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decaying and empty for three decades. Community members pressed for renovation throughout the 1990s. In 1996, the city of
Lexington faced a lawsuit from the state of Kentucky for failing to build a downtown cultural center as it had promised. As part of the settlement, the city agreed to renovate the Lyric. The groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday, July 16, 2009.
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of
Lexington allotted $ 6 million to revive and reopen the theater under a new mission as a center for art, community, history, and education. The renovated building seats 540 in its proscenium theater and now includes an African-American culture museum, rotating gallery, courtyard, and 325-capacity
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The Lyric's 15-member board operates under the auspices of the
Lexington-Fayette County Urban Government. Composed of leadership from the East End neighborhood, elected officials, artists, and members of the business community, the Lyric board oversees the management of and programming for the Lyric
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In 1963, the Lyric closed due to a steady decline in patronage from the surrounding community, largely a result of desegregation. In the years before closing, it returned to its roots as a movie theater, featuring horror films, black cowboy movies, and
Saturday morning cartoons. The building sat
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Originally built as a movie house, the Lyric opened at the corner of Third and
Deweese Street (now Elm Tree Lane) in 1948. It became a thriving entertainment hub for Lexington's African-American community. Its architecture was a blend of Art Deco and Spanish Colonial Revival styles. Wrote Janet
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Rooted in its
African-American heritage, the Lyric focuses on community development in Lexington's East End. The self-stated mission of the Lyric Theatre is "to preserve, promote, present and celebrate diverse cultures with special emphasis on African-American cultural heritage through artistic
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A nationwide search for an executive director took place in the year of its opening. The first executive director was Yetta Young, who served from April 2011 to late 2013. Rasheedah El-Amin assumed the director position in
January 2014 following Young's departure. After El-Amin's departure in
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cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Lyric's grand reopening ceremony under its new mission as a community and cultural arts center. Celebration activities included the hanging of a community quilt in the theatre lobby, the unveiling of a ceramic tile wall with the motto "We Rise," and a gallery
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Only the lobby's tile floor, box office and marquee retain the original look today. Architect Susan Hill has said she found few original features that could be preserved, but what is preserved are memories and a strong history of
African American life in Lexington during those
399:, United States. Opened in 1948 as a cultural hub of Lexington's segregated African-American community, the Lyric closed in 1963 and remained in disrepair for almost 50 years. Planning for this renovation began in the 1990s. In 2010, the
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perform there. The theatre also hosted movies, vaudeville acts, fashion shows, local concerts, and pageants. Several small black-owned business, including ice cream bars and clothing stores, were also located in and around the theatre.
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presentations of the highest quality, educational programming and outreach, film, and opportunities for community inclusion." The Lyric currently hosts a range of community-focused programs, including the
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February 2015, Donald Mason was made interim director, and then officially named executive director in
October 2015. In April 2019, the Lyric announced the search for a new director.
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exhibition by
Lexington folk artist La Von Williams. The weekend also included a variety of performances by artists including poet
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multi-purpose room. The Lyric hosts arts performances, rental events, luncheons, movie viewings, youth programs, and other events.
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958:"Lyric Theatre announces search for new executive director - Lane Report | Kentucky Business & Economic News"
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During the 1950s, the Lyric hosted performances by big-name jazz and R&B performers like
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909:"Q & A With The New Executive Director of The Lyric Theatre | LexTown Publications"
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performed at the Lyric Theatre's reopening ceremony in October 2010, as well as
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Whit Whitaker joined the Lyric as executive director in August 2019.
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615:"Excitement building as reopening of Lyric Theatre draws near"
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1005:"A Familiar Face And Voice Called Upon To Head Lyric Theatre"
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Society of American Archivists Liberated Archives Forum 2017
980:"Whit Whitaker Named Executive Director For Lyric Theatre"
933:"Lyric Theatre names Donald Mason as executive director"
685:"Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center - Lexington, KY"
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Historically African-American theaters and music venues
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657:"Lexington theater's revival raises neighborhood hopes"
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Non-profit organizations based in Lexington, Kentucky
812:"Lyric Theatre plans October reopening celebration"
425:Holloway in an article for Smiley Pete Publishing,
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634:Bryan, Ruth; Dorpinghaus, Sarah (July 29, 2017).
1076:Copley, Rich; Kegley, Josh (October 29, 2010).
836:"Lyric groundbreaking set for 10 a.m. Thursday"
458:. One Lexington resident claimed to have seen
1078:"Historic Lyric Theatre reopens in Lexington"
569:Since 2013, the Lyric Theatre has hosted the
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1082:The Associated Press State & Local Wire
50:Learn how and when to remove these messages
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733:"Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center"
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483:, who performed not only R&B but also
470:On October 28, 2010, then-Lexington mayor
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267:Learn how and when to remove this message
249:Learn how and when to remove this message
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389:Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center
280:Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center
83:Please improve this article by adding
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187:adding citations to reliable sources
1140:African-American arts organizations
1130:Performing arts centers in Kentucky
565:Notable performers and performances
1155:1963 disestablishments in Kentucky
1052:"Historic Lyric Theatre is reborn"
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1050:Copley, Rich (October 10, 2015).
31:This article has multiple issues.
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1160:2010 establishments in Kentucky
1135:1948 establishments in Kentucky
174:needs additional citations for
39:or discuss these issues on the
1125:Culture of Lexington, Kentucky
1003:Johnson, Stu (8 August 2019).
709:"Mission of The Lyric Theatre"
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572:WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour
414:Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour
361:WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour
85:secondary or tertiary sources
410:Lyric Black Lens Film Series
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1145:Theatres completed in 1948
913:keyconversationsradio.com
519:Secretary: Latarika Young
509:Councilmember James Brown
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513:Vice Chair: Percy Thomas
1056:Lexington Herald-Leader
884:"Celebrating the Lyric"
784:"Celebrating the Lyric"
516:Treasurer: Olivia Davis
937:Smiley Pete Publishing
888:Smiley Pete Publishing
864:www.lexingtonlyric.com
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761:www.lexingtonlyric.com
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575:. Actress and singer
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860:"Reopening Timeline"
401:Urban County Council
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1033:www.lexingtonky.gov
737:kentuckytourism.com
661:The Herald-Dispatch
397:Lexington, Kentucky
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1009:www.weku.fm
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481:Miki Howard
460:James Brown
456:Billy Brown
440:Count Basie
436:Ray Charles
1119:Categories
1014:2020-02-13
989:2020-02-13
964:2020-02-13
943:2017-05-18
918:2017-05-18
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620:2017-05-18
595:References
581:Ben Sollee
487:classics.
209:newspapers
107:newspapers
74:references
36:improve it
503:Theatre.
444:B.B. King
393:nonprofit
346:Renovated
42:talk page
1087:March 3,
840:kentucky
816:kentucky
317:Capacity
306:Location
420:History
368:Website
354:Tenants
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298:Address
223:scholar
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613:WKYT.
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331:Opened
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