Entertainment

By Gioia Patton/Arts InsiderSmokey Joe’s Café CenterStageOften referred to as “the soundtrack of the 1950s,” Smokey Joe’s Café is jam-packed with 38 rock ’n’ roll and rhythm & blues songs written by songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, including Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock, and Stand By Me.“This show is an amazing journey,” says Frank Goodloe III, the show’s director. “The characters start out young, as teenagers, and end up in their adulthood. The themes of the songs grow from simple to more complex. This is just a fun, fun show. It’s music everybody knows.”The original [...]

By Gioia Patton/Arts InsiderKiss Me KateCenterStage in Central Park Passions run high as leading lady Lilli Vanessi and her ex-husband, actor/director Fred Graham, battle onstage and off in a musical version of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. With romance, comedy, and sophistication, Kiss Me Kate combines the irreverent humor of two brilliant writers: Cole Porter and William Shakespeare. Musical numbers include So In Love, Wunderbar, Tom, Dick or Harry, Too Darn Hot, Brush Up Your Shakespeare, I Hate Men, Always True to You (In My Fashion) and Another Op’nin’, Another Show.The original Broadway production in [...]

By Gioia Patton/Arts Insider Much Ado About Nothing/ Richard II/Julius CaesarKentucky Shakespeare Festival2017 marks the 57th season of the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, the longest running free Shakespeare festival in the United States.“This season we’re excited to unveil our newly reimagined stage, by veteran scenic designer Paul Owen, who, for many years was Actors Theatre of Louisville’s scenic designer,” says Producing Artistic Director Matt Wallace.“In addition, we’ve installed 30 more in-ground benches in the amphitheater, and Central Park’s restrooms have been redesigned and renovated.”KSF kicked off this season with the professional production of [...]

By Gioia Patton/Arts Insider Stages of BloomBunbury TheatreBunbury Theatre Company closes out its 2016-17 season with a new play by Kentucky playwright Liz Fentress. Stages of Bloom centers on 90-year-old rosarian Edith Jones, who is pressured by her stern brother-in-law to sell her home and give it to the church. After joining forces with a 40-something war veteran fix-it man and a young college student and her Marine boyfriend, Edith prepares an entry for one last rose show to leave a lasting impression on the world.WHEN: 7:30pm Fridays and Saturdays, June 9-24. 2:30pm Sundays, June [...]

By Gioia Patton/Arts Insider Whose Live Anyway?Kentucky Center Whose Live Anyway? is 90 minutes of hilarious improvised comedy and song all based on audience suggestions. Cast members Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis, and Joel Murray will leave you gasping with the witty scenes they invent before your eyes. Audience participation is key to the show, so bring your suggestions and you might be asked to join the cast onstage. Whose Live Anyway? showcases some of the improv games made famous on the long-running TV show as well as some exciting new ones.WHEN: April [...]

By Gioia Patton/Arts Insider Inject some magic into your life this month by attending this show or one of the others our Arts Insider has picked. The Illusionists — Live from Broadway PNC Broadway in Louisville Full of magic tricks, death-defying stunts, and acts of wonder, The Illusionists has thrilled audiences of all ages with the talents of seven of the most incredible illusionists on earth.The seven stars, each a master in their own field, are:The Manipulator, Yu Ho-Jin. Considered a rising superstar in the world of magic; Yu Ho-Jin was recently named the 2014 [...]