Whit Whitaker is well known as a performing artist with an expressive tenor singing voice and the talent and versatility to play a wide variety of roles. The Detroit native is also an army veteran, former professional body builder, fitness instructor, and University of Kentucky graduate with a degree in voice and a master’s in arts administration (“Think of it as an MBA for nonprofits,” he says).
Whitaker brings this experience to his latest role as executive director of the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Center, where he oversees the administration and management of the nonprofit, city-owned facility, including fundraising, programming, community relations and business operations. We spoke with Whitaker about his ambitions for the historic venue, which first opened in 1948 as a movie house and celebrated the ninth anniversary of its 2010 grand reopening with a gala held October 19.
You gave the position a lot of consideration before deciding to apply, correct?
“I did. Actually the executive director position had come open two or three other times since I’ve been in Lexington, and people who knew me before I got into arts administration—who knew me as a performing artist who would usually rent my own venues, do my own advertising and things like that—would say I should apply,” Whitaker said.
Whitaker was performing and working as choral business director with the Lexington Singers when the search for a new director of the Lyric was launched this past April. He weighed his options and, after a Sunday morning service at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, decided on a course of action. “I prayed on it, and I said, ‘I’ll go to church and, after the sermon, if I feel like I’m not burdened or anything, I’ll apply.’”
He met several times with the Lyric’s board of directors, and also with Chester Grundy, who had served as interim director. “He was my biggest champion,” Whitaker said. “He ran minority affairs when I was in college and is a mentor. I flat out asked him, ‘Do you have faith in my ability?’ and he said, ‘Without a doubt.’ That really solidified it for me.”
Building community
One of the first things Whitaker did when he started in August was to walk through the East End community and talk with residents to introduce himself and hear their thoughts on how the Lyric should best be utilized. “I’ll do that forever,” he says. He also put out a call to local artists and reached out to other local arts organizations and nonprofits to see where they might collaborate.
“It’s not always just ‘buy these tickets and come see this show.’ I believe that the arts should be used in a more philanthropic way.”
“It’s not always just ‘buy these tickets and come see this show.’ I believe that the arts should be used in a more philanthropic way,” Whitaker said. “I’m all about community and reaching out and trying to affect one person at a time. It’s slow, but hopefully somebody sees you’re trying and they will want to help.”
Visually appealing
In addition to its historic stage, the renovated Lyric also includes space to host community events as well as two art galleries. “I saw how some of the art was presented and I just didn’t like it. It just didn’t look professional enough,” Whitaker said. A rail system with cable wiring will soon be installed in both galleries to help protect the integrity of the walls. “It will also afford the artists and the Lyric more creativity in the gallery hangings, because the cables can be different lengths, and we can create some really great visuals,” Whitaker said. “I want it to be like the Detroit Institute of Arts or the National Museum of African-American History & Culture, where there’s a ‘wow’ factor.”
Whitaker is also working to establish a retail space in the mezzanine between the two galleries where lesser-known Kentucky artists, and especially artists from the East End neighborhood, can display and sell their work. He’s also working with Community Ventures to acquire several scanners and invite people to bring in their old photos of the neighborhood and its residents and preserve them digitally. “We also thought we could have a projector that’s ongoing and then all these images would just kind of splash on the wall,” he said. “It’s about the stories. If you lose the stories, then you lose the legacy.”
Reaching new heights
The Lyric has a long legacy as a hot spot for Lexington’s African-American community, especially during segragation, and was well known throughout the region as favored venue where artists such as Ray Charles, Count Basie and numerous luminaries of the day would perform.
"I want to raise the Lyric to renewed prominence, and I want the money that’s coming in to be used to bring programming that helps bring people back to the community."
“When I give tours and talk about the history, a lot of people don’t realize how prominent this area was,” Whitaker said. “You had these African-American businesses and all of these wonderful artists coming and performing on this stage. I want to raise the Lyric to renewed prominence, and I want the money that’s coming in to be used to bring programming that helps bring people back to the community. Opening it up for more diversity and, always keeping an eye on the African-American experience, because that’s what the theater was born from.”
‘Music saved my life’
Whitaker has firsthand experience with the role that the arts can play in enriching both individual lives and the community.
“I grew up poor. We didn’t have much, and there were several times we were homeless. I was dealing with gang members. I got bullied. There’s a lot of adversity that you have to overcome, but you survived through community,” Whitaker said. “I didn’t start singing until sophomore year in high school when I joined the glee club, but then there was this whole other community. We were family and we always watched out for each other.
I graduated No. 2 in my high school class. My senior year, I had five music classes, lunch and gym and I was taking college calculus on the weekends. I’ve also been playing violin since I was 8. So, I think being an introvert, staying out of trouble and learning an instrument … also really helped. I think music saved my life.”
How can others help?
“I invite people to come talk to me. If you have a project that fits with the mission of the Lyric and is viable for the community, then we can sit down and figure out how we can have a mutually beneficial partnership,” Whitaker said. “I want people to know, if nothing else, just come down here. Look at some exhibits. Talk to us. Let me know what you’re thinking and let’s see what we can do.”