Kentucky Arts and Culture

When Steven Spielberg's newest film, "Lincoln", was released, Marion County's Don Johnson had a personal reason for going to see it. He's in the movie. Briefly. "For a half a day's shoot, it's less than 10 seconds of glory," Johnson said, with a laugh.

Kentucky’s contribution to the Lincoln legend was not overlooked by the film-makers behind a new blockbuster.  “Lincoln” premieres this weekend, with Sally Field playing the part of Lexington-native Mary Todd Lincoln.   Rich Copley, who covers culture for the Lexington Herald Leader, previews the film and this weekend’s other events.  Rich spoke with reporter Charles Compton.

A retired Indiana couple, on their way to Danville, stopped in the small Garrard County community of Paint Lick. Before they knew it, Hal and Yvonne Davis decided to move to Paint Lick and open a community arts center. Now, Hal teaches painting and Yvonne teaches piano when she isn't substituting as a piano player at some nearby churches. They've also lined up additional teachers from around the area to help with other classes, enabling the arts center to offer a little bit of everything in the arts.

When he was five years old, George McWhorter’s mother decided that she would teach him how to read so he would be able to keep pace with other schoolchildren.

“She first started with Charles Dickens, and I was totally disinterested and yawned in her face.  But when she pulled out a Tarzan book, I was all eyes and all ears,” said McWhorter.

And thus began McWhorter’s lifelong Tarzan fascination.    In 1936, he starting amassing a collection of first edition books and other memorabilia that has swelled to 200,000 items.

A reality show prompted a Louisville pastor to explore his family tree.  This weekend, he shares the lessons he learned during a work shop in Frankfort.

This weekend’s entertainment is certainly seasonal.  Holiday movies debut, Lexington’s ice rink opens, and Actor’s Guild of Lexington is staging something for the election.  It’s called “November” and here with a  preview is Rich Copley, who covers culture of the Lexington Herald Leader.  Rich spoke with reporter Charles Compton.

Ground has been broken in Pikeville for a new indoor theater for the arts. The facility will work closely with the Jenny Wiley Drama Association Board of Trustees. Congressman Harold Rogers was the keynote speaker at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pikeville Theatre. He said the project will bring arts and culture to the area and will impact the region.

On Halloween 52 years ago, a radio program convinced several Franklin County residents that aliens were invading. When listeners tuned in to Frankfort’s WFKY’s radio station on Oct. 31, 1960, they heard Fred Gooding’s “Martian Invasion of Central Kentucky,” which gave rapidly worsening news reports of an alien invasion from Mars. An adaptation of Orson Welles' 1938 "War of the Worlds" broadcast, the 36-minute, 30-second broadcast has never been aired again since causing so much drama so many years ago.

A decade ago, Robert Kirkman was living in Central Kentucky, toiling at dead-end jobs and struggling to earn a dime writing self-published comic books on the side. Now he lives in Los Angeles, working as an executive producer on The Walking Dead, one of the most successful shows in cable television history. Kirkman will discuss that transition Tuesday at a Q&A session hosted by the University of Kentucky Student Activities Board, giving behind-the-scenes perspective on the show and discussing how the rabidly followed Walking Dead, which he created as a monthly comic book in 2003, has changed his life.

Lafayette High School is the 2012 Kentucky Class 5-A state marching band champion. Lafayette topped North Hardin in Saturday night's 5-A finals of the 2012 Kentucky Music Educators Association Kentucky State Marching Band Championships. Madisonville-North Hopkins, Bourbon County, Glasgow and Beechwood won titles in the other classes.

Saturday marks the culmination of a season's worth of fine tuning, literally, for the thousands of students in Kentucky's high school marching bands: the state marching band championships. Semifinals begin Saturday morning. The top four bands in each of the five classes compete in the final round, beginning at 6 p.m. CDT Saturday at Western Kentucky University's Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.

The performance of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ brought a lot of attention to the University of Kentucky’s School of Music.  This weekend UK is again in the musical headlines in central Kentucky.  Eastern Kentucky University, meanwhile, plays host to a legendary singer.  And ‘John Coldtrain’ jazz is on tap in Lexington.  WEKU’S Stu Johnson spoke with Arts and Culture reporter Rich Copley about weekend events.

Technically, the vocalist is still a student, but Michael Preasely already has impressive work experience.  The University of Kentucky graduate student performed last summer with the Cincinnati Opera.  Last month, Preasely sang with the Cincinnati Pops and this month, when “Phantom of the Opera” finally premiered in Lexington, the baritone was “the Phantom.” Now, Preasely’s preparing for the biggest challenge in his career, graduation this December.  WEKU’s Charles Compton sat-in recently with Preacely during a coaching session on UK’s Lexington campus.