In February 2007, the Kentucky Classical Theatre Conservatory (KCTC) was formed, in large part as a response to the November 2006 announcement that the Lexington Shakespeare Festival would no longer continue its annual outdoor theater productions, which had been a Lexington summer tradition since 1982.
While KCTC board president Joe Cannon Artz says that the theater group wants to "establish [its] own identity" - which may not necessarily revolve around "The Bard" - for the time being, they are sticking to at least one Shakespeare production a season.
In addition to the Shakespearean "Henry IV (Part I)," this summer's season includes "Once on This Island," a Caribbean-themed adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid," and an adaptation of the beloved 19th century "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."