♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ HELLO HELLO AND WELCOME TO INSIDE LOUISVILLE -- WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

I'M YOUR HOST, KELSEY STARKS.

THIS WEEK -- WE CELEBRATE 40 YEARS OF THE KENTUCKY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.

IT WAS NOVEMBER 19TH OF 1983 WHEN THE KENTUCKY CENTER OPENED TO THE PUBLIC TO MUCH FANFARE ON MAIN STREET IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE.

SINCE THEN, IT HAS BEEN THROUGH A FIRE... A PANDEMIC... AND A RECENT RE-BRANDING.

AND THAT'S JUST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

TODAY WE EXPLORE THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE CENTER.. AND MEET THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT.

>> THE INITIAL VISION WAS TO CREATE AN ART CENTER TO HELP MAKE LOUISVILLE THE GREAT DESTINATION THAT IT NEEDED TO BE.

THE PROJECT BEGAN WITH GOVERNOR JULIAN CARROLL IN THE 1970s.

WITH THE VISION THAT EVERY GREAT CITY NEEDS TO HAVE A GREAT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.

BEFORE THE CENTER WAS BUILT, LOUISVILLE'S RESIDENT ART COMPANIES, THE LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA, KENTUCKY OPERA, LOUISVILLE BALLET, PNC BROADWAY IN LOUISVILLE, THEY WOULD PERFORM ANYWHERE THROUGHOUT TOWN.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT VENUES BUT THERE WAS NOT ONE HOME THAT COULD BRING EVERYBODY IN.

SO THAT WAS A KEY DRIVER TOWARD GETTING THIS BUILDING OPEN.

IT WAS A PROCESS THAT TOOK A WHILE TO GET IN PLACE, BUT CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN 1980 AND NOVEMBER 19, 1983 WITH THE PAINT STILL WET IN SOME PARTS OF THE BUILDING, AND THE OPENING NOT GALA EVENT WAS HELD.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR MASTER OF CEREMONIES FOR THE GALA OPENING OF THE KENTUCKY CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Mr. CHARLTON HESSTON.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> YOU KNOW, SOME YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS IN EGYPT SHOOTING THE 10 COMMANDMENTS, JUST BEFORE I PARTED THE RED SEA, I REMEMBER SAYING... [LAUGHTER] NO KIDDING.

I REMEMBER DISTINCTLY SAYING IF THIS WORKS, SOME DAY I'M GOING TO GO OPEN AN ART CENTER IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

[LAUGHTER] >> THAT EVENT WAS NOT JUST A CELEBRATION OF THIS NEW BUILDING, IT WAS ALSO A FUNDRAISING EVENT TO FINISH CONSTRUCTION.

SO WHITNEY HALL WAS OPEN, NAMED AFTER ROBERT S. WHITNEY, THE LONG TIME CONDUCTOR OF THE LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA AND THE BALM HART THEATER WHO WAS THE FOUNDER OF KENTUCKY OPERA, WAS STILL BEING WORKED ON.

SO THE 750-DOLLAR TICKET OPENING NIGHT GALA FEATURED THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES, CHARLTON HESTON, PERFORMANCES FROM FLORENCE HENDERSON, LILLY TOMLIN, GEORGE STEVENS,, JR., PRODUCED THE ENTIRE EVENT.

THE CENTER STANDS AS A BEACON FOR THE ARTS.

AND A KEY DRIVER OF TOURISM FOR THE COMMONWEALTH.

AND IN ANY GIVEN YEAR WE ARE BRINGING PEOPLE IN FROM AT LEAST 115 COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

WE BRING IN PEOPLE FROM ALL 50 STATES THROUGHOUT THE UNION, AND SEVERAL COUNTRIES EVERY YEAR AS WELL.

SO A KEY DRIVER OF TOURISM, KEY ECONOMIC DRIVER, AND A KEY, YOU KNOW, CULTURAL AND THOUGHT LEADER NOT JUST FOR LOUISVILLE BUT FOR THE COMMONWEALTH AND FOR THE COUNTRY AND THE REGION AS WELL.

WHEN THE BUILDING WAS BUILT, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WENDELL CHERRY WANTED TO SEE HAPPEN WAS THAT THE EXPERIENCE IS NOT JUST WITHIN THE THEATER.

THE ENTIRE BUILDING NEEDED TO BE THE EXPERIENCE.

HE WORKED WITH HUMANA FOUNDATION AND DONORS TO PUT TOGETHER A COLLECTION OF 20th CENTURY ART.

ONE OF THE PIECES BEHIND ME IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY AND SHE WORKED IN FOUND PIECES.

SO SHE SPENT HER TIME SCOURING THE STREETS OF LOUISVILLE, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN THE ALLEYS, GOING TO CONSTRUCTION SITES, PICKING UP PIECES FROM THE CONSTRUCTION SITE HERE TO PUT TOGETHER THE PIECE BEHIND ME.

SO NIGHT WAVE MOON WAS ASSEMBLED IN HER NEW YORK STUDIO AND THEN THE BROUGHT HERE IN PIECES TO BE ASSEMBLED AS PART OF THE LARGER ART EXPERIENCE THAT ONE HAS WHEN THEY GO THROUGH THE DOORS.

THE JOHN CHAMBERLAIN PIECE, THE COLORED GATES OF LOUISVILLE, THOSE ARE CRUSHED CARS.

ONE OF OUR FOUNDING FATHERS, DAVID JONES SR.

SHARED THE TALE THAT HE THINKS ONE OF HIS CARS WERE IN THERE.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ACCURATE OR NOT.

IT MAKES FOR A GREAT STORY.

BUT THOSE ARE CRUSHED CARS.

AND YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AUTOMOBILES, AS THE BUILDING WAS BEING ABOUT IT, THAT INSTALLATION WAS HAPPENING.

SO THIS WAS CLEARLY PART OF THE LARGER VISION OF THIS BUILDING.

WE ALWAYS MEET ART ON ART'S TERMS.

AND THE VOICES THAT ARE ON OUR STAGES ARE AUTHENTIC TO WHERE OUR WORLD IS, TO WHAT THE ARTISTS HAVE TO SAY.

TO WHAT THE AUDIENCES WANT, AUDIENCES ARE LOOKING FOR.

SO YOU KNOW, THE CONCEPT OF ART MAY LOOK DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT THE SAME THING.

IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, MEETING THE ARTISTS WHERE THEY ARE.

MEETING THE ART WHERE IT IS.

SO THAT WE ARE PRESENTING AN ACCURATE AND AUTHENTIC REFLECTION OF OUR WORLD AND HAVING A REALLY GOOD TIME DOING IT.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> WELL, KIM BAKER IS THE PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

OF KENTUCKY PERFORMING ARTS.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

LOOKING BACK AT THAT OPENING NIGHT, THINKING BACK 40 YEARS AGO, I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOU THINK THOSE ORIGINAL VISIONARIES WOULD THINK OF WHERE THE CENTER IS NOW FROM WHERE IT STARTED?

>> OH MY GOODNESS, I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED ME THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT THAT A LOT.

I REMEMBER WHEN THE CENTER OPENED.

AND I WAS, YOU KNOW, A TEENAGER AT THE TIME.

AND WATCHING IT FROM MY LIVING ROOM.

AND I REMEMBER MY BROTHER ACTUALLY WENT DOWN WITH SOME OF HIS HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS TO STAND OUTSIDE AND WATCH THE RED CARPET.

BUT IT WAS A REALLY EXCITING NIGHT.

AND I, OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE GONE BACK AND READ AND EXPERIENCED WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE THERE, AND WHAT SOME OF THE THOUGHTS WERE OF THOSE LEADERS AND I WANTED TO BRING SOMETHING TODAY.

AND I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND IF I READ IT TO YOU.

>> PLEASE DO.

>> IT'S FROM SOMETHING THAT BARRY BINGHAM SR. WROTE.

IT'S JUST AN EXCERPT SUGGEST-- BUT IT'S ABOUT THE VISION OF OUR COMMONWEALTH.

IF YOU COULD, IF I COULD READ THIS ONE LITTLE SECTION.

IT SAYS-- AND THIS IS ABOUT KENTUCKY.

HERE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY WILL FLOURISH.

BUT THE ARTS THAT ENRICH LIFE WILL NEVER BE OVERLOOKED.

PEOPLE WILL DWELL HERE WHOSE GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT WILL INSPIRE THEM TO SHARE THEIR LOVE OF MUSIC, THEATER AND DANCE WITH AN EVER WIDENING AUDIENCE.

OTHER CITIES MAY GROW LARGER THAN THE ONE ESTABLISHED IN THIS PLACE, BUT NONE WILL BRING ITS PEOPLE A FULLER MEASURE OF HAPPINESS AND GOODWILL.

AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHY THE CENTER CAME TOGETHER AND WHAT THAT ORIGINAL VISION WAS AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE 40 YEARS, I THINK THAT THIS IS WHAT IT IS HERE FOR AND WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY.

THE AUDIENCE HAS BEEN EVER WIDENING AND THERE IS SO MUCH JOY THAT THE ARTS BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO OUR COMMONWEALTH.

I THINK THEY WOULD BE VERY PLEASED.

I ASK THAT QUESTION OFTEN OF PEOPLE, ABOUT DO THEY FEEL THAT THE MISSION, YOU KNOW, IS GOING ON THE RIGHT TRACK?

HAS IT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED?

WHAT IS THE NEXT ITERATION?

AND I ALWAYS HEAR, YES, PEOPLE DO FEEL THAT WAY.

>> YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING TO LOOK BACK THOUGH AT THAT TIME AND KNOWING WAS WE KNOW NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH A NO BRAINER.

BUT BACK IN THE 70s, IT REALLY WAS DIFFICULT TO GET THIS OFF THE GROUND.

THERE WERE PEOPLE ADAMANTLY AGAINST IT.

THE GOVERNOR, AT THE TIME, JOHN BROWN SAID PUBLICLY I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SPEND GOVERNMENT MONEY ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

AND SO IT'S INTERESTING TO LOOK BACK AND SEE ALL THOSE OBSTACLES AND HOW IT REALLY CAME TOGETHER.

>> YEAH, INTERESTINGLY, I THINK IT CAME TOGETHER IN THE BEST WAY THAT IT COULD HAVE BECAUSE THAT'S TRUE.

YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME, COMMUNITIES WERE BUILDING CULTURAL CENTERS.

WE HAD, OF COURSE, LIKE THE LINCOLN CENTER IN NEW YORK AND KENNEDY CENTER IN D.C. AND SOME OF THOSE INCREDIBLE ESTABLISHMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE NEED THIS HERE IN KENTUCKY BECAUSE AND STILL DO HAVE A WORLD CLASS ART SCENE, AND WE WERE KIND OF RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF SO MANY WONDERFUL MAJOR CITIES, AND TOURING WAS STARTING TO EXPLODE.

AND SO THOUGH IT SEEMED LIKE A NO BRAINER AT THE TIME, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT.

BUT WHAT THAT SORT OF DEBATE DID WAS IT SET A STRUCTURE OF A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT WOULD REALLY SERVE US WELL THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES AND WOULD HELP US GROW.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES TODAY.

BECAUSE IT IS NOT JUST GOVERNMENT FUNDED.

IT IS VERY MUCH PART OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND THE COMMUNITY.

IT TAKES ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO SUPPORT THE CENTER.

>> AND THAT MEANS THE COMMUNITY HAS THAT SENSE OF OWNERSHIP.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND ALSO HAS A VOICE IN HOW THE CENTER WILL GROW AND EXPAND.

DEFINITELY.

>> AND SO AS WE MENTIONED, YOU ARE PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

OF KENTUCKY PERFORMING ARTS, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM THE KENTUCKY CENTER.

AND YOU GUYS WENT THROUGH SORT OF A REBRANDING JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.

SO TELL US WHAT THAT ALL ENCOMPASSES NOW.

>> WELL, YEAH, WE DID GO THROUGH THAT REBRANDING AND IT WAS HARD BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE VERY ATTACHED TO THE NAME OF THE KENTUCKY CENTER.

AND WHY WE DID THAT, JUST TO GO BACK A LITTLE BIT IS THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS REALLY BEEN-- WE'VE HAD A STATEWIDE MISSION AND OUR PROGRAMS ARE MORE THAN JUST WHAT ARE ON OUR STAGES.

WE HAVE BROAD EDUCATION OUTREACH PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT OUR REGION AND REALLY, AS WE STARTED TO ALSO EXPAND IN THE VENUES THAT WE MANAGED, INCLUDING OUR PURCHASE OF THE BROWN THEATER AND THE BUILDING OF OLD PARIS TOWN HALL, THE NAME DIDN'T REALLY SAY ALL THAT WE WERE DOING.

AND SO THAT WORK CAME FROM ACTUALLY REESTABLISHING OUR COMMITMENT TO KENTUCKY.

>> YEAH, AND IT'S A WHOLE CAMPUS NOW.

AND WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THERE.

BUT AS YOU MENTIONED, THE EDUCATIONAL IMPACT.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> RIGHT.

WE ARE ONE OF THE ONLY-- ACTUALLY I THINK WE ARE THE ONLY CENTER THAT HAS A COMMITMENT TO YOUNG ARTISTS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMONWEALTH.

AND WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE BEEN EXPANDING THROUGH THE YEARS CALLED THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS.

SO THAT PROGRAM-- I ACTUALLY WENT TO THE PROGRAM IN 1987... >> DID YOU REALLY?

>> WHICH WAS THE FIRST YEAR AND IT WAS LIFE CHANGING CERTAINLY.

BUT THE IDEA THAT A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, AGAIN, THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY, CAN COME TOGETHER TO PROVIDE THE VERY BEST EXPERIENCES FOR GIFTED YOUNG ARTISTS, WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO US THEN AND IS NOW.

AND WE ARE GROWING AND EXPANDING THAT PROGRAM.

IN FACT, IT DOUBLED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND CONTINUES TO BREAUX BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT NEED, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOUNG PEOPLE AREN'T EXPOSED TO THE ARTS, IF THEY DON'T SEE OR FEEL OR PARTICIPATE, THEY ARE MISSING THAT THING THAT CAN TURN ON THEIR BRAIN TO A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES.

SO WE MAKE SURE THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE ARE DOING, IF WE CAN PUSH OUTSIDE OF OUR WALLS AND OUR STAGES, WE DO IT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, OUR PRESENT SERIES THAT WE BRING IN, WHERE WE CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, SCHOOLS IN THE COMMUNITY, OUR SUBSIDY PROGRAMS FOR TICKETS WHERE WE CAN MAKE SURE WE ARE BRINGING FAMILIES AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN TO MAKE ACCESS AVAILABLE AND REALLY WORKING TO GROW THAT.

AND THEN THROUGH REALLY COMMITMENTS TO THE ARTISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE DOING WORK THEMSELVES TO BE THAT ARM.

SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, FLOURISH AND TAKE, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH US AS WELL.

WE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THEM.

>> YEAH.

>> SO IT'S ALL ABOUT THOSE CIENTSDZ OF PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS.

>> AND I MEAN I REMEMBER AS A KID COMING TO FIELD TRIPS AND NOW MY KIDS GO TO FIELD TRIPS AND SEE THINGS AT THE KENTUCKY CENTER.

>> I'M SO GLAD YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO FORGET ABOUT STAGE 1 CHILDREN'S THEATER AND THEN ALL OF OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA AND THE LOUISVILLE BALLET AND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO REALLY MAKE SURE YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE EXPOSURE, PARTICIPATION, CONNECTION TO THE PERFORMING ARTS.

>> YEAH, IT IS AMAZING.

YOU KNOW,OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF GOOD HAS COME FROM IT BUT IT HASN'T BEEN WITHOUT CHALLENGES, PARTICULARLY IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS-- YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.

SO LET'S START WITH COVID AND HOW YOU ALL NAVIGATED THAT AND HOW DID YOU HAVE TO PIVOT AND GET THROUGH THAT?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THERE WAS NO ROAD MAP, AND THERE WERE JUST DAYS WHERE YOU WEREN'T QUITE SURE HOW YOU WERE GOING TO GET THROUGH IT AND SURVIVE.

ABOUT IT I'LL TELL YOU SOME WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENED AND REALLY, FOR ME, ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL THINGS THAT HAPPENED WAS THAT OUR INDUSTRY ACROSS THE COUNTRY REALLY CAME TOGETHER.

AND NOT ONLY CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE CENTER, BUT SMALL, PRIVATE, YOU KNOW, THE CLUB INDUSTRY, THE ARENA INDUSTRY, EVERYONE REALLY SHARED RESOURCES, KNOWLEDGE, BEST PRACTICES.

AND CAME TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO SURVIVE THIS.

AND THAT'S WHAT I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME DOING, WAS LEARNING, ADVOCATING, EDUCATING, AND JUST KIND OF CREATING A VISION FOR HOW WE WERE GOING TO COME BACK AND CONTINUE TO GROW.

AND SO IT FEELS A BIT LIKE YESTERDAY AND FOREVER AGO AT THE SAME TIME.

AND WE STILL ARE IN A RECOVERY MODE, ALTHOUGH FEELING MUCH MORE STABLE AND EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE AS WE HAVE COME OUT OF THAT.

BUT WE WERE SHUT DOWN FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND THAT'S HARD FOR ANY BUSINESS TO BE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND THEN TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REOPEN SOMETHING AS COMPLEX AS A CULTURAL CENTER.

>> AND THEN HOW DO YOU REOPEN AFTER A MASSIVE FIRE THAT ALMOST DESTROYED THE CENTER?

>> RIGHT.

YEAH, THAT WAS TOUGH BECAUSE THAT WAS RIGHT BEFORE COVID.

SO WE WENT FROM ONE TO THE OTHER.

I MEAN WE NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET OPEN AND 2 UP AND RUNNING AS QUICKLY AS WE DID IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THAT WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMONWEALTH.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE GOING THROW A CRISIS LIKE THAT, YOU REALLY NEED-- YOU REALLY NEED SUPPORT AND WE DID GET IT.

WE GOT IT FROM THE COMMONWEALTH, THE FINANCE CABINET, THE COMMUNITY, WHO REALLY OPENED THEIR DOORS TO MAKE SURE THAT BUSINESS WASN'T INTERRUPTED.

OUR RESIDENTS AND ALL OF OUR USERS WHO REALLY CAME TOGETHER TO SEE HOW CAN THEY SUPPORT US AND EACH OTHER?

SO I'M SO THANKFUL.

I'M SO THANKFUL FOR ALL OF THOSE PARTNERS AND FOR THE CARE THAT WAS SHOWN TO US DURING THAT TIME.

WE HAVE SO MANY GROUPS THAT WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH.

IT WAS INTERESTING WHEN I MENTIONED SOME OF OUR KEY COLLABORATORS.

I DIDN'T MENTION THE OPERA.

BUT YOU KNOW,AT THE BROWN THEATER, THE OPERA WAS PROBABLY THE LEAST IMPACTED WHEN THE FIRE HIT THE CENTER.

BUT THE IDEA THAT ALL OF THE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS CAME TOGETHER, AND THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER, TO REALLY HELP TO SAY WE ARE GOING TO OPEN OUR DOORS.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

WHAT CAN WE STAGE?

PEOPLE WERE INCREDIBLY GENEROUS AT THAT TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS AS LITTLE INTERRUPTION AS POSSIBLE.

OUR PATRONS WERE INCREDIBLY PATIENT.

WE THOUGH HAD SCAFFOLDING IN OUR LOBBY AND ALL OF OUR MAJOR SPACES, NOT THE THEATERS BUT ALL OF THE OTHER SPACES, YOU KNOW, FOR MANY, MANY MONTHS.

BUT YOU KNOW, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE AND TO PUSH THROUGH.

SO THAT FIRE WAS VERY DIFFICULT.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER IT AND YOU KNOW, AND I COULD UNDERSTAND FROM THE PUBLIC'S PERSPECTIVE HOW THAT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS AS IMPACTFUL AS IT WAS FOR US LIVING THROUGH THAT.

BUT IT WAS A TREMENDOUS EFFORT FOR ALL.

>> RIGHT.

AND I REMEMBER GOING TO A PERFORMANCE RIGHT AFTER AND YOU COULD STILL SMELL THE FIRE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL A CONSTRUCTION SITE, BUT YOU ALL CHOSE TO, YOU KNOW, THE SHOW MUST GO ON, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

AND IT IS TRUE.

THAT WAS PROBABLY THE WORST PART ABOUT IT AND SOMETHING THAT I, YOU KNOW, I THINK IS SO INTERESTING IS THAT WE MADE SO MANY CHANGES FOR OUR SYSTEMS FOR COVID WITH MAKING SURE THE AIR QUALITY AND THE AIR FLOW IS WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

AND IT TOOK CARE OF THE SMELL OF THE FIRE.

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT.

>> EVERYTHING WORKS IN STRANGE WAYS.

OKAY, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT'S NEXT.

WHAT IS NEXT FOR THE KENTUCKY CENTER?

WHAT CAN WE SEE?

WHAT IS YOUR VISION, I GUESS, FOR THE NEXT 40 YEARS?

>> RIGHT; WELL WHAT WAS SO WONDERFUL WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT PRIOR TO SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD, WAS THAT WE REALLY DID START-- WE STARTED ON A PATH TO EXPAND TO GET BACK TO THE EVER WIDENING AUDIENCE.

AND WE ARE STILL ON THAT PATH.

SO FOR US, AND WITH THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FORMING WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS WITH ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAYBE WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.

SO THAT WE CAN BRING THE BROADEST DIVERSITY OF ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES TO OUR STAGES.

WE'VE ALWAYS HAD INCREDIBLY DIVERSE PRESENTS SERIES AND PRODUCTIONS, EVEN IN OUR OPENING OF THE CENTER, WE HAD EVERYTHING FROM BLUEGRASS TO CLOGGERS, THE BLACK DIAMOND CHOIR, JESSE NORMAN, CHARLTON HESSTON, IT REALLY MADE A STATEMENT ABOUT THE BREADTH AND OUR RESIDENT COMPANIES, OF COURSE.

BUT I THINK FOR THE FUTURE, IT'S CONTINUING TO BUILD THOSE PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE RIGHT NOW IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE CENTER TO MAKING SURE THAT IT IS A THRIVING, EXCITING PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME SO REALLY MAKING SURE WE ARE WORKING TO KEEP DRIVING PEOPLE, THE BROADEST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE AND ARTISTS TO OUR STAGES, IS REALLY WHAT THE VISION IS.

THE OTHER VENUES LIKE PARISTOWN, HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS FOR US BECAUSE IT'S OPENED UP A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF ARTISTS AND TYPES OF ART FORMS WE CAN DO.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO WATCH.

AND JUST TO SEE THE CONNECTIONS THAT CAN BE MADE.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T GET TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE KENTUCKY CENTER.

WE TAKE YOU BEHIND THE CURTAIN NEXT.

>> I HAVE BEEN HERE, THIS WILL BE 35 YEARS.

>> YOU'VE SEEN A LOT.

>> SEEN A LO.

STARTED OUT, YOU KNOW, STARTED IN AS A CALL-IN EMPLOYEE IN THE THEATER.

OUR CAMPUS IS THE KENTUCKY CENTER, THE BROWN THEATER AND OLD PARIS TOWN HALL AND I'M OVER THE ENGINEERING, PRODUCTION, HOUSEKEEPING AND SECURITY DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CAMPUS WE ARE A WELL EQUIPPED FACILITY, VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND THIS AS A RESULT CENTER, BUILT IN '83, OPENED IN '83 WAS PUT TOGETHER IN A WAY TO ACCOMMODATE PARTICULARLY THE WHITNEY HALL TOURING SHOWS SO THE SIZE OF THE HALL, THE CONSTRUCTION, THE LAYOUT WAS REALLY TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE SHOWS AND WE HAVE, IF WE ARE NOT THE BIGGEST, THE LARGEST FACILITY AS FAR AS LAYOUT TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE A NUMBER OF NUR FACILITIES OUT TO COMPARE BUT I THINK WE RANK WITH THE TOP THE LAYOUT IS THE SAME FOR THE THEATER, IT HAS UNDERGONE A NUMBER OF CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE LAST 40 YEARS.

THE ACCOUSTICAL CLOWNS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED.

WE HAVE GONE FROM GETTING KIND OF DEEPER INTO IT, HYDRAULIC READING SYSTEMS CHANGED OVER TO MOTOR DRIVEN WHICH WAS A BIG CHANGE FOR US.

BEING 40 YEARS OLD, WE WERE TRYING TO MOVE IN TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF EQUIPMENT AND UPDATES BECAUSE WE ARE 40 SO THINGS ARE REACHING THE END OF THEIR LIFE SO WE HAVE REQUESTS, PROJECTS UNDER WAY, AND REQUESTS IN FOR THE STATE TO IMPROVE AND CHANGE THOSE PIECES OUT, YOU KNOW, LED LIGHTS LIKE THE CAMERA HAS HERE, UPDATES TO OUR RIGGING SYSTEMS, THEATRICAL SYSTEMS, SOUND SYSTEMS AND SO ON.

CHANGE IS CONSTANT.

SO WE ARE EXAMINING WHO WE ARE AND HOW TO SERVE OUR REGION THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

ONE OF THE COOLEST FOR ME IS REALLY UP AT THE FLY RAIL, IN THIS THEATER, WHEN BROADWAY SHOWS COME THROUGH, THEY TEND, MOST OF THEM WILL LEAVE A TRACE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN HERE.

IT IS A LITTLE PIECE OF ART THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED OVER LAST 40 YEARS UP ON THE FLY RAIL.

THAT'S ONE OF THE NEATEST THINGS.

>> SHOW US AROUND.

>> LET'S DO IT.

WE ARE OUTSIDE OF THE STAGE RIGHT FLY RAIL AND WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE DOOR, WE WILL BE ON THE STAGE RIGHT FLY RAIL AREA, BUT RIGHT OUTSIDE HERE AND ACTUALLY INSIDE, AS TOURS COME THROUGH, THEY HAVE DESIGNATED ARTISTS SO TO SPEAK THAT HAVE LEFT THEIR MARK FROM BEING HERE ON THE TOUR AND, AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE GO BACK A NUMBER OF YEARS.

SO EACH, MOST EVERY TOUR COMES IN AND LEAVES THEIR MARK ON OUR STAGE AND OUTSIDE THE ROOM HERE.

THIS IS THE FLY RAIL AND THIS IS THE FLY SYSTEM, COUNTERWEIGHT SYSTEM.

A NUMBER OF THEM ARE ELECTRIC, BUT THE MAJORITY ARE JUST STRAIGHTFORWARD COUNTER WEIGHT SYSTEMS.

THESE ARE THE LOCKS.

WHEN YOU WANT TO MOVE A PIPE, WHEN THE SCENERY IS GOING TO MOVE, YOU WOULD TAKE THE RING OFF, UNLOCK IT AND MOVE THE ROPE TO MOVE THE PIPE TO MOVE THE SCENERY.

SO THIS IS DIRECTIONS FOR THE FLYMEN FOR A PARTICULAR PIECE AND AS I SAID, IT'S CHOREOGRAPHED AND INSCRIPTED AND SHOWS THE TIME, WHAT IS THE CUE, WHAT LINE SET IS IT THAT'S BEING USED WHAT IS THE PIECE AND WHAT DIRECTION THE PIECING MOVING IN OR OUT.

WHAT IS THE SPIKE MARK, THE ROPES THEMSELVES WILL HAVE SPIKES ON WHEN TO START OR STOP.

, WHO IS PULLING THE ROPE AND THAT'S PROBABLY UP TO FOUR FLYMEN ON THIS PARTICULAR SHOW AND SPECIFIC NOTES ABOUT THAT MOVE.

RIGGING, IN GENERAL, CAME FROM SHIPS AND SAILING SO, A LOT OF THE TECHNIQUES CAME TO THEATER FROM THE SAILING THERE IS A LOT OF MYTHS THAT YOU DON'T WHISTLE ON STAGE BECAUSE SIGNALS ON SHIPS FOR INSTRUCTION WERE IN WHISTLE.

AND SO YOU DON'T WANT TO CONFUSE AND ASK SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING BY WHISTLING.

>> YOU CAN TAKE A TRIP BACK IN TIME AND WATCH THE ENTIRE OPENING NIGHT GALA -- WE'VE LINKED YOU UP TO THAT ON OUR WEBSITE... AT KET.ORG/INSIDE LOUISVILLE.

PLUS, IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE FROM BEHIND THE SCENES - CHECK OUT OUR INSTAGRAM.

YOU CAN FOLLOW AND SHARE AT KET IN LOU.

THANKS FOR SPENDING A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE THIS WEEK.

I HOPE WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR INSIDE LOUISVILLE... UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!