"We are on top of the moon," said Lyndy Franklin Smith. "It has just been an incredible night. I'm so proud of this production, so proud of this cast. The emotions are running so high. It's just a blast."
In 2015, Lyndy Franklin Smith and her husband Jeromy Smith brought their dream of bringing a professional musical theatre company to Lexington to fruition. With the mission to bring Broadway stars, local artist and rising youth talent together on one stage. Now ten years later, they kicked off their anniversary season with the show they began with, 42nd Street.
"It's a love letter to making musical theater, and that's what we set out to do here at the Lexington Theatre Company was bring professional theater to Central Kentucky," said Franklin Smith. "And so, a show all about the big risks, the big leaps of faith, and the sweet success, and the rich rewards. That's it just feels like the perfect way to celebrate."
And the production brought a newcomer to the Opera House Stage. Governor Andy Beshear played the doctor who informs the cast that their lead actress has broken her ankle and can't perform. Beshear didn't miss the opportunity to throw in a saying he's become known for.
Beshear as the doctor: "It'll be months before she can walk again on that ankle."
Bert: "Are you nuts? The show opens tomorrow night!"
Maggie: "She's a trooper putting this bandage on it!"
Beshaer as the doctor: "You can't be doing that." to which the audience roared with laugher and cheered his performance.
Community guests will be playing that role throughout the run.
'42nd Street' runs:
Friday, July 11th at 7:30
Saturday, July 12th at 1:00 and 7:30
Sunday, July 13th at 1:00 and 6:30
WUKY's Karyn Czar playes Maggie Jones in this production.