Owsley Brown was a Board member of Actors Theatre and was involved from the early years in building this theatre and organization from the ground up. He offered advice at a high level and also was willing to get in the trenches with us to make things happen. His impact was significant.
Owsley joined the board in 1969 and served as Board President twice, both at times of major expansion. Under Owsley’s leadership the theatre moved from the Illinois Central Railroad Station at Seventh and the River to its current location on Main Street. Owsley’s interest in historic preservation and adaptive reuse were applied in this move into the old Bank of Louisville building, a National Historic Landmark, where the beautifully renovated lobby is named for his mother Sara Shallenberger Brown. Owsley’s attention to detail can also be seen on the exterior of the Theatre. If you look up at the tower at the top of our building you will notice the beautiful Raymond Graf sculpture which he commissioned.
Owsley Brown’s commitment to improving the quality of life for visitors and citizens of the metro area extended beyond Actors Theatre to his business actions at Brown-Forman and his civic involvement with other organizations including the Fund for the Arts, the Speed Museum, the Kentucky Center for the Arts, and the Partnership for Creative Economies.
When speaking on the evolution of Louisville’s arts community, which has faced such challenges of late, Owsley counseled, “Don’t be afraid in these times. Try new things, and learn and grow from them.” As theatre artists we must do just that! In a shared spirit of adventure and curiosity, Actors Theatre will honor Owsley’s wisdom and will aspire to achieve heightened levels of innovation and to continue to share your stories and those of our fellow human beings through the power of live theatre.
On behalf of Actors Theatre’s Board, Staff, Artists and Volunteers, we are grateful that we were able to be a part of Owsley’s world and to benefit from his generosity of spirit and passion for the arts. If you have stories or thoughts you would like to share about Owsley Brown II we invite you to share them with us in a book located in the Frazier lobby the next time you are at Actors Theatre.