Posted on Mar 13, 2022
Take a tour of Kansas City's historic theaters, dating back more than a century
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One thing’s for sure — we’re lucky to live in a city brimming with architectural excellence, and history to boot. With concerts and touring acts returning to Kansas City theaters, we're looking back at the history of some of our favorite local venues.
Kansas City's oldest theater dates back to 1900 and once hosted vaudeville and burlesque acts. Another classic Kansas City theater is rumored to have had "an elevator large and powerful enough to haul elephants to the stage."
Whether you're there to see a movie or your favorite musician, we think you'll come away from Kansas City's iconic theaters with a story to tell as well.
Kansas City's oldest theater dates back to 1900 and once hosted vaudeville and burlesque acts. Another classic Kansas City theater is rumored to have had "an elevator large and powerful enough to haul elephants to the stage."
Whether you're there to see a movie or your favorite musician, we think you'll come away from Kansas City's iconic theaters with a story to tell as well.
Take a tour of Kansas City's historic theaters, dating back more than a century
Posted from kcur.org
Theater
Kansas City
Architecture
Music
Movies
Posted 2 y ago
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Yes KC is very historical and beautiful. But go just 120 miles west to found this opera house built in 1882. In a little town call Junction City, KS. Grew up here after we returned from Germany in 1968. Attended plays and movies there.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Kansas City’s oldest theater seems as good a place to begin as any. If you’ve ever walked east on 12th Street toward Power and Light, you have likely glimpsed the iconic Folly sign glowing brightly in one corner of the Palladian-style building.
Built in 1900 as a venue for burlesque and vaudeville acts, Folly Theater was originally called the Standard Theater. By 1902, renamed the Century, the theater was advertising on-stage boxing matches. In 1920, there was a fire in the balcony, “but the show went on that night with sawdust on the floor," according to the Folly's website.
When New York City’s famed Shubert brothers bought the Folly in 1923, they named it Shubert’s Missouri, and brought Shakespeare’s plays to Kansas City. However, as businesses shut their doors in the 1930s, the Folly booked fewer shows. It reopened in 1941 as a striptease club but was soon set for demolition.
Thankfully, the Folly was saved from parking lot doom by civic leaders Joan Kent Dillon and William Deramus III, who secured its spot on the National Register of Historic Places. The renovated venue reopened in 1981, even hosting former President Barack Obama in 2010."...
..."Kansas City’s oldest theater seems as good a place to begin as any. If you’ve ever walked east on 12th Street toward Power and Light, you have likely glimpsed the iconic Folly sign glowing brightly in one corner of the Palladian-style building.
Built in 1900 as a venue for burlesque and vaudeville acts, Folly Theater was originally called the Standard Theater. By 1902, renamed the Century, the theater was advertising on-stage boxing matches. In 1920, there was a fire in the balcony, “but the show went on that night with sawdust on the floor," according to the Folly's website.
When New York City’s famed Shubert brothers bought the Folly in 1923, they named it Shubert’s Missouri, and brought Shakespeare’s plays to Kansas City. However, as businesses shut their doors in the 1930s, the Folly booked fewer shows. It reopened in 1941 as a striptease club but was soon set for demolition.
Thankfully, the Folly was saved from parking lot doom by civic leaders Joan Kent Dillon and William Deramus III, who secured its spot on the National Register of Historic Places. The renovated venue reopened in 1981, even hosting former President Barack Obama in 2010."...
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