In March of 2020, The PAC hosted a Central Hardin High School production of Little Women. Little did we know that would be the last performance on our stage that spring or that “to be or not to be” was truly the question when we canceled Kentucky Shakespeare’s Hamlet about a week later.
As I look back on a year of loss, disruption, and isolation, I reflect on how we’ve all changed or grown. I’ve been amazed and inspired by the resilience of the PAC staff, as well as that of our students, teachers, performers, and volunteers. Most of all, I’m thankful for our audiences and their willingness to continually adapt to the challenges we’ve faced. Over the past twelve months, the PAC has remained committed to serving our community by seizing new opportunities, exploring innovative possibilities, and engaging more deeply with our performers, patrons, and partners. Even with the cancelations and limitations over the last year, the PAC still managed to serve 2,000 people in 21 states, Canada, and the United Kingdom. All things considered, that’s pretty phenomenal. But it’s a far cry from the 27,000 served the year before and insignificant when compared to the number of those we believe we’ll be able to serve in the coming years!
Perhaps it’s connected to vaccines and spring, but optimism is definitely on the rise. So as we emerge from the pandemic, I am committed to contributing to positive change. With an eye on the future, we are now re-prioritizing programming and projects that emphasize the importance of connection, self-expression, empathy, inclusivity, and community. Over the next and subsequent seasons, the PAC will build upon past successes and address our shortcomings as we strive to provide quality performing arts experiences that engage our artists, entertain our audiences, and educate our students in creative ways that we have only just begun to explore.
Congratulations to Debbie Lewis, Desaree Ruic, Joan Klotz, and Lynette Pharr-Ellis – lucky winners of $20 PAC gift certificates for completing their Audience Surveys.
This month we have a special two for one interview combining a “flashback” for Shane Yates and a “spotlight” on his daughter, Skylar Yates, a fourth-grader at Vine Grove Elementary School. They just finished working together at the PAC with Allegro Dance Theatre’s Matilda.
Learn more about Shane and Skylar and all the other current and former students we’ve recognized over the years.
Watch the interview here: