The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts

Kentucky Center to provide Access Services for Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park

 

Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park is a tradition, providing free professional live Shakespeare productions for people of all ages from Louisville and surrounding counties each summer.  A successful partnership between The Kentucky Center and Kentucky Shakespeare Festival ensures that people who have hearing and visual disabilities can also enjoy these anticipated events.

The Kentucky Center Access Services will provide Audio Description for people who are blind or who have low vision and Open Captioning for people who are deaf or who have hearing loss. According to Matt Wallace, Producing Artistic Director at Kentucky Shakespeare, “Accessibility is a big part of our mission and we’re delighted to partner again with our friends at the Kentucky Center to offer these important services in Central Park. Shakespeare belongs to everyone, and we want to continue to work hard to make our events inclusive and accommodating. We look forward to welcoming thousands more audience members to free Shakespeare in the Park this summer!”

The 2018 summer at Kentucky Shakespeare Festival includes: The Comedy of Errors directed by Matt Wallace; Henry IV, Part One, directed by Amy Attaway; and Othello, directed by Matt Wallace. 

Audio Description and Open Captioning are scheduled for the following performances:

The Comedy of Errors on June 7, 2018

Henry IV, Part 1 on June 21, 2018

Othello on June 5, 2018

Although performances are free and no purchase of tickets are required, patrons who need Audio Description must call in advance to reserve the service. To ensure that Audio Description will be provided, please contact the Festival at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled productions at 502-574-9900 and let them know you plan to use the service. Without this notification, the Audio Description service will be cancelled. There is no need to call ahead for Captioning, it will take place regardless of reservations.

If any of the services are cancelled due to weather, the rain date will be the following evening, June 8, June 22 and July 6^th. If the services do need to be cancelled due to weather it will be posted on both Kentucky Shakespeare’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/KentuckyShakespeare/ and the Kentucky Center’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kentuckycenter/ .

This summer at Central Park, food trucks open at 6:30 pm, bar opens at 7:00 pm, pre-show entertainment begins at 7:15 pm, and the show starts at 8 pm. Kentucky Shakespeare Festival performances are free and no tickets are required for entry. Audio Description and Open Captioning are not currently provided for pre-show entertainment.

We hope you enjoy the summer productions and these services that ensure everyone can come and enjoy the shows.

THE KENTUCKY CENTER PURCHASES BROWN THEATRE FROM FFTA PROPERTIES INC

LOUISVILLE, KY (April 20, 2018) – The Kentucky Center is thrilled to announce the purchase of the historic Brown Theatre from the FFTA Properties Inc., a sister organization of Fund for the Arts. The building was gifted to the Fund for the Arts in 1997 and transferred to FFTA Properties Inc. in 1998. The Kentucky Center has managed the operations and programming for the last 21 years.

The new acquisition will enhance The Kentucky Center’s portfolio of programming offerings, in addition to increased community engagement activities and events. The acquisition also resolves a seating capacity gap within the Center’s growing family of venues, offering up a new option for shows that require a mid-level venue with more than 1400 seats. The Brown Theatre is an integral piece of The Kentucky Center’s strategic vision for growth, which also includes the development of the new Paristown venue, expected to open in 2019.

“The acquisition of the iconic and beloved Brown Theatre enhances our growing ‘campus of venues’ across the community,” said Kim Baker, president and CEO of The Kentucky Center. “The Kentucky Center is honored to carry on the rich tradition of this classic venue, as it has long served as a hub for performing arts in Louisville.”

The Brown Theatre is currently home to Kentucky Opera and provides live performances that range from rock concerts to classic ballet performances, community arts education programs and more. The Kentucky Center anticipates no changes to the current lineup of shows and plans to continue to utilize the venue for its original intended purpose – to provide a variety of live stage performances and shows to continue to enrich the robust and ever-evolving arts scene in Louisville.

“Fund for the Arts is excited for this new chapter of the historic Brown Theatre where the community will continue to experience world-class, inspiring performances,” said Christen Boone, Fund for the Arts President & CEO.

The Brown Theatre originally opened in 1925. During the Great Depression the venue served as a movie theatre after live act bookings could no longer afford to perform during those challenging economic times. In 1962, live performances returned to the Brown’s stage, offering performances in every imaginable genre, including musical performances, dance, theatre and more. After a series of ownership changes in the 1970s and 1980s, the Theatre was donated to FFTA Properties in 1997, with The Kentucky Center contracted to operate and program the venue.

ABOUT THE KENTUCKY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS:
The mission of The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts is to lead and enrich the artistic, educational and economic vitality of the region by providing unparalleled programming and cultural events. As an integral member of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage cabinet, The Center, along with the other agencies, seek to preserve and promote the history, heritage and arts of the Commonwealth.

ABOUT FFTA PROPERTIES INC.
A sister organization of the Fund for the Arts, FFTA Properties, Inc., owns and manages ArtSpace. Located at 323 West Broadway, ArtSpace is a mixed-use development featuring a non-profit business incubator, arts administrative offices, classrooms, meeting spaces, a rehearsal hall costume shop.

 

Register now for Accessibility 101 presented by the new Louisville Cultural Accessibility Association

We believe everyone deserves access to Louisville’s diverse arts and cultural experiences. 

Our mission at the Louisville Cultural Accessibility Association (LCAA) is to inspire Louisville’s cultural community to become the most accessible arts and cultural community in the country for guests with disabilities. 

In support of this mission, LCAA will offer monthly professional development sessions for arts and cultural administrators. 

Registration is now open for our first professional development session: 

Accessibility 101

Friday, March 23

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

American Printing House for the Blind

1839 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lcaa-accessibility-101-tickets-43439731406

Accessibility 101 will outline initial steps your organization can take to provide a more accessible and inclusive experience for visitors at your venue or events.

During this session we will also discuss the function of this new group, its goals, and upcoming session topics.

Speakers for Accessibility 101 are the current LCAA Steering Committee:

• Allison Hammons, Actors Theatre of Louisville
• Michael Hudson, Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind
• Stacy Ridgway, The Kentucky Center for the Arts

Questions? louisvilleculturalaccess@gmail.com

The meeting will include the following accommodations. If you need additional accommodations, please request by email by March 19, 2018.

   
     

Registration is NOT required, but lunch will only be provided for those who pre-registered.

If you have dietary restrictions, please email those by Tuesday, March 19.

Anyone is welcome to attend these sessions, but the focus is on professional development for arts and cultural administrators.

In addition to connecting people committed to access and inclusion, LCCA will soon provide an online directory of accessible event listings. 

LCAA is made possible by Imagine Greater Louisville 2020, through a partnership between the American Printing House for the Blind Museum, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and The Kentucky Center for the Arts . 

 

     

           

        

 

       

 

 

HAMILTON to anchor PNC Broadway in Louisville 2018-19 season; subscriptions on sale March 1 at BroadwayinLouisville.com

HAMILTON TO ANCHOR PNC BROADWAY IN LOUISVILLE 2018-2019 SEASON

DISNEY’S ALADDIN TO KICK OFF SERIES OCTOBER 2018! 

Louisville, KY (February 28, 2018) – PNC Broadway in Louisville is proud to announce the 2018-2019 Season which includes the Broadway Musical, HAMILTON, playing its premiere Louisville engagement and anchoring the 2018-2019 Season, along with Disney’s ALADDIN, opening the  season this October.  And Broadway’s most beloved musical is back where it belongs with the  Tony Award-winning Best Musical Revival HELLO, DOLLY! starring Broadway legend Betty Buckley!  The season also includes the holiday favorite A CHRISTMAS STORY The Musical, the hilarious new musical smash SOMETHING ROTTEN!, Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s hit ON YOUR FEET!, and back by popular demand, a limited one-week return engagement of THE BOOK OF MORMON as a season option.   

“We’re beyond ecstatic to announce another season of hit shows, including Hamilton,” said Leslie Broecker, PNC Broadway in Louisville President.  “It’s Louisville’s incredible appetite for theatre that continues to break attendance records, becoming the third highest in subscriptions per capita in Broadway Across America’s network of 38 cities across North America.” 

2018-2019 SEASON SHOWS

Disney’s ALADDIN (October 10-21, 2018)

A CHRISTMAS STORY THE MUSICAL  (November 27-December 2, 2018)

SOMETHING ROTTEN!  (January 15-20, 2019)

ON YOUR FEET!  (March 12-17, 2019)

HELLO, DOLLY!   ( May 14-19, 2019)

HAMILTON (June 4-23, 2019) 

SEASON OPTION

THE BOOK OF MORMON  (February 26-March 3, 2019)

 Season tickets for the 2018-2019 PNC Broadway in Louisville Season will go on sale Thursday, March 1 at 6 am with three convenient ways to purchase:

1. Order online at BroadwayinLouisville.com.
2. Call the Broadway Across America toll-free Louisville Season Ticket Hotline at 502-561-1003. The Hotline hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.
3. Select your seats in person at the PNC Broadway in Louisville Box Office at 620 W Main Street, Ste 100, Monday – Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.

Prices for the six-show season ticket package range between $246 and $844 depending on seat location.

For show descriptions, please visit BroadwayinLouisville.com. 

 EXCLUSIVE SEASON TICKET HOLDER REWARDS:

• Subscribers save 37% off public ticket prices
• Priority purchase opportunity for tickets to The Book of Mormon
• Lost ticket insurance and replacement service
• Purchasing privileges in any of our other Broadway Across America cities
• Same premium seat location for all season shows
• Priority renewal for future seasons

SEASON PATRON CLUB

Season Patron Club members enjoy additional benefits that include guaranteed seating in the Grand Tier box seats, Front Orchestra, Front Grand Tier, or Balcony box seats, complimentary parking for all regular season shows, name recognition in the souvenir program, and exclusive access to the North Lobby Patron Club Room for pre-show and intermission private bar service.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

PNC Broadway in Louisville shows typically run for one week at The Kentucky Center.  Performance options are Tuesday through Thursday evenings at 7:30pm, Friday evenings at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 2:00 & 8:00pm and Sundays at 1:00 & 6:30pm. (All times are subject to change). An audio-described performance for the visually impaired is available on Saturday matinees and closed captioning is available Saturday evenings.  Anyone requiring this service or accommodations for people with disabilities should request so when purchasing season tickets.

GROUP SALES AND SINGLE TICKETS

Group reservations are currently being accepted for all shows except HAMILTON, which will not be available for group sales.  Pricing and payment information can be found online at BroadwayinLouisville.com or by calling the Group Sales Manager, Jenny Ward, at 502-569-3060.

Tickets for individual shows are not available at this time and typically go on sale to the general public 4-6 weeks prior to the opening of the show. 

For priority offers, updates, and news, join the EClub at BroadwayinLouisville.com. 

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The Louisville Theatrical Association, founded in 1938, is a civic, not-for-profit organization with a volunteer Board of Directors.  LTA’s mission is to sustain the Broadway Series as a dynamic and primary source of performing arts entertainment; to maintain the series as a resource to enhance the quality of other arts activities in the Louisville area; to assist in the preservation of historic theatre properties; and to extend community participation in the arts through programs of education.  LTA is a member of the Fund for the Arts. 

BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA is part of The John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com and is operated by John Gore (Owner & CEO). BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 38 markets. Current and past productions include Beautiful, Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, Finding Neverland, Million Dollar Quartet, Hairspray, On Your Feet!, The Producers, and CATS. Broadway.com is the premier theater website for news, exclusive content and ticket sales. For more information please visit BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com and Broadway.com.

Gheens Great Expectations concert, art contest, and residency celebrate Arts Education

On February 7, Whitney Hall was filled to capacity for the Gheens Great Expectations Concert, an eagerly anticipated free public event celebrating the power of arts education. Performances during the event included the Louisville Orchestra and Louisville Youth Orchestra performing side-by-side, and Youth Performing Arts School trumpeter Nicholas Recktenwald and his jazz ensemble, Spur of the Moment. This year’s event highlighted the visual arts as well by projecting images of winning entries from a statewide art contest inspired by Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. This concert also serves as the opening event in the Kentucky Music Educators Association’s (KMEA) annual conference.

In January, Gheens artists Nicholas Recktenwald and Spur of the Moment also performed for students at Jefferson County arts magnet schools, Lincoln Elementary and Western Middle School.

VIEW PHOTOS

READ 89.3 WFPL ARTICLE

Visit our website to learn more about our programs that enrich the lives of teachers and students in Kentucky’s public schools.

Keepers of the Dream celebrates Dr. King's vision and demonstrates how his legacy is active in our lives today

 

Over 1200 people poured into Whitney Hall on January 14 to celebrate Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and demonstrate through the arts how his vision remains active in our lives today.

KEEPERS OF THE DREAM, hosted by The Kentucky Center Artsreach program, in collaboration with River City Drum Corp and the Office of Mayor Greg Fischer, featured dance, spoken word, and musical performances by more than a dozen local ensembles. Pre- and post-show entertainment and activities filled the lobby all afternoon and into the evening.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS

The highly-anticipated annual event is also an opportunity to recognize those individuals working tirelessly to improve quality of life in our community.

The Mayor’s Freedom Award, first presented in 1988, recognizes citizens who have  dedicated their lives to promoting justice, peace, freedom, non-violence, racial equality, and civic activism.

This year's recipient is Rev. Dr. Charles Elliott, Jr., pastor of King Solomon Missionary  Baptist Church since 1961. Reverend Elliott has devoted his life to helping the poor, fighting the corrupt, and teaching children that education and jobs – and not violence or gangs – are their tickets out of poverty and despair.

ArtsReach Living the Vision Awards were presented to community artist-educators Keith Cook, Joan Brannon, Keith McGill, Troy Bell, and Lynn Johnson, Director of the Chestnut Street YMCA Black Achievers.

The Kentucky Center becomes first performing arts venue to employ Indoor Explorer technology to aid patrons

 

 For Immediate Release:

Media Contact:

Mike Porto

(502) 566-5194 mporto@kentuckycenter.org

 

The Kentucky Center is First Performing Arts Venue in the U.S. to Use New Technology to Assist Visually Impaired Visitors

New Indoor Explorer Technology Created by Louisville’s American Printing House for the Blind to Kick Off with PNC Broadway in Louisville Musical Chicago

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (January 16, 2018) – The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts has a long, award-winning history of improving arts access for people with disabilities. Adding to a robust and dedicated effort to ensure the arts are available to everyone, The Kentucky Center is now the first performing arts venue in the United States to employ Indoor Explorer technology to assist visitors who are visually disabled. The “Indoor Explorer” app, developed by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), based in Louisville, Kentucky, presents a groundbreaking opportunity that advances access to the arts for those who are blind or have low vision.

APH has taken advantage of Bluetooth beacon technology with the app for use on iOS devices. Once visitors to The Kentucky Center download the app, they can easily navigate every aspect of the venue from the entrance, to the box office, the restrooms, and, of course, the performance theaters. The Kentucky Center’s volunteer staff will be prepared to help patrons to their seats.

“The Kentucky Center has a groundbreaking history in inclusivity and accessibility so that everyone can enjoy the arts,” said Kim Baker, President of The Kentucky Center. “This technology, provided by the American Printing House for the Blind, is revolutionary because it will literally open doors and present new opportunities for our guests with a visual disability.”

The technology will first be employed for the PNC Broadway in Louisville musical Chicago, at The Kentucky Center, January 23-28.

“Indoor Explorer” makes use of beacons and indoor information stored in the OpenStreetMap® database. There are 23 beacons are currently located throughout The Kentucky Center. The beacons were installed during the fall of 2017 in designated spots. When used, the app looks up the beacon’s latitude, longitude and floor number. It also looks up points of interest on that same floor and reports their name, distance and position as users move and navigate their way through the building. It also allows users to use the GeoBeam or Compass feature to point the device to locations inside the building. When using the app indoors, the compass, in addition to reporting the direction, names all the building features in that direction.

“The arts are an experience of all the senses and the heart, and they are enjoyed by many people with visual impairments,” said Craig Meador, president of APH. "By adding Indoor Explorer wayfinding to their already robust array of accessibility services, the Kentucky Center is affirming that the arts belong to everyone, and that no one should ever be excluded from the artistic experience.”

“Indoor Explorer” takes advantage of small beacons that periodically transmit brief bursts of data. The app can correlate each beacon’s identification with information about its precise location. “Indoor Explorer” uses this information along with the signal strength of the beacon and any other beacons that may be in the vicinity to help determine your location. Once the app has a location, it can access points of interest (POIs) such as ticket counter, restaurants, security, bathrooms and specific theater entrances.

The technology was developed by APH, who worked closely with The Kentucky Center as well as it’s access services team. Partial financial support for the installation of the new technology in The Kentucky Center was provided by the James Graham Brown Foundation.

The free app can be found in the App store by searching “Nearby Explorer”.

The Kentucky Center’s Access Services Program offers services to ensure that the facility and programming are accessible to everyone by providing assistive listening devices, audio description, captioning, sign language interpretation, and large print programs for events and activities at The Kentucky Center and other facilities, including The Brown Theater (Indoor Explorer is not yet installed at The Brown Theater). The Kentucky Center provides these services to partnering arts groups and at other organizations such as Actors Theatre of Louisville and the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival. For more information, contact the Access Services Hotline at (502) 566-5111 (V) or (502) 566-566-5140 (TTY) or email Access Services at access@kentuckycenter.org.

About American Printing House for the Blind

The American Printing House for the Blind is a worldwide leader in designing innovative lifelong learning solutions for children and adults who are blind or visually impaired. In this fast-changing world, we believe in the power and necessity of learning to open the doors to educational success, satisfying employment, social inclusion, active citizenship, and personal well-being. We level the learning playing field by providing specialized technology, materials, products, and services that are essential for education and life. The American Printing House for the blind is headquartered at 1839 Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky. For more information, please visit www.aph.org.

About The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts

The mission of The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts is to lead and enrich the artistic, educational and economic vitality of the region by providing unparalleled programming and cultural events. The Center serves Kentucky through education and initiatives which expand and diversify audiences while enhancing their understanding, appreciation and support for the arts.

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The Speed Concert Series Presents Jamie Barton, mezzo-soprano and Kathleen Kelly, piano

 

The winner of the 2017 Beverly Sills Artist Award and 2015 Richard Tucker Award, the winner of both Main and Song Prizes at the 2013 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, a winner of the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a Grammy nominee, American mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton has been described by The Guardian as “a great artist, no question, with an imperturbable steadiness of tone, and a nobility of utterance that invites comparison not so much with her contemporaries as with mid-20th century greats such as Kirsten Flagstad.”

 

Last season, Ms. Barton released her debut solo album, All Who Wander, featuring songs by Mahler, Dvorak, and Sibelius. She returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Fenena in Nabucco and Jezibaba in a new production of Rusalka, both simulcast in cinemas worldwide, and to Houston Grand Opera as Waltraute/2nd Norn in Götterdämmerung. She also made her Deutsche Oper Berlin debut as Princess Eboli in Don Carlo, and debuted with the New York Philharmonic as Fricka in Das Rheingold. Other recent concert engagements include a debut at Wigmore Hall and returns to the symphony orchestras of Toronto and Iceland, as well as the world premiere of Jake Heggie’s The Work at Hand at Carnegie Hall and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

 

Tickets on sale Friday, November 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM

For tickets click here.

 

The Speed Concert Series Presents Jennifer Koh, violin and Shai Wosner, piano

 

Violinist Jennifer Koh is recognized for her intense, commanding performances, delivered with dazzling virtuosity and technical assurance. An adventurous musician, she collaborates with artists of multiple disciplines and curates projects that find connections between music of all eras from traditional to contemporary. She believes that all the arts and music of the past and present form a continuum and has premiered over 60 works written especially for her.

The program for Jennifer Koh and Shai Wosner is from their Bridge to Beethoven project:

Bridging I     ANDREW NORMAN
                     (b. 1979)                                                                                                               

Sonata No. 6 in A Major, Op. 30 No. 1      BEETHOVEN
     Allegro      (1770 - 1827)
     Adagio molto espressivo                                                        
     Allegretto con variazioni                                                                                                                                                                       
Bridging II      NORMAN

Sonata No. 8 in G Major, Op. 30 No. 3      BEETHOVEN
     Allegro assai                                                                                
     Tempo di Minuetto, ma molto moderato e grazioso   
    Allegro vivace                                                                             

intermission

Bridging III     NORMAN                                                                

Sonata No. 7 in C minor, Op. 30 No. 2      BEETHOVEN
     Allegro con brio                                                                          
     Adagio cantabile                                                                        
     Scherzo. Allegro – Trio                                                             
     Finale. Allegro 

 

Tickets will go on sale Friday, November 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM

Tickets available here.

The Speed Concert Series Presents Ben Sollee + Martha Redbone

 

The Speed Concert Series in collaboration with The Kentucky Center presents
Ben Sollee and Kentucky Native + Martha Redbone Trio

Ben Sollee is a Kentucky-born cellist and composer who likes to keep moving. In March, he performed at Carnegie Hall as part of a tribute to Paul Simon. Throughout April and May, he was out supporting song-writer William Fitzsimmons. This September, he toured for two weeks in Europe and returned to the United States to perform with the Charlotte Ballet. If you’ve seen him perform, you know it’s not to be missed. For listeners just discovering Ben’s music, you’ll find that there’s a lot more to it than just songs.

Martha Redbone’s music flows equally from her own unique, award winning blend of Native American elements with funk from her deep roots in Appalachian folk and Piedmont blues flavored by the matriarchy that raised her on a rich sojourn from Clinch Mountain, Virginia to Harlan County, Kentucky and beyond to Brooklyn’s Dodge City-esque mean streets.

Tickets will go on sale Friday, November 10, 2017 at 10:00 AM

For tickets click here.