KVZ for Actors Theatre of Louisville

WHY ACTORS THEATRE MATTERS TO ME

I found theatre kind of by accident, and later in life than a lot of people. A therapist told me I needed a more extroverted hobby, so I tried theatre. Turns out, she may have changed the entire trajectory of my life.

I was diagnosed with autism as an adult, and I spent a lot of my life feeling like everyone else had gotten some kind of instruction manual that I missed. I was always trying to figure out how I was supposed to act, what I was supposed to say, how much of myself was too much, and which parts I needed to tone down.

And then I found theatre.

Somehow, in a place where everyone is literally pretending to be other people, I finally felt like I could just be myself. I could be weird. I could be passionate about things to an unreasonable degree. I could ask a million questions, care way too much, and have big feelings. The things I had spent so much of my life trying to hide or make smaller suddenly had a place.

Theatre changed my life enough that I went back to school in my late twenties to study it. Actors Theatre of Louisville was at the TOP of my vision board. It was one of those big, ridiculous, maybe-someday dreams. And now I WORK HERE.

I still can’t quite believe I get to say that.

Actors Theatre matters to me because I know what it feels like to find a place that makes you realize there was never anything wrong with taking up space as yourself. I want other people to have the chance to walk through these doors—or experience our work wherever they are—and feel that little spark of, “Oh. Maybe there’s a place for me here, too.”

I got incredibly lucky and found mine.

JOIN ME

This Give for Good Louisville, I’m asking you to join me in supporting Actors Theatre. Every gift helps keep live theatre thriving in our community and creates more opportunities for people to experience the connection, joy, and belonging that the arts provide.

WHY GIVE TO ACTORS THEATRE?

• Regular participation in cultural events is associated with a 32% lower risk of depression.
• Engaging with the arts just a few times a year is associated with a 14% lower risk of premature death.
• The arts give us a place to gather. Chronic loneliness can have a significant impact on our health — the U.S. Surgeon General compares its effects to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR: 

When you invest in the arts you’re creating a healthier, happier Louisville.