Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts facts for kids
.jpg){kind=logo} |
|
 |
|
| Address | 1601 Broadway Kansas City, Missouri United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°05′37″N 94°35′13″W / 39.093698°N 94.586824°W |
| Type | Performing arts center |
| Capacity | Helzberg Hall: 1,600 Muriel Kauffman Theatre: 1,800 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | September 16, 2011 |
| Architect | Moshe Safdie |
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is a super cool building in Kansas City, Missouri. It's a special place where people go to watch amazing shows. You can find it downtown, near other fun spots like the T-Mobile Center.
This center opened in 2011. It has two main stages inside:
- The Muriel Kauffman Theatre has 1,800 seats. It's home to the Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.
- The Helzberg Hall has 1,600 seats. This is where the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra plays.
Many different artists and groups perform here. The Kauffman Center was a big part of making downtown Kansas City even better. The main building was built without using taxpayer money. It still runs today as a non-profit organization. This means it uses its money to support the arts, not to make a profit.
Contents
Building the Kauffman Center
How the Idea Started
The idea for a performing arts center in Kansas City began in 1994. A woman named Muriel Kauffman first talked about it with her family. After she passed away, her daughter, Julia Irene Kauffman, decided to make her mom's dream come true.
In 1997, a study was done to see if the idea was possible. It showed that building the center was a great plan!
Choosing the Architect
In 1999, Muriel's foundation bought a large piece of land. This land would become the home of the new arts center. By 2000, the team chose Moshe Safdie as the main architect. He is famous for designing amazing buildings around the world.
When Moshe Safdie visited Kansas City, he sketched his first idea for the center on a napkin during dinner! That simple sketch later became the amazing building we see today. Groundbreaking for the Kauffman Center happened on October 6, 2006.
Design and Construction Details
.jpg)
Building the Kauffman Center was a huge and complex job. It took almost five years to finish. The building uses a lot of glass, concrete, and strong steel cables.
The main lobby, called Brandmeyer Great Hall, has a glass ceiling and sloped glass walls. This gives you an amazing view of Kansas City. The 27 steel cables on the outside help hold the building together. They make the glass lobby very stable. The whole project cost about $413 million. This included money for the building and a special fund to help it operate.
The outside of the center looks like two giant, curved shells. They open up towards the south. Each shell holds one of the performance halls. The front of the building is all glass. The architect, Moshe Safdie, said the lobby is like a "glass tent." From inside, you can see the city. From outside, you can see the people enjoying the shows!
Performance Stages
The Kauffman Center is huge, covering 285,000 square feet. It has two main performance halls: the Muriel Kauffman Theatre and Helzberg Hall. They share a large backstage area. This area has dressing rooms for over 250 performers. There are also 11 rehearsal rooms.
Having two separate halls, each designed for a specific type of show, is special. Only a few other places in the country, like the Lincoln Center in New York, have this. The lobby has big windows, snack stands, a gift shop, and cool staircases.
Muriel Kauffman Theatre
The Muriel Kauffman Theatre has 1,800 seats. Its design was inspired by old European opera houses. With many balconies and special box seats, everyone feels close to the stage. The seats are red, and the railings glow with gold lights before a show.
The wavy walls of the theater have a bright mural. Students from the Kansas City Art Institute helped create it. The stage is very big, and the orchestra pit can hold up to 90 musicians. This theater is home to the Kansas City Ballet and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Many other plays, musicals, and dance shows happen here too.
A cool feature is the Figaro Simultext Seatback System. It shows subtitles for operas on the back of each seat. This means you don't have to look up at a screen above the stage!
Helzberg Hall
Helzberg Hall is an oval-shaped concert hall with 1,600 seats. It's the main stage for the Kansas City Symphony. The stage reaches out into the audience. This means even the seats farthest away are only about 100 feet from the stage.
The seating goes all around the stage, making it feel very cozy and close. Architect Moshe Safdie wanted it to feel like the audience was "embracing" the musicians. The stage itself has parts that can move up and down. This changes the stage for different performances.
Helzberg Hall also has a giant pipe organ! It was built in Canada and has 5,548 pipes. The biggest pipe is 32 feet tall and weighs about 960 pounds. Most of the pipes are hidden from view. The organ was officially ready for concerts on March 10, 2012.
Brandmeyer Great Hall
The Brandmeyer Great Hall connects the Muriel Kauffman Theatre and Helzberg Hall. It has a huge view of the Kansas City skyline. This hall is the main lobby for people attending shows. It's also used for special events.
The white hall has open balconies that let you see other people attending shows. It's a lively place where everyone can feel connected to the arts and the city.
Community Connections
The Kauffman Center works with many local groups. It partners with student organizations and other arts groups in Kansas City. Some of these partners include the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey and the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra.
Learning and Education
The Kauffman Center has a special program called "Open Doors." This program helps schools bring children to the center. It makes it easier for kids to see performances. Donations help pay for transportation and tickets. This means more children can experience the arts for free or at a low cost.
In 2012, The Grammy Museum started its Music Revolution Program at the Kauffman Center. This program helps young people aged 15-23 learn about music. Students get special lessons and practice at the center. They even get to perform there!
Arts District Garage
.jpg)
Next to the Kauffman Center is the Arts District garage. This parking garage is owned by the city. It provides covered parking for people visiting the center. It even has spots for electric cars to charge!
The roof of the garage is also part of the Kauffman Center's beautiful landscaping. It's a "green roof" designed to be good for the environment. It helps keep the area cooler than a regular parking lot. This green space can also be used for outdoor events.
Terpsichore Art Installation
Inside the Arts District garage, there's a cool art display called "Terpsichore for Kansas City." Terpsichore is a Greek goddess of song and dance. This art piece combines music playing from speakers with a four-story "light organ." The light organ has seven clear tubes with LED lights inside. The lights move and change with the music, creating a fun show!
See also
- List of concert halls
