2323 Alexandria Drive: More than an address

As the Lexington Theatre Company approaches their first full season in their new building, Co-Founder and Artistic Director Lyndy Franklin Smith has yet to forget the reason why they were able to to make the move. 

Founded by husband and wife Jeromy Smith and Lyndy, the Lexington Theatre Company has strived to educate and cultivate the next generation of actors since 2015. 

“Our mission from the beginning has been two-fold. One was to bring professionally produced theatre here to Central Kentucky. At the exact same time, we wanted to become a training ground for the future of American theatre at all levels,” Lyndy said. 

With extensive backgrounds in theatre and many mentors along the way, Lyndy said that she and Jeromy felt compelled to “pay it forward.” 

“I feel confident we would not be standing here today and we would not have gone to New York if it had not been for those mentors and those opportunities,” she said. “And so we felt this call to pay it forward, to create another space for people to play, another space for young artists to train, and not just young artists but for all artists to train.” 

When Lyndy and Jeromy first founded the company, she said they were running it “out of their living room,” renting any space available to rehearse their shows and teach classes. 

Lyndy said that it became especially apparent that they would need a space of their own when they started rehearsals for their 2023 winter production of “A White Christmas.” She said that they couldn’t find a space large enough to fit the entire company. 

Being a non-profit organization, Lyndy said that she didn’t know if they could afford a building of their own. But a legacy gift from a previous student gave them the confidence they needed, Lyndy said. 

When Alexandra Simpson, a student and apprentice at the company, died from childhood cancer in 2022, she left behind a gift that allowed for the company to make the move into a building of their own.

“Alex had a heavenly hand in this space because she would’ve been 23 years old in 2023, and the gift and finding this building all happened in 2023,” Lyndy said. “Our address here is 2323 Alexandria Drive and her name is Alexandra Simpson, so I feel like Alex picked this out for us and said, ‘This is where you’re going to be.’” 

Having a building of their own has allowed for the company to continue to grow their program, introducing more community events like concerts and fundraisers. 

The building also gave a permanent home to the Artist Development Program classes, a program for all ages that includes courses like acting, dance and musical theatre. 

Lyndy said that she feels certain that Simpson would have loved that the new building allows for more children to be involved in the program. She said that she sees so much of Simpson in many of the students. 

Because of her importance to everyone at the Lexington Theatre Company, Lyndy said that the main theatre is named after Simpson. A plaque hangs on the wall outside of the doors, commemorating Simpson and her life. 

“We always tell her (Simpson’s) story whenever we bring new folks into the building,” Lyndy said. 

As they approach the 10th anniversary of the Lexington Theatre Company and continue with their programs and productions through the new year, Lyndy said that she’s excited to keep settling into their new home, thanks to Simpson. 

“It’s fun to see these young people in her space continuing to grow and home their craft,” Lyndy said. “There’s an energy here that’s special and she’s very much a part of it.”