Showing posts with label kauffman center performing arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kauffman center performing arts. Show all posts

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Open for Business

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is open for business and was alive and kicking in Kansas City! Recently we covered an event at the new event center that featured Kansas City's dueling pianos and was sponsored by Bank of Kansas City with entertainment by Bands for Hire Live!

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is an incredible feat of architecture, designed by architect Moshe Safdie, acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota and theater consultant Richard Pilbrow. Kansas City construction fat cats J.E. Dunn Construction Group got the gig to build the center. The total cost of the center was $413 million with another $40 million lumped on the side to operate the center for a period of time until it may or may not support itself financially. The Kauffman Center is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, although I can guarantee that a lot of people are making plenty of money off of it's existence.

On the particular night that we were there, the Bank of Kansas City had rented out the Kauffman Center and were having their holiday party. The night was very special due to the immense vision of the Kauffman Center as the absolute center of attention. When you rent out the Kauffman Center for an event, you don't need to provide anything more than a bar and some passed hors d'oeuvres to make the evening magical. They went the extra mile at this event, however, with an incredible performance by Kansas City's dueling pianos, who got the entire crowd up on it's feet and singing along and dancing all the way up until the end of the event.

There are two separate theaters within the 7 story Kauffman Center. Both theater rooms were open for viewing on this night until the Kansas City Orchestra closed one of the rooms to have an extended rehearsal. The room that we did get to see was the red velvet seated Muriel Kauffman Theater, which is pictured here. The entire building is absolutely the most impressive building in Kansas City and we hope to visit again soon.

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Monday, April 19, 2010

Kauffman Center for The Performing Arts - New building downtown Kansas City

Kauffman Center for The Performing Arts - The New Building in Town

At first glance from I-35 heading into downtown last fall it looked like The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts was a building that was being torn down, not in the process of being built.  There were strange rusty old steel beams bent inward - and the building looked like it was built in the 20's.

As it turns out, those rusty steel bent beams are going to turn into a state of the art two-venue performing arts center, focused on enriching the lives of Kansas Citians with performances by The Kansas City Symphony, The Lyric Opera, and the enduring Kansas City Ballet, which has always received most of it's support from The Kauffman family.

The Performance Center interior will include two separate halls in The Helzberg Hall and The Muriel Kauffman Hall.  The halls will feature touring acts including Broadway and off-Broadway plays, dance troupes, local Kansas City Entertainment and other touring shows.  The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is in an ideal location just blocks away from the Power and Light District, where guests can dine at great Kansas City Restaurants before the show and then grab a drink after the show if they like.  The Kauffman Center for The Performing Arts will contribute to the popularity of a downtown Kansas City that was once thought to be doomed.  It is becoming clearer and clearer that Kansas City is putting themselves on the map as a "real" city.

For a limited time, you can make a donation of $2500.00 - $10,000.00 and name a seat in the theater.  The fee requires a yearly renewal, however, to maintain your seat.   Contact info:

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
906 Grand Blvd., 11th Floor
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: 816-994-7200

If you have specific questions, please post them as a comment - no sign up required - quick commenting - and we will try to answer your questions quickly.  Thank you! 

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