Three are receiving this grant for the first time.

Fund for the Arts is a regional nonprofit with the mission to contribute to the overall health and well-being of our community by generating resources for, investing in, and supporting our local arts, artists, and arts organizations. For more information, visit www.fundforthearts.org .

READY TO VOLUNTEER? WE ARE READY FOR YOU.

Learn how you can put your time, knowledge and talent to use volunteering with AARP in Louisville. Help make the communities where you live, work and play the best they can be while engaging with others who share your passion for service.

Join our Louisville Community Team and meet other volunteers sharing their time and talent — in person or from home — to improve the lives of older Louisvillians and their families.

Get to know us at aarp.org/ky.

JENNY WILEY STATE RESORT PARK

Towering Pines, Scenic Views, and Majestic Elk Tours

As the leaves change, there are few places more beautiful to visit than Jenny Wiley State Resort Park. Nestled among the mountains outside of Prestonsburg, the park offers the ideal fall getaway.

Experience the peaceful seclusion of the May Lodge, which overlooks Dewey Lake, surrounded by towering pines. The park also has 18 cottages available for rental, along with two campgrounds. Within the lodge, the Music Highway Grill plays host to special meals such as Elk Night, with an all-you-can-eat buffet, and Sunday brunches. With scenic views of the mountains, the grill offers Kentucky Proud meals, including Hot Browns and catfish.

Stroll down to Dewey Lake to enjoy the morning mountain mist while you cast a line. Largemouth and hybrid striped bass, bluegill, catfish, and crappie are all types of fish that may appear on your hook. If you forget your pole, the park has fishing equipment available for rental.

For a truly unique state park activity at Jenny Wiley, experience elk watching.

Elk were re-introduced to Kentucky in 1997 and can be viewed on special elk tours. Be sure to check the Jenny Wiley Facebook page for information about dates to view these majestic animals.

With over 10 miles of hiking for all ability levels, Jenny Wiley offers plenty of opportunities for viewing the fall foliage and wildlife. You can also mountain bike on a 3-mile loop. The Sugarcamp Mountain Trail system is a multi-use area created through a joint effort by Jenny Wiley and the city of Prestonsburg, with access for mountain biking, hiking, and horse riding.

Nearby is the Dawkins Line Rail Trail, a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The first 25 miles up to Tip Top Tunnel feature 24 trestles and the 662-foot Gun Creek Tunnel. With 36 miles open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders, the rail trail is the largest in the state and is open year-round.

For family and group outings, Jenny Wiley features children’s playgrounds, picnic tables, and outdoor grills. The lodge gift

shop sells locally made handcrafts, such as walking sticks, coal figurines, candles, and artwork, along with an array of historical books, cookbooks, and novels by Kentucky authors.

While most of the Jenny Wiley Theater’s performances take place in the summer, you can still find shows in the fall, such as Paranormal Investigations scheduled for October 28. This spine-tingling event will focus on things that go bump in the night and a ghost hunt.

If you’re looking for a location for your next meeting or event, the conference center contains flexible meeting space for groups of 10 to 800 people. Fullservice catering with a bar option is available as well.

Book your fall weekend at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park by reserving your stay at Parks.ky.gov. While you’re there, check out Kentucky’s other 44 state parks, including 17 resort parks with restaurants, 30 campgrounds, and 13 golf courses.

ARTS EVERYDAY

Performing Arts Takes Center Stage at Waldorf School of Louisville

by Larissa Nemeth

The benefits of the performing arts for young people are far-reaching and long-lasting. However, many traditional and private education institutions generally offer dramatic arts as an afterthought, an extracurricular, or not at all. At Waldorf School of Louisville, performing arts are tied directly to the curriculum for students enrolled at the Rock Creek campus.

Waldorf School of Louisville (WSL) is a private school located in St. Matthews, across from Seneca Park, and has been operating for over 30 years. The school serves children from birth through eighth grade, offering a curriculum and culture that honors an over 100-year-old educational style proven to nurture the individual skills and gifts of each child, as well as ingrain in them a love of learning for a lifetime.

In addition to experiential learning and rigorous standards for comprehension in basic subjects such as language arts, math, science, and Spanish, Waldorf School of Louisville incorporates things like circus arts, puppetry, a music and strings program, and annually hosts a Spring Arts Week, highlighting dramatic performances from each elementary and middle school class.

Performing a play is really just an advanced and elaborate form of storytelling, which is one of the core elements of Waldorf education. Stories “have the power to help us make sense of the past, transform the present, and impact the future. Through hearing and telling stories, we can learn to navigate an increasingly complex world and build an understanding of what it

Waldorf School of Louisville incorporates...circus arts, puppetry, a music and strings program, and annually hosts a Spring Arts Week...

means to be human,” says Carol GreiderBrandenberger, a Waldorf Educator based in New York state.

An integration of performing arts into everyday schooling boosts collaborational skills, instills the value of practice, and brings to the children the concept of stage presence, which is arguably one of the most vital skills to nurture confidence in younger learners.

Longtime instructor and current eighth grade teacher, Rob Lanier, explains why performing arts is a pillar of the WSL curriculum, especially in grades one through eight: “What we’re doing is

cultivating imagination to support and deepen our educational approach.”

Acting as part of a group with other students fosters cooperation, understanding of time and space, and personal development. The inner work it takes to hold the responsibility of memorizing lines and direction, as well as the ability to bring a character to life, is work that strengthens who students are on a deep level and, as Lanier says, “Artistic activity is soul activity: it brings out the best of ourselves.”

To learn more, visit WaldorfLouisville.com

SEPT 29, 2023–JAN 7, 2024

AMERICAN ART FROM THE PRINCETON UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM

Featuring nearly one hundred artworks spanning four centuries of American art history, Stories Retold: American Art from the Princeton University Art Museum reveals many of the fascinating, challenging, and even controversial stories that have been told about these artworks over time – and offers us compelling new ways of seeing these works to reflect the times in which we now live.

Reserve tickets at speedmuseum.org

This exhibition is made possible by the leadership support of the Terra Foundation for American Art and organized by the Princeton University Art Museum.

Additional major support provided by:

Carol Sharpe Harper, Grafton

Harper and Spencer Harper III

DAV FAM Art Fund

Carol and Tracy Farmer

Max and Ellen Shapira

Media sponsor

Exhibition season sponsored by: Cary Brown and Steven E. Epstein

Sociable Weaver Foundation

Debra and Ronald Murphy

DAV FAM Art Fund

Detail: Renee Cox, born 1960, Colgate, Jamaica; active New York, NY

The Signing, 2018, printed 2022

Inkjet print 28 3/4 x 84 in.

Princeton University Art Museum Museum purchase, Kathleen Compton Sherrerd Fund for Acquisitions in American Art © Renee Cox

UNDER THE BIG TOP

Animal-free Circus Returns to Louisville

Back by popular demand, the fabulous Venardos Circus (pronounced veh-NARR-dos), a Broadway-style animal-free circus, is returning to Louisville with its all-new Let’s Build a Dream Tour! The show will be held on the Great Lawn at Waterfront Park from October 5 to 15.

This season, the wondrous Venardos Circus will take audiences on a journey under the big top as it unveils a fresh, magical, and all-new experience. The show features an original score, amazing performers, stunning lighting, and dazzling costumes. The 2023 circus is traveling with a new, custom-crafted, Italian-made red-and-white striped tent that offers expanded seating around a central stage for an immersive experience. The performers are also the crew in this traveling tour, much like the original circus tradition.

“Our cast and crew are thrilled to be returning to Louisville with a brand-new show,” says ringmaster and producer, Kevin Venardos. “This story promises to amaze and inspire, and may even

tug at a few heartstrings. It takes heart, courage, and tenacity to build a dream, but the outcome can be beautiful. That’s the message we hope to convey and share with the people of Louisville and the surrounding area.”

Guests can expect to be transported back in time to the center ring of a centuriesold tradition, but one that has been reinvented for the next generation.

Show schedule will be as follows:

• Thursday, Oct. 5 – 7PM

• Friday, Oct. 6 – 7PM

• Saturday, Oct. 7 – 11AM, 2PM, 5PM

• Sunday, Oct. 8 – 11AM & 2PM

• Wednesday, Oct. 11 – 7PM

• Thursday, Oct. 12 – 7PM

• Friday, Oct. 13 – 7PM

• Saturday, Oct. 14 – 11AM, 2PM, 5PM

• Sunday, Oct. 15 – 11AM & 2PM

TICKETS

General admission tickets are $16.95 for youth under age 12 and $27.95 for adults. One babe in arms (1-year-old or younger child seated on a lap) is

admitted free with each paying adult. Premier Gallery and VIP Experience Reserved seating are also available.

In the new larger tent, fans will still enjoy the intimate feel and proximity to the

performers but with enhanced views of aerial acts due to the taller design of the tent. The VIP Experience will offer assigned seating closest to the stage with guests escorted to their positions, a swag bag, and other special experiences. Premier Gallery seating will occupy a multi-tier riser to provide greater visibility. Visit Liveyourcircusdream.com for more information.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Doors open an hour prior to showtime. Concessions are available when doors open, but guests are encouraged to pre-order online when purchasing tickets. Classic circus treats will include fresh popcorn, cotton candy, house-made allnatural pink lemonade, packaged candy, and more.

The parking area is flat, so there is easy handicap access between the lot and the tent. The main event lasts approximately 90 minutes, with a brief intermission.

For tickets and more information, visit www.venardoscircus.com.

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!

OCTOBER

6-8 St. James Court Art Show St. James Court, Old Louisvllle StJamesCourtArtShow.com

20-21

Jim Gaffigan: Barely Alive Tour (Comedian)

7PM The Louisville Palace LouisvillePalace.com

17 An Evening w. David Sedaris (Comedian)

7:30PM Brown Theatre KentuckyPerformingArts.org

19

Niko Moon (Musician)

8PM Mercury Ballroom MercuryBallroom.com

20

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Concert)

7:30PM

Brown Theatre KentuckyPerformingArts.org

21 Louisville Orchestra POPS Fright Night

7:30PM

The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall LouisvilleOrchestra.org

24

EMO Orchestra feat. Hawthorne Heights

7PM

The Louisville Palace LouisvillePalace.com

24 Nurse Blake: Shock Advised Tour

8PM

Brown Theatre KentuckyPerformingArts.org

NOVEMBER

2-12 First Date (Six Performances) CenterStage at The Trager Family JCC JewishLouisville.org

2 Fortune Feimster (Comedian)

7:00PM

Brown Theatre KentuckyPerformingArts.org

5

An Intimate Evening w. Nathaniel Rateliff

8PM

The Louisville Palace LouisvillePalace.com

9

Peter Frampton: Never Say Never Tour

8PM The Louisville Palace LouisvillePalace.com

13 Jake ShimabukuroChristmas in Hawaii (Musician)

7:30

Bomhard Theater KentuckyPerformingArts.org

18

Peppa Pig’s Sing-Along Party!

2PM

Brown Theatre KentuckyPerformingArts.org

25 Louisville Orchestra POPS Holiday POPS

7:30PM

The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall LouisvilleOrchestra.org

28 - Dec. 3

TINA: The Tina Turner Musical (Broadway in Louisville) Whitney Hall Louisville.Broadway.com

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