News

The GRAMMY Museum encourages Greater Kansas City-area students ages 14-21 to apply.

The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project debuted in Kansas City last year and, after a successful pilot summer in 2012, Bob Santelli, Executive Director for the GRAMMY Museum, has announced the program’s return for another stint in Kansas City beginning in June.

Designed as an intensive curriculum for young musicians, The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project invites students to engage with other young people to hone their musical talents through a four-week rigorous musical discourse. Last year, 24 Kansas City-area musicians spent the hottest part of their summers in the cool practice rooms of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, sharpening their skills in concentrated workshops with peers and GRAMMY-level artists.

While cultivating a passion for music, students learn practical, entrepreneurial skills and develop relationships working with GRAMMY-level artists. Rehearsals and mentorships boost the students’ enthusiasm for performance while increasing self-esteem. Students participate in a variety of composition and music history classes, ending with a concert showcasing all of their hard work in July.

Just last weekend, the debut Music Revolution class got back together to attend the Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. While not all future Music Revolution classes will attend the Grammy Awards, it is our hope that opportunities and connections provided to students of the Music Revolution Project might one day lead to a future in the arts.

The Music Revolution Project commits to developing students with interests in a variety of musical genres. From Rock & Roll, to classical, folk, and hip-hop and pop, the GRAMMY Museum encourages Greater Kansas City area high school and college students serious in pursuing their musical talents to apply.

The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project is open to interested students ages 14-21 from the Greater Kansas City area. All materials must be submitted by March 22, 2013.

Questions? email education@grammymuseum.org

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts would like to invite you to a holiday open house on Wednesday, December 26th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

We know that many Kansas Citians have guests in town during the holidays, and so Kauffman Center is offering a great opportunity to bring your friends and family to see the Center for the first time or just to get a closer look.

Please join us starting at 10:00 am on Wednesday, December 26th. Both performance venues, Muriel Kauffman Theatre and Helzberg Hall, will be available for the public to view. Our excellent Tour Ambassadors will be on hand to answer your questions as well. Guests can also visit the Kauffman Center Gift Shop and Box Office during our open hours until 4:00 pm.

We hope to see you then!

The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley and Peter Cottontail III
continue joint partnership for children

Starlight’s Children’s Theatre is excited to announce its 2013 season at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts: The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley will be presented January 16-20; Peter Cottontail III will be presented March 27-31.

“These are two great shows for children and their families,” said Denton Yockey, Starlight president and executive producer. “Flat Stanley is a beloved children’s book series that has become a cultural phenomenon with children, parents and especially teachers who use the book to promote international literacy and community building – there’s even a Flat Stanley mobile app. The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley is just as charming and fun as the book series,” Yockey said. “Peter Cottontail III with its fun story, charming lyrics and upbeat tunes is the perfect springtime celebration and a clever twist on the Easter Bunny story.”

Starlight Children’s Theatre is a partnership between the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and Starlight Theatre with the goal of creating fully produced children’s theatre productions for Kansas City. The partnership also allows for qualified schools to receive bus money to attend the school matinees through Kauffman Center’s Open Doors Transportation Fund.

“We launched Starlight Children’s Theatre last year in order to provide more opportunities for young audiences in Kansas City to experience the performing arts and specifically professional musical productions that are the quality of Starlight’s Broadway productions,” said Jane Chu, president and chief executive officer of the Kauffman Center. “The response from schools and the general community has been very positive. We expect our second season to be just as popular.”

STARLIGHT CHILDREN’S THEATRE 2013 SEASON:
The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley
January 18 to 20 Weekend Public Performances
January 16 to 18 Weekday School Matinees
Appropriate for ages 4 and older

Based on the book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown. Book by Timothy Allen McDonald; Lyrics by Timothy Allen McDonald and Jonathan K. Waller; Music by Jonathon K. Waller, David Weinstein, Timothy Allen McDonald and Stephen Gabriel.

The beloved children’s book, Flat Stanley, has become a literary and pop cultural phenomenon around the world and now the story comes to the stage in this delightful musical. Stanley Lambchop is your normal, everyday, run-of-the-mill kid. But one night while he’s sleeping, the bulletin board on the wall above his bed comes loose and falls – right on top of Stanley! And the next morning, Stanley Lambchop wakes up flat. In a whirlwind musical travelogue, Stanley – the ultimate exchange student – scours the globe for a solution to his unusual problem. He’s stamped, posted and cancelled from Hollywood to France to Honolulu and beyond. And whether he’s thwarting a robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, or ‘hanging ten’ off the coast of Hawaii, Stanley is closing in on his goal of being a three-dimensional boy once more. Click Here to Download the Flat Stanley Study Guide

Peter Cottontail III
March 29 to 31 Weekend Public Performances
March 27 to 29 Weekday School Matinees
Appropriate for all ages

Book by Frances Seidensticker; Music and Lyrics by Linda M. Lee

The musical’s namesake character, Peter Cottontail III, is training to become the next Easter Bunny since his grandfather is retiring. Peter has many challenges to overcome, but learns to rely on his friends and family for encouragement and help. The young bunny manages to escape from a trap set by hunters and foil a plot by opportunistic men to take over his friends’ farmhouse. These adventures help him realize that he is mature enough to be the Easter Bunny after all. Audiences will be humming along to catchy songs like “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” and “The Secret of Springtime.”

TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets for the Starlight’s Children’s Theatre 2013 Season can be reserved now by calling 816.363.STAR (7827). Providing benefits that include up to a 20 percent discount compared to single ticket prices, season tickets range from $28 to $70 a ticket. VIP Seating is available for $130 a ticket and provides exclusive close-up seating, cast meet and greets and other VIP benefits. Single tickets are available online here.

Discounted group tickets and student matinee tickets can now be ordered by contacting Stacey Million, Starlight’s group sales manager, at groups@kcstarlight.com or 816.997.1137. A study guide for educators and group leaders will be available for both productions. Qualifying schools may also apply for bus transportation assistance from the Kauffman Center’s Open Doors Transportation Fund; more information is available at www.kauffmancenter.org.

Starlight Theatre Association is dedicated to producing, presenting and promoting excellence in musical theatre and the performing arts for diverse audiences of all ages, with continued programming for families and children. Starlight strives to enrich our region for all residents and visitors by building appreciation for the performing arts, making live theatre and music affordable and accessible, providing superior theatre arts education and community outreach programs, and delivering exceptional customer service. Starlight will remain a beloved Kansas City cultural tradition by devoting resources to preserving and enhancing its home venue in Swope Park and creating new memories for generations to come.

** Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts celebrates its first year with a review of key milestones, memorable moments and a look at what is planned for year two **

KANSAS CITY, MO – On Sept. 16, 2011, Kansas City gained worldwide attention with the opening of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, designed by award-winning architect Moshe Safdie. One year later, the Kauffman Center has much to celebrate, including artistic successes and increased outreach into the community.

After more than 300 performances in year one, the Kauffman Center has welcomed more than 475,000 people through its doors. The Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, along with numerous other community arts organizations, have experienced increased attendance, enhanced technical capabilities and the opportunity to showcase their artistry and expanded repertoire in an intimate setting designed to connect artists with audiences like never before.

“Since the Kauffman Center’s opening last fall, hundreds of thousands of people have attended events at the Center and experienced the impact of the arts in our community,” says Julia Irene Kauffman, chairman of the Kauffman Center’s board of directors. “Providing extraordinary and diverse performing arts experiences is at the heart of what we do each day. We strongly believe that at the Kauffman Center there is something for everyone, and we will continue to work toward providing enriching arts opportunities for audiences of all ages.”

As a testament to the Kauffman Center’s commitment to serving everyone in the community, in its first year it hosted many free events and performances, including open dress rehearsals, Kansas City Library programs and master classes. Audiences were able to experience performances priced from $15 to $35, like the popular National Geographic Live series, part of Kauffman Center Presents.

The Kauffman Center’s aim to provide excellence performing arts experiences is illustrated by a commitment to diverse programming emphasizing extraordinary artists that reach audiences throughout and beyond the Kansas City region.

“Rounding out Kansas City’s already great range of artistic offerings was an important goal for us,” says Chu. “Our Kauffman Center Presents series was specifically designed to complement the programming offered by other arts organizations so that audiences, artistic options and even ticket prices were diverse.”

During its first season, the Kauffman Center brought in a memorable lineup of performing artists at the top of their class: Plácido Domingo, Itzhak Perlman, Diana Krall, Laurie Anderson, Lily Tomlin, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, The Chieftains, Philip Glass and Aretha Franklin, among many others. Audiences for the second season of Kauffman Center Presents have already experienced show-stopping performances by Willie Nelson and Bernadette Peters, while other great artists are still to come this year. Pop icon Frankie Valli performs this month, and Grammy Award-winning Jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding and virtuosic organist Cameron Carpenter will arrive at the Kauffman Center later in the fall. Looking further ahead, 2013 will bring performances by SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK, Carol Burnett, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán and the much-anticipated return of the National Geographic Live speaker series.

Chairman Julia Irene Kauffman’s goal to offer broad access to the community is emphasized in the Kauffman Center’s Open Doors initiative. Through the Open Doors Transportation Fund and Open Doors Tickets, more than 29,000 students were able to attend a performance this year, many from urban schools. Funds were raised for Open Doors tickets in order to underwrite tickets for disadvantaged individuals, distributed through local nonprofit organizations. These outreach programs will continue to serve students and local agencies in season two.

One of the highlights of summer activity was a pilot program of the GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolutions Project, a brand-new educational initiative that stimulated creative young musicians by connecting them with GRAMMY-level artists. Created with generous support from AEG, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and The Recording Academy, The GRAMMY Museum’s Music Revolution Project provided 24 young local artists the opportunity to participate in an intensive, four-week curriculum including instruction, rehearsals and mentoring at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and Sprint Center.

Along with all of the successes of its inaugural year, the Kauffman Center and the Kansas City region received national and international attention for supporting the arts. “The reviews were glowing and that is satisfying,” says Julia Irene Kauffman, “but what I appreciate most is the pride our community feels. People tell me they feel part of this place, and they should. It has been a joint effort every step of the way.”

Kauffman Center’s Inaugural Year at a Glance
• More than 475,000 people attended Kauffman Center events.
• More than 300 performances occurred in the first year.
• More than 200 community or private social events were held.
• An average of 268 people took a Kauffman Center tour each week.
• 29,000 school children from 27 school districts were given the opportunity to experience a student matinee at the Kauffman Center.

Coming soon to Kauffman Center Presents
• Sept. 25: Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons | Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• Oct. 9: Esperanza Spalding – Radio Music Society | Helzberg Hall
• Nov. 4: Cameron Carpenter, Organist | Helzberg Hall
• Jan. 30: Sweet Honey in the Rock | Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• Feb. 14: Laughter and Reflection with Carol Burnett | Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• February through May: National Geographic Live speaker series
• New programs will be announced throughout the year. Sign up for email updates and get exclusive presale offers.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Larry Jacob
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
(816) 308-8703
larry@doverstrategygroup.com

Celebrate the illustrious career of Marilyn Maye, who has been mesmerizing audiences since the age of seven. Referred to as “The greatest white female singer in the world,” Maye’s outstanding achievements span eight decades. Grammy nominated for Best New Artist, Marilyn Maye appeared multiple times on the Tonight Show hosted by Johnny Carson. Don’t miss a chance to see this beloved music icon perform live!

The event is Tuesday, September 18th and will be held in Brandmeyer Great Hall. The reception is at 6 p.m., with dinner and the program beginning at 7 p.m. It is $1,500 per table of 10, or $150 per person. All proceeds go to Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas City. To RSVP contact Linda Dillon at 913-207-3310 or linda.dillon@nsdkc.org. You can also pay with credit card at www.nsdkc.org