Lights, camera, Beshear: KY governor appears as guest actor in Lexington play
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- Gov. Andy Beshear made a one-minute cameo in Lexington Theatre’s ‘42nd Street.’
- Beshear received applause for a signature phrase borrowed from COVID-era briefings.
- Lexington Theatre plans five more guest actors during its 10th anniversary run.
The Lexington Theatre Company’s debut showing of “42nd Street” on Thursday night was a success, thanks in part to a guest appearance by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
The governor appeared on stage for about one minute, playing the role of a doctor, and even worked in a phrase he made popular during the COVID-19 pandemic: “You can’t be doing that!”
Jeromy Smith, producing director and co-founder of the theater, said they wanted to do something fun to celebrate the theater’s 10th anniversary and landed on including special guests in the play.
“We were looking for some fun ways to celebrate our 10th anniversary and realized that there was an opportunity at the top of the second act to have special guests join us in the show,” Smith said.
Beshear was one of the first people the theater contacted for a guest appearance. The governor didn’t participate in rehearsals, but the theater sent him his lines and all the information he would need to be ready.
Beshear then practiced his lines one last time with the other actors during the intermission to ensure he was ready.
Beshear drew a large round of applause from the audience when he first walked onto the stage. He broke the news that a woman had broken her ankle to three other actors, who were disappointed to learn the woman’s diagnosis.
The actors argued when Beshear said it would be months before the woman could walk again. One of the actors suggested to put an Ace bandage on the ankle, and Beshear responded, “You can’t be doing that!”
The phrase, which drew loud applause from the crowd, was a callback to Beshear’s repeated urges for people to be safe in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Smith said the governor asked had if he could insert the phrase into his script.
“I thought it was great, and I think the audience absolutely loved it,” Beshear said.
Beshear won’t return to the stage for the theater’s other five shows, as Smith has other guests lined up for the slot. Smith didn’t reveal who those guests were, but he encouraged people to come to the shows Friday and Saturday to find out.
Show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday; 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
“42nd Street” is a tap dancing performance that follows Peggy Sawyer and her quest for stardom. The role is played by Elizabeth McGuire, a Cynthiana native now based in New York City who performs around the world.
McGuire was a part of the first production of “42nd Street” and has returned to Lexington several times during her career.
This story was originally published July 11, 2025 at 12:28 PM.
