Recycling and bartering were how founder Col. Eben C. Henson built
Kentucky's first outdoor theatre. The architecture includes everything
from WW2 army barracks to movie sets from the 'Golden Era' of cinema.
Against all odds, Pioneer Playhouse became a theatrical legend, pioneering
the outdoor theatre movement and bringing national acclaim to the region.
The first Kentucky Arts Council was founded by Pioneer Playhouse; in
1951, New York and Kentucky were the only two states with official performing
arts councils, leading the nation in an enlightened attitude about the
arts.