LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Local playwrights and actors are shining during a Kentucky theater festival.
What You Need To Know
- Ten-Tucky Theatre Festival is now playing at Louisville's Bard's Town Theatre
- The festival features eight to 10-minute plays
- The festival runs Sept. 16-20 and 23-25
- This is the festival's 10th edition
Kentucky homegrown actors and playwrights are returning to the stage in what may be the unique theater experience in the commonwealth. It's called "Ten-Tucky."
“Four plays in the first act, four plays in the second act. Each are somewhere between eight and twelve minutes, so roughly 10-minute plays, thus the name 'Ten-Tucky Festival,'" Rachel Allen explained. Allen is a producer/director/actor. In fact, many of those involved with the festival wear multiple hats.
“We have a different playwright for every single one and a different director for every one," Allen added.
Spectrum News 1 visited the Bard's Town Theatre, home of Ten-Tucky during "Tech Week," the production's final rehearsals before opening night.
"Yeah! This is when we are all on stage together! We’re figuring out our lights. We’re figuring out our sound. We’re figuring out set transitions," Allen explained.
This is the festival's 10th edition in 11 years. The festival was canceled due to the pandemic in 2020.
The short plays cover many genres including biblical times, westerns, romance and personal tragedy.
Many of the cast and crew members have been involved with the festival for years, however, it's August Anderson's first.
"It’s been awesome,” Anderson said.
In fact, the 28-year-old only had two other performances under her belt when a pandemic shut down the theater industry. For most involved, it’ll be their first time on a stage performing in front of a live audience in more than a year and a half.
It’s a triumphant return to the stage and a moment made extra special for Anderson because her older brother Tony Smith is also on the cast and crew.
“I am actually in two of the shows as an actor, and I’m directing one of the shows my sister is in," Smith said. It's the first time the brother and sister have ever worked together on stage.
More information on showtimes and tickets is here.