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BY BILL McCANN

Arts Columnist

We are gradually getting to something that is starting to move toward “normal” in the arts.

The Leeds Center for the Arts is in the process of hiring an executive director and is accepting Vanessa Rogers Scholarship applications through 21 May. Check their website regularly at https://leedscenter.org/ to know when its productions, classes and other activities will begin again.

This past week the Winchester Players held auditions for its summer production of “Tuck Everlasting: The Musical.” Production dates are July 29-31 and Aug. 5-7. Between now and then, besides actors, they no doubt need volunteers to do everything from sew costumes to construct and paint sets to marketing and ushering. Call  (859)771-6486 to volunteer.

The Bluegrass Heritage Museum at 217 S. Main St., Winchester, is open 12-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Check their website https://bgheritage.com/ for updates and information about when their Second Thursday events may restart.

On Derby Day, a visit to the local Malco cinema multiplex found two employees and about three customers spread out among as many auditoriums. But it was open; the environment was safe and inviting. Oh, and the movie was good. Malco is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Call (859) 745-4996 for more information.

The Explorium, the children’s museum in downtown Lexington, is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. Children 6 and older and adults must be masked at all times. There is hand sanitizer available throughout the museum. For more information and to buy tickets in advance, call 859-258-3253 extension 13 or  online at http://explorium.com/visit.

The Lexington Singers will be performing “It’s  Brand New Day” live at the Lexington Opera House 15 May. The concert begins at 7:30. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or the Opera House website. Face masks and social distancing required at the event.

The Pioneer Museum at Blue Licks State Park is now open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Face masks and social distancing required.

In Maysville, the Maysville Players have hired Rachel Lee Rogers as executive director. And closer to home, Woodford Theatre has hired Alex Mattox as its interim executive director.

Red River Museum

Due to heavy rains and flooding, the Red River Museum in Clay City is in need of volunteers, money, and exhibits. On May 1, a fundraiser collected more than $4,700 to help restore the museum.

According to Barbara Watson Cole, a museum volunteer, “It took a village. There was just a tremendous outpouring from the community. We have a ways to go. But we’ll have a meeting to discuss where we are and to make plans for what we do next. Larry Meadows has worked tremendously hard since the flooding; he’s the driving force behind it. But the community has been supportive, Saturday we had a really good, eventful day.”

There are still many needs to get the museum back to where it was. If you would like to support the museum, send your donation to Red River Museum 4541 Main St., Clay City, KY 40312.

Bill McCann is a playwright and the author of the Arts Filled Life, a blog that can be found at www.whmccann.com, where you may also find some of his other writings and previous arts columns.