Tuesday November 11, 2025
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
Photo: Actors Theatre of Louisville
Actors Theatre of Louisville is proud to announce the 2018—2019 Season, beginning in September. Artistic Director Les Waters introduces the lineup, “In the coming season, we examine identity and ask ‘Who are we and how did we get here?’ We are delighted to welcome back Lucas Hnath with his witty and electrifying A Doll’s House, Part 2 and Dominique Morisseau with Pipeline, her incisive and heartfelt look at education and the responsibilities of being a parent. We are proud to produce the Broadway hit The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, both a thrilling ‘whodunnit’ and ‘who am I?.’ In the acclaimed Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, Mr. Felder examines the life of immigrant and American legend Irving Berlin through song and story. It’s 2018, and together we’ll ask ‘who are you and how did you become who you are now?’”
Managing Director Kevin E. Moore adds, “The strength of this lineup speaks to the dedication and passion Les has for this organization and this community. Since Les announced his departure in October, he’s worked closely with the theatre’s artistic team to program the upcoming season. We are honored to work alongside him through this year’s Humana Festival of New American Plays and will look forward to welcoming him back to Louisville as a guest artist in the future.”
Actors Theatre kicks off the Brown-Forman Series with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, beginning September 18, 2018, directed by Associate Artistic Director Meredith McDonough. The Tony Award-winning play, based on the popular novel by Mark Haddon, is a masterful portrait of fifteen-year-old Christopher, a mathematics prodigy who is autistic. Simon Stephens’ script is as much a mystery as it is an evocative coming-of-age story.
Obie Award-winning playwright and Humana Festival alumnus Lucas Hnath’s work takes the stage in Louisville once again with A Doll’s House, Part 2, which imagines protagonist Nora’s return 15 years after the final, iconic moments of Henrik Ibsen’s seminal masterpiece A Doll’s House. In what The New Yorker called Hnath’s “strongest yet,” Nora and the Helmer family grapple with “the compromises we all make for comfort, and the faith required to make a change” (TheaterMania). Pirronne Yousefzadeh will direct in the intimate Victor Jory Theatre, with performances beginning October 2, 2018.
Dominique Morisseau’s Pipeline thrusts audiences into the classroom in this wrenching portrayal of a mother and son wrestling with the American education system’s “school-to-prison pipeline” for men of color. The New York Times calls Morisseau “a playwright of piercing eloquence,” as Louisville audiences discovered during last year’s production of Skeleton Crew. Pipeline will begin performances beginning January 8, 2019 in the Bingham Theatre.
In the Pamela Brown Auditorium, consummate showman Hershey Felder takes the stage as Irving Berlin. Featuring beloved standards like “God Bless America,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and “White Christmas,” Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin melds song and story in a love letter to the man whose work continues to define the great American songbook. The production, directed by Trevor Hay, begins January 29, 2019.
Actors Theatre will celebrate the holidays with Louisville’s favorite traditions: Fifth Third Bank’s Dracula, adapted by William McNulty, September 7—October 31, 2018, and Fifth Third Bank’s A Christmas Carol, adapted by Barbara Field, November 20—December 23, 2018. Last year’s sold-out production of Joe Mantello’s adaptation of David Sedaris’s hilarious The Santaland Diaries is back by popular demand. Associate Artistic Director Meredith McDonough will once again direct the irreverent audience favorite in the Victor Jory Theatre, November 15—December 23, 2018.
The 2018-2019 Season will culminate in the 43rd Humana Festival of New American Plays, March 1—April 7, 2019. The Festival is a world-renowned event, and an opportunity to see groundbreaking, brand-new work by American theatre’s most talented playwrights. The Festival is underwritten by the Humana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Humana, Inc. The 43rd Humana Festival lineup will be announced in November, 2018.
The 2018-2019 Season is generously supported by Brown-Forman, the official season sponsor, with additional support from Fund for the Arts, the Kentucky Arts Council and Yum! Brands, which supports the student matinee series.
2018-2019 Season Ticket Packages are on sale now, with 6- and 8-Play Brown-Forman Series Season Ticket Packages starting at just $130. Brown-Forman Season Ticket Holders receive a host of benefits including free admission to exciting Actors Theatre events, 30% off additional ticket purchases and discounted parking. Packages are also available for seniors, educators and individuals 35 years of age and under. Single tickets for Fifth Third Bank’s Dracula and A Christmas Carol as well as The Santaland Diaries will go on sale on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, and the entire 2018-2019 Season will go on sale on Wednesday, August 1, 2018. Actors Theatre’s Box Office is located at 316 West Main Street, Louisville, KY, 40202, and can be reached by calling 502.584.1205.
Actors Theatre is committed to making the theatre going experience accessible to everyone and offers open caption and audio-described performances throughout the season. Large print programs and assistive listening devices are also available at every performance. For a full performance schedule and more information about Actors Theatre’s access services, visit ActorsTheatre.org/your-visit/accessibility.
Louisville Metro Council Health and Education Committee Chair Angela Leet (District 7) and Vice Chair Vicki Welch (District 13) invite the community to attend one of three town hall meetings on the topic of legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Each town hall meeting will be held in a different part of the community, with the first town hall starting Monday, February 19 at 6:00pm. Each town hall will start with presentations by panelists both in support and opposition to a resolution calling for the legalization of medical marijuana which is currently being considered by the Louisville Metro Council.
Persons attending the town hall meeting will have the opportunity to ask questions of panelists following opening remarks. Each town hall is expected to last 60-90 minutes and comments received during each event will be given to all members of the Louisville Metro Council.
Town Hall Meeting Dates:
Monday, February 19, 6:00PM – Lyndon City Hall (515 Wood Road)
Monday, February 26, 6:00PM – Louisville Fire Fighters Hall (400 Bakers Lane)
Tuesday, February 27, 6:00PM – Southwick Community Center (3621 Southern Avenue)
For more information on these town hall meetings, please contact Councilwoman Angela Leet at 574-1107 or angela.leet@louisvilleky.gov. https://louisville.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3335601&GUID=5…
Photo: Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation
Louisville Parks and Recreation will be hosting a public meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 13 at the Seneca Park Golf Course clubhouse to discuss improvements to three entrances to Seneca Park.
Those who attend will be able to meet with parks staff and review the plans, which include enhancing the park entrances at Cannons Lane; near the entrance to the golf course at Seneca Park Road; and at Taylorsville Road near Bowman Field.
“Seneca Park is one of our most heavily-used and beloved parks,” said Seve Ghose, Director of Parks and Recreation. “As one of our 18 Olmsted-designed parks, we’re hoping to give it the grand entrance it deserves.”
Ghose said the goal of the meeting is to share concept plans and narrow the choices to the three entrances down to one option at each site before pursuing the construction phase of the project.
Mayor Greg Fischer is taking part in a 10-day trip to India, organized by the international Strong Cities Network (SCN), that will include a visit with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
As part of the trip, funded by the U.S. Embassy in India, Mayor Fischer and Tom Tait, Mayor of Anaheim, Calif., will meet with government, business, media and thought leaders to discuss approaches to making cities safer and communities stronger amid the rise in violent extremist groups around the globe.
Mayor Fischer also will be speaking to members of India’s business community at the Indian Merchant Chamber of Commerce, and industry, interfaith and community leaders at various stops throughout the trip. He’ll also meet with state and city officials, including the mayor of Mumbai Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, and discuss Louisville’s story in interviews with India’s media.
“Visits like this are great opportunities to promote our city,” Mayor Fischer said. “Our focus on compassion is something that resonates worldwide and is so relevant in today’s world. And I always welcome to the chance to tell our city’s story to potential investors and business interests that may be looking to expand in the U.S.”
India’s population is 1.3 billion, and its GDP is about $2.3 trillion.
SCN Manager Rebecca Skellett said the two mayors were chosen for the trip because of their focus on compassion, which has been championed by the Dalai Lama. Anaheim’s City of Kindness initiative parallels Louisville Compassionate City efforts.
“Mayor Fischer and Mayor Tait are both driving forward innovative practices to build social cohesion with city-wide Charters for Compassion and Kindness, which offer tremendous value to residents and businesses alike,” Skellett said. “This is why we’re delighted to be taking these two U.S. Mayors to Delhi, Mumbai and Dharamsala — to share their journeys, inspire Indian cities and policy makers, and learn more about how India’s diverse range of communities live together side by side.”
Mayor Tait said, “As a city, we must always respond to daily needs for public safety and community services. But kindness is our long game. It has the potential for positive change over generations. While cities across the world may face different issues, the impact of kindness is the same. We are honored that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has embraced what we are doing in Anaheim. His words to us sum it up perfectly: ‘Creating cultures of kindness and compassion throughout the world is the key to achieving world peace.’”
Launched by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue at the United Nations in September 2015, SCN “is the first ever global network of mayors, municipal-level policy makers and practitioners united in building social cohesion and community resilience to counter violent extremism in all its forms,” according to its website.
SCN membership is diverse, including large megacities like London and Mumbai, to smaller municipalities such as Kristiansand and Tripoli. What unites SCN members is their desire to share their experiences, learn from others and build community resilience against the divisive ideologies of hate, division and violence in all its forms.
“The network catalyzes, inspires and multiplies community-centric approaches and action to counter violent extremism through peer learning and expert training including city exchanges, annual summits, regional workshops and providing consultancy to cities,” the website said.
Mayor Fischer, who leaves for India Tuesday afternoon, said he’s pleased to share Louisville’s successes in compassion, community building and economic growth, and to learn best practices from others while visiting India.
This evening the Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) announced the selection of Dr. Martin “Marty” Pollio to serve as the next superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS).
“Dr. Pollio stepped in to lead our district on an interim basis during a very difficult time,” said JCBE Board Chair Diane Porter. “During the past eight months, he’s brought stability, reenergized our district and focused our priorities on what our schools and staff need to make all students successful. I know his leadership at JCPS will be student-centered, student-focused and student-driven, which is just what our district needs.”
Dr. Pollio began his career with JCPS in 1997 as a social studies teacher at Shawnee High School. He went on to serve as a teacher and assistant principal at Waggener High School before taking the helm as principal of Jeffersontown High School from 2007-2015. Before taking the role of acting superintendent, Dr. Pollio was the principal of Doss High School. He took a leave of absence from that position while he served the district as acting superintendent.
“The board made a bold decision when it chose me for this position eight months ago,” Dr. Pollio said. “I plan to bring the same passion, energy and focus to work every day to create positive learning environments at all of our schools where teachers can teach and students can learn. This job is not just professional, it’s personal. For more than 20 years, I’ve dedicated my career to serving the students of JCPS and my daughter is a student in this district. Now is the time for our employees, our staff and this community to stand up and support JCPS and bring about positive change for students by working together.”
Dr. Pollio received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and his master’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University. He earned his doctorate from the University of Louisville in 2012.
During his time as acting superintendent, Dr. Pollio has focused on improving climate and culture, improving organizational coherence and increasing student achievement. He’s returned budget cuts to schools, funded deeper learning priorities, opened the JCPS West Louisville Satellite Office, created an initiative to track K-12 student learning and implemented corrective action plans for issues found during previous administrations.
Dr. Pollio will serve as the sixth superintendent of JCPS since merger. The terms of Dr. Pollio’s contract are still being negotiated.
Superintendent Search Process
The Jefferson County Board of Education launched a search for superintendent after the resignation of Dr. Donna Hargens, which was effective June 30, 2017.
Dr. Marty Pollio was named acting superintendent while the board searched for a permanent replacement. The board advertised the search nationally and engaged a local firm to receive community feedback and input. There were nine applications for the position, and the board named two finalists in January. The two finalists participated in four community forums.
More information about the search is available here.
Photo: JCPS
Ballard High School’s The Collage was named the best student-produced literary magazine in Kentucky, earning a ‘Superior’ rating and a nomination for the Highest Award by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). The recognition is the second time in three years that the publication has taken the top ranking by NCTE’s Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines (PRESLM), and makes The Collage the highest awarded literary magazine in Jefferson County Public Schools.
Nationally, only 26 student publications, out of 372 entries, were named Highest Award recipients.
PRESLM recognizes students, teachers and schools for producing excellent literary magazines. The program aims to encourage all schools to develop literary magazines and seek excellence in writing and schoolwide participation in production.
Ballard’s in-house literary magazine has been produced and published by students, for students, since 1970, and showcases student written and artistic work in all genres, themes and grades. The magazine is a project-based learning collaboration between the creative writing classes of Michelle Livesay and the digital publishing classes of Gary Crume with student fine art submissions from Ballard art teachers Patty Bradford, Lindsey Dobson, Emily Forrester, Marcia Hageman and Sarah Kaiman.
A limited number of copies of the award-winning 2017 edition are available by contacting michelle.livesay@jefferson.kyschools.us or gary.crume@jefferson.kyshools.us.
Portland Elementary School has received a $1,300 award from VSA Kentucky to support students’ social-emotional development through the arts.
Under the award, Letita Usher, a VSA teaching artist, will visit Portland as an artist-in-residence, teaching students drama techniques and storytelling skills. In addition, she will collaborate with the school’s art and ECE teachers to create visual art pieces, connect students to literature, and create a drama that encompasses the work.
“We are inspired by the opportunity to engage our highest-need students in this deeper learning experience that allows them to explore literacy and the arts through multiple modalities,” said Portland Principal Angela Hosch.
VSA Kentucky is a non-profit organization that provides opportunities in the arts for children and adults with disabilities.
