Host Michael Mackie sits down with Stacie McDaniel, Executive Director of the Midwest Trust Center at Johnson County Community College, to discuss one of Kansas City’s leading performing arts organizations located in Johnson County and our first organization featured that is not located on the Streetcar line. McDaniel provides insights on the uniqueness of Midwest Trust Center, which provides two theaters, free parking and is located in Johnson County. The conversation also explores the upcoming 2026-2027 season, highlights including New Dance Partners, The Billy Joel Legacy, The Owen/Cox Dance Group’s rendition of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, the Winterlude Jazz Festival and Hold On To Your Butts.
Michael Mackie:
Hi everyone. It’s Michael Mackie here coming to you from KC Studio. KC Studio and kcstudio.org is the only regional magazine and website entirely devoted to covering all arts all the time. And welcome to Artful Connections. Starting with this month’s episode, Artful Connections Along the Streetcar becomes simply Artful Connections. Why the change? Because Kansas City’s arts and culture scene extends far beyond the streetcar line and so will we. Our newly re-imagined podcast will continue bringing you the conversations with the inspiring people, organizations, and creative leaders that make our region thrive as we expand our focus to include arts, culture and events from across the entire Kansas City Metro and maybe in the future, even a little bit beyond the Kansas City area. So thanks for joining us on this month’s episode of Artful Connections presented by Arvest Bank. Let’s make an artful connection.
Support for Artful Connections comes from Arvest Bank. Arvest Bank believes that financial confidence should be within reach for everyone. Whether you’re just getting started planning for your future or starting a new chapter, we’re here to help you plan and meet your goals every step of the way because everyone deserves a financial partner who cares. Arvest Bank. We believe. For more information, visit arvest.com or visit one of our 20 locations throughout Kansas City.
Hi everyone. I’m delighted to welcome Stacie McDaniel, executive director of the Midwest Trust Center at Johnson County Community College. As KC Studio’s Artful Connections expands beyond the streetcar corridor, it felt only fitting to begin with one of our region’s premier cultural arts destinations. Over the past four years, Stacie has helped shape an exciting vision for presenting world-class performances while also deepening community engagement through education and outreach. Stacie, welcome, my friend. I can’t believe it’s been four years.
Stacie McDaniel:
It is an amazing. The time passes so quickly and it’s amazing how it does.
Michael Mackie:
What in the past four years are you most proud of or is most memorable? What sticks in your head over these past four years?
Stacie McDaniel:
Oh wow. That is a really difficult question, but I think, I mean, if we’re just talking from shows, we did an amazing program, a circus with differently abled folks, Omnium Circus, which was really an amazing experience, welcoming people from different backgrounds, different abilities and seeing them all onstage performing together in such a high-quality moment. So I think that was really one performance that sticks out for me, but really it’s just been about the people, getting to know an amazing staff. They’re all so talented, so creative, so hardworking, so passionate, and the audiences are amazing. Also, they are so engaged, so excited about what we’re doing. There’s so much buy-in. And then just working with the artists has been amazing too.
Michael Mackie:
For you personally, what’s been the most rewarding part of the last four years of being the executive director?
Stacie McDaniel:
I think again, just getting to know people, getting to know the community and hearing how much they care about what it is that we’re doing and just being so engaged. I’ve really never had that at any venue that I’ve worked at before.
Michael Mackie:
How would you describe the mission of Midwest Trust Center and more importantly, has that mission sort of evolved since you landed in KC?
Stacie McDaniel:
Yeah, absolutely. So we are actually in the middle of a strategic planning process right now. So the mission is really top-of-mind for me in this moment. And so the sort of elevator pitch of the mission that we’ve landed on is engaging the public through performing arts experiences that look and feel like the communities we serve. So it’s really about the people and making sure that their needs, their interests, the entire scope of the community is represented on our stages. So I think that’s really the mission that undergirds everything. And I think in terms of how it’s evolved, what we’re really doing is trying to bring that perspective into the full operations of our venue, of our organization. So everything from the Vol*Star that greets you when you come through the building to the folks who are backstage, and our box office staff and just making sure that the community is first in everything that we do.
Michael Mackie:
When you arrived in KC four years ago, what impressed you the most about KC’s local art scene?
Stacie McDaniel:
I think the number-one thing is just how vibrant it is. I mean, there are so many organizations, from really giant venues that are doing multidisciplinary seasons and welcoming tens of thousands of people a year to smaller organizations that are focused on one specific genre of music, one period of history, one type of dance that are doing that work so incredibly well also. So just the robustness, the range of what’s happening in Kansas City is really incredible. So I think that’s top-of-mind. And then secondly, just how embraced I was as a newcomer in the community. I am not from Kansas City. I’m not from the local region, and every single arts leader in this community gave me a call, stopped by, wanted to get coffee and just welcomed me with open arms. And I think that’s really sort of reflective of the arts community in Kansas City, which is that there’s this really collaborative feeling of when one arts organization is doing well, it’s helpful to all of us.
I think that’s just that spirit of cooperation is really part of everything that the KC arts community does.
Michael Mackie:
Admit it, do you kind of feel like a hometown girl now?
Stacie McDaniel:
Absolutely. It took almost no time before I felt so at home here. I am from the Midwest, so I’m from sort of the rural area of Illinois around the St. Louis area. So that Midwestern feeling felt so comforting, warm, immediately right. But Kansas City, I mean, really couldn’t have picked a better place for me to be. I feel definitely a KC girl now.
Michael Mackie:
Facts, facts.
Stacie McDaniel:
Yeah.
Michael Mackie:
Kansas City’s local arts community continues to grow, continues to thrive. So where do you see Midwest Trust Center sort of fitting into that larger cultural ecosystem?
Stacie McDaniel:
Yeah, absolutely. Again, I mean, there’s so much collaboration happening in this city. So I think the number- one thing that comes to mind for me is just what we want to do with the local artists and what we want to be doing with local arts organizations. So just continuing to develop those partnerships, building the local art scene, being a part of the Kansas City artists’ journey from the start to them becoming nationally, internationally touring artists. So just sort of fitting in tin hat ground floor for our local artists, so to be number one. But also I think the Midwest Trust Center really wants to be the downtown-feel venue that’s south of 435 with the easy accessibility, free parking, accessible ticket prices, but really bringing that downtown feel to Johnson County.
Michael Mackie:
Are you used to other venues showing you the love? Are you used to all this collaboration or is that kind of a novelty?
Stacie McDaniel:
I actually think it’s really unique to Kansas City. I do think it’s sort of a Midwestern vibe thing first, but also a Kansas City thing second. I think there is this sort of Midwestern hospitality feeling that the arts organizations are really embracing and sort of taking into their operations and how we interact with each other. I do think it’s actually pretty unique to Kansas City. I’ve definitely been in environments where there wasn’t as much collaboration or there was some guarding of resources, or maybe people were nice to your face and competitive behind your back. Yeah, I know, right? But that is really not the feeling in Kansas City. I mean, if I have a question or need a resource, I mean, I don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call one of my colleagues across the city. And I’ve always been embraced in that.
Michael Mackie:
You are kicking off a new season with a number of shows, the Billy Joel Legacy, Marvel Studios, Black Panther in Concert, New Dance Partners, family programming, so much more. Which performances are you most excited about and which performances are going to go gangbusters?
Stacie McDaniel:
Oh man. So it’s really hard to pick because I live with these shows for a year and a half or two years before we announce them to the public. So they’re so close to my heart. I love them so much. But there are a few shows that I want to give a little extra love to here in this moment. So first of all, Owen Cox Dance Group, Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Owen Cox Dance Group is a local dance company, local here to Kansas City, but nationally known. And their interpretation of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, which is the traditional classic holiday tale, but it’s such a raucous, jazzy interpretation of it. It’s really unique. We had them in Polsky Theater, which is our smaller hall, two years ago and they sold out two performances.
Michael Mackie:
Nice.
Stacie McDaniel:
So we’re excited to bring them back this year and we have moved them to the larger hall, Yardley Hall. So there’ll be some new surprises along with that show. So really excited about that. And then I also want to mention a project called Cultural Crossroads, Dvorak in America. And this is the music of the Czech composer Dvorak, which was inspired by the time that he spent in the United States. And he really got to know, he was really inspired by the African American community, the Indigenous peoples of the United States. And so that’s really reflected in these pieces. And so it’s a quartet, but also there’s Native American flute and some Native American drumming, some really exciting narration. And so that’s going to be a really special program and I think sort of a unique, special way to celebrate America’s 250th. So really looking forward to that program.
And then a final one that I’ll mention is our Winterlude Jazz Festival. So this is an annual festival that we do near the end of February, beginning of March this year. It’s the weekend of March 6th and 7th and of 2027. And so this is a really cool festival where we do bring a nationally touring artist to sort of headline the festival on Sunday night. And this year that is Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas. So really bringing that New Orleans jazz party feeling to cap off the weekend. But the rest of the weekend is filled with local jazz artists right here from Kansas City.
Michael Mackie:
Nice.
Stacie McDaniel:
And we work with our JCCC music director, Ryan Heinlein, who’s also a big part of the jazz scene here in Kansas City to really curate that undercard. And so we are announcing that local lineup this month, and all of those jazz ensembles are bringing something a little funky to jazz. So it’s going to be, there will be some straightforward jazz, but also influences of funk and hip hop and blues music and just really sort of taking on the idea of what is jazz and really expanding the genre. So again –
Michael Mackie:
You had me at Funky and Jazz. So there you go.
Stacie McDaniel:
Funky, yes. So yeah, so we’re announcing that lineup this month and I will just tease that the local headliner will be a project from Marcus Lewis called Brass and Bougee. So that’s really
Michael Mackie:
Bougee.
Stacie McDaniel:
Bougee. Bougee, exactly. It’s really going to be a fun one.
Michael Mackie:
Support for Artful Connections comes from Arvest Bank. Arvest Bank believes that financial confidence should be within reach for everyone. Whether you’re just getting started planning for your future or starting a new chapter, we’re here to help you plan and meet your goals every step of the way. Because everyone deserves a financial partner who cares. Arvest Bank. We believe. For more information, visit arvest.com or visit one of our 20 locations throughout Kansas City.
Now, selfishly, as an entertainment reporter, I’m going to ask, do you have your eye on any celebs maybe coming in to do a cabaret or to do a performance?
Stacie McDaniel:
For the jazz or just-
Michael Mackie:
Just in general.
Stacie McDaniel:
Just in general.
Michael Mackie:
Who’s sort of on your wishlist for celebs or stars?
Stacie McDaniel:
So it’s a great question. So I think I look forward to the day when the Midwest Trust Center can afford the likes of Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo. But if I’m being realistic, I mean, I think for me, it’s hard to say what is a celebrity that’s on my wishlist because really when I’m looking at the season and planning the season, for me, it’s about what’s right for this community. So it’s way less about who do I have my eye on, what’s on my wishlist and way more about what’s the hidden gem that’s right for Kansas City? And so I think the joy for me is discovering who that new artist is and saying, “Oh, this is a perfect fit for us.” So it’s hard. So I don’t know that I have a great answer to that except to say I know it when I see it.
Michael Mackie:
Amen. Amen. Okay, heard. So I know you’ve been securing entertainment for this season, but you’ve been working on it behind the scenes for the last two years. How do you go about selecting each season’s lineup, but well, well, well, well, well in advance?
Stacie McDaniel:
Yeah, that’s a great question. And as you mentioned, yeah, it does start 18 months, two years in advance, especially for international artists who have to arrange visas and plans for traveling the states. So I’m usually, the planning for the season really overlaps. One season, I’m sort of finishing up one season and starting the next sort of at the same time. So while we’re talking about the ’26-’27 season, my brain is definitely on ’27-’28.
Michael Mackie:
That’s tough.
Stacie McDaniel:
But it’s fun to juggle. And I think what’s really useful for me and where I always start is that I keep a running spreadsheet of artists that I’ve been interested in. So artists that have caught my eye, artists that have been pitched to me by agents that I think would be a great fit, artists that I’ve been lucky enough to see in person. And so that spreadsheet is just running all of the time. So regardless of what season I’m working on specifically, I’ve got that spreadsheet going.
Michael Mackie:
And I know you, your spreadsheets have spreadsheets, so there you go.
I am a spreadsheet girl. I think this specific spreadsheet has seven tabs. So that’s really where it starts when I’m saying, which of these artists do I have to have this year because the tour is right or I want to place my priorities there. So I start with those, what I like to call tent pole artists that sort of give me a frame for the season. And then I’m working in on sort of filling in the gaps around them in the rest of the season. So I have dozens of agents that I work with regularly that I talk with several times a year who will pitch me artists that they think could be a good fit for the season. Or I might be familiar with an artist that’s on their roster and come to them and say, “Is this person available or is this ensemble available for next year and how can we work them in?” And then I also attend booking conferences where we watch showcases.
So a group of artists or an agency will say, “I’m going to put 10 of my artists on the stage tonight. Each of them’s going to have 15 minutes. Come watch.”
That’s the sneakiest of sneak peaks.
Stacie McDaniel:
Exactly. It’s the sneakiest of sneak peaks, but you’d be amazed how much you can learn just from watching an artist in 15 minutes. Because you watch them for 15 minutes and if they leave you wanting more, that’s probably a good fit. And if you watch them for 15 minutes and you’re like, “Oh, maybe they’re really good, but I don’t know that 90 minutes of that would be great,” then exactly, you know that maybe they’re not the right fit. But it’s really amazing to see the artists in person because there’s really, even though we have great technology now, you can see a full artist performance in really high quality, even just from a video that someone took on their phone. But there’s nothing like seeing them in person because we are about live performance and we’re going to be putting these artists on the stage in the room live with our audiences.
And so we want to make sure that that energy feels good and that the vibe is right. So it’s really special to be able to see them in person. So that’s sort of what I’m doing throughout the year is talking with the agents, going to these showcases, watching artists here locally, or maybe I’ll travel to other regional cities to watch artists.
Michael Mackie:
I kind of want to tag along to some of these showcases.
Stacie McDaniel:
You should. Honestly, they mostly want, they’re like, “How many tickets do you need?” if I ask an agent to see a show. So let’s take that offline.
Michael Mackie:
Wink, wink. Okay.
Stacie McDaniel:
Absolutely. So that I’m just really trying to hit all of the notes that I want to hit through those artists.
Michael Mackie:
Pun intended.
Stacie McDaniel:
Exactly. That’s exactly right. Pun intended. So making sure that I have the right mix of genres, that we have plenty that’s happening in both the small hall and the larger hall, that we’re being representative of all of the cultures that exist in our community to the best of our ability, and that we just have the right mix of dates and schedule. And then of course we have to be able to pay for it. So it’s got to fit in the budget.
Michael Mackie:
Oh, that budget.
Stacie McDaniel:
I know. Right, exactly. So that’s the big puzzle, right? But I think that’s really the most fun.
Michael Mackie:
Are there any upcoming shows or performances that might pleasantly surprise longtime patrons?
Stacie McDaniel:
Yeah, actually I love that question. I’ve been getting a lot of feedback and pondering about a show that we have on the next season called Hold On To Your Butts, but I love talking about it. So Hold On To Your Butts is a shot-for-shot parody of the fan favorite film Jurassic Park. And so it’s told in about 70 minutes, two actors, one Foley artist. They do all of the characters and every single scene from the movie, from start to finish. And it’s the most fun. So much comedy comes from the sound effects. And the Foley artist is right there on stage, so they’re really a part of the show, which is something that’s pretty special, pretty unique. And it’s just a great time.
Michael Mackie:
I’m going to need tickets for that.
Stacie McDaniel:
Absolutely. Absolutely. And this is one that I did see in New York. So I got to watch the whole show when I was at the booking conference in New York last year.
Michael Mackie:
And lots of laugh out loud moments.
Stacie McDaniel:
So many. I mean, just the whole time from start to finish.
Michael Mackie:
I’m so in.
Stacie McDaniel:
Yes.
Michael Mackie:
Okay. I want you to tell us about all the education and student engagement that you have going on at Midwest Trust Center and how it’s part of your mission now.
Stacie McDaniel:
Absolutely. So our arts education department is very robust. We have a lot going on there. So first of all, our school matinee series is something that’s probably something that’s really visible to the community. So you might notice that we’re bringing in students from K through 12 schools to come watch nationally touring artists here at MTC in our venues. And so that happens about 10 times a year that we’re able to welcome students to our venues to watch artists. We also take artists out into the school. So we’re taking sometimes those same artists, sometimes different artists to go for performances or workshops in the K through 12 schools. We also bring artists into our JCCC classrooms to work with students there. So one of my favorite experiences that we had last year was with an all black dance company, Collage Dance Collective out of Memphis. They were doing the one-act ballet of Their Eyes Were Watching God.
And so we brought them into an African American literature class to talk to JCCC students about what it was like to develop a book into a ballet, which was a really special experience for our students. So our arts education department is always doing really neat, really interactive moments like that. And then one other thing that they’re constantly doing is teacher professional development with arts integration practices. So arts integration is basically the idea of taking artistic practices and using them to teach curriculums that are not artistic. So using art to teach science, for example. And so we have our teacher professional development program that teaches those practices that runs year round. So that’s really exciting. And then I think for our arts education department, they’re also just all about local partnerships. So we have great local partnerships with a lot of the arts education organizations in Kansas City, The Coterie, What if Puppets, Stone Lion, Lyric Opera.
We’ve worked with all of those organizations and more to bring amazing art to our students.
Michael Mackie:
The list goes on and on. So what I want to know is how does being a part of Johnson County Community College, how does that create opportunities that, oh, I don’t know, other venues might not have?
Stacie McDaniel:
Yeah. And I’ll just go back to the last question where we were talking about this sort of foundation of outreach and education. I mean, community engagement is number one for JCCC. As a public entity, as a community college, that public engagement piece is so important for JCCC. And that really, I think, just gives us that foundation at the Midwest Trust Center to really base all of our decision making, all of our operations sort of come out of and evolve from that mission that we share with JCCC at large. And so that’s number one. And then the second is just we have a lot of great people. We have a lot of great resources at JCCC that we get to take advantage of. So even just things like maintenance of the space, the housekeeping, we have a foundation there, the JCCC Foundation that helps connect us with donors and sponsors who share our values.
So all of those amazing resources allow us to really concentrate on bringing great art to the community. So we get to focus on what is important to us because the college supports us in some of those operational things.
Michael Mackie:
You have worked with countless theater audiences across the country. What differences have you noticed now that you’ve landed in KC?
Stacie McDaniel:
I think that the biggest difference is just how open-minded Kansas City audiences are. I have really found that when they have a good experience with you, that builds a lot of trust and they’re willing to sort of go with you on the next thing that you want to give them. That’s why we’re able to do things like Hold On To Your Butts because It’s still funny because the audience knows, “Ah, this was a great experience last time. I’m just going to give this a shot because I trust that they’re going to bring me high-quality programming.” So I think that open-mindedness, that trust that we have with the audience is pretty unique to Kansas City. I’ve found that there’s stuff that works here that hasn’t worked in other performing arts centers that I’ve worked in. So I think that that’s number one. And then I think number two is just that the number of organizations that Kansas City audiences patronize is really exciting.
So we find that our audiences love to go to Kauffman. They love to go to Starlight. They find themselves at the Folly Theater. They’re also engaging with Coterie. I think that just sort of, again, that idea that the more they engage with one arts organization, they will find themselves engaging with others. And I think that’s pretty unique to Kansas City.
Michael Mackie:
Say if someone has never been to the Midwest Trust Center, what do you want their first-time takeaway to be?
Stacie McDaniel:
Yeah, I think for us, it’s just customer service focused. We really want from the minute they walk into the door, we want them to feel welcome. We want them to feel like they belong. And that starts with our amazing Vol*Stars. So we have a –
Michael Mackie:
What is a Vol*Star?
Stacie McDaniel:
Yeah. I love to talk about the VolStars. So this is our cohort of volunteers. We have over a hundred volunteers in our VolStar program. And so they do everything from welcoming people when they first arrive, helping them find their seats, scanning their tickets, showing them where the bathroom is, very important. And also where the bar is, another thing that’s very important. So the VolStars really are responsible for all of those sort of audience interaction moments along with our front-of-house team. And oh, just a quick plug that we are actually welcoming a new set of VolStars this year.
So we’ve got a Vol*Star orientation on September 18th. And if anybody is interested in learning more about volunteering, they can visit our website to learn more there. So I think it just starts there for us, making sure that people feel like they belong in the space, that they’ve been welcome in the space, that the space is there for them, that it’s not about us. So it starts from the moment they walk into the door, but then when they find their seats, they’re going to enjoy a wonderful show. And then they’re also going to have a great vibe, so that there’s good feelings in the audience and that everybody’s there to appreciate what’s happening on the stage and to enjoy time with each other as well.
Michael Mackie:
It is quite the experience. Is that the goal?
Stacie McDaniel:
That is exactly the goal, is to have people walk away feeling like they want to come back.
Michael Mackie:
Let’s talk fundraising initiatives. What are you looking for coming up in ’26, ’27, ’28, ’29? The list goes on.
Stacie McDaniel:
Yeah. Well, and I would be remiss if I didn’t call out that the JCCC is currently in a $40 million capital campaign right now for building and updates to the college campus, but that also includes support of our programs at MTC. So I think we’re really looking forward to engaging with the community over the next two years to reach that fundraising goal for the college at large and finding MTC’s place in that goal as well. So that’s number one off the dome. And then number two is just that we really would love to expand our membership program. The membership program is Friends of MTC. It costs $60 to join that as an annual membership. We have other levels that engage with some additional perks, but you do get first access to purchase tickets and a discount on those tickets as well.
Michael Mackie:
I am going to put you on the spot. Who is the dream performer or dream company that you would love to bring in an upcoming season?
Stacie McDaniel:
Yeah. I mean, I think for me, I’m always attracted to dance. So I think I’d love to see the Rockettes on our stage at some point when they’re doing their brief tours. I think that would be
Michael Mackie:
That is ambitious.
Stacie McDaniel:
I mean, I think you got to go big or go home. Kansas City is a sports city, so I think in addition to being an art city, so I think that would be my championship. That would be my World Cup.
Michael Mackie:
So if listeners or viewers remember one thing about Midwest Trust Center and the conversation that we’ve had today, what do you want that to be?
Stacie McDaniel:
I hope that they feel inspired to check out our website and see if there’s something that speaks to them that would be of interest to them that we’ve got coming up on our season or in the other programs that we do. I think that the biggest takeaway that I hope that people take from this conversation or from anything that we’re doing is that our goal is to be inclusive. Our goal is to meet people where they are in their arts journey, whether they’ve come to shows every week or whether they have never been to a live performance in their life. MTC is for you. We’ve got something for you coming on our stages that makes sense and would be of interest. So I just hope that people know that we’re constantly trying to create this vibe of come join us, come celebrate with us, come face hard challenges with your neighbors to us and just be in community because I think that’s what live performance is about.
Michael Mackie:
Every executive director always has one thing on their wish list that they want for the venue. Do you have a one thing for your. Let’s go big. What’s your one thing that you really covet?
Stacie McDaniel:
So it’s difficult. For the venue, I think we are really, really working hard on creating some additional accessibility in our lobby. So right now I want to be clear that we can manage any kind of accessibility need, but I think there’s always work to be done on that front and just making our spaces feel more welcome. So I think from a remodel perspective, I’d love to see an upgraded lobby, better seating access for folks who use wheelchairs, but also just in general for our audiences. So I think that’s a dream that I hope will come potentially as part of some of the updates that JCCC is doing to our campus at large.
Michael Mackie:
Nice. Well, I want to say thanks for joining us today. You are totally gearing up for the new season.
Stacie McDaniel:
Yay.
Michael Mackie:
It’s going to be a big season.
Stacie McDaniel:
Thank you.
Michael Mackie:
Are you so excited?
Stacie McDaniel:
I am so excited, and it’s difficult for me. I am planning these shows like we talked about earlier for 18 months to two years and then watching them come alive. But my brain is also on ’27, ’28. So I think right now the ’26-’27 season doesn’t feel real to me, but it will feel real to me when we open for New Dance Partners on September 18th. So that will be a really, really big night. And it always is like this breathing a sigh of relief, but also being like, “All right, we did it once, now we’re going to do it 34 more times with the rest of the season.” But yes, really excited. I feel so honored and grateful to work with the amazing people that I get to work with and the amazing artists, and that’s why we do it.
Michael Mackie:
Well, thank you so much for being on Artful Connections today on this particular episode. We want to wish you and of course everyone at Midwest Trust Center the very best.
Stacie McDaniel:
Thank you so much, Michael. It’s been a pleasure.
Michael Mackie:
Thank you for joining us for this episode of Artful Connections, presented by Arvest Bank. You can listen to this episode and catch up on our past conversations wherever you get your favorite podcast. I’m Michael Mackie for KC Studio, Kansas City’s only full-time magazine, website and e-newsletter dedicated to covering the region’s arts and culture scene with professional journalists. Visit kcstudio.org to discover upcoming arts events, read our latest stories, listen to our podcast, and subscribe to your free magazine six times a year in your mailbox or to receive our weekly e-newsletter at kcstudio.org/subscribe. Until next time, thanks for making an artful connection and we’ll see you next month.
