Cast members from “Disenchanted!,” a musical comedy that will be performed in Lexington as part of this summer’s women’s theater festival Voices HEaRd. Photo furnished
As spring turns to summer, Lexington comes alive. From music festivals and artist markets to patio dining and outdoor recreation, the warmer months offer a little something for everyone — theater lovers included. As the Lexington Opera House gears up for a historic 50th season of Broadway Live!, and Studio Players prepares for its 74th season in 2026-27, local theater companies are closing out the current season with a new festival, the return of a beloved outdoor tradition and a major capital campaign designed to ensure theater thrives for future generations.
Voices Amplified, a theater collective dedicated to equitable arts education and performance, grew out of The Girl Project, an arts-meets-activism initiative that launched in 2011. With a goal of “empowering female-identifying high schoolers to challenge the misrepresentation and underrepresentation of voices and bodies in contemporary American media,” The Girl Project celebrated several successful seasons prior to the pandemic.
Vanessa Weig, executive artistic director of Voices Amplified, explained that while the organization already had a solid base in feminism, there were discussions swirling around the need to amplify other underrepresented voices.
This summer’s primary project – the inaugural women’s theater festival called Voices HEaRd, taking place June 3-14 at the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center – takes the organization back to its roots in feminism. Following a theme of “Reclamation,” the festival explores how women take control of their legacies by challenging the myths, stereotypes and sensationalized headlines that have long defined them. The festival features performances of the musical “Disenchanted!”; a developmental performance of “BORDEN: A New Musical”; and the “TICKTOCK Play Festival,” a showcase of short plays written by female-identifying playwrights from Kentucky to New Zealand.
Vanessa Weig, executive artistic director of the organization Voices Amplified, which is debuting a women’s theater festival this month. Photo furnished
Weig explained that the organization originally had something else planned, but because the play they were hoping to present is being made into a movie, they weren’t able to secure the rights. “I started looking for something else, and when I read ‘Disenchanted!’ I knew I had found it. It really dissects the ‘princess complex’ in a funny, smart – and slightly raunchy – way.
“My favorite thing about it is that the script makes a point to tell you to cast women of all shapes, sizes, and ages,” Weig added. “It turns the ideal of a princess on its head.”
“BORDEN: A New Musical,” on the other hand, offers a dramatically different tone. A musical as well, “BORDEN” tells the story of Emma Borden, the older sister of Lizzie Borden who stood by her during her trial and who lived with her until the two had a falling out in 1905 that left them estranged until their deaths in 1927, nine days apart. The piece, developed by Lexington-native Cavan Hendron, is not yet finished, offering audiences a unique view into the process of bringing a theater piece to life (see accompanying article in this issue for more details about this production).
Weig explained, “It’s a staged reading workshop, so it’s still very much in process. One of the things I love about it is that people here will get a little glimpse of what it’s like to start work on a musical that you want to ultimately produce off-Broadway. The audience will be invited to give feedback that will influence the final script.”
The festival’s final production, the TICKTOCK Play Festival, celebrates the art of the short play. The production features seven plays, ranging from 5-30 minutes in length, which gives the organization the opportunity to involve more actors and directors.
“There will be some kinetic pieces, some more serious pieces, and contemporary pieces,” Weig explained. “We’ve got a really great time-period piece based on Edgar Allan Poe that I love. There is a lot of variety.”
While Weig cautions audiences that the Voices HEaRd: A Women’s Theatre Festival is rated PG-13 and may not be appropriate for younger children, there are always opportunities for little ones to be introduced to summer theater at the Lexington Children’s Theatre, which is staging Roald Dahl’s classic “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” from July 17-26, as well as producing summer theater camps for youth.
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A rendering of the plans for renovations to Lexington Children’s Theatre. The organization recently kicked off the public phase of a $2.5 million effort to modernize the theatre. Rendering provided by EOP Architects
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A rendering of the plans for renovations to Lexington Children’s Theatre. The organization recently kicked off the public phase of a $2.5 million effort to modernize the theatre. Rendering provided by EOP Architects
The Lexington Children’s Theatre has recently kicked off the public phase of its “Building Dreams Arts Education Capital Campaign,” a $2.5 million effort to modernize its downtown theatre and enhance its ability to serve thousands of Kentucky children each year. After 25 years in its downtown home on Short Street, LCT requires interior updates as well as enhancements to the building’s exterior and sidewalk areas.
Development director Ashlee Collins said the campaign is about more than just Lexington Children’s Theatre.
“When one arts organization succeeds, there is more attention, energy and confidence in the theatre scene, and that creates opportunities for everyone,” she said. “We all share patrons and participants, and a rising tide lifts all boats.”
Committed to their downtown location, Collins added that the organization is being intentional with its existing home, rather than building something brand new.
When finished, the facility improvements will allow Lexington Children’s Theatre to continue its nearly 90 years of providing theater experiences for children and families, including professional performances welcoming to young audiences, year-round theater education and opportunities for area youth, and touring productions that extend the reach of theater throughout the state, meeting theater lovers where they are.
Summer in Lexington wouldn’t be complete without the much-loved tradition of Shakespeare in the Park. The first Shakespeare in the Park took place in Woodland Park in 1982, and though the event changed names and locations throughout the years, in 2018 the newly-founded theater company Antagonist Productions took up the mantle from the Kentucky Conservatory Theater and took Shakespeare in the Park back to its original home. This year, audiences can enjoy “Much Ado About Nothing” in Woodland Park between July 10-19.
Celebrity cast members from the most recent Lexington Children’s Theatre fundraising performance. Photo furnished
And if that isn’t enough, the Lexington Theatre Company also has something for everyone this summer. The company will present “Les Misérables” on July 9-12 for more mature audiences, and another family-friendly Roald Dahl fan-favorite, “Matilda the Musical,” from July 30-Aug. 2. Another stalwart in the local community, Studio Players, will wrap up its 2025-’26 season with Ken Ludwig’s “The Gods of Comedy” through June 7, and a 10-Minute Play Festival July 23-26.
“Lexington’s theater scene has a past with strong traditional theater, as well as some interesting small and experimental theaters that have come and gone over the years, and that has all brought us to where we are now,” Weig said. “There are great companies working hard to broaden our theater experience and it’s exciting. My hope is that we can find more ways to collaborate and that the community can continue to get behind small companies, recognizing the costs associated with producing theater.
“But theater people are scrappy,” she continued, “and we’re going to keep it alive. When I have hard days, my husband reminds me that rough times are often followed by a reawakening. He never lets me forget that we just may be setting up the next renaissance.”