Kentucky Ballet Theatre
Kentucky Ballet Theatre’s upcoming season features classics, including “Peter Pan” and “The Nutcracker,” as well as some contemporary works such as the new spring program “Urban Dancers.” Photo by Joe Lyman.
Seasons are a-changing, and Lexington is gearing up for a fall season brimming with festivals, performances, art exhibits and other great happenings. On the following pages, we have culled an assemblage of details for events to look forward to as the days get shorter and the weather starts to cool.
Be sure to visit tadoo.com, our virtual arts and entertainment calendar, for daily updates on all there is “tadoo” around town, including live music, theatre, dance, literary, culinary and visual art events, and sign up for our weekly e-newsletter to get more great arts, culture and entertainment news and events delivered to your inbox every week.
VISUAL ART
"The Places We Live"
James Baker Hall
21c Museum Hotel
167 W. Main St.
Gallery hours: 24/7, all year
“Hybridity: The Supernatural.”. Sept. 1-June 30. Hybridity: The Supernatural explores the environmental, economic and technological conditions shaping the Earth and its inhabitants today. Opening celebration and artist talk with Alice Pixley Young on Sept. 9, 6-8 p.m.; free guided docent tours Wed. and Fri. at 5:30 p.m.
LexArts
Gallery Hops. Sept. 16 and Nov. 18; Jan. 20, March 17 and May 19, 2017. www.galleryhoplex.com
Presented by LexArts, this periodic “choose-your-own-adventure” styled event encourages attendees to explore the offerings of local art galleries. The Hops typically run from 5-8 p.m., with many galleries opting to stay open later. Visit the website for a full list of participating galleries each month.
LexArts Showcase Weekend. March 17-19, 2017. A celebration of the arts across all genres, this event will encompass multiple venues and many of the area’s best artists and arts organizations, featuring hands-on arts activities and theatre performances to gallery exhibits, contemporary fashion exploration, sculpture, printmaking and more.
ArtsPlace Gallery
161 North Mill St.
Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.; noon-5 p.m., Sat
Managed by LexArts, the 2016-17 ArtsPlace Gallery season includes six exhibitions, plus solo and group shows, with a coinciding Gallery Hop reception for each exhibit.
Sparks & Marks: Gordon Gildersleeve and Lawrence Tarpey. Through Aug. 27 (Gallery Hop reception: July 15)
Latino Blend. Sept. 8-Oct. 15 (Gallery Hop reception: Sept. 16)
Robert Carden, Ed Franklin and Bruce New. Oct. 27-Dec. 30 (Gallery Hop reception: Nov. 18)
Mark Francis in collaboration with Kentucky Folk Art Center. Jan. 12-March 4, 2017 (Gallery Hop reception: Jan. 20, 2017)
Kentucky Collects. March 16-May 6, 2017 (Gallery Hop reception: March 17, 2017)
University Open. May 18-June 24, 2017 (Gallery Hop reception: May 19, 2017)
PRHBTN
Oct. 8-15, Various venues
Once again, the annual city-wide street art festival PRHBTN will bring a collection of international muralists to Lexington to install public murals throughout the city. Public mural work will include collaborations from the duos Key Details & Yu-baba (Belarus) and Patch Whisky & Ghostbeard (Hawaii). Phlegm, the British comic artist and muralists, will also return to create a new public artwork following the recent destruction of the mural he created at the Pepper Distillery in 2013.
Lexington Art League
All events and exhibits are at the Loudoun House (207 Castlewood Drive) unless otherwise noted.
Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.; 1-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun.
(859) 254-7024
J. Daniel Graham: The Less You Say. Through Aug. 28. The conclusion of a three-month residency for printmaker, sculptor and installation artist J. Daniel Graham, this site-specific installation examines the history of this case, the Loudoun House itself, considered one of the largest and finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the state. A Fourth Friday reception Sept. 23 (6-9 p.m.) will close out the exhibit.
Black Friday Art Sale. Dec. 2 (7-10 p.m.) and 3 (2-7 p.m.) The Lexington Art League’s annual winter art sale features regional artworks all priced at $50 and under.
Lyric Theatre Gallery & Museum
300 E. 3rd St.
Gallery hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Fri., 1-5 p.m. Sat.
(859) 280-2201
Bridging the Legacy: Paul Campbell & Brian Campbell. Through Oct. 31. This intergenerational exhibit celebrates the ingenuity, influence and creativity of East End-based families, past, present and future. Using a multimedia approach, the exhibit highlights the dozens of narratives found within the historic East End neighborhood and showcases the importance of family and how talents and skills are invested and passed down generation to generation.
Art Therapy: A Luncheon Series. This one-hour lunch experience will offer an artistic and cultural outlet during the busy work week. On select Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., individuals or business groups can enjoy a catered lunch and live entertainment provided by local artists. The series includes music by DeBraun Thomas Trio (Sept. 14), The Pinky Promises (Sept. 28), Charles F. Moreland III (Oct. 12), Josyln & the Sweet Compression (Oct. 26), Ben Lacy (Nov. 9) and Willie Eames (Dec. 7).
Morlan Gallery
Mitchell Fine Arts Center, Transylvania University
Gallery hours: noon-5 p.m.
Mon.-Fri. and by appointment
American Mortal. Sept. 16-Oct. 14. Becky Alley and Melissa Vandenberg create works of commemoration set within the context of U.S. politics. With the fever pitch of presidential elections just weeks away, the two artists jump into the fray with sincerity and satire as they try to untangle ideas of nostalgia, gender and the homeland. Gallery Hop and opening reception with the artists: Sept. 16, 5-8 p.m.
Enough to Swear By. Oct. 28-Dec. 4. This exhibition includes mittens so tiny a grain of rice would fit in a finger, sculptures carved from pencil tips and horse bridles and saddles so small, a miniature pony would be too large to fit. “Enough to Swear By” features 18 artists from around the world (and just down the street) who are working in small scale to large effect. Gallery Hop reception: Nov. 18, 5-8 p.m.
Black Bone. Jan. 13-Feb. 14, 2017. Featuring the work of 11 visual artists and poets, this exhibition examines how those connected to “Affrilachia” – a term originally coined by Frank X Walker to encompass a spectrum of people of multicultural influence who consider Appalachia home – tell the story of the United States through visual and written culture. Opening reception for the artists: Jan. 19, 7:30-9 p.m. (a public reading from the “Black Bone” anthology will begin at 6 p.m. at the Carrick Theater). Gallery Hop reception: Jan. 20, 5-8 p.m.
The Places We Live. Feb. 21- March 29, 2017. This exhibition features the work of seven dynamic artists working in social engagement, an art practice where artists co-create their work with specific audiences. Gallery Hop reception: March 17, 5-8 p.m.
Senior Seminar Exhibition. April 6-14, 2017. Transylvania University Bachelor of Fine Arts students showcase their best work in this culminating exhibition. Opening reception: Friday, April 8, 6-8 p.m.
Juried Student Art Exhibition. May 4-19, 2017. Students from all academic disciplines submit work to be considered for this joyful, year-end celebration of creativity. This is a great show for adding to your personal art collection. Opening reception: May 4, 5-7 p.m. Gallery Hop: May 19, 5-8 p.m.
M.S. Rezny Studio/ Gallery
903 Manchester St.
Gallery hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; 12-3 p.m. Sat. and by appointment
(859) 252 4647
Tactile Expressions. Aug. 30-Sept. 30. Adapting to the change of gradually losing her eyesight, mixed media artist Jan Durham is attracted to the tactile components of working with wool and wax and created artwork that has both a tactile and visual appeal. In learning what it means to be visually impaired, she has a heightened sense of how difficult it is for the blind to participate in visual art events. Gallery Hop/artist reception: Sept. 16, 5-8 p.m.
The University of Kentucky Art Museum
405 Rose St.
Gallery Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri.; 12-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun.
Visit the museum’s websites for more info on specific events planned for each exhibit.
Note: The UK Art Museum will be closed for the month of December for renovation of the lighting system.
(859) 257-5716
MIRA SCHOR: Time & Flesh. Though Nov. 27. Mira Schor is a New York-based artist and writer who has made numerous contributions to feminist art history and contemporary criticism. Her paintings and drawings offer possibilities for representing the lived experiences of women, examining conditions of power, desire, voice and vulnerability.
DONALD LIPSKI: Pieces of String Too Short to Save. Through Nov. 27. Since 1979, Donald Lipski’s work has been defined by his manipulation of common materials in small and large sculptures and installations. Drinking straws, bits of wire, bottles, cigarettes, flags, musical instruments and countless other everyday items have been assembled into precise formal studies. In his steadfast use of commercial objects, Lipski continues the legacy of 20th-century artists, including Arman, Joseph Cornell and Marcel Duchamp.
JAMES BAKER HALL: The Poet’s Eye. Through Nov. 27. Writing and photography were James Baker Hall’s twin passions. A Kentucky poet laureate, he led UK’s creative writing program for three decades and published novels and books of poetry, as well as collections of his photographs. This exhibition includes Kentucky landscapes; a work from his series Orphan in the Attic, which explores childhood trauma; a portrait of close friend Wendell Berry, and more.
POTUS. Through Nov. 27. With the upcoming presidential election in mind, the museum has gathered an eclectic selection of political portraiture in drawing, painting and video. Gutzon Borglum, Joel Feldman, Harry Shearer, Edward Sorel and Gilbert Stuart are among the artists representing past and possible future leaders of our country, including Hillary Clinton, Abraham Lincoln, Richard Nixon, Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump and George Washington.
LOUIS ZOELLAR BICKETT: Saving Myself. Aug. 27-Nov. 27. Since 1972, Bickett has maintained a rigorous practice of collecting and cataloging items from his daily. Saving Myself brings together several specific projects that are part of what he calls THE ARCHIVE, his vast and detailed accumulation of photographs, receipts, articles of clothing, books, toys and furniture tell the story of one man’s awareness of time, place and connectivity to others.
Face Value: Photographs by DORIS ULMANN & ANDY WARHOL. Jan. 28-April 23, 2017. This exhibition is drawn from the museum’s collection of more than 500 Ulmann and 150 Warhol photographs. It examines their approaches to portraiture, construction of identity and radically different conceptions of art, class and society.
THEATRE & PERFORMANCE
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Tommaso Boddi WireImage
Nick Cannon
Superstar comedians Howie Mandel and Nick Cannon (pictured) will co-headline a performance Sept. 24 at Norton Center for the Arts in Danville, Kentucky.
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Lewis Black
Comedian Lewis Black will take the stage Oct. 6 at the EKU Center for the Arts.
AthensWest Theatre Company
Performances take place at the Downtown Arts Center’s Black Box Theater, 141 E. Main St.
(859) 425-2550
“Superior Donuts.” Oct. 7-23. Arthur Przybyszewski owns a decrepit doughnut shop in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. Franco Wicks, a black teenager who is his only employee, wants to change the shop for the better. Their interracial and intergenerational friendship moves in fits and starts until a crisis – and the revelation of Franco’s brilliance as a young writer – unfolds.
“Failure: A Love Story.” Feb. 3-19, 2017. By the end of 1928, all three Fail sisters will be dead – expiring in reverse order, youngest to oldest, from blunt object to the head, disappearance and, finally, consumption. Tuneful songs and a whimsical chorus follow the story of Nelly, Jenny June and Gerty as they live out their lives above the family clock repair shop near the Chicago River, before their time unexpectedly runs out in this magical, musical fable.
“In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play.” April 14-30, 2017. In a seemingly perfect, well-to-do Victorian home, proper gentleman and scientist Dr. Givings has innocently invented an extraordinary new device for treating “hysteria” in women (and occasionally men): the vibrator. When a new “hysterical” patient and her husband bring a wet nurse and their own complicated relationship into the doctor’s home, Dr. and Mrs. Givings must examine the nature of their own marriage and what it truly means to love someone.
Bluegrass Opera
(859) 940-9379
“Just So: Two of Tegumai’s Tales.” Nov. 4-6. Based on Rudyard Kipling’s “Just So Stories” and adapted by the British team of composer Paul Ayres and playwright Sarah Grange, this is a family-friendly story about a crab and a kangaroo that learn the dangers of greed and ego, and the importance of compromise and responsibility. Downtown Arts Center, 141 E. Main St.
“The Snow Queen.” Nov. 26-Dec. 4. A collaboration with Lexington Children’s Theatre, “The Snow Queen” is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless story of the same name, adapted for the stage by Robin Hill and featuring an original score and sound design by Lorne Dechtenberg. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St.
Lexington Opera House
401 Short St.
(859) 233-4567
“RENT.” Sept. 16-18. In 1996, an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway and changed the landscape of American theatre. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson’s “RENT” continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the world. 8 p.m. Fri.; 2 and 8 p.m. Sat.; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sun.
Black Jacket Symphony: “Revolver.” Sept. 30. This unique concert experience re-enacts classic albums in a live performance setting with first-class lighting and video production. A selected album – The Beatles’ “Revolver,” in this instance –is performed in its entirety by a group of handpicked musicians specifically selected for each album. 8 p.m.
Peter Frampton Raw: An Acoustic Tour. Oct. 22. The Troubadour Concert Series and Highbridge Spring Water present this acoustic concert evening with Peter Frampton. This rare acoustic performance will give Frampton fans a chance to see the legendary musician in a more intimate musical setting. 7:30 p.m.
Legends in Concert. Oct. 29. This internationally acclaimed and award-winning production is known as the pioneer of live tribute shows and showcases a fantastic collection of live tribute artists with pitch-perfect live vocals, signature choreography and stunningly similar appearances to the legends they portray. 8 p.m.
“Pippin.” Jan. 20-22, 2017. This high-flying, death-defying hit Broadway musical is full of extraordinary acrobatics and wondrous magical feats. With soaring songs from the composer of “Wicked,” this new production is the winner of four 2013 Tony Awards, including Best Musical Revival. 8 p.m. Fri.; 2 and 8 p.m. Sat.; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sun.
Rogers + Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.” Feb. 17-19, 2017. This Tony Award-winning musical from the creators of “The Sound of Music” and “South Pacific” is a romantic Broadway experience for anyone who’s ever had a wish, a dream ... or a really great pair of shoes. This contemporary take on the classic tale features a full orchestra, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments audiences have grown to love — the pumpkin, the glass slipper, the masked ball — plus some surprising new twists. 7:30 p.m. Fri.; 1 and 7:30 p.m. Sat.; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sun.
EKU Center for the Arts
1 Hall Drive, Richmond, Kentucky
(859) 662-7469
Note: We’ve outlined just a handful of some of the highlights for EKU Center’s 2016-2017 season — visit their website or www.tadoo.com for a full listing of events.
“Unelectable You.” Sept. 16. An interactive election year comedy revue created by writers from The Second City in partnership with Slate Magazine.
Lewis Black’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes: The Naked Truth Tour.” Oct. 6.
“Peppa Pig Live!” Oct. 8.
John Mellencamp: “Plain Spoken Tour.” Oct. 26.
“ELF The Musical.” Nov. 13.
The Ten Tenors: “Home for the Holidays.” Dec. 8.
Aquilla Theatre: “Much Ado about Nothing.” Feb. 23, 2017.
Lexington Philharmonic
Unless otherwise noted, all show times are 7:30 at Singletary Center for the Arts, 405 Rose St.
(859) 233-4226
Opening Night: Rapture. Sept. 16. Contemporary American composer Christopher Rouse’s ecstatic “Rapture” ushers in an evening of lush tonal explorations, Barber’s emotional “Violin Concerto” comes to life in the hands of 2016 Avery Fisher career grantee and Kentucky-born violinist Tessa Lark, and Tchaikovsky’s rousing “Symphony No. 5” completes the program during LexPhil’s 2016-2017 season opener.
Finlandia & the Northern Lights. Oct. 21. Grammy-nominated composer Christopher Theofanidis blends score, film, and narration into “The Legend of the Northern Lights.” Described by the Chicago Tribune as a “seamless fusion of science and fantasy,” the work features awe-inspiring visuals of the aurora borealis by astronomer Dr. José Francisco Salgado with a lush score by Theofanidis. Sibelius’ ode to his homeland, “Finlandia,” and his “Symphony No. 1” complete an evening exploration of the sights and sounds of the vast north.
To Be Certain of the Dawn. Nov. 11. Hundreds of voices from the region and Kentucky Opera Studio Artists unite in Grammy-winning composer Stephen Paulus’ profound oratorio. Premiered in 2005, the show was gifted to Temple Israel Synagogue on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi death camps. With Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony, op. 110a, written “in memory of victims of fascism and war,” “To Be Certain of the Dawn” embodies the triumph of the human spirit in the darkest of times.
Casino Royale: the Music of James Bond featuring Hilary Kole. Dec. 31. A dangerously glamorous New Year’s Eve brings the Casino Royale and everyone’s favorite spy to the Lexington Opera House. Vocalist Hilary Kole sings through the Bond film catalog, from “Casino Royale” to “Goldfinger” to “Diamonds are Forever” and more.
“Carmen.” Feb. 10, 2017. Romantic Spanish works by Piazzolla, Granados and Bizet return to the LexPhil season in “Carmen!” Granados’ “Tres Danzas Españolas” opens the evening, followed by world renowned Argentinean bandoneonist Héctor Del Curto for Piazzolla’s tango-fueled “Bandoneón Concerto and Oblivion.” A passionate performance of Serebrier’s arrangement of Bizet’s famous “Carmen Symphony” brings the evening to a sultry close.
Beethoven & Brahms. April 14, 2017. Bagpipes, Beethoven and Brahms team up to make a memorable April concert. Davies’ “An Orkney Wedding at Sunrise” celebrates the unlikely orchestral solo bagpipe, followed by one of the most famous first symphonies, Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 1.” Brahms’ “Concerto for Violin and Cello” features guest artists from the Philadelphia Orchestra, Marc Rovetti, violin and Yumi Kendall, cello.
Norton Center for the Arts
Newlin Hall, 600 West Walnut St.
Danville, Kentucky
Note: This is just a handful of some of the highlights for the Norton Center’s 2016-2017 season – visit their website or www.tadoo.com for a full listing of this season’s events!
Howie Mandel & Nick Cannon. Sept. 24.
Aoife O’Donovan & Willie Watson. Oct. 13.
Sound the Trumpets! Nov. 18.
“A Rockin’ Christmas” with Brenda Lee. Dec. 3.
René Marie & Experiment in Truth. Jan. 14, 2017.
Alonzo King: “LINES Ballet.” Jan. 25, 2017.
Steppin’ Out With Ben Vereen. Feb. 18, 2017.
Singletary Center for the Arts
405 Rose St.
(859) 257-4929
Capitol Steps. Oct. 16, 7 p.m. The Capitol Steps began as a group of Senate staffers who set out to satirize the very people and places that employed them. Since they began, the group has recorded over 30 albums, and has been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS and NPR.
Joe Bonamassa. Dec. 6, 8 p.m. Hailed worldwide as one of the greatest guitar players of his generation, Joe Bonamassa has almost single-handedly redefined the blues-rock genre and brought it into the mainstream. Bonamassa is backed by a stellar band of legendary musicians and background singers who bring a whole new life to the show, which will feature new songs alongside career-spanning favorites.
Moscow Ballet presents the “Great Russian Nutcracker.” Dec.19, 7 p.m.
Studio Players
Carriage House Theatre
154 W. Bell Court
Doors at 7:30 p.m., show at 8 p.m. on Thurs., Fri. and Sat.; doors at 2 p.m., show at 2:30 p.m. for Sun. matinees
(859) 257-4929
“Dixie Swim Club.” Sept. 15-18, 23-25, Oct. 1-2. Five unforgettable women, whose friendships began while members of their college swim team, meet at the same North Carolina cottage once a year for 33 years. Free from husbands, kids and jobs, they catch up, laugh and meddle in each other’s lives. A hilarious and touching comedy about friendships that last forever.
“Whodunnit, Darling?” Nov. 10-13, 18-20, 25-27. “A matter of life and death!” reads the telegram that urgently summons Damocles Cole, gentleman sleuth, to a dude ranch. It was death … and Dam’s ex-wife, Daphne, who sent the message. Reminiscent of the wisecracks and witty repartee of “The Thin Man” films, “Whodunnit, Darling?” premiered at Studio Players in 1983.
“Stop Kiss.” Jan. 12-15, 20-22, 27-29, 2017. After Callie meets Sara, the two unexpectedly fall in love. Their first kiss provokes a violent attack that transforms their lives in a way they could never anticipate. “Stop Kiss” is a contemporary play about relationships and abiding love that Variety calls “a poignant and funny play about the ways, both sudden and slow, that lives can change irrevocably.” Featuring adult themes.
“The Ginger Bread Lady.” March 9-12, 17-19, 24-26, 2017. Maureen Stapleton won Broadway’s Tony Award as Best Actress for the role of Evy Meara, a popular singer who has hit the skids. Friends and family try to help her adjust to sobriety with comic results. The play was rewritten by Neil Simon as the film “Only When I Laugh,” starring Marsha Mason.
“The Fox in the Fairway.” May 4-7, 12-14, 19-21, 2017. A tribute from Ken Ludwig (“Lend Me A Tenor,” “Moon Over Buffalo”) to the great English farces of the 1930s and 1940s, “The Fox On the Fairway” takes audiences on a hilarious romp, which pulls the rug out from underneath the stuffy denizens of a private country club. It’s a furiously paced comedy that recalls the Marx Brothers’ classics and a charmingly madcap adventure about love, life and man’s eternal love affair with ... golf.
UK Opera Theatre
(859) 257-9331
One of the leading opera programs in the country, the UK Opera Theatre performs at various locations. This season’s performances will be held in the Singletary Center Concert Hall.
“Ragtime.” Oct. 6-9 at 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 8 at 2 p.m.. This sweeping musical portrait of early 20th century America tells the story of three families in the pursuit of the American Dream. Written by the award-winning composer/lyricist team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, noted playwright Terrence McNally, and based on E.L. Doctorow’s distinguished novel, “Ragtime” is the winner of the 1998 Tony Awards for Best Score, Book and Orchestrations, and both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical and Best Score.
“The Barber of Seville.” Feb. 24-25 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 25-26 at 2 p.m. Several of the most recognizable melodies from this popular comic opera have entered the general musical unconscious, most notably the introductory patter song of the swaggering Figaro, the barber of the title. The opera offers superb opportunities for all the vocalists, exciting ensemble composition and a natural flair for breezy comedy.
UK Theatre Department
Guignol Theatre, 114 Fine Arts
Building (located on Rose Street). For tickets and show times, visit finearts.uky.edu or call (859) 257-4929.
“She Kills Monsters.” Oct. 27-29 at 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 29-30 at 2 p.m. Agnes is average. But when her teenage sister, Tilly, dies in a tragic accident, Agnes discovers Tilly’s Dungeons and Dragons notebook and sets off on an extraordinary adventure into the fantasy world of RPGs. “She Kills Monsters” is a witty epic with trolls, dragons, wizards and a “girl-nerd, the most uncommon form of nerd in the world.”
“Sense and Sensibility.” Dec. 1-3, 8-10 at 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 11 at 2 p.m.. This adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel follows the Dashwood sisters after their father’s death. In matters of love, do they follow their hearts or their heads? Reputation, rumors and romance in 18th-century England are explored through the stories of Austen’s strong-willed female protagonists.
DANCE
KBT: "Peter Pan"
Kentucky Ballet Theatre presents “Peter Pan” May 12-13 at the Lexington Opera House.
Bluegrass Youth Ballet
(859) 271-4472
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and The Nightingale. Sept. 23, 7 p.m.; Sept. 24, 3 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St.
The Nutcracker In One Act. Dec. 16, 7 p.m.; Dec. 17, 3 p.m. Singletary Center for the Arts, 405 Rose St.
Lexington Ballet
(859) 233-3925
A Soldier’s Tale. Sept. 23-24, 8 p.m. Downtown Arts Center, 141 E. Main St. A special collaboration between the Lexington Ballet Company and the Lexington Chamber Players, “A Soldier’s Tale” (L’Histoire du Soldat) was conceived by Igor Stravinsky and Swiss writer C.F. Ramuz, based on a Russian folktale, “The Runaway Soldier and the Devil.”
The Nutcracker. Dec. 3 at EKU Center for the Arts; Dec. 10, 11, 17, and 18 at Lexington Opera House.
Romeo & Juliet. Feb. 11-12, 2017. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St.
Kentucky Ballet Theatre
(859 252-5245
Ballet Up Close and Personal. Oct. 28-30 (7 p.m. Fri. and Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun.) Downtown Arts Center, 141 E. Main St. This presentation of neoclassical, classical and contemporary works will be followed by an audience Q&A session.
The Nutcracker. Nov. 19 (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.) Haggin Auditorium (Transylvania University), 300 North Broadway
Urban Dancers. March 17-19, 2017 (7 p.m. Fri. and Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun.) Downtown Arts Center, 141 E. Main St. KBT’s new spring program will revisit the Downtown Arts Center for an intimate and cultured performance featuring a wide range of choreographies and the talent of the professional company dancers through their athletic artistry.
Peter Pan. May 12-13, 2017 (7 p.m. Fri.; 2 and 7 p.m. Sat.) Lexington Opera House, 401 West Short St.
movement continuum
Ascendance. Nov. 18-20 (7 p.m. Fri. and Sat.; 2 p.m Sun.) Downtown Arts Center, 141 E. Main St. Lexington’s original contemporary dance company Movement Continuum presents its sixth season performance, “Ascendance,” an illumination of the annual and familiar evolution of seasons and how we navigate our personal lives as the world around us changes. Movement Continuum’s performances involve multi-media elements of video projection, extravagant costuming, original choreography and an escape for its audience into a world they did not know could be their own.
LITERATURE & FILM
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Kevin Gift
Ursula Rucker
Spoken word artist Ursula Rucker will be featured during the Sonia Sanchez Series as part of the Kentucky Women Writers Conference Sept. 15 at the Carnegie Center. Photo by Wendel Patrick.
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Wings of Desire
The Roda Goddard Film Festival will present a screening of "Wings of Desire" at the Kentucky Theater on Sept. 28.
Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning Events
251 West Second St.
(859) 254-4175
Kentucky Great Writers Series. Oct. 5, 2016; Feb. 7, 2017, 5:30 p.m. The Kentucky Great Writers Series connects authors to readers and writers in an intimate atmosphere. October’s event will feature Fenton Johnson, David Harrity and Jesse Donaldson, while February’s will feature National Book Award finalist Ada Limòn, Pulitzer Prize finalist Margaret Verble and American Academy of Arts and Letters Award winner Manuel Gonzales. NOTE: This season features an earlier start time than past seasons, and the events open with a 30-minute open-mic session to give the audience a chance to participate.
Carnegie Classics: “1984.” Nov. 5, 7 p.m. Big Brother invites you to walk into the pages of George Orwell’s classic novel “1984” for this annual series that celebrates a different classic work of literature each year with an immersive and interactive party. The historic Carnegie Center building will be transformed into a dystopian art-house, as guests reflect on the slogans of The Party: “War is Peace,” “Freedom is Slavery” and “Ignorance is Strength.” The event will feature musical and visual performances by Everyone Lives Everyone Wins, a “Victory” open bar and canteen, art inspired by the novel and more.
Rosa Goddard International Film Festival
Sept.14, 21, and 28 at 7 p.m. Kentucky Theater, 214 E. Main St. Presented by the eclectic campus-area bookstore and gift shop sQecial Media, the sixth annual Rosa Goddard International Film Festival will feature three classic foreign films at the Kentucky Theater in September, following the theater’s Summer Classic Film Series.
“A Man Escaped.” Sept. 14. Robert Bresson’s 1956 film follows a French protagonist named Fontaine and his attempts to escape the Montluc prison during World War II. The film is based on the memoirs of André Devigny, an actual member of the French Resistance who was held in Montluc prison by the occupying Germans during World War II.
“La Haine.” Sept. 21. Described as the unruly, illegitimate French child of John Cassavetes, Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese, Mathieu Kassovitz’s film “La Haine” is visually stunning, brutal and unsettling. The course of the film follows a day in the life of three young friends from immigrant families living in a housing project on the outskirts of Paris. This rough beauty remains every bit as relevant today as when it was released 21 years ago.
“Wings of Desire.” Sept. 28. One of the best “city as character” films, Wim Wenders “Wings of Desire” is a love letter to Berlin, made not long before the fall of the wall. With Rilke’s poetry serving as inspiration, the film follows the story of Damiel, an angel who wanders the city recording the thoughts, fears and desires of the city’s inhabitants. When he falls for a beautiful trapeze artist, he must decide if he will give up immortality to be with her.
Kentucky Women Writers Conference
Sept. 15-18. Carnegie Center, 251 W. Second St.
(859) 257-2874
The 38th annual Kentucky Women Writers Conference features readings, writing workshops, craft talks, panel discussions and publishing seminars led by a line-up of nationally renowned writers who include Mary Karr, Barrie Jean Borich, Natalie Diaz, Danielle Dutton, Lisa Russ Spaar, Dana Spiotta, Bianca Lynne Spriggs and Crystal Wilkinson.
The bulk of the conference workshops and other educational events will take place at the Carnegie Center (Sept. 16-17, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.), but the weekend’s itinerary also includes a handful of free community events, including the following:
Sonia Sanchez Series. Sept. 15, 6 p.m. at the Carnegie Center. This year’s performance and talk honoring Sonia Sanchez will feature spoken word artist Ursula Rucker, who has collaborated with the acclaimed hip hop collective The Roots and many others, in conversation with Patricia Muhammad.
Keynote Talk. Sept. 16, 7 p.m. at the Singletary Center, 405 Rose St. Mary Karr, best-selling author of “The Liar’s Club,” will lead a keynote talk with a Q&A led by Dana Spiotta.
Wild Women of Poetry Slam. Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m. at the Carrick Theatre in the Mitchell Fine Arts Center, Transylvania University, 300 N. Broadway. This annual poetry slam will feature special guest Melissa Lozada-Oliva along with emcee Sara Volpi. Open mic begins at 7 and is by advance sign-up only.
Stars of the Commonwealth. Sept. 18, 10 a.m. at the Carnegie Center. A twist on the traditional “Stars with Accents” conference event, this literary reading closes out the conference with readings from authors Sarah Gorham, Julie Hensley and Bobbie Ann Mason, with an intro and Q&A from Julie Wrinn.
Filmslang
Oct. 6-9. Central Library Farish Theater, 140 E. Main St.
(859) 231-5500
The seventh annual Filmslang Film Festival features a lineup of innovative and fiercely independent film screenings from Kentucky and bordering states. Highlights include the Lexington premiere of the award-winning documentary “NUTS!,” which follows the eccentric genius who built an empire during the Great Depression with a goat-testicle impotence cure and a million-watt radio station. New narratives, student films, documentaries, animated and experimental films from emerging and established filmmakers will also be screened throughout the weekend. Visit the event’s website for the schedule and more information as the event nears.
EVENTS & FESTIVALS
Music on the Lawn at Shaker Village
Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 29, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Road, Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Every Friday and Saturday night, The Trustees’ Table Lawn at Shaker Village features live music around the fire pits, as well as specialty cocktails, drinks and appetizers. Regular dinner and beverage menus are available outside, along with marshmallow roasts and kids’ games. Visit the website for a full line-up and more information.
Terrapin Hill Harvest Festival
Sept. 1-4. Terrapin Hill Farm, 3696 Mackville Road, Harrodsburg, Kentucky
The 15th annual Harvest Festival is a family-friendly event that takes place on a beautiful organic farm set in the rolling hills of central Kentucky. The festival features four days of music on three beautiful hand-built stages, as well as camping, food and craft vendors, community bonfires, fire-spinning by Spun Out Fire Productions and more. This year’s live music line-up includes bluegrass, reggae, roots, funk and soul performed by local, national and internationally known bands, with headliners that include Cincinnati’s Rumpke Mountain Boys, Hope Clayburn & Soul Scrimmage from Memphis, Geoff Achison of Australia, Spiritual Rez from Boston, David Gans of the Bay Area, and many more from Kentucky and surrounding regions. Four-day and two-day tickets are available in advance and at the gate.
Chinese Moon Festival
Sept. 10, 4-8 p.m.
MoonDance Amphitheatre at
Beaumont Circle, 1152 Monarch St.
The annual Chinese Moon Festival – also known as the mid-Autumn Festival – is a popular Chinese celebration of culture and togetherness dating back more than 3,000 years in Chinese culture. The local event, organized by the Kentucky Chinese American Association (KYCAA) is now in its seventh year and features live performances, including Chinese dances and music by KYCAA; samples of a variety of “Moon cakes,” which are the traditional Chinese food affiliated with the festival; a contest for Moon Festival student essays and art work; Chinese crafts; kids’ activities; and more.
Josephine Sculpture Park Fall Arts Festival
Sept. 11, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
3355 Lawrenceburg Road,
Frankfort, Kentucky
www.josephinesculpturepark.org/events-programs/fall-arts-festival
Josephine Sculpture Park’s largest annual event draws 2,000 visitors for a full day of hands-on art making, food, music, dance, storytelling, theater and tours of newly installed artworks. An experiential festival that encourages visitor participation, the event hosts a series of workshops led by professional artists and includes more than 20 free activities, from printmaking and Japanese book binding to mural painting, fabric dyeing, throwing pottery, creating a community sculpture and more. Visitors may also participate in advanced workshops (for a nominal fee), which include creating cast aluminum relief sculptures, blowing glass and forging decorative hooks on a blacksmith’s anvil. The amphitheater hosts several performing artists/musicians throughout the day as well.
Lexington Roots & Heritage Festival
Sept. 9-11 (Fri., 7-11 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun.,10 a.m.-5 p.m.)
Elm Tree Lane
For more than 25 years, the Lexington Roots & Heritage Festival has celebrated diversity in Lexington with a free, large-scale street festival taking place along Elm Tree Lane. The event features food vendors, live music, an African American marketplace featuring fine art and other retail vendors, a heritage parade, kids’ activities and other events.
Christ The King Oktoberfest
Sept. 9-10 (Fri., 4-11 p.m.; Sat., 1-11 p.m.)
Cathedral of Christ the King, 299 Colony Blvd.
Every year, the parking lot of Christ the King Cathedral is transformed into a festival wonderland for this popular fall event. Oktoberfest features fun for all ages, including German food and other delicious culinary options; kids’ games; the famous “Celebrity Cake Wheel”; inflatables; bingo; blackjack; and more. The “Oktoberdash” 3K run will take place at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10; sign up to participate at www.runsignup.com/Race/KY/Lexington/OktoberDash3k.
This year’s live music lineup includes Gin Blossoms, Fastball, Johnny Conqueroo, Rebel Without a Cause, The Landers, Thumper and the Plaid Rabbits and more.
Jefferson Street Soiree
Sept. 14, 6-10 p.m.
Jefferson Street, between W. Short Street and Maryland
The Jefferson Street Soiree has become an annual “block party”-style event celebrating the Jefferson Street’s thriving culinary and entertainment scene. The street will be blocked off to vehicular traffic, and Jefferson Street area restaurants and bars will serve food and drink, with food tents, beer trucks and music stages set up throughout the pedestrian thoroughfare. Tee Dee Young and The Wooks will both perform.
Cirque De Virgo
Sept. 16-18
HomeGrown HideAways, 500 Floyd Branch Road. Berea, Kentucky
www.rabbetfeathers.com/cirque-de-virgo.html
Cirque De Virgo is the newest festival to join the HomeGrown HideAways family. Described as a “feisty little upstart,” the event is an “amalgamation of magicians and musicians, fantasy and fire, carnies and chaos, madness and mayhem, artistry and antics, burlesque and badassery.” Presented by Rabbet Feathers Productions, this three-day festival centers on sideshow acts, magicians, comedians, flow artists and a variety of musical entertainment, and is open to audiences ages 18 and up (no pets allowed). Camping is included with admission, and the event will take place rain or shine.
Festival de Latino
Sept. 16-17 (Fri., 5-11 p.m.; Sat., 4-11 p.m.) Courthouse Plaza
150 N. Limestone
Festival de Latino features two days of Latin-inspired cuisine, dance and music. Friday night is “tropical night” and will include authentic Latino foods, live music and dancing, while Saturday will be full of cultural demonstrations, children’s activities, craft vendors and more. This year’s festivities kick off Thurs., Sept. 15 with a screening of the documentary “Club Frontera” at the Kentucky Theatre.
Queerslang
Sept. 16-17
Multiple venues, including Al’s Bar (601 N. Limestone) and 21C Museum Hotel Lexington (167 W. Main St.)
The University of Kentucky college radio station WRFL presents its annual “music and learning festival” in celebration of Lexington’s lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and ally community, in partnership with University of Kentucky’s VIP Center. This year’s event will span two days.
On Saturday, Sept. 17, Queerslang will host two rounds of free community workshops at 21c Museum Hotel Lexington from noon-3 p.m. Workshop topics will include activism, to identity/self-care, ally training and more, and are open to all ages.
The festival will conclude with a concert at the Al’s Bar complex on the evening of Sept. 17, headlined by Perfume Genius. The musical moniker of Mike Hadreas, Perfume Genius explores his own experiences as a gay man in his intimate and critically acclaimed music, offering hope and empathy to listeners. Also performing will be female fronted Brooklyn-based trio BOYTOY, known for their lo-fi garage-pop cassette tape sound, and Lexington’s “gender bending electro-clashy disco-pop” act Jeanne Vomit-Terror.
More information about the festival, including Friday events, ticketing and additional performers, can be found at wrfl.fm.
Japan Summer Festival
Sept. 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza, 120-150 North Limestone
This annual celebration of Japanese culture features performances, a Japanese marketplace, Japanese food vendors and more.
The WoodSongs Gathering
Sept. 23-24. Shaker Village
3501 Lexington Road
Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Billed as a both a member conference and music festival, this inaugural two-day event is geared toward musicians, music lovers and supporters of the WoodSongs “Song Farmers” initiative. The weekend will feature performances, group jams, films, lectures, workshops, a community barn dance and more. Featured artists include Pat Flynn of the group New Grass Revival and Lowell Levinger (aka “Banana”) from the Youngbloods, among others.
St. Andrew Orthodox Church Annual Heritage Festival
Sept. 24-25 (Sat., noon-8 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m.)
St. Andrew Orthodox Church
1136 Higbee Mill Road
The 26th Annual Heritage Festival, sponsored by St. Andrew Orthodox Church, celebrates the cultural heritage of the Middle East and Eastern Europe with food, music, dance and activities for the entire family. The two-day event features exotic foods and sweet treats from Lebanon, Palestine, Russia, Serbia and other Eastern European nations; Middle Eastern, Slavic, and Irish folk dance with performers in native costume; and concerts of Byzantine and Slavonic liturgical music. Church tours are held, allowing attendees the chance to admire the beautiful hand-painted iconography paintings.
Scarefest Horror & Paranormal Convention
Sept. 30-Oct. 2
Lexington Convention Center, 430 West Vine St.
The nation’s largest horror and paranormal convention features more than 80,000 square feet of exhibition space filled with a dizzying collection of exhibitors and vendors featuring strange and extraordinary horror and paranormal items; meet-and-greets with dozens of celebrities from the macabre genre (this year’s celebrity guests include cast and crew from “Friday the 13th” series; “Dawn of the Dead; “Scream;” and many more); seminars; psychic events; after-hour events and much more.
Bourbon Social
Oct. 5-9. Various locations
Presented by local events company LexEffect, this bourbon celebration boasts five days of events highlighting bourbon crafters, education for future makers, food and more. Events include seminars, tastings, “A Day at the Races,” a “main event” party and more. Visit the website for the full event schedule and details.