By Laurel Mallory and Connie Leonard for Wave3 news
September 7th, 2018
LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – The Kentucky Center is officially back, with the first production taking the stage since a three-alarm fire in June destroyed part of its roof and damaged other areas of the building.
The Louisville Ballet’s production of Romeo and Juliet premiered Friday with a school matinee. The crowd of about 700 students brought energy back to the venue.
Longtime volunteers were almost as excited about the re-opening as their young visitors.
“All the beaming smiles we saw going in, I hope they enjoy it and I know they will,” volunteer Rita Boehn said.
The ballet’s Romeo and Juliet is a revamped production with new costumes, new sets and new choreography.
Robert Curran, the ballet’s artistic director, said it’s fitting they will be the first to take the stage since the fire.
“It’s perfect. It’s exactly the way it should be,” Curran said. “Sharing the space with the Louisville Orchestra, being in Whitney Hall — two resident companies creating amazing work together. It’s what Louisville’s all about.”