Uniquely KC logo

Starlight launched Uniquely KC Campaign, a $40 million fundraising campaign, to further its mission of connecting our community through live arts experiences that entertain, inspire, and engage.

The first capital campaign in more than 20 years, this project aims to attract and develop new live arts audiences, enhance arts access and youth education opportunities, generate a positive economic impact in the region, and foster support for Kansas City’s arts and culture sector for one of the largest civic cultural assets in the city.

YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS

The arts are fundamental to our humanity. In our world today, people are seeking the connection of shared live arts experiences more than ever.

This community landmark – its history and legacy – is irreplaceable. Starlight’s goals are bigger and bolder than venue improvements that serve patrons. For many individuals, attending performances at Starlight has become a family tradition.

The Uniquely KC Campaign will not only enhance the Starlight tradition but extend it to new, diverse participants of all ages. There is only one Starlight, and with your help, it can be the home for accessible live arts experiences for generations to come.


The Uniquely KC Campaign will fund the following:


GIVE

Please consider investing in the future of Starlight by contributing to the Uniquely KC campaign:

Recognition Opportunities

For questions about your gift or any recognition opportunities, contact Claire McEwen at claire.mcewen@kcstarlight.com or (816) 997-1159. 

Gifts of $1,000+ will be recognized on our website. 
Gifts of $10,000+ will be recognized on a plaque on one of Starlight’s new towers. 
Naming opportunities across the venue are available starting at $25,000.  

The arts make you believe in yourself. It makes you believe in others. It gives you this whole new perspective that your life can be whatever you want it to be. It fills you with this joy that you’ll only experience if you truly decide, ‘I’m going to follow my dreams.’

Gabby Petentler Starlight Program Participant

Supporters + Updates

Honorary Chairs:  

Jean and Don Wagner 

Campaign Co-Chairs:  

Nikki and Brett Emison 

Jeanette Prenger and the Prenger Family 

Campaign Cabinet:  

Jeff Anthony

Cathy Baier

Jeff and Jen Carson 

Carl and Jean Chinnery 

Dr. Valerie Chow and Judge Jon Gray (retired) 

Don Dagenais 

Sandi Fried and Gabbie Fried 

Amy Guerich 

August L. Huber, III 

Jonalee McLaughlin, Cara McLaughlin and Anna McKee 

Dan and Mary Schulte 

Mark and Amy Thompson 

Carolyn Watley and Ellen Woltkamp 

Board Leadership: 

Howard Cohen, Starlight Board of Directors Chair 

Mark Fortino, Starlight Board of Directors Immediate Past Chair 

Mike T. Lanning, Starlight Board of Directors Vice Chair of Facilities  

Special thanks to the tremendous donors of $1,000+ that have contributed to our Uniquely KC Capital Campaign. 

$2,500,000+
The City of Kansas City, Missouri
Hall Family Foundation
Levy Restaurants

Sunderland Foundation

$1,000,000-$2,499,999
The State of Missouri

$500,000-$999,999
Anonymous
Live Nation

The Morgan Charitable Foundation, in loving memory of Sandi Morgan
William T. Kemper Foundation

$250,000-$499,999
The Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation
Sherry + Gary Forsee

The Goppert Foundation
Shirley & Barnett Helzberg Jr. Donor Advisory Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City
Harry Wilson Loose Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee

McLaughlin Family Charitable Fund
Muriel McBrien Kauffman Family Foundation
Mike O’Connell & Sara Hicks Family Foundation
The Ronald D. Deffenbaugh Foundation
The Deramus Foundation and Don & Jean Wagner Charitable Foundation

$100,000 – $249,999
Anonymous
Rick & Cathy Baier Foundation

Al & Sharon Cinelli
Howard E. & Debra L. Cohen Family Donor Advised Fund
Jeannette & Jerome Cohen Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City, Howard & Ro Jacobson, and Elaine & Arlen Rubin
Ann & Gary Dickinson Family Charitable Foundation
JE Dunn Construction
Kearney Wornall Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee
Langdon & Emison
The McDonnell Foundation

John & Bridget Murphy
Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts

Daniel & Mary Schulte Charitable Fund
Victor E. and Caroline E. Schutte Foundation Trust E, David W. Frantze and Bank of America, N.A., Trustees
The Sherman Family Foundation
The Patrick & Janna Stueve Family Foundation
Byron & Jeanne Thompson Family & Country Club Bank

$50,000 – $99,999
Matt & Kate Beem
Pat & Don Dagenais
Steve & Cathy Doyal
The Elsberry Family Foundation
Brett & Nikki Emison
Mark & Sarah Fortino
Haas & Wilkerson, LLC
Michael and Marlys Haverty

Morgan Family Legacy Foundation
George & Wendy Powell
The Regnier Family Foundation

Debbie & Russell Welsh
Carey & Tom Wilkins

$25,000 – $49,999
Christine & Don Alexander
Bill & Denise Bade
Richard & Peggy Baker
Robert & Dr. Phyliss Bernstein Family Foundation at the Jewish Community Foundation
Steve and Sue Dietze

Peggy & Terry Dunn
ECCO Select
Brian & Lesley Elwell

Edward L. Enyeart
Sarah & Ray Evans

The Fried Family
Gregg and Cheryl Givens

Don Hall, Jr.
Joan Horan

Kaufman Family
Tony and Teresa Kempf

KPMG
Dean & Anita Newton
The McCown Family Foundation

Greg & Rebecca Reid
Jim & Sharon Reinert

Vicki & Bill Reisler
Ora Reynolds & Curt Roberts
Charles & Elizabeth Schellhorn
Neal & Angela Sharma

$10,000 – $24,999
Jeffrey Anthony
Barnes-Bisset Family Foundation
June Beaver
Becky Blades & Cary Phillips
Jeff Carson Family & Enterprise Bank
Castetter Johnson Family Foundation
Lindsey Rood-Clifford & Chris Clifford
Michael & Carrie Condon
Estelle S. & Robert A. Long Ellis Foundation
Bruce and Linda Enright
Jill Farrell
Fowler Family Foundation
Gordon Family Foundation
Amy Guerich
Laura & August L. Huber III
Heather Jones & Bryan Long

Mark & Mary Cook Jorgenson
The Lang Family
Mary Lockton and Michael Murphy

Tondee Lutterman
Cara McLaughlin
Ramsey & Alison Mohsen
Diane & Robert O’Byrne

Terry & Barbie O’Toole
Dr. Susan & Charles Porter
J.B. Reynolds Foundation
Erin Ryan & Janet Cinelli
Lisa Rohlf
Anna C. MacAskill Schwab and Dwight L. Schwab Charitable Foundation
In memory of Megan E. Taylor, by Bill and Marilyn Taylor
Angelo & Elisa Trozzolo
Kasey & Kyle Vena
Joel & Marsha Voran
Carolyn Watley
Sandy and Bryon Whitaker

Eddy Whitley & Tracie Dittemore
Nancy Whitworth & Doug Ballou
Matt & Sabrina Wiewel
Amy & Robert Wolf

$1,000 – $9,999
Anonymous
Aviva Ajmera & Wayne Strickland
Beal Family Fund
Irv Belzer & Sue McCord-Belzer
Wendy & Troy Burgess
John & Karen Campbel
Dan & Leanne Carr
Carl & Jean Chinnery
Deb Churchill
Russ & Melanie Cline

Michael Collins
Kevin Connor
Copaken Family Foundation

Mark & Stephanie Coulter
Monica J. Curls
Carla and Don Duryee

Ken & Christine Eaton
Caroline & Danny Gibel
GWBD Foundation
Mike Haines & Kathy Winklhofer
Lisa & Eric Hays
Tim & Jan Helfer

Rick & Chris Heise
Trina & Tom
 Henke
Robert & Melissa Hingula
Jenny Housley
Steve Jagoda
Stacey L. Janssen
Jerry & Cathy Jones
Alison & Donovan Kidd

Michael Knecht
Herb & Nancy Kohn
Courtney Kounkel
Landes Family Foundation

Michael & Kristin Lanning
Steven & Anna McKee
Lee & Jan Morevitska

Patricia & Michael Morrissey
Keith Mueller

Dr. Troy Nash
Kirk & Rita Nelsen
Daniel Nenonen
Lisa & Brian Osgood
Doyle & Laura Pearl
Lynn and Joe Poskin
Howard & Kathy Rothwell
Mark & Tricia Schlipman
Liz & Gary Simons
Elaine Feld Stern Charitable Trust

Barbara Storm
Donna Thomason
Emily Tilgner
R. Gordon Tompkins
Travelers Insurance
Randall Tharp

Oscar & Ratana Tshibanda
UMB Financial Services
Mark & LeeAnn Van Dyne
Tom & Eileen Weir

Vanessa Vaughn West
Tom & Loren Whittaker
Brian & Ellen Woltkamp
Mandi & Kevin Wright
JW & Bonnie Youngblood

Project timeline and announcements: On October 16, 2023, Starlight publicly announced the campaign at 10 a.m. from the Jeannette and Jerome Cohen Stage. On October 9, 2024, Starlight held a groundbreaking celebration as it broke ground on the first phase of construction. The first phase of the project includes the two new towers that will support the production bridge and canopy. It also celebrated the launch of several new community engagement programs such as the Arts Bridge program, Technical Theatre training, and the Performances for Young Audiences Series.

Seventy Years of Starlight

Starlight is the oldest and largest continually operating performing arts venue in the Kansas City metropolitan area and is one of only two outdoor theatres of its kind in the country.

Black and white photo of singers rehearsing with a pianist
Construction of the stage house in the 1990s
Black and white photo of original construction of towers
Black and white photo of light bridge and crowd during a concert
Sunset view of Helzberg fountain
Construction of new entrance on north side in1990s
Original construction of light bridge in 1940s
Performer Tommy Tune with group of people
Students performing during Blue Star Awards
Starlight towers and stage house view from east with landscaping
Black and white photo of view from the west in the 1950s
Black and white photo of man and woman rehearsing for Peter Pan in 1956
Cast of Hairspray performing on stage
Kids and performers during a Just Imagine program
Starlight stage house and audience during a performance
Construction of new portico on north side with snow in 1990s
Stage during a performance in 1980s
Black and white aerial photo of Starlight
View of towers and stage during a sunset
Stage house during immersive van Gogh exhibition
Dancers waiting for rehearsal in 1960s
View from the west of original towers and light bridge
Singers rehearsing in 1950s
Black and white photo of a model of Starlight
Black and white photo of audience and stage during Peter Marshall performance in 1975
Family at Community Movie Night
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