Backstage Pass Archives | Today's Woman

Backstage Pass: Leader of the Pack

“What all my female protagonists share in common is that they can pretty much take care of themselves. And pretty much save themselves if necessary.” — New York Times best-selling author, Karen Robards Author Karen Robards was writing historical romance before it became cool. Written by Gioia Patton/Arts Insider While the popularity of historical romance fiction novels has grown significantly due to a certain streaming platform’s adaptation of a series of books, true aficionados of the genre know that one of the best to ever do it is Louisville’s-own, Karen Robards. After gaining [...]

By Sara Jessick|2023-02-15T19:55:06-05:00February 8, 2023|Backstage Pass, Life & Style|

Backstage Pass: 2023 Winter Arts Guide

Dancing With The Stars: Live! Photo by Gioia Patton Here are some noteworthy events to add to your social calendar this season. Written by Gioia Patton/Arts Insider Dancing With the Stars: Live! The all-new stage show features your favorite professional dancers from the hit TV series (and a celebrity competitor guest star), performing brand new numbers and some of the showstoppers featured in season 31. The tour delivers a spectacular night of captivating dance performances from world-renowned dancers including (*past Mirror Ball winners) *Emma Slater, and *Alan Bersten, Sasha Farber, Gleb Savchenko, Britt [...]

By Sara Jessick|2023-01-11T12:34:04-05:00January 6, 2023|Backstage Pass, Life & Style|

Backstage Pass: Unbreakable Kim Vaughn

‘The number one thing I can tell you is tell the truth…even if it hurts.’ - Best advice comedian Kim Vaughn ever received, and told to her by comic legend Whoopi Goldberg at a 1989 Derby season event. Despite multiple traumas and her struggles with mental health, comedian Kim Vaughn finds healing in the power of the joke. Written by Gioia Patton/Arts Insider | Photo by Gioia Patton It is said that comedy is born out of pain and for a standup comedian, traumatic life experiences are the jetpack that fuels their craft. There [...]

By Sara Jessick|2022-12-28T15:13:26-05:00December 26, 2022|Backstage Pass, Life & Style|

A Playwright for Her People

There was no Spanish language theater in Louisville when Haydee Canovas started writing plays. She has changed that. By Gioia Patton/Arts Insider | Photographed by Kylene White The ability to create something that not only entertains, but also educates is a special kind of gift. For Haydee Canovas, bilingual playwright and co-founder of the Spanish language, non-profit children’s theater company, Teatro Tercera Llamada, it is also a personal mission. Her works, which have been staged at the Kentucky Center, seek to inform the audience about issues of importance in their community – issues that are [...]

By Sara Jessick|2022-11-11T14:20:06-05:00November 11, 2022|Backstage Pass, Life & Style|

Backstage Pass: Destiny’s Child

Brittany “BeeBee” Patillo: Destiny’s Child Written by Gioia Patton/Arts Insider | Photo by Gioia Patton While many wannabe actors spend years waiting tables, working as temp employees, nannying etc. before landing their first real acting role, it didn’t take actress Brittany “BeeBee” Patillo, a 2019 alumna of the University of Louisville, very long to land a much-coveted position as a member of Actors Theater of Louisville’s 2020-2021 Acting Apprenticeship. Though the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19 outbreak, BeeBee basically hit the ground running when it came to launching her career. Some might consider luck [...]

By Sara Jessick|2022-10-27T12:37:55-04:00October 13, 2022|Backstage Pass, Life & Style|

Backstage Pass: Fall Arts Guide

We give you a rundown of some of the top events of the season. By Gioia Patton/Arts Insider Dracula by Kate Hamill (a feminist revenge fantasy) Actors Theatre of Louisville Based loosely on the novel by Bram Stoker, Kate Hamill’s new adaptation, which bounces between humor and horror to reimagine the vampire classic, will be directed by Louisville’s Jennifer Pennington. ATL Executive Artistic Director Robert Fleming remarked about this production: “Kate Hamill's funny, dark and insightful adaptation of Dracula will subvert expectations of this long-standing annual tradition. To share a new adaptation of [...]

By Sara Jessick|2022-09-16T14:18:15-04:00September 16, 2022|Backstage Pass, Life & Style|