Kim Baker News

In an abundance of caution and in setting the example for social distancing in managing COVID-19, the decision has been made to temporarily close The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts for a period of 30 days, March 14-April 12, 2020.

Kentucky Performing Arts (formerly The Kentucky Center) has been recognized as one of the 2019 winners of the Healthiest Employers of Louisville, a nationally recognized awards program powered by the Springbuk Health Intelligence Platform.

The Kentucky Center and Old Forester today unveiled a new mural,  displayed on the exterior west wall of Old Forester's Paristown Hall. The mural conveys the lively spirit of the venue and embodies the cultural significance of the arts in Louisville. 

The Louisville Orchestra will hold its first performance a?" titled a?oeTeddy's Soundchecka?? a?" at the city's newest state-of-the-art performance venue, Old Forester's Paristown Hall, on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. The concert will feature Louisville Orchestra conductor and music director Teddy Abrams and musicians performing music of traditional and contemporary American composers and the opening and closing sections of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. The concert features music of exciting young American composers Ellen Reid (2019 Pulitzer Prize winner) and Mason Bates (Grammy Award winner), including some a?oeorchestral electronica.a??

Old Forester's Paristown Hall, after opening in late July, is becoming a neighborhood destination for performing arts a?' but is also making its mark promoting sustainability and healthy hydration. Through its partnership with Louisville Water Company, two water bottle filling stations are prominently featured inside the venue, each with messaging designed to encourage enjoying tap water.

The Kentucky Center is dedicating the 2019-2020 season of the MeX Theater to the late Kathi Ellis, a theater director and longtime Louisville arts advocate who passed away in July.  Ellis was founder and co-director of the Looking for Lilith Theater Company, which performed numerous shows in the MeX Theatre.

Old Forester's Paristown Hall, Louisville's newest state-of-the-art standing room venue, has announced a roster of performances for its opening in late July. These acts include iconic New York rock band Interpol, Memphis country-punk rockers Lucero and singer-songwriter sensation Gavin DeGraw.  The Opening Night event on July 23 will be headlined by Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, along with a slate of performers including the dance troupe Pilobolus, Mucca Pazza and local favorite Ben Sollee. 

Tonight, Louisville was awash with orange-the color of creativity-in celebration of the 2019 Awards in the Arts, presented by Kindred Healthcare and Joy Mangano, and hosted by The Fund for the Arts, Churchill Downs and the Lawrence Family Foundation.

A June 13 fire on the roof of the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts has closed the facility until at least June 25, forcing at least two local theatre companies to revise plans for upcoming productions and raising questions about the opening of the next entry in the PNC Broadway in Louisville series. The fire broke out around 2:00pm in an area in which construction crews had been executing repairs on the roof and was brought under control by the Louisville Fire Department within about two hours.

The Kentucky Center's Whitney Hall and Brown Theatre have both been recognized among the top 200 theatre venues in the world, based on ticket sales. Whitney Hall ranked 32nd and the Brown Theatre ranked 162nd. The report was issued by Pollstar, considered to be the only trade publication covering the worldwide concert industry.

The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts recently acquired three new art pieces, now in display in the Main Street building's balcony level lobby atrium.

Young Will Shakespeare has writer's block. The deadline for his new play is fast approaching, but he's in desperate need of inspiration - enter Viola. This beautiful young woman is Will's greatest admirer and will stop at nothing to appear in his next play. Set against a bustling background of mistaken identity, ruthless scheming, and backstage theatrics, Will's love for Viola quickly blossoms and inspires him to write his greatest masterpiece. Based on the beloved 1998 film of the same name, Shakespeare in Love is ultimate treat for both film and Shakespeare fans alike.

Pushed to their boiling points, coworkers Violet, Judy, and Doralee concoct a plan to get even with their sexist, egotistical, and bigoted boss. In a hilarious turn of events, they live out their wildest fantasies - giving their boss the boot! While their boss remains "otherwise engaged," the women give their workplace a dream makeover taking control of the company that had always kept them down. Set in the late 1970s, this hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era is outrageous, thought provoking, and even a little romantic.

A group of area artists, community, civic, business, arts and culture leaders today launched a long-term plan for how arts, culture and creativity can grow and help improve the Greater Louisville community.

The Kentucky Center's Whitney Hall and Brown Theatre have both been recognized among the top 200 theatre venues in the world, based on ticket sales.  Whitney Hall ranked 33rd and the Brown Theatre ranked 149th.  The report was issued by Pollstar, considered to be the only trade publication covering the worldwide concert industry.

The Bridges of Madison County, with music & lyrics by Jason Robert Brown and book by Marsha Norman, based on the novel by Robert James Waller, will run at The Circuit Playhouse, March 17 - April 9, 2017.

Julia Youngblood, director of ArtsReach and Community Arts Education at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, has been recognized by The African American Theatre Program at the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Louisville. She is being awarded The Lift Every Life Award, presented to individuals for creative work that creates positive social change.

The Kentucky Center announced today that Michael Porto has been named Senior Director of Marketing & Communications. Porto will be responsible for the creation and oversight of the Center's brand position as a leader in the local and regional arts and cultural community.

SCENE at the Center, a new small plates eatery and bar to open at The Kentucky Center, has appointed Scott Darnell to the position of executive chef.  SCENE will be open for bar and food service two hours prior to all performances in Whitney Hall and the Bomhard Theater. The kitchen closes as the performances begin, but bar service is available at intermission and until midnight following performances on Friday and Saturday nights.