Grand Theatre to host inaugural Just Say Yes Showcase on Tuesday

At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, the community is invited to the Grand Theatre to enjoy an unforgettable evening of performances by professional musicians and local youth at the inaugural Just Say Yes Showcase event.

Batons, basketballs and boxing gloves will share the stage with violins, cellos and even steel drums for this a vibrant celebration of community, recreation and prevention. 

Cellist and composer Ben Sollee and KSU Associate Director of Athletics Jackie Gordon Duvall will serve as Masters of Ceremony. 

The event is presented by the Franklin County Health Department’s Just Say Yes coalition in partnership with the Franklin County Agency for Substance Abuse Policy, Kentucky State University, the Kentucky Arts Council, and Noise for Jordon, a charitable fund established in memory of beloved Frankfort drummer Jordon Ellis, who died by suicide last year. 

The showcase will raise awareness about the Yes Card, an electronic gift card that can be used to pay for youth activities from a list of approved vendors in Franklin County. Currently, all sixth through eighth grade students in Franklin County are eligible to receive a $300 Yes Card each year. The program encourages participation in positive, healthy activities, which can help lower risk of substance use and mental health problems. 

Youth trained by Yes Card partners — including Kentucky Dance Academy, school sports programs, Nimmo Family Martial Arts and more — will share the stage with distinguished Kentucky musicians. Featured performers include the KSU Concert Choir (under the direction of Dr. Keith McCutchen) and Stirfry Musette (Rob Barnes, Jaret Ellis, Jeff Ellis, Ben Griffith, Joanna Hay and Will Renshaw). Joining them on stage will be special musical guests Sollee on cello, L.A.-based Frankfort native Molly Rogers on violin and singer-songwriter duo Jeri Katherine Howell and Nat Colten on guitar and banjo. 

The event will also include the premiere screening of Just Say Yes and the Power of Upstream Prevention, a short video by Hay. 

General admission tickets can be reserved at bit.ly/jsyshowcase, with a donation of $25 per ticket suggested at the time of booking to support the Yes Card program. 

More information about Just Say Yes and the Yes Card can be found at justsayyesky.org.

Printed in The State Journal, November 7, 2024