KentuckyShow! at the Frazier History Museum

By Alisha Proffitt Photos By Matt Johnson 

Now screening daily at the Frazier History Museum, KentuckyShow! gives viewers a renewed and expanded view of the Commonwealth, one that reflects its geography and traditions as well as its ongoing cultural and economic evolution. This updated version of the long-running production introduces new voices, higher-resolution visuals, and a broader, more contemporary narrative designed to connect with both visitors and lifelong Kentuckians. 

The original KentuckyShow! debuted in 1984 at the Kentucky Theatre as part of the Broadway Project’s Theater Square initiative. “It was a state-of-the-art technological marvel in 1984,” says director Sharon Potter. “Run by a customized Apple computer and consisting of over 4,000 slides and a 5-channel sound system.” By the time the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau asked Potter to bring the show back downtown, it was clear that a full redesign was necessary. “It made more sense to make an entirely new show rather than shoehorn 20th-century technology into 21st-century technology,” she explains. 

Donna Lawrence Productions was brought in to lead that transformation, and the updated version premiered in 2008 at the Kentucky Center. Since then, however, significant developments across the state prompted another revision. “So many new things have happened in Kentucky since that update,” Potter says, citing the expansion of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the development of wildlife habitats on reclaimed mining land, the emergence of new cultural districts, and the national recognition of Kentucky artists and musicians. 

In response, the newest version of KentuckyShow! incorporates fifteen new voices from across the state (artists, civic leaders, public servants, and influencers), each giving their personal reflection on Kentucky’s identity. “We asked for input from a wide variety of people engaged in the community in many different ways,” says Potter. “It was very hard to limit the number of people we were able to interview and even harder to distill so many excellent excerpts into a final script.” 

The 30-minute film is structured around four thematic sections: “Places,” which highlights the state’s regional diversity; “Voices,” focusing on storytelling and music; “Spirit,” which captures Kentucky’s independent and creative energy; and “Perspectives,” the concluding segment that presents Kentuckians’ reflections on what connects them to the state. “If I had to pick one moment that captures the essence of the show, it would probably be the last section, ‘Perspectives,’” Potter notes. “It captures why Kentuckians feel such a strong attachment to their state, in their own voices, and what differentiates Kentucky from most other states.”

Potter’s own connection to Kentucky began when she moved from New Orleans after marrying her husband, Henry. “People there were incredulous that I was going to move to Kentucky,” she recalls. “But as soon as I moved here, I fell in love with the state and its people and its beauty.” To better understand the state’s regions, the couple spent time exploring the Kentucky State Parks system, which she describes as one of the finest in the country. “It was amazing to me how the various geographic areas of the state were so different from one another-the mountains, the bluegrass, the cities and towns, the lakes.” 

That variety is a major theme of the production. The film explores Kentucky’s music, literature, and international communities, including Louisville’s distinction as the U.S. city with the highest percentage of Cuban residents per capita. “That’s why we have so many outstanding Cuban restaurants here,” Potter says.

Although KentuckyShow! is now a free-standing production with its own board of directors, it is a natural fit at the Frazier, especially as the museum serves as the starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. “KentuckyShow! should be the start of everyone’s visit to Kentucky,” Potter says.

The film is screened three times daily at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m., and is included with museum admission. While it’s ideal for first-time visitors, Potter also sees the show’s broader educational potential. After viewing the production, former JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens recommended it as a field trip opportunity for all fourth-grade students and above. “She said that research showed that children and youth who have a ‘pride of place’ are much more likely to become contributing members of their communities as they grow up,” Potter recalls. “We would love to see KentuckyShow! shown in every school in Kentucky- as long as it’s shown on a large screen with a good, loud sound system. No watching KentuckyShow! on cell phones.”

Plans to expand access are already underway. “It was always the hope that digital technology would make it possible for there to be satellite locations of KentuckyShow! in other parts of the state,” Potter says. “That is going to be on the agenda for KentuckyShow!’s next board meeting in the fall.”

The show also benefits from support at the state level. First Lady Britainy Beshear, who spoke at the premiere, contributes to the film’s narrative and has been a consistent advocate for the arts. “Like me, marriage brought Britainy to Kentucky and she fell in love with the state,” Potter says. “She has been a great asset to our state... and both she and Governor Beshear have believed in the importance of KentuckyShow! telling the story of Kentucky to the world.”

Ultimately, the film offers a multi-dimensional portrait of a state that’s often defined by contrast. As author Barbara Kingsolver says in the show: “We can’t help it. We are all storytellers in one way or another.” And as Potter notes, “Kentucky is still the only state to have a large-scale multimedia production about it because all those contrasts make for such an interesting story.”