Audience Spotlight: Graham Parker – Louisville Orchestra – From Hip Hop to Pops: LO Has Something for Everyone
The Louisville Orchestra, founded in 1937, has a rich history of innovation and excellence, known for its commitment to contemporary music and premieres of new works including a recent concert compilation with Louisville’s own Jack Harlow. Under the leadership of Music Director Teddy Abrams, it continues to push boundaries and receive countless accolades.
The upcoming season promises a vibrant mix of classical masterpieces, groundbreaking premieres, and community-focused programs, showcasing the orchestra’s dedication to engaging and inspiring audiences across Kentucky and beyond.
Audience Spotlight: Erin Silliman – CenterStage – Combining Innovation with a Rich History
CenterStage at the Trager Family Jewish Community Center is one of the oldest continuously operating theater groups in the region, known for its high-quality productions of musicals and plays. The theater company moved to JCC’s new, state-of-the-art facility in April 2022.
Established in 1913, CenterStage enriches Louisville’s cultural landscape by showcasing local talent and fostering a love for the performing arts, while celebrating diverse stories and perspectives. Each season consists of four to five productions with six to seven performances each. This year’s line-up includes The Music Man, Bent and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, that were both in 2024, and upcoming productions include Disney’s High School Musical (Feb. 20, 22, 23 & 27; March 1, 2, 6, 8 & 9) and 9 to 5: The Musical (May 8, 10, 11, 15, 17 & 18).
We caught up with CenterStage Producing Director, Erin Silliman, to get the inside scoop about what’s going on with the season and what makes it such a special place for theater productions in Louisville.
Audience Spotlight: Robert Barry Fleming – Actors Theatre – Telling Stories of Value and Importance
Actors Theatre of Louisville has been a longstanding pillar for theater in Louisville since 1964. Located in the heart of downtown, Actors is known for its innovative productions and commitment to new works, garnering national attention and awards for its various works. It continues to be a vital hub for contemporary American theater today. We caught up with the theater’s Executive Artistic Director, Robert Barry Fleming, to hear more about his outlook on the arts community, his roles and responsibilities, biggest accomplishments, and more.
Audience Spotlight: Leslie Smart – Louisville Ballet – A Legacy of Performance, Education, and Collaboration
Founded in 1952, the Louisville Ballet is Kentucky’s official state ballet and is a cornerstone of the city’s performing arts scene. Renowned for its innovative choreography and compelling storytelling, the company presents a diverse repertoire ranging from timeless classics to bold contemporary works. With a commitment to artistic excellence and community engagement, the Louisville Ballet inspires audiences through its performances, education programs, and collaborative initiatives. The creative process delivers moving art that respects tradition, encourages innovation, and fosters life-long learning.
We caught up with CEO Leslie Smart, who shares insight about the company, her background, and the benefits of dance for both physical and mental health.
Audience Spotlight: Matt Wallace – Kentucky Shakespeare – Breaking Down Barriers
Kentucky Shakespeare may be most known for its world-class Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, but there is so much more to the organization. The group also provides education programs for schools, public performances, and community outreach programs. In fact, it’s the most comprehensive in-school arts education provider in the commonwealth. The group serves schools throughout the region with interactive educational programming directly tied to academic standards, helping to impact student achievement. Many of the programs explore conflict resolution, empathy building, and communication in a range of settings from preschools to senior centers.
We caught up with Producing Artistic Director, Matt Wallace, to hear more about what it takes to maintain excellence in the Shakespeare space, the programs they offer, and the importance and results of how said programs benefit students in the schools they visit. Be sure to visit KYShakespeare.com for an updated schedule of events and more information.
Audience Interview: Cash or Trade Ticket Platform Co-Founder – Dusty Rich
In this Audience Interview, we are excited to dive into the world of digital ticketing and how to navigate the process and what has become the norm for concerts, events, festivals, and really any live performances. There are certainly pro’s and con’s to the digital ticketing world, but in the end, I think it’s here to stay. To get an inside perspective on some of the best practices for ticketing in today’s landscape, as well as an alternate outlet for face value tickets, we caught up with one of the founders of the online ticket trading platform, Cash or Trade. Brothers Dusty and Brando Rich launched Cash or Trade in 2009 as a user-friendly ticket platform to buy, sell, and trade concert tickets for real fans of music that was kind of built and cultivated for fans and buy fans. From what started as a ticket trading bulletin board in a Phish show parking lot, has grown into over 500,000 users and a integrated fan experience for a much better price.
Listen to the interview:
Audience Interview: Nicole Yates – Caring for the Community
Nicole Yates has a passion for making her community and the Commonwealth of Kentucky a better place, and the arts are a big part of that. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Fund for the Arts and is also the Vice President for Growth and Community Engagement for Passport by Molina Healthcare, where she leads teams around the state to ensure that the underserved people of Kentucky have access to quality health care. Her efforts lead to real results that have real effects, and we can’t thank her enough.
Audience Magazine caught up with Nicole to hear more about her life’s work as an advocate for disadvantaged populations.
Audience Interview: Raphaela Platow – Director – Speed Art Museum
The Speed Art Museum stands as a testament to artistic exploration and cultural immersion. Founded in 1927, the Speed is not only the oldest and largest art museum in Kentucky, but also boasts a vibrant and diverse collection that has been applauded by the deep appreciation for the arts in the community, fostering artistic dialogue and igniting imaginations for generations.
We caught up with Director Raphaela Platow to hear more about her background, the importance of The Speed and the exciting new season of exhibits.
Listen to the full interview below:
Kentucky Center Celebration: 40 Years of Memories
The Kentucky Center opened in November of 1983 under the direction of Gov. John Y. Brown and a combined project budget from the state as well as local donors. Brown was quoted as saying there hasn’t been a more productive investment by the state than that of the arts center. He might be correct!
Over the years, The Kentucky Center has been the anchor for the arts and home to the major productions of Broadway in Louisville, the magical concerts of the Louisville Orchestra, the elegance of the Louisville Ballet and some of the biggest names in music, comedy, and entertainment. The Kentucky Center has hosted world leaders, presidential debates, and town halls on its stages. For 40 years, the flagship venue has proven to have been a great investment for the community, the city of Louisville and the entire commonwealth.
Looking back over the years, memories were made that will last a lifetime. We caught up with some friends of The Kentucky Center to find out what they love about the venue, as well as some of their favorite memories.
Audience Interview: Louisville’s Singing Sensation: D’Corey Johnson
Getting on a stage in front of an audience is one of the hardest things imaginable for millions of people who suffer from performance anxiety, better known as stage fright. A psychological setback, it can often be overcome with determination and practice.
When we watched 11-year-old Louisvillian, D’Corey Johnson, walk on stage to perform for the judges and audience of America’s Got Talent recently, we saw a lot of confidence — and certainly no stage fright.
We caught up with D’Corey, his mom, Nakia, and voice coach, Dionte Colbert, to find out more about this Louisville singing sensation.
Listen to the full interview with Audience publisher G. Douglas Dreisbach below.