Starlight Honored with City Resolution

On Thursday, February 6, the City of Kansas City honored Starlight with Resolution 200097 during their scheduled City Council meeting. Councilwoman Heather Hall introduced the Resolution as a Starlight Special Action, and the Council quickly voted to approve. Starlight’s President and CEO, Rich Baker, and Board Chair, Ora Reynolds, accepted the Resolution surrounded by additional Starlight leadership, supporters and staff.

Resolution 200097 reads:

Honoring Starlight for enriching the lives of citizens in the region for over 70 years by producing and promoting the arts. 

WHEREAS, Starlight is dedicated to presenting exceptional arts experiences through their numerous Broadway musicals, concerts and unique theatrical shows for all audiences, superior theatre arts education, impactful outreach programs and events; and

WHEREAS, since the 1950s, Starlight has built an historic reputation for themselves, bringing the arts alive on stage as an exciting experience for the community to enjoy; and

WHEREAS, the Starlight staff and board are devoted to preserving the thriving legacy and success of Starlight Theatre and the positive impact its programs have on the Kansas City community; and

WHEREAS, the outreach program ‘Just Imagine’ is an interactive theatre program that touches the lives of children struggling with illness in hospitals as well as children being served by social service agencies. Through Starlight’s outreach, these children are given a chance to use their imaginations to escape life’s challenges during Starlight’s ‘Just Imagine’ performances; and

WHEREAS, Starlight shows tremendous support of arts education through the generous Vincent Legacy Scholarship Program which provides scholarships for arts training for low-income minority middle school students throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area; and

WHEREAS, Starlight’s annual Blue Star Awards is one of the largest and most admired high school musical theatre awards programs in the nation. The awards recognize Kansas City high school students that display achievement and excellence in musical theatre; and

WHEREAS, Starlight enriches the Kansas City community by promoting the arts through concerts and shows as well as their outreach programs that touch the lives of many in the community; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

That the Mayor and Council hereby honor and recognize Starlight for their commitment to improving our community through sharing the beauty of the arts; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the Council in testimony thereof and that a copy hereof be presented to CEO, Richard Baker and Board President, Ora Reynolds in token of the appreciation of the Mayor and Council for 70 years of dedicated service and of their best wishes for all the years to come.

Thank you to the City of Kansas City for your continued support of Starlight!