2017-2017 Central Kentucky Performing Arts Calendars, published by the Lexington Herald Leader.

• Theatre, stage, and comedy
• Classical Music
• Pop Music
• Dance and Movement
• Visual Arts

The following is quoted directly from the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government website.

"​Thriller and Halloween Parade

More than 30 years after Michael Jackson's groundbreaking video first aired, zombies and the non-dead still come together in downtown Lexington to celebrate Halloween by re-creating Thriller.

This event, which has been named a top 10 Halloween destination by USA Today, is brought to you by Lexington Parks & Recreation, Mecca Live Studio and WRFL.

Details

Date:
Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017
(Rain date: Oct. 30, 2017)

Schedule:
2 – 8 p.m. – Wicked Wonders Art Market, Fifth Third Bank Pavilion
6:30 p.m. – Halloween Variety Show, Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza
8 p.m. – Parade, Main Street from Quality and Mill streets
8:30 p.m. – Thriller

Location:
The evening festivities will begin with a dance showcase at the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza. Both the parade and Thriller will start at Quality and Main streets and proceed down Main Street, ending at Mill Street.  

Thriller Parade Zombie DancersBecome a zombieBoth children and adults can participate as zombies in the event.  All zombie participants must register online or in-person at a scheduled rehearsal by Friday, Oct. 21. All participating zombies are required to attend at least one regular rehearsal and one staging rehearsal. 

**Zombie registration will begin on Oct. 2.**
Cost: $11 for adults and $6 for ages 16 & under (in order to perform--viewing the performance is free!)
Register

Rehearsal details & scheduleAll rehearsals will be held at Artworks at the Carver School, 522 Patterson Street, Lexington, KY. Participants are required to attend at least one regular rehearsal and one staging rehearsal.

Rehearsal dates:

• Regular rehearsals begin Monday, Oct. 2 and run through Saturday, Oct. 21.
• Staging rehearsals begin Monday, Oct. 23 and run through Saturday, Oct. 28.

Rehearsal Times:

• Mondays and Wednesdays, 6 – 7 p.m. (registration and check-in: 5:30 – 6 p.m.)
• Saturdays, 2 – 3 p.m. (registration and check-in: 1:30 – 2 p.m.)

October 21 – Zombie make-up tutorial following rehearsal

For more information about Thriller contact Lexington Parks and Recreation, Sarah Buckles at [email protected] or (859) 425-2057."

The following has been quoted directly from Backstage.com.  Visit the website for more information about landing acting jobs, advanced training, college options, and even open auditions for actors your age!

Also read the following articles:

• "The College Audition, Part I" (applies to any performing art)
• "Ten Musical Theatre Colleges You Should Know" 
  • Includes information about College Conservatory of Music (CCM) at University of Cincinnati
• "Six College Programs for Actors on a Budget"
• "Ten Dance College Programs You Should Know"
• "Twenty-Give Amazing Acting Colleges You Should Know"
• "How to Choose and Apply to an Acting College"
• "How to Create Your College Dream School List"
• "10 Tips for Nailing Your College Audition"
• "5 College Audition FAQs Answered"
  
• "8 Elements of a Perfect College Audition Song"
• "12 Female Playwrights Young Women Should Turn To For Monologues"
• Resource for Monologues

"Choosing an institution for higher education is a massive and tough decision for any 17-year-old to make. Factor in the performance arts aspect and the overwhelming prospect becomes even more so. This week at Backstage, we’re highlighting 10 of the best colleges for both musical theater and dance, but that hardly means one of those will be the right school for you. Below, we asked seven Backstage Experts for their best pointers when it comes to choosing your college.

You have to be very, very excited.
“You want [students] to be excited to go to class every day. You want them to race to their classes. You want them to do well. And if they’re going to do something that makes [the parent] happy that they don’t really want to do, they’re not going to put the same type of energy into that… [I’ve spoken with students] who think that they’re really excited about conservatory-style training until they realize that means they don’t get to tap out of that experience at some point to feed the other parts of their soul—the part of them that may want to learn about tech or might want to learn about business.” --Paury Flowers, recruitment coordinator at Temple University’s School of Theater, Film, and Media Arts

No two students’ needs will be exactly alike.
“The truth is, there’s such an abundance of acting and musical theater college programs, that beginning the task can be daunting. There are a variety of published lists of the ‘best’ programs, but whether they are the best fit for you is very personal and subjective. The college performing arts program that is right for you will ultimately be dependent on a variety of components specific to your needs, wants, desires, and budget.” --Mary Anna Dennard, author, founder of College Audition Coach, and Backstage Expert

Look beyond traditional rankings.
“How far away from home am I willing to travel to go to school? Would I prefer to go to college in a major city, a midsize city, or a small college town? How important is it for me to be in an LGBT-friendly or a racially diverse community? Would I prefer a broad-based liberal arts education or something more specialized, like a conservatory? Do I absolutely know what my college major will be? Or would I prefer to choose one (or more) after having taken classes? Answering these questions will yield better results for you than simply applying to the top schools in a college rankings magazine.” --Harvey Young, professor of theater at Northwestern University and Backstage Expert

Ask yourself questions—and answer honestly.
“BFA? BA? BM? Conservatory? Emphasis on dance? Every school is different, even down to the degrees they offer. So make sure you do your research and figure out what it is you want to study for the next four years. Learn the difference between a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Music. Be honest with yourself about whether you’ll want to study only the dramatic arts or if you want to get a full liberal arts education. Do you want to study abroad? Do you want the chance to learn how things work behind the scenes? All of these are questions you should know the answers to before starting the search as they will likely narrow the list down significantly.” --Denise Simon, New York-based acting coach, author, and Backstage Expert

No two students’ needs will be alike.
“The truth is, there’s such an abundance of acting and musical theater college programs, that beginning the task can be daunting. There are a variety of published lists of the ‘best’ programs, but whether they are the best fit for you is very personal and subjective. The college performing arts program that is right for you will ultimately be dependent on a variety of components specific to your needs, wants, desires, and budget.” --Mary Anna Dennard, author, founder of College Audition Coach, and Backstage Expert 
Reputation is not actually everything.

“Ask to sit in on classes and feel what the vibe is. A really famous school could have a really crappy vibe. It might be perfect for one student but not right for another. Get an internal intuition about where’s home.” --Daniel Gary Busby, chair of the University of California, Irvine’s drama department

Ask for guidance.
“The good news for this ever-growing army of prospective students is that plenty of help out there exists if you feel you need it. A knowledgeable coach can help you build a list of college programs that fit your goals and advise you in your preparation. And a coach can help you find appropriate audition material in addition to coaching your performance package.” --Mary Anna Dennard
​
Don’t forget: This is supposed to be fun.
“It’s important for [prospective students] to ask about what the course curriculum looks like for each of the different majors that they’re looking into. Students will find their way and should love what they’re doing when they graduate. That’s the point in the end.”--Tracee Duerson, director of admissions at the Theatre School at DePaul University"

The following has been quoted directly from Backstage.com.  Visit the website for more information about landing acting jobs, advanced training, college options, and even open auditions for actors your age!

"College audition season is tough! So much to manage, so much vocal/monologue material to prepare, and requirements vary for every school. But perhaps the most nerve-wracking piece is the unknown that lies behind the door of the dance audition. Nine times out of ten, you can’t prepare ahead of time for a dance call (except to train for at least a year before audition season), because material is presented to you in real time when you’re already laced up and on the dance floor. So I’m here to ease your mind, break it down for you, and remind you that there is hope! You CAN make a great showing at the dance call, even if you don’t have training.

​Movement calls for musical theater programs will most likely include a warmup, a technique evaluation, and a dance combination (usually in classic musical theater style), to be performed in small groups. Here’s how you’re going to wow them despite your wobbly legs:

1. Break every step down into right/left/right.
In my program Don’t Dodge the Dance Call, the very first fundamental we discuss is the idea that dancing is just glorified walking. When it comes down to it, there are only two things you can do: step on the right foot or step on the left. So if you take away the mystique of how people make it look so darn graceful and see what’s really there, you’ll notice that everything is just right foot/left foot. Take a deep breath, concentrate on the steps, and you’ll pick up enough of the choreography to keep moving with the crowd.

2. Be teachable.
When auditioning for college programs, the auditors are looking for more than good technique. They’re looking for people who they want to hang out with for the next four years, people who are open to learning, growing, and improving. And guess what? If you’re already a perfect dancer, there’s no learning to be done! It’s not a bad thing to be a beginner, but it IS bad to be a jerk about it. Stay loose, stay engaged, laugh at your mistakes, and hold your head up high. And if you have a question, ask it! Your determination will not go unnoticed.

3. Remember that performance scores points.
I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that college auditions are competitive these days! Programs are looking for people who are really good at two of the three triple threats (dancing, singing and acting, obviously), but the winning factor—the golden ticket that garners your acceptance letter—is when you show potential in the third realm.

How do they measure your potential? By watching you learn, observing your willingness to go for it, and enjoying your performance, so sell it! I know stakes are high, but smile, give it all you’ve got, and wow them from the neck up. If you make them feel good, they’ll remember you. Plus, they will be watching the joy on your face (and not your two left feet).

You’re going to do great. And if you need a little extra help, check out Don’t Dodge the Dance Call, a four-week dance basics bootcamp that you can do at home. Now go forth and kick high! 
​
Erika Shannon is a choreographer, movement coach, creator of Don’t Dodge the Dance Call, and Backstage Expert. For more information, check out Shannon’s full bio!"