Category Archives: Performing

Image Courtesy Fountain City Brass Band

Kansas City’s Fountain City Brass Band will be performing their Christmas concert, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, at the Bell Cultural Events Center, MidAmerica Nazarene University, Olathe, KS, on Saturday evening, December 14, 2013, at 7:30 p.m.

The Fountain City Brass Band was founded in 2002 as a volunteer musical ensemble based in the greater Kansas City area, and draws its membership from around the United States. The band is committed to a mission of cultural enrichment through the presentation of concerts that are both entertaining and educational. They perform a wide variety of music including opera, jazz, popular, and classical music, bridging the gap between the various musical genres.

Winners of multiple competitions in North America and the Scottish Open in 2009, they recently won their sixth U.S. Open Band Championship in November, 2013. They strive—and succeed—to keep alive the British and early American heritage of brass bands.

Music Director, Dr. Joseph Parisi, is a Professor of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. He serves as chair of music education/music therapy and associate director of bands as UMKC. He has been musical director and conductor of Fountain City Brass Band since 2006.

Dr. Lee Harrelson, the founder of the Fountain City Brass Band, serves as artistic director and principal euphonium player as well as a frequent arranger for the band. Lee is an Assistant Professor of Music at Missouri Western State University.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas will feature a wide variety of holiday favorites from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and O Holy Night and selections from The Nutcracker and Santa Claustrophobia. There will also be a guest appearance by members of the Fountain City Youth Brass Academy. A free reception will follow the concert with a chance to meet and chat with members of the Fountain City Brass Band.

Bell Cultural Events Center is a prime location for a concert by this prestigious ensemble. The 541-seat auditorium is as close to acoustically perfect as possible, allowing for an amazing musical experience with Fountain City Brass Band. There is easy access to the facility and free parking.

Tickets for this performance, and other performances at Bell Cultural Events Center, may be purchased at the box office – 913-971-3636 – or online at bellcenter.mnu.edu.

The story of The Nutcracker has been around for almost 200 years. In the hands of the dancers and musicians with the Owen/Cox Dance Group, the fairy tale takes on a vibrancy of movement that captures tradition and melds it with whimsy and charm. Like ribbons of color and light, the performers find energy and fun in this avant-garde rendition.

The contemporary dance troupe Owen/Cox Dance Group returns to the original E.T.A. Hoffman story dating from 1816 for their inspiration. As with other stories, the Nutcracker comes to life and battles the Mouse King and then whisks the female lead, named Marie in this tale, to the magical kingdom populated by dolls. It was another 76 years when Tchaikovsky turned Alexander Dumas’ adaptation into the ballet.

For choreographer and dancer Jennifer Owen and composer and musician Brad Cox, the strains of Tchaikovsky are always part of their holiday work, but the similarities really end there. Going on its fifth year, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King musically falls into the hands of Cox and the People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City. The first act is the battle scene with the second act with the divertissements arranged by different members of the band including bassist Jeff Harshbarger, percussionist Pat Conway and Cox. The costumes are as unique as the modern jazz phrases that run through the show. These numbers are the various dances of the sweets.

The costumes are as unique as the modern jazz phrases that run through the show. Distinctive designer Peggy Noland designed the costuming. Artist Peregrine Honig and Ari Fish’s creations can also be seen in the ballet.

“The costumes really represent her imagination and not a specific historical time period,” Cox says. Owen says the costumes are bright with stripes and checkered patterns that may harken to the harlequins. “It’s a fun project each year,” Owen says. Cox enjoys some of the expectations in rehearsal. “We know the show, but there are always revisions and improvisations,” he says. “That helps keep everything fresh.”

Nine professional dancers and six students from the Paseo Academy of the Fine and Performing Arts along with 16 members of the band will take to the Polsky Theatre at Johnson County Community College Dec. 21 and 22. “The students are often juniors and seniors. I am fortunate this year that I have three returning students. It’s a lot of material and requires an incredible amount of focus.”

The two are serving as artists-in-residence at Johnson County Community College and Owen is working with teachers on how to incorporate movement into lessons.

As with musical improvisation, live performances bring about the unknown. “You are only offering up a few performances, but each time is in that moment and there is often an element of surprise,” Owen says. Horn sculptor and instrumentalist Mark Southerland is also part of the dance. He portrays the Mouse King. The move to the Polsky Theatre has given Owen and Cox a chance to return the musicians to the stage. “They are an important element and we present them visually too,” Owen says. Cox serves as the onstage narrator, playing the iconic Drosselmeier, the mysterious godfather to the children in the ballet.

As far as changing choreography, Owen plans on tinkering with the Russian dance and Cox will alter the overture. Ironically the People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City took on The Nutcracker as a musical concert two years before dance was added. Then Cox says the first three years had an almost workshop like atmosphere. “Nothing really is ever static,” he says.

Owen says she has a difficult time identifying her favorite piece in the production. “However, I really like the waltz of the snowflakes. I love the music for the section. I also like that all the characters are involved. It is a section that builds and resolves. It’s definitely a highlight of the production, and I never get tired of listening to it come to life onstage.”

The ballet has been performed at such venues as the Folly Theater and Union Station. “With the move to Johnson County, we can expand our audience. We are serving as the artists-in-residence there,” Cox says. Owen is part of the continuing education at the community college and works with teacher on the use of movement in class.

As with Cox playing the narrator, Owen dances. However, her roles have been diverse. “My favorite role to dance is the role of Fritz, who also gets to do the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in Act 2. It’s simply difficult to choose when dance in the production is my favorite,” she says. “I enjoy watching the dancers put themselves into the work and make each
day special.”

Those unique qualities are a sort of signature to all that Cox and Owen do, but they still pay homage to the traditional.

“The importance of The Nutcracker is the appeal, that fascination with the fundamental fairy tale,” Cox says. “The trials and tribulations are there and in that regard, it’s similar to a Beauty and the Beast sort of treatment as there is a curse. That curse ends if he gains the love of a woman. He acts nobly and gains the required faith. It is transformative.” Owen agrees, but sees Marie as the character she understands. “This is a girl coming of age. She is passing through childhood and growing.”

In the future, Owen/Cox could tour the productions more. Expansion may be the name of the game as Owen and Cox have been partners not only in creating performing art, but in marriage too. “When you see our version of The Nutcracker, you will see things that you recognize and love. However, you will see many of them through a new filter. That keeps them fresh and exciting,” Cox says. Owens, flowing into her husband’s thoughts, calls their version accessible. “It is entertaining for all ages. There’s not a boring moment with the variety in music and choreography. It’s a thrilling and enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours during the holiday season.”

Other coming programs for the Owen/Cox Dance group include The Sonata Project with another collaboration with the Bach Aria Soloists. The performance April 5 will be at the Folly and look at dances teamed to the music of Maurice Ravel, Mark O’Connor and Sonata No. 2 by J.S. Bach. The Memory Palace is a performance to be scheduled in June and teams Owen/Cox with New Orleans cellist Helen Gillet. Again friends Southerland and Honig will join the performance. Cox is also working on scoring three silent films.•

Ailey II Residency 2013, presented by Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, comes in to the community including performances Oct. 10-12 at The Folly Theater. Alvin Ailey saw Kansas City as a second home for his company almost 30 years ago. He laid down a mission and vision that continues today. The mission is “to make dance accessible to all people by presenting the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, teaching young people critical life skills through dance and modeling interracial and multicultural community partnerships.” The vision reflects Ailey’s personal vision to see a diverse community united by dance to inspire and change lives.

“The calendar includes the school programs, adult fitness classes, Ailey Trio and Setting the Stage, the wrap-up concert, Ailey Camp in the summer, and a partnership with the Upper Room that aids 3,000 kids at 18 sites,” says Executive Director Tyrone Aiken.
The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey has a broad reach. First there is a 25-year collaboration with the Kansas City, Mo. Schools. The Kansas City, Kan. School District is a more recent collaboration as is the Paseo High School for the Performing Arts. “We provide support to the dance department,” he says.

Next year marks the KCFAA’s 30th year. Aiken and the team have begun working with Michael Kaiser, who currently serves as president of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Kaiser began his career as the general manager of the Kansas City Ballet In 1985. Subsequent jobs have included executive directorships with the Royal Opera Company, American Ballet Theatre, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Foundation.

As an arts management consultant, Kaiser has advised such institutions as The Jewish Museum, the Market Theatre (Johannesburg), Detroit Symphony, Glimmerglass Opera, New York City Opera, and many others. Aiken hopes that Kaiser can help reignite and re-energize the organization. “We are beginning this process. We will look at how we will continue to develop talent and exposure through more classes.”

Education and Artistic Programs Director Michael Joy says the need is to be ever-evolving with all the programs. With the Ailey Camp, Joy knows students are different and he and the teachers are mindful. “We have to find the ways to reach them and excite them.” This past year’s camp ran for four weeks and students explored dance, creative writing and drumming. The Missouri camp had 80 campers and the Kansas camp had 70.

“The underlying goal is to help create and shape world citizens,” Aiken says. “For most students, camp can be their chance to help inspire their imaginations and dreams. So often, they don’t stray far from the neighborhoods they live in, but we are hoping to spark that interest to see the world. The arts we offer are valuable to show that the world is bigger and these classes can provide that path for discovery and investigation.”

The design of the camp is to give a different experience than school, Joy says. “The teachers and artists who come in to help also share what they do and model behavior. Kids see everything we do and if we want them to be better people, we have to take that chance to challenge students and give them opportunities to dance,” Joy says. The future could hold expanded opportunities in partnerships and places to dance. “We also hope that there may be better access to public transit. If the street car plan moves forward, we need to be on the route,” Aiken says.

As part of a developing community, the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey wants to be part of the conversation about the arts and the benefits, especially in arts education. “In third grade, I started playing clarinet and joined the orchestra in fourth grade. It taught me a lot about working together; art makes a different impact that can stretch experiences on for years,” Aiken says. “For me, everyone is an artist. Art is freedom to imagine, think and breathe. The other joy is the shared experience with others who join in the arts as a community. We can always be inspired by the ways people present themselves.”

He says the way people participate in culture and expression is critical. Alvin Ailey helps with this. “There is enrichment and a way to learn about the American experience through the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre,” Aiken explains. Ailey II is universally renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the country’s best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding emerging choreographers. Founded in 1974, the company embodies Ailey’s pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training, and community programs for all people.

Ailey II Artistic Director Troy Powell leads the group. Aiken says the group may bring in Ailey’s own Revelations. Using African-American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues, Revelations fervently explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul. Aiken suspects other numbers will include pieces from minority choreographers mixing ballet, jazz and Afro-Caribbean dance with hip-hop.

There’s something almost magical as the calendar year rolls toward September and October. Opening seasons for performing arts groups across the metropolitan area are getting ready for opening season. Some artistic directors and spokespeople for various venues offer their thoughts about the opening show or the shows early on that might just stand out for the audience.

Olathe Civic Theatre Association
Company by Stephen Sondheim, book by George Furth
Directed by Jason Coats
Sept. 6-Sept. 8, Sept. 13-15, Sept. 20-22
The Olathe Civic Theatre Association, renamed from Olathe Community, kicks off its 40th season with Stephen Sondheim’s COMPANY.

Coats says, “COMPANY is considered by many to be the first ‘concept’ musical. That is, there is a concept, or idea, that drives the show forward, rather than a linear plot. Events occur out of ‘real time.’ In our version, these occur in the main character Bobby’s memory, as he tries to process the consequences of turning 35 and being single. These memories, and the commentary that surrounds them, push Bobby through his personal crisis. The music was first produced in 1970 and was very reflective of the time’s culture. When it was revived on Broadway in 1995, some revisions were made to make it feel more current. There is still controversy among some as to whether the themes of COMPANY are too unique to the 70s culture to be re-set, or are universal and can surpass time restrictions. OCTA’s production is set in the present, and subtle elements of the design help accomplish this without altering the show itself.”

And Coats wants people to hear a jazz club with the sounds similar to Vince Guraldi Trio. “The orchestrations are going to lean this way for this show,” he says.

Unicorn Theatre
Venus in Fur
Sept. 4-29
To kick off the 40th season at the Unicorn, Director Cynthia Levin takes the 2012 Tony-nominated play and puts it on the Jerome Stage as the season opener. Actors Vanessa Severo and Rusty Sneary play the actress and playwright who take an audition to a whole new level.

“I will continue the mission to find the best, most interesting and most provocative plays. The trick is to grab them when I find them. First and foremost, I fall in love with the plays and then I go about getting the rights. With Venus in Fur, it was one of the first plays I got for the 2013-2014 season and I always like the opening show to be provocative.  It’s not the typical Broadway show, but when I saw it, 15 minutes in, I knew I had to do the play. Two-character plays are interesting and for these two characters, you have an actress who seems to be ill-prepared for an audition, but slowly through the play, this seemingly powerless woman shows how to use sex and power. It’s shifting roles and male and female relationships and as things get brought up, they are a surprise to the audience and to the characters.”

Levin knew she had to have two actors who trust each other and her. “I have worked with Vanessa and Rusty worked several times so I wanted to dive right in. … I have been doing this for 35 years because of what we get to learn about behaviors and situations. The journey is so exciting with this play. It’s not a safe and easy play, but it’s the perfect Unicorn Theatre show.”

City in Motion
Dance in the Park
Sept. 7
Artistic Co-Director Andrea Skowronek says City in Motion’s professional company has started its season with the Dance in the Park. “We are co-producers with five neighborhood associations – Volker, Roanoke, Valentine, Coleman Highlands, and West Plaza. The show in Roanoke Park marks our 15th anniversary. It’s really special because we have gotten to know the great people of the neighborhoods and because it is a free program.”

The dance program brings in different ethnic groups to offer up their cultural dances, Skowronek says. “In the past, we have had West African dance, Flamenco and Indian. We also had an aerial group, the Moon Drop Circus. It’s a way for local groups to get exposure.” The average attendance is about 1,000 people. “Some people may not be able to afford a dance performance, but with the wide variety of dance, we can inspire people, perhaps even inspire them to take a dance class. It’s a feel-good event to see all these people in the community enjoying the performance.” The children’s dance theater also performs, she says.

New Artistic Director Prepares to Take Kansas City Ballet to New Heights

Devon Carney understands balance. He has spent more than 40 years in the world of ballet and recognizes striking symmetry between leading the way and then getting out of the way to allow the dance to take its own spotlight. As the new artistic director of the Kansas City Ballet, don’t be surprised to see Carney mold the company, the school and the community to see the balance in dance – the elegance of classical narratives with flirtatious short modern pieces.

Carney was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he began his dance training. In between dance classes, he attended a movie theater and watched actors like Errol Flynn and Humphrey Bogart. “It’s not like today’s grittier films, but the character development that made them three-dimensional. In dance, it’s not easy to do, but when dancers can act as well, it’s a gift. I enjoy helping dancers with characterization.” He expects to start this process from the first performance with Fancy Free, into Nutcracker and then forward into the late winter show, Dracula and even Cinderella in the spring. “As ballet master in Boston, I worked with Michael Pink on Hunchback of Notre Dame,” he says. “I learned how deeply he sought to shape the character and add the dynamic to ballets. It’s about adding texture, and Michael provides the dancers a chance to do so with Dracula. Cinderella in the spring will be lighter, but the whimsical nature will be clear. No matter what, the company will get to experience creating a richer character development.”

He started in 1978 with the Boston Ballet and was promoted to principal in 1986. During his 21- year professional dance career, he performed many leading roles in well-known classical ballets such as Giselle, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and The Sleeping Beauty. He also was able to dance roles choreographed by cutting-edge choreographers. These roles include Paul Taylor’s Company B, Merce Cunningham’s Breakers, Sir Frederick Ashton’s Monotones 1, Elisa Monte’s VII for VIII, Mark Morris’ Mort Subite, Susan Marshall’s Overture, and Daniel Pelzig’s Nine Lives: Songs of Lyle Lovett. His George Balanchine repertoire includes principal roles in Square Dance, Serenade, Agon, Rubies, La Sonnambula, The Four Temperaments, and Theme and Variations.

Moving into teaching, he became artistic director for the Boston Ballet Summer Dance Program in 1994 and served in this capacity for nine years. Teaching credits include Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Arizona Ballet Summer Program, Austin Ballet, Guangzhou Ballet of China, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music Dance Department and various regional ballet companies and schools across the United States and Europe. Four years after the appointment as summer program director, he served as Ballet Master for Boston Ballet from 1998 to 2003.

Carney was most recently the associate artistic director of the Cincinnati Ballet and had been with the Cincinnati Ballet since 2003. He recently created a new version of the full-length version of the world renowned Sleeping Beauty to great critical acclaim.

Looking ahead as the new artistic director for the Kansas City Ballet, Carney knows the 2013-2014 season is already set, but he has breathing room to communicate how he wants to move forward. “I plan to teach a lot. I want to work on technique with the dancers; I will teach three times a week. I want the company dancers to learn from me. The other chance is to learn about the internal operations of the Kansas City Ballet. I can learn about the administration and I have room to work on the following season.”

In shaping a season for 2014-2015, Carney expects to look at schedules, budgets, the “hot” choreographers he wants to work with and see if it is feasible to stage their work. “It’s like being way in front of the bull rather than finding the horns. We are going to look at everything from the performances in the studio and to those on stage.”

The first time Carney saw the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, he caught a few minutes of the May 3 performance when he came to town for interviews, meetings and a chance to see the facilities. “Ironically it was during the late spring snowstorm and I felt these giant flakes falling. I love winter and I thought it must be a good sign.” He was almost a competitive ski racer until dancing proved the greater love. The Kansas City Ballets’ Board of Directors made the announcement that Carney was offered and accepted the position May 24.

In Boston, Carney helped shape the ballet school and he wants to help here as well. He also wants to see a second company of young up-and-coming dancers who can go out into the community and share dance. Coming to Kansas City also gave him the chance to step into the artistic directorship. “Cincinnati is a similar-sized city and budget and I appreciate what we have developed there. However, Kansas City is that dream company with guidance from a strong executive director in Jeff Bentley, an attractive budget, and good solid dancers. I see a hungry group of dancers who want to be the best they can be.”

He plans to take the ballet into the communities and make the dancers ambassadors. “I want people to come be a part of dance. Come see what moves you and understand more than before they saw us dance.” Executive Director Jeff Bentley calls Carney’s selection as a continuation of the tradition the board has in choosing strong leaders. “Devon is a wonderful combination of deep experience in the field as performer, coach, and director, and an engaging personality. He is totally devoted to moving this company and our school forward to its next moment. I am so pleased to be able to have the opportunity to partner with Devon.”

Carney describes his leadership style as hands-on. “I am first and foremost a teacher. I am also one who appreciates all my coworkers. I respect every job from the custodian who cleans the Bolender Center to the general manager because our goal is a common one … we are all working together to put out the best product and that’s giving the very best on stage. My biggest challenge is to delegate because as a hands-on individual, it’s tough to hand off certain aspects.”

Carney has an extensive knowledge of classical works and current pieces. “I gravitate toward good works. They can be classical pieces from the 1700s and 1800s or contemporary. No matter what, they need to be high quality. I am a chameleon myself and my voice is constantly changing. I may choreograph a neo-classical piece to Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto Number 4 and then turn around and use Take Five’s music or electronica contemporary artist Moby. For me, it’s first about the music. It will tell me what to do. The music moves me.”

He plans to make sure current choreographers will become part of the landscape. “That’s the future. It’s where the art form is going.” Carney expects some discovery with emerging choreographers as well as searching for that next voice. “The balance has to be a mix of the masterpieces, those classic full lengths, with the new works.”

Carney has a hard time standing in the spotlight now, even if it is to introduce himself to the metropolitan area. “It’s not about me; it’s about the art form. It’s about furthering the art form and getting the word out. It’s about letting people know what we are and what we can provide. We all have a story to tell and we can share it. We are going to help shape a dance landscape. It’s going to be enrichment. We are going to stress that the cultural arts are necessary to our lives. The arts aren’t ancillary, but necessary. Through our company, people will see dance. They will see that we are vibrant; we will take ballet into more schools. Art makes us well-rounded people and ballet can be that avenue of expression that gives them a way into dance.”

And never fear, Carney has a deep personal reservoir of inspiration. He comes from artistic parents as his father taught art at Tulane and his mother taught comparative literature. His sister is a ceramist and his brother leads his own dance company. “Someday he and I will collaborate,” Carney says. “My wife danced and my step-mother did too. I was in band in high school. I played third chair trumpet. First chair was Wynton Marsalis and Branford was in the band too.” He even enjoys following a classical music score if and when he can.

The opening show Fancy Free in mid-October will give Carney a chance to see the dancers perform live and see their strengths. “I want to see what gets them excited. I want the audiences to see a bright future with a new director. I want us to be nationally recognized all the time. I want to be on the leading edge with more performances and more people experiencing the world of ballet. We are in a place to start the next new chapter and there is optimism. I sensed that from the minute I walked in the door and that carries me forward.”

Photo courtesy Kansas City Ballet and Photo by Ken Coit

Bill Shapiro, host of Cyprus Avenue,  often shares discoveries and treasures from the world of rock. While new music or the latest cool musician may be on tap for the Public Radio show, Shapiro also relies on the trusted sound of musicians whose presence and sometimes their legacy is long and steady.

Here are his top 10 albums:

1.  Elvis Presley, Sun Sessions

2. Beatles, Revolver

3. Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited

4. Marvin Gaye, What’s Going On

5. Van Morrison, Astral Weeks

6. Ray Charles, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

7. Frank Sinatra, Only the Lonely

8. Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run

9. Aretha Franklin, I Never Loved a Man The Way I Love You

10. Bob Marley, Legend

Best concert:  The best concert Shapiro ever saw took place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on a Sunday night in 1976. He saw Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run tour. “It was not even sold out. He came on about five or six minutes after 8 p.m. and left five or six minutes before midnight. It was the essence of the heart of Rock and Roll.”

Center Stage Young Professionals of Starlight Theatre Preserving the Stage for Future Generations.

Growing up in Kansas City, Tuesday nights in the summer meant Starlight Theatre. It still remains my favorite family outing — going out to dinner, and then watching a Broadway show under the stars in the cool summer breeze. Every time I step into Starlight I can feel the magic come alive, whether I’m watching Les Misérables or The Wizard of Oz – it’s a place I walk away from singing the tunes for days and days.

After I graduated from college and started my career, I realized how special not only Starlight was to me and my family, but also to Kansas City. Starlight Theatre is the oldest and largest performing arts organization in the city and the second largest venue of its kind in the United States. It is consistently ranked as one of the top performing arts venues by both local and national critics.

When I was asked to serve on Starlight’s board of directors, I was honored. I also realized that the torch had been passed – it is now my generation’s responsibility to preserve Starlight for future generations.

With this in mind, last year I helped Starlight launch a new membership organization: Center Stage – Young Professionals of Starlight Theatre. The mission of Center Stage is to engage young professionals to become advocates of Starlight Theatre and to provide networking, arts philanthropy and community development opportunities to its young professional members.

Our ideal members are young professionals who enjoy meeting new people and having fun. Events are year-round and have included after-parties at Starlight concerts and Broadway shows, often with cast members invited as special guests, a Happy Hour at Grand Street Café, a Coffee Talk with Starlight’s board president and board member, a pre-screening of the film Les Misérables, and special quote-along and screening of Monty Python and The Holy Grail at Alamo Drafthouse.

This summer, Center Stage – Young Professionals of Starlight Theatre is offering Happy Hours at Starlight with special seating and discounts for Broadway shows and select concerts that are available to both members and non-members. Individual memberships start at $75; corporate memberships start at $500 (benefits include discounted Broadway ticket packages). Sponsorships are also available. For more information about benefit levels and membership, contact Stacey Million at groups@kcstarlight.com or (816) 997-1137.

Center Stage – Young Professionals of Starlight Theatre has allowed me the opportunity to engage my peers and company in the live arts experience at Starlight in a new way. I cherish my childhood memories of Starlight and am excited to a encourage Young Professionals to support one of Kansas City’s oldest traditions. See you under the stars!

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Katie Dunn Fitzgerald is Co-chair of Starlight’s Center Stage for Young Professionals, a member of the Starlight Theatre Board of Directors, and a senior wealth consultant at Mariner Wealth Advisors (a sponsor of Starlight’s Center Stage). Katie was recently honored with the 2012 ATHENA Leadership Award, presented by the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. She has also been recognized as a 2012 Rising Star of Philanthropy by Nonprofit Connect and was honored in the 2011 class of Ingram’s “40 Under Forty.” In addition, she serves on the steering committee of the United Way, is a board member of St. Luke’s Crittenton Children’s Center, the Greater Kansas Community Foundation of Johnson County and is the president of the Mariner Foundation Board.