Uniquely KC - Starlight

Starlight launched Uniquely KC Campaign, a $40 million fundraising campaign, to further its mission of connecting our community through live arts experiences that entertain, inspire, and engage.

The first capital campaign in more than 20 years, this project aims to attract and develop new live arts audiences, enhance arts access and youth education opportunities, generate a positive economic impact in the region, and foster support for Kansas City’s arts and culture sector for one of the largest civic cultural assets in the city.

YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS

Black and white photo of a full audience watching a show — **Starlight in the 1950s**

Starlight in the 1980s — **Starlight in the 1950s**

The arts are fundamental to our humanity. In our world today, people are seeking the connection of shared live arts experiences more than ever.

This community landmark – its history and legacy – is irreplaceable. Starlight’s goals are bigger and bolder than venue improvements that serve patrons. For many individuals, attending performances at Starlight has become a family tradition.

The Uniquely KC Campaign will not only enhance the Starlight tradition but extend it to new, diverse participants of all ages. There is only one Starlight, and with your help, it can be the home for accessible live arts experiences for generations to come.

The Uniquely KC Campaign will fund the following:

Rendering of new canopy to cover stage and part of the audience — Stage View

Rendering of accessible entrance on west side — Stage View

Campus Improvements
Community Engagement Programs

CENTRAL CAMPUS

A new state-of-the-art canopy will extend over the front portion of Plaza seating, allowing Starlight to offer summer Broadway matinees for up to 2,500 attendees. This helps cool down the seating bowl and gives audience members who prefer an earlier curtain time the opportunity to get home before dark. Additionally, this improvement opens opportunities for other community daytime events and partnerships.

A new production truss and light bridge will bring lights closer to the stage to enhance the production quality for summer performances for audience members (and the artists!). Screens will be mounted to make sure all patrons feel closer to the action than ever before.

WEST CAMPUS

Renovated restrooms will help triple the number of stalls on the west side of the Starlight campus, resulting in shorter wait times. To support Starlight’s commitment to accessibility, family restrooms will be added, adult changing tables will be incorporated for caregivers to safely assist those who need it, and Starlight’s first-ever health and nursing rooms will make for a better guest experience for patrons.
A new, accessible entry will create the third accessible public path into the Starlight venue, joining ADA-compliant gate entrances at the northwest and southwest corners of the campus. This entry will also provide expanded storage for security and other entrance equipment.

EAST CAMPUS

A new, larger kitchen will take the place of Starlight’s current small catering kitchen. The much-needed renovations to this area will upgrade food and beverage services and equipment and expand storage opportunities.

The Arts Bridge program will leverage the power of the arts for community building in Kansas City. Through innovative collaboration with arts organizations and community nonprofits, the programming developed through these partnerships creates opportunities for cultural celebration, learning, community dialogue, artistic exploration, and civic engagement. Learn More

Technical Theatre training will expose high school students to the often-hidden career paths in the arts. Starlight will work alongside other performing arts and entertainment organizations to provide participants with hands-on training in various technical disciplines including lighting, costuming, scenic design, audio, and stage management. Learn More

A musical theatre residency for elementary schools will provide free resources and support to empower community schools to produce their first musical and create a sustainable arts program. Students from under-resourced schools will engage in a semester-long creative process that culminates with a performance for the community.

The expansion of Starlight’s community tickets program will offer free performance access to thousands of Kansas Citians. With a focus on reducing barriers to attend performances, this expansion will create more entry points to meaningful arts experiences.

A performance series for young audiences will provide the inspirational benefits of live theatre to community students and families. School matinee performances, weekend family shows, and sensory-friendly programs will ensure young people and their families have opportunities to experience the magic of Starlight. Learn More

Rendering of a modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances and workspaces. — View of Canopy

GIVE

Please consider investing in the future of Starlight by contributing to the Uniquely KC campaign:

One-time Gift

Make a Pledge

Recognition Opportunities

For questions about your gift or any recognition opportunities, contact Claire McEwen at claire.mcewen@kcstarlight.com or (816) 997-1159.

Gifts of $1,000+ will be recognized on our website.

Gifts of $10,000+ will be recognized on a plaque on one of Starlight’s new towers.

Naming opportunities across the venue are available starting at $25,000.

The arts make you believe in yourself. It makes you believe in others. It gives you this whole new perspective that your life can be whatever you want it to be. It fills you with this joy that you’ll only experience if you truly decide, ‘I’m going to follow my dreams.’“

Gabby Petentler Starlight Program Participant

Supporters + Updates

Honorary Chairs:

Jean and Don Wagner

Campaign Co-Chairs:

Nikki and Brett Emison

Jeanette Prenger and the Prenger Family

Campaign Cabinet:

Jeff Anthony

Cathy Baier

Jeff and Jen Carson

Carl and Jean Chinnery

Dr. Valerie Chow and Judge Jon Gray (retired)

Don Dagenais

Sandi Fried and Gabbie Fried

Amy Guerich

August L. Huber, III

Jonalee McLaughlin, Cara McLaughlin and Anna McKee

Dan and Mary Schulte

Mark and Amy Thompson

Carolyn Watley and Ellen Woltkamp

Board Leadership:

Howard Cohen, Starlight Board of Directors Chair

Mark Fortino, Starlight Board of Directors Immediate Past Chair

Mike T. Lanning, Starlight Board of Directors Vice Chair of Facilities

Special thanks to the tremendous donors of $1,000+ that have contributed to our Uniquely KC Capital Campaign.

$2,500,000+
The City of Kansas City, Missouri
Hall Family Foundation
Levy Restaurants
Sunderland Foundation

$1,000,000-$2,499,999
The State of Missouri

$500,000-$999,999
Anonymous
Live Nation
The Morgan Charitable Foundation, in loving memory of Sandi Morgan
William T. Kemper Foundation

$250,000-$499,999
The Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation
Sherry + Gary Forsee
The Goppert Foundation
Shirley & Barnett Helzberg Jr. Donor Advisory Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City
Harry Wilson Loose Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee
McLaughlin Family Charitable Fund
Muriel McBrien Kauffman Family Foundation
Mike O’Connell & Sara Hicks Family Foundation
The Ronald D. Deffenbaugh Foundation
The Deramus Foundation and Don & Jean Wagner Charitable Foundation

$100,000 – $249,999
Anonymous
Rick & Cathy Baier Foundation
Al & Sharon Cinelli
Howard E. & Debra L. Cohen Family Donor Advised Fund
Jeannette & Jerome Cohen Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City, Howard & Ro Jacobson, and Elaine & Arlen Rubin
Ann & Gary Dickinson Family Charitable Foundation
JE Dunn Construction
Kearney Wornall Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee
Langdon & Emison
The McDonnell Foundation
John & Bridget Murphy
Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts
Schreiber Charitable Trust
Daniel & Mary Schulte Charitable Fund
Victor E. and Caroline E. Schutte Foundation Trust E, David W. Frantze and Bank of America, N.A., Trustees
The Sherman Family Foundation
The Patrick & Janna Stueve Family Foundation
Byron & Jeanne Thompson Family & Country Club Bank

$50,000 – $99,999
June Beaver
Matt & Kate Beem
Pat & Don Dagenais
Steve & Cathy Doyal
The Elsberry Family Foundation
Brett & Nikki Emison
Mark & Sarah Fortino
Haas & Wilkerson, LLC
Michael and Marlys Haverty
Morgan Family Legacy Foundation
George & Wendy Powell
PNC
The Regnier Family Foundation
Debbie & Russell Welsh
Carey & Tom Wilkins

$25,000 – $49,999
Christine & Don Alexander
Ash Grove Charitable Foundation
Bill & Denise Bade
Richard & Peggy Baker
Robert & Dr. Phyliss Bernstein Family Foundation at the Jewish Community Foundation
Steve and Sue Dietze
Peggy & Terry Dunn
ECCO Select
Brian & Lesley Elwell
Edward L. Enyeart
Sarah & Ray Evans
The Fried Family
Gregg and Cheryl Givens
Don Hall, Jr.
Joan Horan
Kaufman Family
Tony and Teresa Kempf
KPMG
Dean & Anita Newton
The McCown Family Foundation
Greg & Rebecca Reid
Jim & Sharon Reinert
Vicki & Bill Reisler
Ora Reynolds & Curt Roberts
Charles & Elizabeth Schellhorn
Neal & Angela Sharma

$10,000 – $24,999
Jeffrey Anthony
Barnes-Bisset Family Foundation
Becky Blades & Cary Phillips
Jeff Carson Family & Enterprise Bank
Castetter Johnson Family Foundation
Lindsey Rood-Clifford & Chris Clifford
Michael & Carrie Condon
Estelle S. & Robert A. Long Ellis Foundation
Bruce and Linda Enright
Jill Farrell
Fowler Family Foundation
Gordon Family Foundation
Amy Guerich
Laura & August L. Huber III
Allan & Margot Huber Charitable Fund
Heather Jones & Bryan Long
Mark & Mary Cook Jorgenson
The Lang Family
Mary Lockton and Michael Murphy
Tondee Lutterman
Cara McLaughlin
Ramsey & Alison Mohsen
Diane & Robert O’Byrne
Terry & Barbie O’Toole
Dr. Susan & Charles Porter
J.B. Reynolds Foundation
Erin Ryan & Janet Cinelli
Lisa Rohlf
Anna C. MacAskill Schwab and Dwight L. Schwab Charitable Foundation
In memory of Megan E. Taylor, by Bill and Marilyn Taylor
Angelo & Elisa Trozzolo
Kasey & Kyle Vena
Joel & Marsha Voran
Carolyn Watley
Sandy and Bryon Whitaker
Eddy Whitley & Tracie Dittemore
Nancy Whitworth & Doug Ballou
Matt & Sabrina Wiewel
Amy & Robert Wolf

$1,000 – $9,999
Anonymous
Aviva Ajmera & Wayne Strickland
Beal Family Fund
Irv Belzer & Sue McCord-Belzer
Wendy & Troy Burgess
John & Karen Campbel
Dan & Leanne Carr
CBIZ Employee Benefits Group
Carl & Jean Chinnery
Deb Churchill
Russ & Melanie Cline
Michael Collins
Kevin Connor
Copaken Family Foundation
Mark & Stephanie Coulter
Monica J. Curls
Carla and Don Duryee
Ken & Christine Eaton
Caroline & Danny Gibel
GWBD Foundation
Mike Haines & Kathy Winklhofer
Lisa & Eric Hays
Tim & Jan Helfer
Rick & Chris Heise
Trina & Tom Henke
Robert & Melissa Hingula
Jenny Housley
Steve Jagoda
Stacey L. Janssen
Austin & Melynne Jones
Jerry & Cathy Jones
Alison & Donovan Kidd
Michael Knecht
Herb & Nancy Kohn
Courtney Kounkel
Marty & Beth Krebs
Landes Family Foundation
Michael & Kristin Lanning
Steven & Anna McKee
Lee & Jan Morevitska
Patricia & Michael Morrissey
Keith Mueller
Dr. Troy Nash
Kirk & Rita Nelsen
Daniel Nenonen
Lisa & Brian Osgood
Kathy & John O’Toole
Doyle & Laura Pearl
Bonnie & Doug Pearson
Lynn and Joe Poskin
Howard & Kathy Rothwell
Mark & Tricia Schlipman
Liz & Gary Simons
Bill & Sandra Snyder
Elaine Feld Stern Charitable Trust
Barbara Storm
Donna Thomason
Emily Tilgner
R. Gordon Tompkins
Travelers Insurance
Randall Tharp
Oscar & Ratana Tshibanda
UMB Financial Services
Mark & LeeAnn Van Dyne
Tom & Eileen Weir
Vanessa Vaughn West
Tom & Loren Whittaker
Brian & Ellen Woltkamp
Mandi & Kevin Wright
JW & Bonnie Youngblood

Project timeline and announcements: On October 16, 2023, Starlight publicly announced the campaign at 10 a.m. from the Jeannette and Jerome Cohen Stage. On October 9, 2024, Starlight held a groundbreaking celebration as it broke ground on the first phase of construction. The first phase of the project includes the two new towers that will support the production bridge and canopy. It also celebrated the launch of several new community engagement programs such as the Arts Bridge program, Technical Theatre training, and the Performances for Young Audiences Series.

Seventy Years of Starlight

Starlight is the oldest and largest continually operating performing arts venue in the Kansas City metropolitan area and is one of only two outdoor theatres of its kind in the country.