The Kentucky Center has appointed Nick Covault to the position of Director of its Governor's School for the Arts (GSA) program. Covault will be responsible for supervision of the program, which for nearly 30 years, in partnership with the state, has enabled Kentucky high school students to engage in the arts during a three week, immersive residential summer program, providing instruction in nine disciplines: Architecture + Design, Creative Writing, Dance, Drama, Instrumental Music, Musical Theatre, New Media, Visual Art and Vocal Music. The program also works to engage high school students across the state interested in the arts through its fall ArtShops program.
?The Kentucky Center's Whitney Hall has consistently landed on the list of top selling venues in Pollstar, the only worldwide publication covering the concert and tour industry. This year's list of Top 100 Theatre Venues worldwide includes The Kentucky Center at number 20.
During the Holiday Season, theatregoers looking to dodge 'fairy dust' and seek for something beyond the shadow of the Ghost of Christmas Future might as well have a Christmas stocking with a hole in it. Occasionally, the 'grownups' might find something like the dark and challenging THE SEAFARER, which played to meager audiences a few years back at Circuit; despite an exceptional cast (Tony Isbell, Jim Palmer, et al) and a fine production, this beautiful little play failed to bring in the audiences (it was one of my favorite theatrical experiences). The result is that PETER PAN, A TUNA CHRISTMAS, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and all their Yuletide ilk pretty much dominate the stages -- and why not? They are delightful experiences, eliciting all the joy and sentimentality one craves as the 25th approaches. However, for those who gag on eggnog, Playhouse on the Square has squeezed out a few performances of I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, the 'slice of life' musical with Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro and Music by Jimmy Roberts. Ironically, it's Playhouse's 'gift' to those who prefer to leave their Christmas spirit at home.
Last year, The Kentucky Center convened a group of early child educators including University of Louisville professors, pre-school teachers and teaching artists to explore ways that the arts can support the development of emergent literacy skills in young learners. This group formed the Literacy ArtStrategy Incubator Program, which works to implement these lessons with classes of four-year-old children at the University of Louisville Early Learning Campus. This year, the program will collaborate with the co-founders of the nationally acclaimed ArtsLiteracy Project at Brown University for further training in the process of integrating the arts and literacy.
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change is on stage this holiday season at Playhouse on the Square! Told through a series of vignettes, this fast paced musical celebrates the ups and downs behind contemporary relationships.
The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts recently received a $30,000 gift from the Humana Foundation. This grant will be used to support The Kentucky Center's Arts in Healing program, which provides positive arts experiences to those healing from physical and mental health challenges.
The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts will welcome Charles 'Chuck' Schmidt to its team on Monday, Aug. 10, 2015. Schmidt will serve The Kentucky Center as Vice President of Facilities, overseeing daily operations, maintenance, security and safety, production, custodial and capital construction projects.
The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts received a $15,000 grant from The UPS Foundation, which drives global corporate citizenship and philanthropic programs for UPS (NYSE: UPS).
The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts welcomes Larissa Reece to its leadership team on August 10, 2015. The experienced fundraising and development executive will return to her hometown from New York City to serve The Kentucky Center as Senior Vice President of Development. Reece will oversee all fundraising and government relations efforts for The Center, both locally and statewide.
The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts will receive a $15,000 award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to present The Kentucky Center Integration of the Arts and Literacy Academy in June 2016 for Kentucky teachers. The NEA will make 1,023 awards totaling $74.3 million nationwide in this funding round. This is the second major grant announcement of fiscal year for the NEA.
The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts completed its five month national search for a new President today when it announced the selection of Kim Baker, former Senior Vice President of External Affairs, as the newly appointed President of the organization.