Crowds gathered for a production at Starlight in 2021 (photo by Roy Inman; courtesy of Starlight Theatre)
New offerings for youth and families are a primary focus
Every time I walk into Starlight Theatre, I feel a bit like I’m walking into Disneyland, in the best way. The tower roofs flanking the stage and standing at the rear of the audience have a Sleeping Beauty’s Castle feel to them, which probably has something to do with it. There’s also the sheer size of the 8,000-seat outdoor amphitheater and the huge crowds of people, nearly always smiling, bouncy, excited for whatever act they’ve come to see. But there’s also a feeling, whenever I cross through those entry gates, that I’m entering a completely new world, a self-contained and intricately curated experience.
What that experience actually looks like once inside is impressively malleable. I’ve seen young teen and preteen girls form merch lines that wrap all the way around the perimeter for Phoebe Bridgers. I’ve been dazzled by large-scale Broadway musicals and spent chilly nights watching offbeat ensemble pieces in the intimate indoor theatre. I’ve witnessed an over-the-top spectacular from Janelle Monáe suddenly turn tender and intimate when the Kansas City native paid tribute to her old music teacher watching from the crowd.
For decades, Starlight has been presenting an expansive array of entertainment for Kansas City audiences. This year, the city’s oldest and largest performing arts organization is celebrating its 75th anniversary and going all out for the occasion.
In addition to its usual lineup of live music concerts and Broadway hits, this year Starlight has several other projects in the works.
First up, the organization is collaborating with local businesses, from restaurants and coffee shops to well-known retailers like Charlie Hustle and Nickel and Suede. The partnerships are meant to showcase and elevate Starlight’s brand as well as that of these other distinctly KC businesses.
As Lindsey Rood-Clifford, president and CEO of Starlight, describes it, “If it feels and smells or tastes or looks like Kansas City, we are inviting those partners to be a part of the anniversary celebration.” Being so “uniquely Kansas City,” the organization is “looking at where we can share that space with other iconic Kansas City brands as well.”
Starlight is also in the middle of its Uniquely KC Campaign, an ambitious $40 million fundraising campaign which will allow the organization to expand its community programming, nearly doubling its current number of programs with a special focus on engaging young people. New programs aimed at young audiences are being introduced, including an in-school partnership with Disney aimed at building sustainable arts programs in elementary schools. Building on the success of the Star Awards, one of the biggest regional high school musical theatre awards programs, Starlight has now launched a new technical theater training program for high school juniors and seniors to develop those skills and explore opportunities for backstage careers.
The Uniquely KC Campaign is also supporting three major construction projects. A new tower roof was installed this spring, which will house a production bridge and the Starlight Stagehouse. A new heavy-duty canopy structure will cover about half of the seating bowl, offering some climate protection for audiences and finally allowing Starlight to expand into daytime programming, including matinee performances for its existing Broadway program.
Starlight is also seeing major renovations to its kitchen facilities and restrooms, building an additional ADA accessible entrance and adding health and nursing rooms.
As Rood-Clifford sees it, those construction projects go beyond basic infrastructure and aid in reducing barriers to attendance and enhancing the community element of what Starlight has to offer.
Beyond what’s offered on the stage, Starlight maintains a focus on community, encouraging audiences to gather and share experiences before, during and after performances.
“It’s why food and beverage is important, it’s why merchandise is important, it’s why preshow activations like scavenger hunts for kids and photo ops really make for a more robust and rich experience when it comes to live arts experiences,” says Rood-Clifford.
Meeting the Needs of an Evolving Audience
Keeping a theater company running for 75 years — let alone maintaining its status as a local institution — is no small feat. “I think part of what Starlight has done well,” says Rood-Clifford, “is it has evolved.”
Starlight premiered in 1950 as part of the city’s centennial celebration, debuting with a historical pageant titled Thrills of a Century, featuring hundreds of residents and performed for thousands of attendees. Much has changed in Kansas City and in the arts since 1950, and Starlight has remained committed to growing and evolving along with its audience.
“Starlight, through the years, has looked and asked the community, ‘What do you need from us now?’ says Rood-Clifford. And that has led to major projects like the enclosure of our stagehouse so we could present nationally touring Broadway and the live music that is now half of the reason why people come out to Starlight. We wouldn’t have been able to do that if we hadn’t evolved from those open-air theater roots and the same is true now.”
Everything from audience development to the addition of nursing rooms to accommodate families is done with an eye toward evolving alongside Starlight’s audiences. The immediate success of certain new programs, such as a show designed for elementary school field trips that nearly sold out its two performances for families and the public, seems to indicate Starlight is correct in its assessment of public demand for family-oriented activities. It’s the commitment to meeting those growing and changing demands that has allowed the organization to continue to be such an integral part of Kansas City’s performing arts landscape.
As Rood-Clifford says, “Continuing to ask that question of ‘What does our community need from us today?’ while also honoring that tradition is what has allowed us to remain relevant.”
For more information and the schedule of shows, visit www.kcstarlight.com.
