A comprehensive look at what's scheduled for local performing arts venues and organizations in the upcoming months, as featured in our 2024 Fall Arts Issue.
Click the following links for more Fall Arts Preview listings: Visual Arts • Dance • Literary & Film Events • Festivals & Events
THEATER & PERFORMANCE
Amadeus Lex
The organization Amadeus Lex was founded in 2021 by Dr. Jonathan Crosmer, with the goal of producing exciting, powerful and accessible chamber music concerts.
A New Chapter. Aug. 17 at Historic Wayne Theater (Monticello); Aug. 18 at St. Raphael Episcopal Church (Lexington)
Autumn Memorial. Oct. 5 at First Christian Church (Berea); Oct. 6 at Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church (Lexington)
Hungarian Dance. Jan. 9, 2025 at Union Church (Berea); Jan. 10, 2025 at St. Mark Catholic Church (Richmond); Jan. 11 at St. Raphael Episcopal Church (Lexington)
Spring Quarter. March 13, 2025 at St. Mark Catholic Church (Richmond); March 14, 2025 at Union Church (Berea); March 15, 2025 at St. Luke Church (Lexington)
EKU Center for the Arts
1 Hall Drive, Richmond • (859) 662-7469 • www.ekucenter.org
This is just a handful of highlights from EKU Center’s 2024-’25 season. Visit the website for a full listing of events.
Push Physical Theatre presents “Dracula.” Oct. 2.
“Elf: The Broadway Musical.” Nov. 2.
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (music and iconic scenes from the movie, brought to life with a live orchestra). Dec. 8.
Cirque Mechanics: Pedal Punk. March 28, 2025.
Jazz! Live at the Library
www.jazzartsfoundation.org/jazz-at-library
The free monthly concerts of this long-running series takes place the second Tuesday of the month (7-8:15 p.m.) at the Farish Theater in the Central Branch of the Lexington Public Library, 140 E. Main St.
Michael Cruse with Threo Trio (Keith McCutchen,
Tom Covello & Dave McWhorter). Aug. 8
Isaac Stephen Quartet. Sept. 12
Pat Harbison Quartet. Oct. 10
Jamey Aebersold Quartet. Nov. 14
Threo with Kirby Davis. Dec. 12
Lexington Opera House
401 W. Short St. • www.lexingtonoperahouse.com
BROADWAY LIVE! AND VARIETY LIVE PRODUCTIONS:
All shows take place at the Lexington Opera House. Visit the website for showtimes and other details.
“The Book of Mormon.” Sept. 20-21.
“TINA - The Tina Turner Musical.” Nov. 1-3.
“A Christmas Story.” Nov. 21-24.
“Clue: A New Comedy.” Jan. 24-26, 2025.
“Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations.” Feb. 7-9, 2025.
“The Addams Family: A Musical Comedy.” Feb. 28-March 2, 2025.
“Mean Girls.” March 21-23, 2025.
OTHER OPERA HOUSE EVENTS:
This is just a handful of upcoming events taking place at the Lexington Opera House this season. Visit the organization’s website for the full schedule and additional details.
Chris D’Elia: Straight Outta The Multiverse Tour. Sept. 28.
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. Sept. 30.
Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert. Sept. 10.
David Sedaris. Oct. 21.
Buena Vista Social Orchestra. Oct. 30.
Lexington Philharmonic
www.lexphil.org • Events take place at the Singletary Center for the Arts (405 Rose St.), unless otherwise noted
Titans. Oct. 5. The 2024-25 Season kicks off with the sweet and playful “D’un matin de printemps (Of A Spring Morning)” by Lili Boulanger, followed by “The Oak” by Florence Price. The concert will come to a riveting conclusion with Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, appropriately nicknamed “Titan.”
Give Birth to the Dream. Nov. 23. This program will open with Mary D. Watkins’ “Five Movements in Color” followed by Dolores White’s “Give Birth to the Dream,” which incorporates the poignant and hopeful verses of Maya Angelou’s poem “On the Pulse of Morning,” featuring narration and soprano soloist, Angelique Clay. The evening will close with the monumental “Piano Concerto No. 2” by Sergei Rachmaninoff, featuring acclaimed pianist Michelle Cann.
Cathedral Christmas. Dec. 13-14. LexPhil and The Lexington Singers return to the Cathedral of Christ the King (299 Colony Blvd.) for this holiday tradition in a program of timeless orchestral and choral works. This musical experience in a divine setting will transport all to a place of peace that evokes the spirit of the holiday season.
The Music of Pink Floyd. Jan. 17, 2025. Experience the kaleidoscopic fusion of live orchestra and progressive rock with the Music of Pink Floyd featuring the “Dark Side of the Moon” album and other highlights.
French Impressions. March 1, 2025. This program of all French music will open with a performance of Louise Farrenc’s “Overture No. 2” followed by Claude Debussy’s “La mer.” After intermission, LexPhil and Music Director Mélisse Brunet will collaborate with The Lexington Singers for Francis Poulenc’s “Gloria,” and then the steadfast snare drum will bring the orchestra to a resounding finale in Maurice Ravel’s “Boléro.”
Blockbuster Broadway. April 11, 2025. This show features a variety of show-stopping tunes from Broadway’s biggest hits, including “Wicked,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Annie,” “Jersey Boys,” “The Sound of Music,” “Chicago,” “CATS,” “A Chorus Line” and “The Lion King,” performed by some of New York’s top vocalists alongside the Lexington Philharmonic.
Rite of Spring. May 2, 2025. LexPhil’s 2024-25 season finale concert will burst forth into spring with Hector Berlioz’s “Roman Carnival Overture” followed by the evocative “Cyber Bird Concerto” by Takashi Yoshimatsu. The concert will reach its climactic finale with Igor Stravinsky’s formidable work, “The Rite of Spring,” originally a ballet but performed most often as a stand-alone orchestral tour de force.
The Lexington Theatre Company
www.lexingtontheatrecompany.org • Shows take place at the Lexington Opera House (401 W. Short St.); visit website for showtimes and more details.
“A Christmas Story.” Nov. 21-24. Unwrap the magic of the season with the stage adaptation of “A Christmas Story.” Will Ralphie get his Red Ryder BB-Gun? Or, is everyone telling him “You’ll shoot your eye out!” a sign that his wish won’t come true? Enjoy all the antics from the classic movie, set to a score by Pasek & Paul.
Concert With the Stars. Jan. 11, 2025. Concert With the Stars is a cabaret-style concert of show tunes, interwoven with behind-the-scenes stories from the guest stars. The Broadway Stars will also team up with a group of up-and-coming collegiate artists and recent graduates to celebrate the mission of The Lexington Theatre Company: to serve as a training ground for the next generation of musical theatre talent while producing professional musical theatre.
Norton Center for the Arts
Newlin Hall, 600 West Walnut St., Danville • www.nortoncenter.com
This is just a handful of upcoming highlights; visit the website for a full listing of this season’s events.
ZZ Top. Oct. 5.
The Righteous Brothers. Oct. 24.
Allman Betts Family Revival. Dec. 13.
Rosanne Cash. Feb. 15, 2025.
Yamato: The Drummers of Japan. Feb. 20, 2025.
Alison Brown. Feb. 28, 2025.
A trio led by New York-based pianist Dave Meder will perform at the WUKY studios on Oct. 19 as part of the Origins Jazz Series. Photo by Anna Yatskevitch
Origins Jazz Series
Edu Ribiero, Noah Garabedian, & Vinicius Gomes. Sept. 22. Two-time Grammy winner and renowned Brazilian percussionist Edu Ribiero will be joined by the Brazilian guitarist Vincius Gomes and Noah Garabedian for this intimate performance. 7 p.m. at The Apiary (218 Jefferson St.).
Dave Meder Trio. Oct. 19. This “Live from WUKY Studios” show will feature pianist Dave Meder, bassist Marty Jaffe and percussionist Michael Piolet. Meder’s music layers intricate harmonies, dynamic rhythms and a keen sense of storytelling. Building on elements of classical music, modern jazz, gospel and folk, his approach to ensemble playing reminds one of Vijay Iyer or Brad Mehldau’s trio albums. 7 p.m. at the WUKY Studios (2640 Spurr Road).
Outside the Spotlight Jazz and Improvised Music Series
Outside the Spotlight spotlights jazz and improvised music artists who are making music that doesn’t fit with commercial sensibilities. Performances are held at smaller venues, seeking to build audience engagement, and generally ask only a donation/pay-what-you-want for entry.
Bark Culture w Jacob O’Donnell Trio at the Loudoun House. Oct. 3 - venue TBA.
Tim Daisy & Sebastian Strinning w/Tandem (Raleigh Dailey & Cara Thomas. Oct. 20 – venue TBA.
JAKAL (Keefe Jackson, Julian Kirshner, Fred Lonberg-Holm) w/ Basher. Nov. 4 – venue TBA.
Singletary Center for the Arts
405 Rose St. • finearts.uky.edu/singletary-center
SINGLETARY CENTER 2024-’25 SERIES:
aja monet. Sept. 25.
Scott Frieman: Deconstructing Dark Side of the Moon. Oct. 10.
The Tuvergen Band. Oct. 19.
Emmet Cohen piano trio, co-presented by Origins Jazz Series. Nov. 3.
SCFA Visual Music Festival. Feb. 8, 2025.
Kodo. March 4, 2025.
Bonnie “Prince” Billy, co-presented by the John Jacob Niles Center for American Music. April 15, 2025.
SCFA EXPANSIVE SOUNDS SERIES:
With this series, the Singletary Center explores a broad variety of genre-defying sounds and expressions.
Setting. Nov. 7.
Franck Vigroux “Thirst.” Feb. 15, 2025.
Flore Laurentienne. April 2, 2025.
Studio Players
www.studioplayers.org • Performances take place at Carriage House Theatre,154 Bell Ct. • 8 p.m. opening night, Fri. and Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun.
“Boeing Boeing.” Sept. 12-15, 20-22, 27-29. This 1960’s French farce features self-styled Parisian lothario Bernard, who has Italian, German, and American fiancées, each a beautiful airline hostess with frequent “layovers.” He keeps “one up, one down, and one pending” until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris, and Bernard’s apartment, at the same time.
“Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some).” Nov. 14-17, 22-24, 29-30, Dec. 1. Instead of performing Charles Dickens’ beloved holiday classic for the umpteenth time, three actors decide to perform every Christmas story ever told, plus Christmas traditions from around the world, seasonal icons from ancient times to topical pop-culture, and every carol ever sung.
“The Outsider.” Jan. 9-12, 17-19, 24-26, 2025. Ned Newley doesn’t even want to be governor. He’s terrified of public speaking; his poll numbers are impressively bad. To his ever-supportive chief of staff, Ned seems destined to fail. But political consultant Arthur Vance sees things differently: Ned might be the worst candidate to ever run for office, unless the public is looking for the worst candidate to ever run for office.
“Witness for the Prosecution.” March 6-9, 14-16, 21-24, 2025. Leonard Vole stands accused of murdering a rich widow. The stakes are high with shocking witness testimony, impassioned outbursts from the dock, and a young man’s fight to escape the hangman’s noose. Regarded as one of Christie’s most accomplished plays, this suspenseful thriller keeps you guessing until the very end.
“The Book of Will.” May 8-11, 16-18, 23-25, 2025. Without William Shakespeare, we wouldn’t have literary masterpieces like Romeo and Juliet. But without Henry Condell and John Heminges, we would’ve lost half of Shakespeare’s plays forever. After the death of their friend and mentor, the two actors are determined to compile the First Folio and preserve the words that shaped their lives. This is an unforgettable true story of love, loss, and laughter that sheds new light on a man you think you know.
Troubadour Concert Series
www.troubashow.com • Shows take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Kentucky Theatre, 200 Main St.
Joan Osborne. Sept. 12.
Sam Bush Band. Oct. 17.
Riders in the Sky Family Show. Nov. 14.
Blind Boys of Alabama Christmas Show. Dec. 3.
University of Kentucky Opera Theatre
“The Marriage of Figaro.” Oct. 18-20 (Lexington Opera House)
“Sanctuary Road.” March 7-9, 2025 (Lexington Opera House)