LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The acclaimed Humana Festival of New American Plays has come to an end.
In a statement, Actors Theatre of Louisville said it remains "unwavering in our commitment to broadening, deepening, and diversifying the American Theatre canon in form and content," but plans to change how it supports and shares new works.
The Humana Foundation had donated millions of dollars over the years to sponsor new, original works of playwrights. But the philanthropic arm of the Louisville-based health care giant is shifting its focus to supporting health equity, according to the statement from ATL's executive artistic director, Robert Barry Fleming.
The month-long festival had long been a crown jewel of Louisville's performing arts. It brought actors, theater professionals, fans and the international press to the city.
Fleming said ATL will evolve its strategic vision and "re-imagine a 21st-century model that is sustainable, equitable, and radically-accessible, in alignment with our mission and values as an arts and culture organization as social enterprise."
Last year, the festival was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fleming said ATL is exploring new ways to connect artists and audiences.
ATL is planning to present several new works this spring, including "Still Ready," written and performed by Christina Acosta Robinson and Ken Robinson. It premieres in May in the Bingham Theater. The production was originally conceived as a streaming docu-series during the virtual festival last year.
"Threads of Our History: Where We Intertwine" premieres March 25-27. It was written by students in the Justice Now program in Jefferson County Public Schools. The production addresses social justice past and present in Louisville.
ATL is also supporting two theatrical outreach collaborations. Nurse and dancer Tara Rynders is performing "The Clinic," which is an immersive artistic program for nurses. The theatre is also working with the University of Kentucky College of Nursing to produce youth suicide prevention training materials for school nurses in the region.
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