Show Spotlight: James McMurtry & Hayes Carll at The Burl in Lexington
Audience502 made a trip to the 859 to check out James McMurtry and Haye Carll at The Burl in Lexington. It was our first time to the venue that is a pure hidden gem of the commonwealth. If you haven’t been, be sure to check out their upcoming shows and get there! Located just west of downtown Lexington in the historic Distillery District, the area was surprisingly accommodating with several bourbon-themed restaurants and pubs across the street with plenty of parking. Our pre-show stop was at The Breakroom that was the actual breakroom for employees of the original distillery on site. It was a perfect spot to find a cold beer or cocktail (no food) and the bartenders were great and company was fantastic.
Jagged Little Pill 2-Show National Tour Premiere Set For Louisville Aug. 31 & Sept. 1
PNC Broadway in Louisville, in partnership with Kentucky Performing Arts, announced the upcoming Louisville premiere of 
Jagged Little Pill at the Kentucky Center August 31 – September 1.
Inspired by the seminal rock album of the same name by seven-time Grammy Award winner Alanis Morissette (she/her), tickets to the Tony and Grammy awarding-winning production’s two performances will go on sale July 26 and will be available at kentuckyperformingarts.org.
“We are so excited to host the launch of the national tour of Jagged Little Pill right here in Louisville,” said Leslie Broecker, President of PNC Broadway in Louisville. “The Kentucky Center has been instrumental in making this opportunity a reality and we are continuously grateful for their support and collaboration.”
Dirty Dancing in Concert Coming to Louisville November 9
Relive the timeless love story of Baby and Johnny as global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), GEA Live and Karl Sydow, along with presenters Innovation Arts & Entertainment and Kentucky Performing Arts, announce Dirty Dancing in Concert, celebrating the film’s 35th anniversary on a full-size cinema screen with a band and singers live on stage. With a soundtrack that defined a generation, Dirty Dancing in Concert promises to bring a new thrilling experience to the 80s classic!
Audiences attending Dirty Dancing in Concert will experience the hit film in a unique and unforgettable way. A complete screening of the digitally remastered film will play as a band and singers perform the songs live, in sync with the film. Stay for the encore party and continue to sing and dance along with the band to your favorite Dirty Dancing songs.
ACT Louisville Productions Announces Cast and Creative Team for The Sound of Music
Louisville, KY – ACT Louisville Productions (ALP) producers Beth Craig Hall (Actors Center for Training and Performing Arts Louisville) and Randy Blevins have announced the cast and creative team for their musical production The Sound of Music at The Iroquois Amphitheater July 15-19. Featuring legendary director, William P. Bradford II and rising Broadway Star Caroline Glazier in her professional debut, tickets to all seven performances will go on sale June 3 at 10am at actlouisville.com and at iroquoisamphitheater.com.
Festival Fever: Forecastle Returns to Louisville May 27-29
One of the biggest music festivals in the region is returning to Louisville this weekend for the first time since 2019, and fans are ready! Forecastle Festival is a three-day music festival that takes place annually at Louisville Waterfront Park and will host an expected 75,000 fans over the weekend. Started in 2002 by Louisville-native, JK MCKnight to showcase music, art and activism, the festival has increased in popularity every year and was selected as one of Rolling Stone’s “Coolest Festivals” of the year.
This year’s lineup is filled with some of the biggest names in the business with the likes of Louisvillian Jack Harlow, Tyler the Creator, Black Pumas and more. Once again this year, there will be three stages anchored by the Mast Stage (Main Stage on the Great Lawn) flanked by the Boom Stage and Ocean Stage located near the Joe’s Crab Shack and the expressway overpass, allowing multiple bands to play at once giving fans all they could want for the weekend.
Derby City Chamber Classical Music Festival – May 20, 24 & 26
“Barnburner” might seem an odd choice of words to describe a chamber music piece.
But you’ll forgive Nick Finch’s enthusiasm for the classical musical treasures he has programmed for the inaugural Derby City Chamber Music Festival, which unfolds May 20, 24 and 26 at Louisville’s Second Presbyterian Church. It’s a festival, Finch promises, that will return both players and audiences to some of their fondest musical memories.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a more ‘traditional’ model where we are playing some of the – for lack of a better word for it – we’re playing some of the greatest barnburners ever written.”
Performance Preview: Louisville Orchestra: Fantastique and Automation – May 13 & 14
YOUR Louisville Orchestra and Teddy Abrams are ready for the final concert of the season featuring the Symphonie Fantastique, Automation and more
Just because the piece is called “Automation,” doesn’t mean it’s going to play itself.
There’s the solo cellist, Ives Dhar. He’s going to play his part. And there’s the Louisville Orchestra. It’s going to play its part.
But the third part of “Automation” is a wild something that is going to play itself.
Louisville Orchestra Announces 2022-2023 Season Concerts Now On Sale
Now in its ninth season under the dynamic and inspiring leadership of Music Director Teddy Abrams, the Louisville Orchestra is proud to announce a season of creativity in 2022-23. Highlights of the season include new works by composers from the newly launched Creators Corps, the eighth annual Festival of American Music featuring works by the American cultural hero Leonard Bernstein, premieres and commissioned works by important voices of today’s composers including the 2021 Grawemeyer Award-winning composer Olga Neuwirth, acclaimed composers Joel Thompson, Thomas Adés, Mason Bates and Christopher Cerrone. Teddy Abrams performs as pianist and conductor for Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto in a program where he also conducts Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, plus performances by Avery Fisher Career Grant winner Tessa Lark and a long-awaited return to the stage of the momentous Symphony No. 7 by Anton Bruckner will engage the classical music lovers of Louisville. Headlining the Pops Series is Grammy Award-winning Broadway and Hollywood star Kelli O’Hara. Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt has lined up a season packed with entertainment including vintage films with some of the finest music scores are on display; the exceptional voice of Capathia Jenkins in “Aretha: A Tribute,” and the Emmy-Award winning vocal group Three Texas Tenors who have amassed a huge fan base worldwide.
Broadway in Louisville: 2022-2023 Season Announced
PNC Broadway in Louisville is proud to announce the 2022-2023 Season which opens with the return of the beloved theatrical masterpiece, Fiddler on the Roof and is followed by one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories of all time, Pretty Woman: The Musical. After the new year, families will get a dose of optimism and hope when Annie returns to Louisville for the first time in nearly 17 years! The season concludes with three hot premieres, the first of which is Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations. It’s followed by the Tony Award®-winning Broadway sensation Hadestown, and Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork, To Kill A Mockingbird.
Bourbon & Beyond Returns to Louisville Sept. 15-18
Music fans are excited to hear about the return of Bourbon & Beyond, one of the regions largest music festivals in the region. Producer, Danny Wimmer Presents, announced the much-anticipated return of the one-of-a-kind destination festival for September 15-18 at Louisville’s Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center September 15-18, 2022.
Five years ago, DWP – already running strong with Louder Than Life – imagined an idea to further explore Louisville as a unique American destination city, one at the crossroads of great music and incredible food in the heart of Bourbon country.
THE WOMAN’S CLUB OF LOUISVILLE presents LOVE, LOSS and WHAT I WORE
The Woman’s Club of Louisville Committee on Drama is thrilled to announce its upcoming production of Love, Loss and What I Wore, the award-winning play by Nora Ephron & Delia Ephron. Based on the 1995 book of the same name by Ilene Beckerman and told through a series of monologues and ensemble scenes, Love, Loss and What I Wore is a nostalgic recollection of pivotal events in women’s lives, highlighted by the clothes that make their memories truly unforgettable. Poignant, hilarious and heart-warming, this play is a celebration of fashion, women, and the thread that binds the two.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats to Perform at Churchill Downs on “Thurby”, May 5
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs announced a new Derby Week attraction that will open infield General Admission access for Thurby and feature a music performance by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. Thurby presented by Old Forester is a celebration of music and Kentucky bourbon and has become one of the most exciting ways to experience live racing during Derby Week at Churchill Downs.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats are one of the most recognizable new forces in contemporary rock ‘n’ roll whose mix of soul and rock quickly cemented them as a rare generational band who balanced ecstatic live shows and engrossing and rich records. The octet’s third album, The Future, is an instant classic of 11 songs that builds upon their original sound and recognizable zeal to present new and compelling depth and introspection.
Performance Preview: Kentucky Opera: Orfeo – February 11 & 13
What would you do to have one more moment with someone that you love who unexpectedly passed away? This is a question that has been posed to mortals since time began. If you are like Orfeo, you are willing to go to the bowels of Hell to reclaim your beloved. Based on the Greek mythological tale of the lovers Orfeo and Eurydice, Gluck’s opera Orfeo delves into the bereaved lover’s mind and the lengths that they are willing to take.
In Kentucky Opera’s upcoming production, which has not been performed in over two decades, director Kelly Kitchens adds a touch of personal experience to her vision of the story. “Where does fantasy collide with reality?” Kitchens asks. “As humans we are often looking for that second chance, so I want to show the audience a different, but relevant take on the torment that Orfeo is facing with the loss of their Euridice.”
Broadway in Louisville: Come From Away – February 15-20
Canada’s longest performing Broadway musical Come From Away returns to Louisville as part of their first post-pandemic North American Tour. Join us February 15th – 20th, 2022 at The Kentucky Center for an unforgettable performance. This New York Times Critics’ Pick will fill audiences with laughter, tears, and the hope that human kindness can drive out the darkness of hatred. Be a part of an emotional return to live theater and see the performance that tells a poignant tale of how one small town swings into action on September 11th, 2001. Writers Irene Sankoff and David Hein deliver book, music, and lyrics that are at once hilarious and heartwarming. The musical boasts a total of seven Tony nominations including Best Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Book of a Musical. Come From Away director Christopher Ashley received the 2017 Tony for Best Director of a Musical.
Jack Harlow Headlines Forecastle Festival’s Return to Waterfront Park May 27-29
The Forecastle Festival, Louisville’s longest running music festival returns for its 20th anniversary event Memorial Day weekend, May 27 – 29, 2022 with an all-star lineup boasting GRAMMY-winning rapper Tyler, the Creator, psychedelic rock powerhouse Tame Impala and GRAMMY-nominated hometown hero Jack Harlow.
More than 50 artists across hip-hop, alternative, electronic and more will grace the Forecastle stages over the course of the three-day event including Rüfüs Du Soul, Phoebe Bridgers, Porter Robinson, Clairo, 6Lack and Black Pumas.
Tickets are available immediately via SMS presale with a general on-sale to follow on Thursday, January 6 at Noon EST. Ticketing options include 3-Day and 1-Day tickets for General Admission, GA+ and VIP experiences.
Louisville Ballet CHORSHOW Performance Moves Digital Due to COVID-19 Rates
Dear Louisville Ballet Patrons,
I am reaching out today let you know that, in light of the recent, alarming rise in COVID-19 infection rates throughout our community, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our in-person performances of this season’s CHORSHOW, originally scheduled for January 12-16, 2022 inside our Main Street studios.
Please know that this decision was made because the health and safety of our patrons, artists, and staff is our highest priority. But that doesn’t mean we’re cancelling the CHORSHOW experience.
Performance Preview: Bob Bernhardt Celebrates John Williams January 15
Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt will celebrate his 40th season as part of the Louisville Orchestra with Irresistible John Williams on January 15. In this performance, Bernhardt selects his favorite musical hits from the iconic composer for an evening of the most memorable compositions in American film history.
Audiences can look forward to hearing beloved classics that have enchanted generations of listeners, including scores from Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, and Star Wars. Even Harry Potter is expected to make an appearance (musically, of course).
Louisville Orchestra Performance Preview: Yuja Wang Premiers Teddy Abrams’ First Concerto
The Louisville Orchestra is bringing superior performances to the stage to kick off the new year.
One of the first shows in an exciting 2022 lineup will be held on January 8, when charismatic piano superstar Yuja Wang will debut celebrated Music Director Teddy Abrams’ very first concerto. The world premiere of his highly anticipated concerto will showcase Abrams’ remarkable originality and invigorating leadership as a gifted maestro and composer. The Louisville Orchestra has performed 14 of his original works during his eight years as Music Director, including Unified Field (2016), The Greatest: Muhammad Ali (2017), and The Order of Nature (2018, in collaboration with Jim James from the band, My Morning Jacket).
Performance Preview: The Brown-Forman Nutcracker – Louisville Ballet
A Louisville Ballet tradition since 1963, The Brown-Forman Nutcracker returns to the Kentucky Center with exciting updates to the classic. A magical story for all ages, the show dazzles with beautiful performances by the artists of Louisville Ballet, Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece symphony played live by The Louisville Orchestra, and the sweet addition of children’s cast dancers from throughout the community.
Louisville Ballet’s artists are delighted to bring this beloved holiday experience live for the first time since 2019. Natalie Harris, Director of Marketing for the organization, remarks, “We can’t emphasize how exciting it is to be performing live and to bring back the magic of the season to so many in our community.” This feat of artistic collaboration between professional cast dancers, children’s ballet school students, local craftsmen and designers of the set and costumes, and musicians from The Louisville Orchestra must not be missed.
Old Louisville Holiday Home Tour Set for December 4 & 5
Unwrap the history of Old Louisville during the 44th annual Old Louisville Holiday Home Tour. Taking place Saturday, December 4th, and Sunday, December 5th, patrons will get a rare glimpse inside Victorian-era residences and historic buildings during the Yuletide season.
Tour-goers will learn the diverse history of Historic Old Louisville, which is home to the largest contiguous collection of Victorian mansions in the United States. In fact, two of Old Louisville’s most iconic mansions will be dressed in their holiday finery and open for tours this year. Known by locals as The Pink Palace, this Victorian Style Mansion is easily one of the most photographed mansions in Old Louisville.
The Pink Palace has not been open for public tours in 14 years. The Sloane Mansion, which has not been open to the public in over 25 years, is another Victorian Style Mansion on the 2021 Holiday Home Tour.
Got an idea? A story? A show update? A review? Let us know...we would love to hear from you!