Cover Story
Dramaturgy: The secret behind Louisville’s great theater
When you settle into your seat for an evening of theater in Louisville, consider that the plays do not simply spring forth unfiltered from the playwright’s pen, whether from Shakespeare’s quill or the modern imagination of a yet-to-be-known writer. Here is an inside look at a little-known process that makes Louisville theater fairly unique —…
A look at the powerful art in Queer Voices 2017
The Queer Voices 2017 art exhibit and open-mic night opened Friday, June 2, at the Open Community Arts Center. Queer Voices was born from the Pulse nightclub shooting June 12, 2016. “Queer individuals are routinely trivialized, silenced, and killed,” according to the exhibit’s curatorial a statement. “For many, the Pulse shooting acted as a mobilizing…
Concert Review: Old Crow Medicine Show connects on most of Dylan’s ‘Blonde on Blonde’
I never really got into Old Crow Medicine Show, although I can’t really pin down why. Maybe it’s that I’ve never connected to contemporary bluegrass. Maybe it’s the overly-theatrical live shows. Maybe it’s the dark shadow of “Wagon Wheel” being one of the most overplayed songs in recent memory. But, it’s probably just a subjective…
Louisville gathers to celebrate Muhammad Ali, one year after his death
On Saturday, June 3, the city of Louisville remembered The Champ, Muhammad Ali, one year after his passing. A celebration of his life was held at the Muhammad Ali Center, which included blessings from representatives of the different faith communities in Louisville, a performance by Louisville’s Linkin’ Bridge and a symbolic release of butterflies. The…
10 things to do under $5 this week in Louisville (6/5)
MONDAY Monday Anime: Super Boom Boom Kaiju Free | 7-10 p.m. Make the most of your Monday by going to Kaiju to see “anime that leans towards gunplay over fireballs and giant swords.” Presented by the New Anime Collective, this night features screenings of three episodes of “Black Lagoon” at 7:30 p.m., and three episodes of “Jormungand”…
Our favorite summer beers by Louisville brewing companies
3rd Turn Brewery — Pale Ale Cut cleanly by a hoppy bitterness at the front end, and followed by a pleasing aftertaste, this pale ale is inviting, with a burnt, golden body and light-foam head. The flavors are rich but subtle, not cloying, with soft floral notes that do not overpower. At 6.1 percent ABV,…
5 Things To Do This Weekend in Louisville (6/2)
FRIDAY 2017 Germantown Schnitzelburg Blues Festival (June 2–3) Check’s Cafe Free | 6:30 p.m.-12 a.m. Enjoy two nights of live blues music: Friday night features D Man & The Alley Hounds, Jimmy Davis Band and Laurie Jane and The 45’s; and Saturday night features The Blue Crawdads, Mississippi Adam Riggle and Walnut Street Blues Band.…
10 concerts you shouldn’t miss in June
Bryson Tiller Mercury Ballroom Wednesday, June 7 Louisville’s trap-soul wizard Bryson Tiller — who’s had a meteoric rise over the past couple years — just released a new record, True to Self — a blend of golden-age hip-hop and smooth R&B. The chart-topper sold out the show, as expected, but if you’re willing to pay…
Even Shakespeare has a dramaturg
[Editor’s Note: Due to a production error, this story did not run fully in the paper. Here is the entire version.] A Shakespeare dramaturg can’t consult the playwright for advice. Still, Greg Maupin, dramaturg for the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, has plenty of tools at his disposal, such as helping actors understand language…
2017 Summer Guide: Get Festive
JUNE 1 — Kentucky Shakespeare Festival’s “Much Ado About Nothing”: Central Park, 8 p.m., June 1–4, June 6–11, July 12, 15, 20, 22, features live performances of Shakespeare’s plays for free, kyshakespeare.com. 2–3 — Louisville’s Greek Festival: Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, Fri. 4–11 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.–11 p.m., celebrates Greek culture with music, arts and crafts, food…
2017 Summer Guide: Farmers Markets
BUTCHERTOWN / NULU Gray Street Farmers Market 400 E. Gray St. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. May 18–Oct. 26 Phoenix Hill NuLu Farmers Market Fresh Start Growers Supply, 1007 E. Jefferson St. Tuesdays, 3–6 p.m. May 6–Oct. 31 CRESCENT HILL Crescent Hill Farmers Market 201 S. Peterson Ave. Fridays, 7–11 a.m. June 16–Oct. EAST END Gendler…
#loumedia finally barks, Bevin bites back
We wondered when the Louisville news media would begin to write about Gov. Matt Bevin’s refusal to answer their emails and phone calls. By April, we began noticing how increasingly Courier-Journal articles were saying his office had not returned calls — not even to issue a refusal to comment. A local website tweeted its tally…
Thorns & Roses: The Worst, Best & Most Absurd
Not a ham sandwich — a ham | Thorn A New York judge was once quoted as saying: “Any good prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich.” But not UofL basketball program wrecker Katina Powell, even though she wrote that she provided prostitutes — and her 15- and 17-year-old daughters —for…
Gender, sexuality in theater
More than ever, the most basic and essential functions of our humanity are transcending personal lives and finding themselves at the center of the socio-political stage. As gender and sexuality have leapt to the forefront of the greater cultural conversation in the last decade, we understand them not as succinct definitions but as spectra, on…
Old Crow Medicine Show’s ?Ketch Secor breaks down ‘Blonde On Blonde’
Old Crow Medicine Show is set to roll back through town this week as part of their extended 50th anniversary celebration of Bob Dylan’s 1966 classic Blonde on Blonde — a party that began last year in Nashville. In preparation for Friday’s show at Iroquois Amphitheater, where they will perform Dylan’s 14 obtuse-yet-timeless tracks, we…
Three concerts to catch in Louisville this week
Todd Snider Thursday, June 1 Headliners Music Hall Like John Prine, Todd Snider is one of the few singer-songwriters who can weave humor into folk music without coming off as a bad Comedy Central special. A sharp, but rambling master storyteller with an affinity for getting in trouble, Snider’s just a naturally-funny entertainer, who is…
‘The Coward,’ The bloody price of being a man
You don’t have to dive too deep into the social-justice blogosphere before you hear the phrase “toxic masculinity.” The concept is that our modern-day ideas of what make a man are rooted in attitudes and practices that are deadly to men, and even more dangerous for women. Despite being set in the 18th century, “The…
Tim Northern Comedy Fest
When local comedian Tim Northern came up the idea of a stand-up comedy festival in Louisville, he gave it his name only as a place holder. “But all the comics were like: ‘No, we’re going to keep it,’” he said. And The Tim Northern Comedy Festival was born, the first of what hopes to be…
Comic Book Review: ‘There’s Nothing There’
Writer Patrick Kindlon | Artist Maria Llovet Reviewed by Kyle Thompson, The Great Escape Whether he’s singing in his bands Drug Church and Self Defense Family, or being the most entertaining Twitter personality out there, Patrick Kindlon has a take on life in the 2010s that is unlike any other. It’s ridiculous and excessive, full…
Comic Book Review: ‘Scooby Apocalypse’
Writer Keith Griffen | Artist Howard Porter Reviewed by Krystal Moore, The Great Escape When I heard DC Comics was coming out with new versions of some of my favorite old cartoons, I wasn’t really excited. There have always been comic versions of those shows, and they were generally the same formula as the shows,…
Two hot summer reads:? Lincoln’s Legacy and a Kentucky family
Sidney Blumenthal, who has a lengthy list of accomplishments as journalist (for the New Yorker and New Republic, among others) and as political adviser (with clients including Bill and Hillary Clinton), begins his new book with a cautionary note. He’s going to make demands of the reader — and he’s going to make demands of…
South End street food: Á-Châu and Cocoberry Pops
Who doesn’t love street food? I sure do! Give me a corn dog, or maybe a big slice of New York City pizza that I can fold over and carry down the street, and I’m a happy boy. So naturally I was delighted to discover a recent South End arrival, Á-Châu, which bears the magical…
A quick guide to bartender self-care
I’m sitting here at my desk the Sunday afternoon after a long Saturday shift at the bar, one that led far into the wee hours of this morning. A shift that’s wreaked havoc on my body after a busier-than-normal week, what with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mumford & Sons and some mega-country star rolling…
Boys just want to have fun (and beer): A new video series about local beer
John Ronayne owns Brewgrass Homebrew Supply — that’s his business. His hobby is “Boy Meets Wort,” a video series he launched with his friend Ricky Burdette to highlight local beer. Sometimes things get goofy. OK, most of the time, things get goofy. For instance, a couple of weeks back, he convinced Rick Stidham, co-owner and…
Savage Love: Looking
Q: I’m a middle-aged homo trying to figure out Grindr. Is it impolite to go on Grindr if you’re not looking for an immediate hookup? My preferred form of sexual relationship is the friend-with-benefits situation. I go on Grindr looking to make friends who could, at least potentially, be sex partners, but I like to…
Locked Up, Covered Up, Sobered Up
Riddle me this: what has a head and a foot, at least 40 legs on a given day and an emergency kit to include Narcan, the heroin overdose antidote, in its caboodle? One of several district courtrooms at the Hall of Justice, thanks in part to the efforts of Judge Stephanie Pearce Burke, who created…
Conflicted over the Courier-Journal, whether Bevin is a racist…
So you’re an ex-journalist. What do you make of the feud between Bevin and the Kentucky media? That nutter in Montana has raised the bar, but Bevin will be keen to catch up and turn our local spat into a blood feud. Must doff my cap to all the outlets that’ve earnt Bevin’s scorn, though,…
The 140-character coward
Gov. Matt Bevin’s decision to choose social media over traditional media doesn’t promote transparency, as he claims. It allows him to perpetuate the propaganda that he so enjoys. Last week, Bevin posted a Facebook video presenting a warped perspective of his relationship with the media, transparency and the responsibilities of his office. The video came…
Your Voice
on: U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth Dead children, city gun violence and Trump’s grave danger to us all Murders and shootings don’t come out of thin air. They come from longstanding institutional racism and public attitudes that result in an utter lack of hope in some young folks, so that when they reach a particular age,…
