xt7s7h1dnt2s https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7s7h1dnt2s/data/mets.xml The Kentucky Kernel Kentucky -- Lexington The Kentucky Kernel 2006-04-27 Earlier Titles: Idea of University of Kentucky, The State College Cadet newspapers  English   Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. The Kentucky Kernel  The Kentucky Kernel, April 27, 2006 text The Kentucky Kernel, April 27, 2006 2006 2006-04-27 2020 true xt7s7h1dnt2s section xt7s7h1dnt2s \1

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Places to go, things to sea: Check out Kernel Pop on PIE! 3

 

Thursday, April 27, 2006

 

 

Celebrating 35 years of independence

 

mavuuuumm I 51m

Jamie Tennant (right), who played Carrie Pepperidge in the UK Opera production of "Carousel" last month, listens as Everett McCorvey gives her tips on

improving her performance.

A HIGHER OCTAVE

Internationally known tenor McCorvey leads UK Opera program to national prominence

By Laura Clemmons
THE xmrucxv mm

Even in the darkness off
stage, Everett McCorvey
couldn't _. wouldn't we stop
teaching.

As his students rehearsed
for UK Opera's recent produc-
tion of “Carousel," McCorvey
sang softly and kept the beat
with his hands. He watched
his students‘ every move in
hopes of helping them im-
prove.

That passion. which grew
from his childhood experience
playing the trumpet alongside
high school students as an ele-
mentary student. has taken
him on an impressive musical
journey In the last decade, it
has helped him reinvent the
UK opera program and. in the
process, become one of the
most respected college voice UK,"

McCorvey said during

:- helps them polish

- over the opera

“Teaching is really passing on

baseball player at UK. Turay
joined the choir his freshman
year. Practice schedules con-
flicted. however. so Turay
dropped baseball to develop
his vocal talents.

In 1991. Turay began work-
ing with McCorvey. It was Mc-
Corvey's first year at UK. so it
was a new start for both
teacher and student.

“He pretty much created
my career," Turay said. call-
ing McCorvey one of the best
teachers in the nation.

“He is head and shoulders
above the rest." he said.

It didn‘t take long for Tu-
ray and McCorvey to both re-
alized that Turay had a very
special gift and he began to
rapidly improve. Turay said.

Four years after he started
at UK. the tenor won the Met-
ropolitan Opera National
Council Auditions. putting

The cast of
"Carousel" sings
along as McCorvey
(not pictured)

a song a few days
before the produc-
tion in late March.

McCorvey came to
UK in 1991 and took

program in 1997.
Since that time,
the program and
McCorvey himself
have gained
national and inter-
national attention.

 

coaches in the country.

In his time at UK. the
opera program’s budget has
grown from $20,000 to almost
$500,000. and his students say
most of the success rests with
McCorvey, who has led the
program since 1997.

“We want to give our stu-
dents a professional experi-

that “Carousel" rehearsal.

He was encouraging as he
talked one-on-one to students.
giving them advice while they
listened, eager to learn from
such an experienced per-
former.

“I love teaching because I
love seeing the light bulb
come on in the (student's)

what you have learned. expe-
riences you’ve had. to the next
generation of singers."

By passing on his knowl-
edge. rooted in his worldly ex-
periences. McCorvey has
turned out some top-notch
singers. One such protege is
rising opera star Gregory Tu-
ray.

both Turay and UK on the na-
tional opera scene. Turay has
since performed at the Lyric
Opera of Chicago. the Metro-
politan Opera in New York
City, the English National
Opera in London, England.
and the Opera House of New
National Theater in Tokyo.

ence while they are here at

eyes.“

McCorvey said.

Originally a scholarship

See McCorvey on page 6

 

Radio forum draws two of four mayoral candidates

By Oariush Shafa
THE mrrucrrv mini

A semester 5 worth of work on local
politics by a UK journalism class culmi-
nated in a live radio Q&A session with
three of the four Lexington mayoral
candidates yesterday afternoon.

Journalism professor Buck Ryan
and his JOU 499 class, “Lexington and
the Mayor’s Race." set up yesterday's
session in a partnership with the radio
show “Campus Voices” on 88.1 WRFL-
FM Ryan said projects like this are all
about getting citizens a. especially col-
lege students _ involved in the politi-
cal process.

I think that only through faceto
face interaction will anyone, young or
olc_i(.1 get turned on to politics." Ryan
sai .

“The whole idea
is to get students
involved in the

process."

Bill Farmer Jr.
mayoral candidate

www.mtmzsm

r

Two of the four candidates a, Lex-
ington-Fayette Urban County council-
man Bill Farmer Jr. and local lawyer
Jim Newberry W came in person for
the session and a third candidate. cigar
store owner Charles Martin Jr. phoned
in to the radio show on WRFL. Incum-
bent Mayor Tlenesa Isaac did not partic-
ipate.

The live radio session covered top
ics that reflected student concerns, in-
cluding the Lexington Area Party Plan
and “brain drain’ — the loss of profes-
sors to other universities and the loss of
students to jobs in other states after
they graduate.

“Many of the interests the students
have are similar to the interests of the
community." Newberry said.

See Mayor on page 5

"Many of the (stu-
dent) interests
are similar to the
interests of the

community."

Jim Newberry
mayoral emu

 

 

Students encouraged
to vote before leaving
town for the summer

By Evan Israel
infifirfic‘ifi‘rfihn
UK students who are registered to vote have
a way to cast their ballot for
the May 16 primary election FYI
ahead of time. before the skip
out of town for the summer.

There is still a way for
those students to vote. howev-
er. said Dave Newton. a mem-
ber of the group Kentuckians
For The Commonwealth.

“If they're going to be out
of the county on Election Day.
they can vote early." Newton said.

He suggests that students take a half-hour
off from studying and walk down to the County
Clerk's Office, which is under the parking struc-
ture downtown near the Kentucky Theater.

See Vothg on page 5

I For more infor-
mation on early
voting. call the
County Clerk's of-
fice at 255-VOIE.

 

ky Ke rnel

www. kylternel. com

We’ve got
“catch up”
funding:
Now What?

President, faculty leaders discuss
how best to dole out raise money

By Adam Sichlio
THE KENTUCKY KERNEL

UK President Lee Todd believes he’s got the an-
swer to an almost perennial question at UK «—
when. and how. UK‘s average faculty salary will
get closer to the median among its 19 benchmarks.

His administration‘s response: a 1.5 percent
“catch up" salary raise that kicks in at the start of
2007. It’s funding aimed at closing that gap be-
tween UK and the benchmark median _ which
stood at more than $10,000 in 2004.

But he’s not sure yet
whether he‘ll equally divide
that funding among UK‘s
colleges to resolve campus
salary issues next year

Early last week. Todd
proposed that “catch up“
raise as part of a faculty
salary increase that in-
cludes a 3.5 percent salary
pool raise and $800,000 for a
“fighting fund" to help ., t h- ,,
make more competitive ca c up
counteroffers to faculty who [390“ for a total
are seeking jobs elsewhere. ”“59 .

Now. he’s seeking input 0f 5-5 percent In
from faculty leaders and 2006-07
UK's next full—time provost _
to determine whether he I New Proposal.
should distribute those dol- A 3’5 per cent.
lars evenly among UK‘s col- salary 000I raise
leges and departments. for 2006'07

“One of the problems with a 1.5 per-
we have is that we have cent "catch-up"
some departments that are boost that will
just way behind and some begin in January
individuals who are just 2007. total av-
way behind." Todd told The ' .

Kernel on Monday. “We‘ve erage raise °f5
got to find a logical way to percent.

catch people up who de- _,, , W
serve to get caught up.

“That 1.5 (percent) has been referred to as a
“catch up pool.' but We haven't defined exactly how
that will work.” he said.

Inherent in this discussion is how to get the
merit system a set-up that both faculty and staff
salary pools function under , to work properly
and efficiently. The 3.5 percent. for example. is an
average raise for each department; a faculty mem-

See Salaries on page 5

Faculty
I Original
Proposal: A 3
percent salary
pool raise with
an additional
2.5 percent

Pat1ent
threatens to
blow up clinic

UK police officer: “It was obvious" that
44-year-old woman is “mentally ill"

By Megan Boehnke
mt mourn mm

A woman seeking treatment at Kentucky
Clinic North threatened to blow 11p the building
yesterday morning. forcing staff and patients to
evacuate the building. said Maj. Joe Monroe
with UK police.

Hazel Higgins. 44. walked in to the building.
on the corner of Elm Tree Lane and Third
Steet. around 10 am. and requested treatment.
When she was told to wait. Higgins said there
was a bomb in the bag she was carrying and at-
tempted to light a paper towel on fire.

The clinic staff called 9-1-1 and told people
over the intercom system to exit the building.
Police arrived and determined there were no ex-
plosives in the bag.

“It was obvious she was mentally ill."
Monroe.

The Lexington Fire Department transported
to UK Hospital Emergency Room where she was
evaluated by hospital staff who decided she had
no reason to stay at the hospital.

She is now being held at the Fayette County
Detention Center on charges of first degree ar-
son and endangerment.

According to clinic policy. staff members are
not supposed to activate the fire alarm in the
Event of a bomb threat because it may trigger
the bomb. Staff members are always supposed
to call UK police if a patient is being combative
or carrying a weapon.

said

E-mail
mboehnketakykernelmm

Newsroom: 257-1915

 

  
 

ms 2 | Thursday, April 27. 2006

 

 

    

 

  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

    
 
  

 

 

 

  
  
 

 

 

 

 

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

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By Linda C. Black

challenging.

you expected.

judgment, and you'll do fine

chance.

@ Horoscopes?

To get the advantage. check the day‘s
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shoot straighter and get farther than

Taums (April 20-May 20) , Today rs a 6
- You're generally slow at making deci-
sions. You find rt more comfortable
Today, however, act quickly on a snap

Gemini (May 21 -June 21) , Today rs a
7 , If you have a short attentron span.
write yourself a note. Use bold colors
and big letters, and put rt where it can‘t
be missed. Don‘t leave anything to

Cancer (June 22-Juty 22) ,
Today rs a 7 , You‘re in line for
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could be all of the above put
together. it you get an offer.
take it.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today IS an 8 -
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important people are watching

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. You can get what yorr've been seek
rng Don't be embarrassed to shop in
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, There's one way to beat the competr
tron , wrn them over to your srde.
Opposrtes attract. and today you‘re very
attractive.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) - Today rs a
7 . Push yourself past your own best

time. Work faster and make more
money. Great treasures can be yours
but only if you move quickly.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) ~ Today is
an 8 - Recent enterprises have been
tiring. Accept encouragement. Let
somebody who loves you reinforce your
confidence.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) , Today is
a 7 - Something you‘ve kept hidden
turns out to be exactly what you need.
You had a hunch this would happen.
and it did. eventually.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) , Today is a
7 — Your curiosity is intense now. You
can partially satisfy it by yourself, but
not completely. Consult a wise older
friend.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) - Today is a
7 . Another's generosrty is tapped, in
your favor. Be gracious and accept
what you're given. Yes, you do deserve
it.

© 2006 Tribune Media Services, lnc.

your daily dose of entertainment, pop culture and fun Km ‘ a.

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i'l'le DiSI-l

Talk about a game of telephone! rRumors
are always running rampant about Jennifer
Aniston, so, on April 17, the actress, 37, called
in to The Oprah Winfrey Show to set the record
straight on some new tall tales. Us listened in.

Rumor has it. The buzz was that Oprah
Wmfrey, Aniston's BFE was overseeing a lavish
$8 million wedding for the Friends With Money
star and Vince Vaughn, 36. On the agenda? A
performance by cellist YoYo Ma and a $1 mil»
lion gift from Winfrey "It sounds like you're
giving me Santa Barbara," Aniston joked. "At a
certain point, you have no other choice but to
think it's funny."

On the move. Is it true that Winfrey was
helping Aniston househunt in Santa Barbara,
California (so they could be neighbors)? The
Malibu-based actress said, "That's so sweet. . . .
[But] Ive got my house."

-- Aimee Agresti

Celebs'ArtworkforAutism

These A-listers are raising cash -- and
awareness

Own a piece of your favorite star! This
April, in honor of National Autism Month,
VIPs like Britney Spears, 24, and Patrick
Dempsey, 40, have painted puzzles to be auc-
tioned off by Autism Speaks and its corporate
partner TJ. Maxx. "One out of every 166 chil-
dren in the US. is diagnosed with autism," says
Mark Roithmayr, president of Autism Speaks
(which funds research into the disease). "Al-
most everyone knows someone with autism."
Bidding starts April 24 on charityfolkscom for
people such as:

Jessica Biel. Each shopping-bag-shaped
puzzle (like Biel's playful aquatic scene) "gives
a snapshot of that star's personality,” says
Roithmayr.

Ryan Seacrest. The American Idol host, 31.
is no stranger to autism awareness. He's a vet-
eran supporter of "Clothes off Our Back."
which raises money for the Cure Autism Now
Foundation.

Scarlett Johansson. The lucky winner of
Johansson's puppy puzzle will also get an auto
graphed black-and-white photo of the actress.
21. (One hundred percent of the auction's pro-

 

Jen’s on-air
Oprah scoop

Celeb sets the record straight via

telephone interview to show

ceeds go to Autism Speaks.)
— Leslie Bruce

Stars' Adoption anzy

Call it the Angelina effect! A slew of celebs
are welcoming needy kids into their families

"Angelina Jolie has done amazing things,"
Jessica Simpson, 25 - who recently said she
hopes to adopt children - gushed of Brad Pitt's
leading lady (a two-time adoptive mom). Now
more stars seem to be emulating the dogooder.

Family additions. Ewan McGregor, 35, and
wife Eve Mavrakis, 39, recently confirmed that
they have adopted a 4-year-old Mongolian girl.
In January, Meg Ryan, 43, brought home baby
Daisy from China. Meanwhile, Ashton Kutch-
er, 28, said on April 3 that a baby with wife
Demi Moore, 43, "could be in the plans." But, he
added, "everybody's adopting babies now. . . .
Having one [biologically], it would be weird."
Maxine Chalker, of Adoptions From the Heart,
applauds the trend. Although international
adoption statistics aren't available yet for 2006,
she tells Us, "people who would never have con-
sidered adoption before will consider it now."

-- Eric Andersson

me 0.61s Prom Fashion

It's not who you bring, it's what you wear!
For the Harbor School's Pirates of the
Caribbean-themed prom, the ladies of The 0.0
are dressing to impress. Us gets a sneak peek at
the fab frocks modeled on the April 27 show
(Fox, 9 pm).

Dolled-up divas. "The show always tried to
be aspirational when it came to fashion, but
this year it‘s really outdone itself." co—executive
producer Stephanie Savage tells Us. Indeed,
from Mischa Barton's frilly Chanel to Rachel
Bilson's va-va-voom Vera Wang, the looks are
way too cool for your average high school. And
the clothes aren't the only things packing a
punch: Look for matchmaking surprises, a
prom queen shake—up and (of course) a ball-
room brawl. Says Savage, "lt's The 0.0. so the
chances of there being a fight are pretty good."

-- Aimee Agresti

Copyright 2006 Us Weekly.
First published in Us Weekly Magazine.

 

  
   
  
   
  
 
  
  
 
  
  

 

 

   

  

 

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”Watchers
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Bflfllllli ATTRACTIONS

m lemon Tome

Starting May 31, the Kentucky Theatre will show a
classic film for $3 a seat each Wednesday at 1: 30
p m. and 7. 30 p. m. Famous titles such as King
Kong" “.20 000 Leagues Under the Sea." and A
Streetcar Named Desire" will grace the screen
along with episodes of “The Shadow" and classic
cartoon reels. Atterwards, you can head down to ’ - 2 L ‘ -

the malt shop and the get down at the sock hop, '

'A Streetcar
Named Desire

 

 

IGI‘i' GI“
CQITIQI'

 

Five Web sites that
may herald the dawn
of the apocalypse

By Doug Scott and Ian Conley
m: KENTUCKY rerun

The internet is full of pedophiles, preten—
tious emo kids on MySpace. com and gener-
a/ phi/andering creeps. It also, however,
offers unparalleled access to the absurd and
carries with it, rather inexplicably, an aura of
truth and authority. Here's a list of the most
ridiculous and out—of-this-wor/d sites we ’ve
come across that aren't really for real. Yes,
we spend too much time on the computer.
Don‘t be so incredulous; so do you.

Bonsaikitten.com
Who doesn’t sit around all day wondering
how they can successfully modify the body
style of their feline friend by allowing it to
grow from kitten to cat in an unreasonably
confined space (read: a small jar). This site
purports to sell kits of jars and instructions
on how to fit your cat into them, and ways
to keep them nourished through the painful—
ly long process.

it Dionaea-house.com

This gem features a blog that ostensibly
reports on a missing friend but eventually
forms into a bizarre tale of a house that eats
people. Gnarly.

Manbeel.com

Mmmm, delicious man meat. Sexual innu—
endo aside, Manbeefcom features a wide
array of cuts of human flesh available for
purchase and consumption. Again, it‘s not
serious. We think.

llovebees.com

What appears to be just another website
promoting a family—run honey farm called
Margaret’s Honey hailing from Napa Valley,
Ca. is apparently a portal to some unknown
hell preparing to rain on your parade. Upon
launch, the site opens a flash window that
reads “System peril distributed reflex" and
features a countdown to wide awake and
physical.

3 Dowethics.com

Unlike previous entries in the above list,
this Web site is actually for real. Formed by
a group of anti—corporate activists known as
the Yes Men. the site assumes the role of a
public relations site for the Dow chemical
company that sardonically explains that the
Bhopal catastrophe was a big misunder—
standing and all is well.

E-mail
features@kykernel.com

By lan Conley
THE krnrucrv KERNEL

The marquee juts from the
face of otherwise monotonous
buildings, lighting up a piece of
Main Street with flashing bulbs
and a soft glow. To even walk
under the awning is to step
back in time to an era when the
moving picture was a novelty
that provided innocent amaze-
ment and a catalyst for fantasy
to a population reeling from
the horror of World War 1.

Fred Mills is dressed and
ready for a day of entertaining
Lexington. He hangs casually
behind the concession stand.
casually chatting with employ-
ees about the work ahead.
With a shirt and tie neatly
tucked into khaki pants, Mills
appears to be the quintessen-
tial theater manager and usher:
Rather than a sense of defen-
sive indignation. however.
Mills sports a jovial demeanor

ilver
screen

i ton’s. ‘ veel’

Photo illustration by Kasha

The Kentucky Theatre
stands as living
history and a hub
of downtown
Lexington's vitality

that speck American suburbia.
Opened in October 1922. the
theater has weathered the
storm of time and endured a
tragic fire. yet has remained an
anchor of downtown entertain-
ment.

“Everybody"s got a lien
tucky Theatre story." Mills
said. “This is where they were
when World War II broke out.
when they had their first kiss.
got engaged, everything. it's
meant a whole lot to lots of dif»
ferent people in a lot of differ-
ent ways.“

it means a particularly
good deal to Mills. who. at age
17. was hanging around when a
neighbor. \\ ho happened to he
an assistant manager at the
Kentucky. flippantly asked
what he was doing over the
summer. Mills then began

mros IV “SIM mm l sun
The Kentucky Theatre auditorium, opened in 1922, has weathered fire and has
been a hub of continual Lexington community activity for more than 80 years.

and a warm, attentive smile sits down in his chair in his of-
that otTers a welcome to anyone fice.
entering the theater, The Kentucky Theatre

“I don't know if you would stands as a monument to that
bygone era and as an entryway
into a unique film experience
that fades with each multiplex

call it a palace, but at one time
we had 1200 seats." Mills says
proudly of the theater as he

working at the theater until he
left Lexington to attended East—

See Theatre on page 4

 

 

Wllfl - FM, 88.1

TQL l6

Eliot

I'CIDiQf‘

0|] snanl [MI TO!
the WITH Tull-10
IIII llallB 4|

Keeneland

After weeks of students

engaging in a mass exo-

dus down Versailles Road

to the promised land of

horses. gambling and al-
cohol, Keeneland will hold its final
day of races tomorrow.

'“ ’22: Bocltv llorrnr Picture
Show
The Kentucky Theatre will be
hosting a debauched midnight
showing of the family-adventure
comedy Saturday night. Do the

 

time warp again. And again And
again. And then dress like a trans-
vestite.
w Duncan Shelli

is Admit it. “Barely Breathing" l8
”‘1“ a pretty catchy song if you
didn't indulge your nostalgic side
when Blues Traveler and Hootie and
the Blowtish came through town.
head to the Dame on Friday to see
Duncan Sheik, Showtime is 9 pm.
Tickets cost $15.

arbor uav
Seriously. if you didn‘t plant

 

 

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a treef or Earth Diy las: weekend
you that3to plaitone to Arb:
Day Its iatir n to Tree Day

so“? Study T9? "flals
‘3 Go ahead and call us
kiiIJoys, but you can spare a
weekend to actually ensure a trait»
tut future Of course, you couid
always spend this weekend drink
ing yourselfi. rito a Si upor but we
wouldnt trecommendi The last
we time we did that we ended up
working at The Kernel

 

 

 Put 4 | Thursday. April 21, 2006

 

Theatre

Continued from page 3

 

ern Kentucky University in Richmond.

Mills returned to the Kentucky The-
atre to eventually become its manager
and consummate caretaker.

In fact. there have even been mar-
riages inside the theater.

The Lafayette Amusement Company
constructed the theater. One of the di-
rectors of that company. Michael
Switow. had also been involved in estab-
lishing another theater of the same
name in Louisville and had previously
built The Strand in Lexington before
selling his interest in the company

Switow leased both the State and
Kentucky theaters to the Publix The-
aters Corporation. a subsidiary of Para-
mount Pictures. in 1929.

As noted in a piece by former UK
English profes-

Mayor Scotty Baesler in reestablishing
the theater in 1992.

“When the theater closed. Baesler
got more calls about the theater than
anything else.” Mills said.

In order to pay for the 800 new seats,
each was sold for $200. A brass name-
plate on each one sold honors the gift to
the theater. Further. the theater, which
Mills said operates as a private small
business. also gives a portion of pro-
ceeds from concessions to the Lexing-
ton-Fayette Urban County Government
“as a way of paying rent." Mills said.

Today the theater functions as Lex-
ington's premier independent theater,
showing films that wouldn‘t likely make
it to multiplexes in the area. The the-
ater also adds spice to downtown Lex-
ington on weekends by providing late-
night showings of films rarely. if not in
a long time, seen on the big screen.

“We're one of the few theaters that
still features midnight movies,” Mills

said.
Of course.

 

sor Gregory
Waller that ap-
peared in the re-
opening pro-
gram guide. by
the late 19205.
Lexington's five
movie theaters.
including the
State Theater
which would ul-
timately be ab-
sorbed into the

H
ways.

”Everybody's got a Kentucky
Theatre story. It's meant a
whole lot to lots of different
people in a lot of different

coupled with
these midnight
features are oc-
casional special
events, be it a
Halloween dou-
ble-feature or.
more promi-
nently, mid-
night “Rocky
Horror Picture
Show" screen-
ings.

Fred Mills

Manager, Kentucky Theatre

 

Kentucky, were

all within walking distance of one an-
other. As such. Waller noted. outra-
geous marketing and absurd promo-
tions were a critical element to the busi-
ness and a fundamental component of
the theater's character.

For instance. in 1922. the Kentucky
offered a special free screening of “Oliv-
er Twist" for Lexington’s orphans.
Further. bombastic and visually stun-
ning sets jumped out at audiences wait-
ing in line to purchase tickets. With a
terrifying effigy of Dracula hanging
over head or massive shoes standing at
their side for Harold Lloyd‘s 1930 film
“Feet First." audiences were immersed
in fantasy before even setting foot in-
side the theater.

The coup de grace for the Kentucky.
however. came on April 24. 1927. when it
became the first local theater to show
films with sound. While a trite notion
today. the idea of a talking picture was
categorically phenomenal in its day.
drawing crowds and inspiring awe.

A fire in the Fleur-De-Lys restaurant
next to the Kentucky on Oct. 2. 1987.
wrought tremendous damage through-
out the building.

“It rendered the place inoperable."
Mills said of the fire and ensuing smoke
damage.

Mills credits the dedication of then-

Passing by
the theater on a “Rocky Horror” night
is something to behold. Moms and
daughters wait side by side, each wear-
ing make-up so loud it can be heard in-
side the security of one's car and fish-
net stockings so open they can be seen a
block away. Indeed. it appears as though
the theater vomits out a long line of
pure. debauched insanity only to peri-
odically gobble it right back up. digest
it. and release it back into the world.
The theater complements this midnight
showing with a live cast mimicking the
film on stage and interacting with the
audience. Toilet paper projectiles. wed-
ding rice and crude commentary from
the audience are commonplace.

If you have cable television and have
yet to hear the chorus of an audience
shouting “Woodsongs Old Time Radio
Hour!“ in cacophonic unison. congratu-
lations; you must not be watching very
much television. The hour-long show.
hosted by local musician Michael
Jonathan and held at the Kentucky, fea-
tures artists and musical acts that don‘t
necessarily appeal to modern. commer-
cialized tastes. Indeed. even Mills noted
that sometimes the billings can be quite
obscure.

“Sometimes I‘m thinking. ‘Well, I
have no interest in that.‘ " Mills said.
“But every Monday night the auditori-

um is absolutely filled. so clearly these
things appeal to a wide variety of peo-
ple."

Notably, UK’s College of Design uses
the theater as a hub for graduation and
honor ceremonies, as well as a speci-
men of architecture to be studied and
admired.

“The theater means a lot," said
David Mohney. dean of the College of
Design. “It's served the college well. but
the bigger picture is that it's served
downtown Lexington."

Mills takes pride in the fact that the
Kentucky functions more than just an-
other movie theater, but also as a forum
for community events. The reception
hall of The State Theater features an
art exhibit that’s part of the regular
rounds of the Lexington Arts and Cul-
tural Council’s bimonthly Gallery Hop
and will soon feature a play by a play-
wright who approached Mills with the
idea.

“We provide a place. an outlet, for
people to use," Mills said.

Not unlike many other historical
Lexington landmarks. Mills noted, the
Kentucky Theater pulls people in from
the periphery of the city and gives the
city character.

“You can only go so far out," Mills
said. referring to the urban expansion
of Lexington in recent years. “So you
sort of have to come back to your cen-
ter.

“People who visit Lexington aren‘t
going to be asking to visit Hamburg
Pavilion. They're going to want to see
the real heart of the city, and downtown
belongs to everybody”

Mills gets a knock on the door. inter-
rupting his train of thought, and an-
swers to see an employee complaining
that the popcorn machine has malfunc-
tioned. Bewildered, the employee offers
the explanation that perhaps a fuse
blew. Mills immediately recognizes the
problem and directs the young man to
contact maintenance. Without skipping
a beat. Mills jumps back into the con-
versation. Experience and professional-
ism become reflex.

Although ticket prices have risen
above the SOCent mark. the Kentucky is
still holding Main Street entertainment
on its shoulders.

“So far so good." Mills quips as he
steps outside his office. back to his du-
ties. “You hope that Hollywood contin~
ues to make movies people like." he
said. “I think as long as they turn out
films. we’ll be fine.”

The palatial grandeur of the Ken-
tucky Theatre is still found in its chan-
deliers dangling from the ceiling, the
mirrored hallway that greets a freshly
ordained ticket holder. and that indeli-
ble smell of popcorn that permeates the
atmosphere. Yes. Mr. Mills. the Ken-
tucky certainly is a palace.

E-mail
iconleyrakykernelrom

 

 

Tor 10
wan. a Television, “Ain't that

6 Pavement, “Stereo“

 

10. The Fiery Furnaces, “In My Little Thatched Hut"

9 Lamhchop, “The Distance From Her to There"

88 1 FM 7 Medeski Martin & Wood, "Queen Bee“

nothing"

1 Pink Mountaintops, "Lord. Let Us Shine"

5. Sparks, “Metaphors"
4 The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Mysteries"
3. The Flaming Lips, “It Overtakes Me"

2. Gnarls Barkley, “Crazy"

 

 

By Noel Holston
’iéys’o’fi '

What‘s (‘huck Norris been up to
since he and CBS shut down “Walker.
Texas Ranger“ in 2001? Apart from
those Total Gym infomercials. that is.

The laconic. lethal-limited action
star has in fact undergone an improba—
ble metamorphosis. The kick-meister
has turned into a punch line.

As in: Chuck Norris doesn't shave
he stares at his heard in the mirror and
the hair jumps off his face in fear.

And: Chuck Norris can count to in-
finity.

And: As a baby. Chuck Norris could
fit the square pegs in the circular holes.

“Facts” about Norris‘ awesome
prowess are almost as ubiquitous on the
Internet these days as porn sites (and
occasionally just as X-rated). In the
great cyberspace incubator. Norris has
become. at 65 a folkloric figure like
Pecos Bill. who le