Discover Your Next
Theatre Experience

Step behind the curtain and discover the magic of Actors Theatre of Louisville, a National Historical landmark. Explore our three distinct performance spaces, learn fascinating theatrical history, and glimpse the creative process that brings productions to life. Our guided tours offer an exclusive backstage experience you don't want to miss.

Grow your craft. Deepen your process. Rehearse being brave.

‍

Actors Theatre’s Scene Study Class is a four-week, performance-based training series built for actors ready to sharpen their tools and show up for the work. Whether you’re returning to the stage or expanding your practice, this class offers a consistent space to rehearse, reflect, and connect.

‍

Led by industry professionals, each session invites you to dig into scenes with scene partners, receive supportive feedback, and build confidence through practice. With a focus on emotional safety, collaboration, and creative resilience, this class series centers the whole artist—not just the performance.

‍

What You’ll Gain:

• Hands-on, in-the-room performance work with experienced teaching artists
• Practical tools for collaboration and craft
• A values-led approach that prioritizes actor wellness
• A creative bridge between local artists and Actors Theatre
• A space to rehearse risk, ask questions, and grow in community

‍

Teaching Artists:

• Julia Estrada (she/her): Broadway performer (Hamilton), organizational psychology consultant, and co-founder of AlloImpact
• Devin McCarthy (she/her): TV/film actor and founder of The Oracle’s Daughters, a creative studio focused on storytelling and ritual

‍

Class Details:

• When: Weekly on Tuesday Evenings
• Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• Location: Actors Theatre of Louisville
• Who: Adults, 18+

‍

Current and Upcoming Sessions:

‍Session 1

• Class 1: August 26
• Class 2: September 2
• Class 3: September 9
• Class 4: September 16
  **NO class on Sept. 23

‍

Session 2

• Class 1: September 30
• Class 2: October 7
• Class 3: October 14
• Class 4: October 21
  **NO class on Oct. 28

‍

Session 3

• Class 1: November 4
• Class 2: November 11
• Class 3: November 18
• Class 4: November 25
  **NO class on Dec. 2

‍

Session 4

• Class 1: December 9
• Class 2: December 16
  **BREAK FOR HOLIDAY
• Class 3: January 6
• Class 4: January 13
  

‍

Tuition:

• $200 for students (Tuition covers the full four-week series)

‍

Space is limited. This is an intimate, actor-centered experience designed for trust, focus, and growth. Join us and keep the scene alive.

‍

For more information, please email lace@actorstheatre.org.

In a tour-de-force solo performance, Priyanka Shetty captures the aftermath of the 2017 Unite the Right rally. Powerfully chronicling the clashes over a Confederate monument, tiki-torch marchers shouting "Jews will not replace us", and the trials to bring its perpetrators to justice. #CHARLOTTESVILLE provides a snapshot-in-time of a town and nation grappling with the future of its soul. 

‍

‍

"Stunning, unflinching, poignant"  – DCTheaterArts.org

‍

Post-Show Conversation Panelists

Both performances of #Charlottesville will be followed by in-depth conversations with community leaders, scholars, and changemakers. Together, we’ll explore the play’s urgent themes through history, faith, culture, and lived experience.

‍

2:00 PM Performance

Sadiqa Reynolds — Visionary leader recognized as Louisville Magazine’s Person of the Year, Woman of Power by the National Urban League, and one of BizWomen’s "Top 100 Women to Watch".
‍

Dr. Carol Ely — Historian specializing in Jewish life in Louisville and Charlottesville, author of Jewish Life in Louisville and curator of two exhibitions in Charlottesville.
‍

Trent Spoolstra — Representative from the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation, fostering understanding and connection across communities.

‍

7:00 PM Performance

Rabbi Ben Freed — Rabbi at Keneseth Israel in Louisville, offering insights on faith, community, and resilience.

‍

Dr. Roy Fuller — Religious studies scholar and contributor to Arts and Soul at the Speed Art Museum, exploring the intersections of art, belief, and culture.

‍

Saravanan Murugan — Entrepreneurial technology leader drawing from Indian heritage to explore human connection, service, and purpose.

‍

Click here for more information on each panelist.

‍

A Life-Long Learning Series Applying Arts-Based Tools For Sustainability, Survival, and Joy

Second Sundays of each month!

Actors Theatre of Louisville and Louisville Tool Library are partnering to offer a monthly series of hands-on community workshops teaching a variety of skills learned from adventures onstage, backstage, and balancing life in the arts that can come in handy in the apocalypse!!

UPCOMING SESSIONS
‍
Sunday, September 14 - Cordage: How To Make String Out of (Almost) Anything
2:30p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Louisville Tool Library
1227 Logan Street
When store-bought rope isn’t available, knowing how to make your own can be invaluable. Join facilitator and local artist, Jessica Beels, for this hands-on workshop exploring the art of cordage-making, using modern materials and applications.

‍

Learn to transform everyday items into string by using unconventional materials. This essential skill bridges creativity and survival preparedness!

Jessica encourages participants to bring mystery materials from home—such as old t-shirts (which we will cut up together), plastic shopping bags, dried daffodil or iris leaves, long grasses, newspaper, fabric remnants, or paper—to test the limits of what can become cordage. Any, or all, of these materials are welcome. You don’t need to bring a large quantity to learn.

‍

This workshop offers practical skills for both creative projects and survival situations.

‍

All skill levels are welcome. Basic materials will be provided, but bring your own experimental items to maximize the learning experience—plus fabric scissors, if you have them!
‍

PAST SESSIONS

Sunday, August 10 - Electrics Basics
2:30p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Actors Theatre of Louisville
316 W Main Street
When the lights go out, you'll be ready. Join our hands-on workshop at Actors Theatre of Louisville, where you'll master essential electrical skills that every prepared individual should know. Learn to repair frayed electrical cords, breathe new life into broken lamps, and transform ordinary objects—like a stack of old books—into functional lighting. Our expert lighting supervisor, Dani Clifford, will guide you through each technique and provide personalized troubleshooting for any portable electrical items you bring to the workshop. You'll leave equipped with practical know-how and step-by-step guides for tackling common electrical repairs on your own. As a special bonus, your experience will include a backstage tour of Actors Theatre of Louisville, giving you an insider's look at professional theatrical operations.

‍

Sunday, July 13 - The Sweet Escape
2:30p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Paul Owen Production Studio
1400 S 9th Street
Join Actors Theatre of Louisville's Interim Artistic Director Amelia Acosta-Powell and Development Director Lacey Trautwein for essential survival skills in this month's session. Learn to pack the perfect emergency go-bag and master the art of changing your vehicle's air filter—because when the curtain falls on civilization, you'll want to make a clean getaway. This hands-on workshop blends practical know-how with a dash of theatrical flair, offering useful, real-world skills that anyone can learn. Whether you're a seasoned prepper or just curious about how to take care of yourself in a pinch, you'll walk away with confidence, a few laughs, and maybe even a new spark for self-sufficiency. *Closed-toe shoes required

‍

Sunday, June 8 - From Seed to Seed: Container Gardening & Seed Saving Workshop
2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Louisville Tool Library
1227 Logan Street
Join Jody Dahmer from Beargrass Thunder and the Louisville Seedbank for a hands-on workshop that takes you through the complete lifecycle of plants—from seed to harvest and back to seed again! Perfect for gardeners with limited space, this session will teach you how to grow abundant food in containers while preserving genetic diversity through seed saving. Learn practical techniques for successful container gardening, discover which varieties thrive in small spaces, and master the art of collecting and storing seeds for future seasons. Take home knowledge that connects you to centuries of gardening tradition while building resilience in our local food system. All experience levels welcome!‍

‍‍

Sunday, May 11 - Sustainable Crafting
2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Louisville Tool Library
Celebrate Mother's Day with Actors Theatre of Louisville and the Louisville Tool Library! Grab your mom, daughter, auntie, or friends and join ATL Business Administrator Norman Dixon and LACE Coordinator Carly Riggs for our sustainable crafting workshop. Use everyday paper and ephemera to create a unique collaged card to give to Mom or to a friend! Crafting is a fantastic way to maintain joy amid chaos, and everyone loves to receive a card in the mail! Supplies will be provided on site, but participants are welcome to bring personal photos or paper mementos if desired.

‍

Sunday, April 13 - Hand Sewing Basics
2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Louisville Tool Library
Are you tired of fast fashion but don't know how to make the most of the clothes already in your closet? Or perhaps you found a rare vintage gem while thrifting, but it's missing a couple of buttons and you're afraid to attempt a repair? Join Actors Theatre Costume Shop Supervisor Anna Jenny, Props Supervisor Katelin Ashcraft, and Production Technician Jessica Hughes to learn how to sew a button, create a travel sewing kit, and mend an item with a decorative patch. Drop in for one tutorial, or hang out for the full afternoon and experience all three. All necessary supplies provided on site, but participants are welcome to bring personal projects and receive support.

‍

This dazzling Tony Award-winning musical traces the rise of the Dreamettes, a sensational trio inspired by 1960s Motown girl groups like The Supremes, who are on the verge of catching their big break. But can their friendship—and their music—survive as they navigate ambition, romance, and the precarious world of show business along the path to superstardom? Full of onstage joy, backstage drama, and powerhouse vocal performances, Dreamgirls is propelled by an electrifying score that blends R&B, gospel, pop, and the arrival of disco, capturing the sound of a transformative era in American music.

*PAY WHAT YOU CAN performance Monday, September 22.

‍

“Dreamgirls is a musical full of sparkle…a fantastically entertaining ride on the showbiz rollercoaster…This is a tale of transformation: from naïve hopefuls into jaded superstars, from raw R&B into the disco era, from success to failure, and then back again.” 

                                —The Guardian 

‍

“An electric megawatt of a musical…this is a show that commands multiple visits to fall in love with it over and over again.”

                                —London Theatre

‍

Franklin Delano Roosevelt hosted a cocktail hour nearly every day at the White House, welcoming folks from different backgrounds to sip martinis, laugh, and connect. Inspired by FDR’s love of stirring up drinks and lively conversation to unwind in challenging times, this immersive new play mixes humor and history to build on this tradition for our era, asking how the 32nd President’s triumphs and failures might illuminate our own civic health. As FDR invites us to ponder life, a complicated legacy, and the pursuit of community, strangers become friends—and perhaps, together, we can find ways to talk with our neighbors again.

‍

This project prioritizes exploring the creation of an accessible experience for the fullest human spectrum possible. Open Captioning, ASL Interpretation, Audio Description, and design of the physical space for wheelchair access are part of the show. (FDR used a wheelchair, after all.)

Take a journey through the underworld, a dark realm filled with glittering light and mystery where the dead are very much alive. In this fantastical adventure infused with astonishing puppetry, humor, music, and magical visual effects, two skeleton friends, a dodo and a boy, are drawn into the epic battle between existence and extinction as they fight to stay together. Experience this mesmerizing odyssey from the Obie Award-winning company Wakka Wakka, international leaders in stretching the boundaries of theatrical imagination.

‍

A hit from the 2025 Under the Radar Festival that’s been called “dazzling” (Theatermania) and “ceaselessly inventive” (The New York Times), Dead as a Dodo will amaze grown-ups and kids alike.

‍

“From a formal perspective, it is among the most ceaselessly inventive theatre pieces I have seen in the past year….It immerses the audience in a fantastical universe—at one point, plunging underneath the fiery river Styx—thanks to outlandishly inventive puppetry, projections, lighting, and audio….The bigger story here is concerned with new beginnings, and it is told gorgeously.”

                    —The New York Times

‍

“A beautifully imagined, sweet-natured, kid-friendly show…by the extraordinary Wakka Wakka puppetry collective.”

                    —The New Yorker

‍

“Spectacular….Wakka Wakka, based in New York and Oslo, has been astounding audiences for years with innovative stories and mind-blowing puppetry. Dead as a Dodo will blow your mind too….[the show is] about exploring theatre magic and seeing what kinds of stories are possible to tell onstage….One eye-popping scene follows another, and the show’s 80 minutes fly by.”

                    —Theatermania

‍

‍

Scrooge is back in all of his humbug glory! His disdain for Christmas is no match for visits from enchanting ghosts, a lively ensemble of characters, and the music of the season. Honoring Dickens’ classic tale, this acclaimed adaptation embraces generosity, community, and second chances. Bring your friends and family to Actors Theatre of Louisville for a new production celebrating this beloved tradition.

‍

“Jadhwani’s well-crafted adaptation combines the famous dialogue that audiences have become accustomed to and has weaved more intricate and lyrical phrases from the novel into the piece. Thus elevating the experience that the audience is given…there is no doubt that it will bring joy, merriment, and entertainment to all who experience it.”

                           —Broadway World

‍

“This new adaptation by Lavina Jadhwani stays true to the original story, telling it succinctly and effectively, emphasizing Scrooge’s willing participation in his transformation.”

                           —Cherry and Spoon

‍

‍

Post-Show Conversation: Disability Representation

‍Following the December 10th performance of A Christmas Carol,  join us for a post-show conversation exploring disability representation in Dickens’ works, including this holiday classic.

Emma Woodhouse is clever, educated, and energetic…and in imminent danger of going mad with idleness. In a time when respectable ladies are expected to sit quietly at home, she desperately needs projects—and prides herself on matchmaking, much to the chagrin of her friend Mr. Knightley. But where Emma’s considerable energies focus, screwball comedy follows… A fresh feminist take on a treasured classic, this Emma breaks down convention, expectation, and even the fourth wall with vibrant comic flair—leading audiences “forward, onward, and upward!"

‍

Tickets on sale to the public 11/1/25

Actors Theatre of Louisville welcomes back New York-based company Fiasco Theater as they combine their joyful, actor-driven approach to Shakespeare with the ingenuity of The Saunders Collective—a family of multi-talented performers, singers, composers and producers. Featuring original music, this collaboration breathes magical new life into the classic madcap farce about two pairs of identical twins, separated in a shipwreck, whose day roaming the same city leads to mistaken identities, cascading misadventures, and gloriously silly comic confusion.
‍

‍

“Fiasco is doing justice to Shakespeare in a wholly and excitingly contemporary way…Among its tools are careful compression, deep investigation of character, a pleasure in the gestalt of ensemble work, and a firm believe the that plays are meant to be, well, accessible fun.”

                     —The Washington Post

‍

“The Saunders family taps a compelling vein within the genre of musical theater.”

                     —Theatermania

‍