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The Folly Theater’s future shines bright. She promises
to stand, reflecting the changing times throughout the twenty-first
century. With her newly restored interior and a vision for the
future, she will continue to enrich the cultural landscape of
Kansas City for future generations.
In the past year, we served over 65,000 people through the various
programs and events held at the Folly Theater. Each year, more
and more people discover the wonder of the Folly and all that
she has to offer, from the wail of a jazz saxophone to heart-stopping
drama to breathtaking dance performances. She is vibrant to the
eyes, ears, and mind and makes the imagination soar.
The Folly Theater, referred to as “The Carnegie Hall of Kansas City,” by
flutist James Galway, has earned awards and recognition on many different levels
from national grants won through its programs to the praise from performers
and the community she calls home. The Folly Jazz Series was selected as one
of the sixteen original sites nationwide to comprise the prestigious Lila Wallace-Reader’s
Digest National Jazz Network. A local publication, the Pitch Weekly Newspaper,
named the Folly Theater the “Best Performance Venue” in 1999. Ingrams
Magazine readers have repeatedly voted the Folly Theater as one of the top
performance halls in Kansas City.
Programming at the Folly remains the most varied and accessible in Kansas City,
offering performances and events for all age groups, interests, and backgrounds.
We are proud of our long history in the community, and enjoy offering access
to the arts to all walks of life.
The Folly Theater is an important asset to the jazz landscape
of our community. In a city renowned for being the birthplace
of many important Jazz performers and styles, the Folly Theater
keeps that reputation alive. The Folly Jazz line-up, a tradition
since 1981, combines legends who shaped the artform, like Dave
Brubeck and George Shearing, with talented, innovative performers
like Ravi Coltrane and David Sanchez. The Folly Jazz Spotlight
introduces a new, up-and-coming artist to Kansas City each season
and has included performers like Jane Monheit and Rene Marie,
both of whom drew rave reviews and new audiences to the art form.
A Kansas City Star editorial stated, “the Folly offers a
good mix of jazz innovators and traditionalists. This ensures
a good audience and talent mix.”
The Folly Theater is the exclusive presenter of a Children’s Series that
brings national-level children’s theater troupes, such as the Kennedy
Center Imagination Celebration on Tour and Theatreworks USA, to Kansas City
youth. This series brings educational history lessons and complex social themes
in a fun, educational forum. For many of these children, having the opportunity
to experience a performance at the Folly is the first time they have seen the
performing arts in a professional arts environment. Each season, the Folly
Children’s Series brings a new, enriched line-up of performances to meet
our objective to open children’s minds to new ideas and concepts that
build on the educational curriculum in the classroom.
In addition, the theater is utilized regularly by many area businesses and
community organizations for a wide range of functions. The Folly offers a unique
and distinguished amount of services to the Kansas City community. Both the
building and the performing arts presented on its stage are highly praised
and applauded on a local and national level.
For 37 seasons, the Harriman Fine Arts Program at William Jewell
College has brought the best and brightest in the performing
arts to Kansas City audiences. The Folly Theater is a proud host
venue for many of these quality performances that include American
Recital Debuts, Kansas City premiers and legendary moments in
performing arts. Founded by Richard Harriman in 1965, this series
has a long-standing tradition of quality, variety, and discovery
to our audiences.
Friends of Chamber Music, also a tenant client of the Folly, offers Kansas
City an annual celebration of chamber music, old and new. Cynthia Siebert,
Founder and Director of Friends of Chamber Music, brings the leading international
artists in Chamber Music for Kansas City audiences. This is some of the world’s
greatest music, which includes timeless masterpieces, brilliant contemporary
works and world premiere works. From long-standing favorites to fresh new talent,
the internationally known series is a great benefit to the community and an
honor for the Folly Theater.
Finally, the Folly is proud to serve as a host venue the talented Heartland
Men’s Chorus, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, and Civic Opera Theatre
of Kansas City.
The Folly Theater’s mission is to ensure for future generations the preservation
of Kansas City’s oldest theater and historic performance venue to serve
the cultural, educational, entertainment, civic and business needs of the community,
by presenting, producing and hosting a wide range of the highest quality events.
As we celebrate her second century, we will continue to strive in all areas
to serve the Kansas City community to ensure the ongoing legacy of “The
Grand Old Lady of Twelfth Street”.
Now and into the future: may the stars shine, the audiences give standing ovations,
and the community be forever enraptured by the Grand Old Lady.
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