Want to Make Starlight Cooler? Join The Fan Club!

With the never-ending list of things to do at Starlight Theatre this summer, we’ve added one more: The Fan Club! We aren’t talking about the ultimate Broadway or concert “fans.” These are fans you’ll feel but not hear.

Starlight’s outdoor Broadway and concert seasons typically run from May through September with high attendance through the summer months. After reviewing years of guest feedback, it’s clear that hot temperatures and lack of air flow are two key factors that deter more Kansas Citians from enjoying live entertainment at Starlight. As a result, Starlight is taking nature into its own hands and working to raise the funds needed to install a new, state-of-the-art fan system in time for the 2018 summer season.

The system will include four fans strategically placed to ensure the greatest number of patrons will benefit from the cooling effect of the fans. Each fan will sit atop a pole approximately 35 feet tall and 10 inches in diameter; fan blades are about 10 feet long. When all four fans run together at full speed, they will generate a breeze of about 4 mph throughout the seating bowl. The new fans will be positioned so as to minimize impact on sight lines to the stage.

Starlight won’t be the first to install such mega fans – The Muny in St. Louis implemented a similar system in 2013, installing four freestanding fans in a comparable seating area. From all reports, their patrons love it!

“We want our guests to enjoy every moment they spend at Starlight,” said Rich Baker, Starlight President and CEO. “Whether they’re seeing a Broadway show or concert, this new fan system will help make Starlight nights even more enjoyable for everyone.”

Starlight is launching The Fan Club in an effort to help underwrite the initial cost of the fans. As a nonprofit arts organization, Starlight relies on the generous support of its community. In return, Starlight is retaining local companies to complete the project. Kansas City-based GastingerWalker serve as the project’s architect, while McCownGordon Construction will lead construction.

By joining The Fan Club with a generous donation now, you will help Starlight utilize the latest technology to improve the comfort of all guests. To learn more and to help make Starlight cooler, stop by The Fan Club headquarters near the Ovation gift shop before select shows during the 2017 season, visit kcstarlight.com/fanclub or call 816.997.1127.