Kent Stage facts for kids
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| Location | 175 East Main Street Kent, Ohio, USA |
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| Coordinates | 41°9′14.12″N 81°21′23.83″W / 41.1539222°N 81.3566194°W |
| Owner | Western Reserve Folk Arts Association |
| Type | performance hall |
| Capacity | 642 (since 2002) |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1927 |
| Opened | 1927 as Flannigan and Steele Theater 2002 as Kent Stage |
The Kent Stage is a cool place in Kent, Ohio, United States, where you can watch live music, plays, and movies. It's a theater that can seat 642 people. This building was first built way back in 1927.
Contents
History of the Kent Stage
The Kent Stage has a long and interesting history as a place for entertainment. It has been bringing fun to Kent for many years.
Early Days as a Movie Theater
The building first opened its doors in 1927. Back then, it was known as the Flannigan and Steele Theater. It started out as a movie theater, showing films to people in Kent.
A New Beginning for Live Music
In 2002, the theater got a fresh start. A group called the Western Reserve Folk Arts Association took over. This group is a non-profit organization, which means they use their money to help the community, not to make a profit. They reopened the venue as the Kent Stage. Since then, it has mostly been a place for live music. Many famous musicians from all over the country have performed there.
Famous Performers and Events
Lots of well-known artists have played at the Kent Stage. Some of these include:
- Bo Diddley
- Joan Baez
- Stephen Stills
- Kris Kristofferson
- Ani DiFranco
- Tom Paxton
- Richie Havens
- The Avett Brothers
- Old Crow Medicine Show
- Janis Ian
- Peter Rowan and Tony Rice
- Melanie
- Loudon Wainwright III
- The Kingston Trio
- Leo Kottke
- John Gorka
- Leon Redbone
- Al Stewart
- Pete Best
- Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys
- Sam Bush
- John Cowan
- Vassar Clements
- Rosanne Cash
- The Wailers
- Little Feat
- Nickel Creek
- India Arie
- Machine Gun Kelly
- Tim O'Brien
- Justin Hayward
The Kent Stage also hosts many other fun events. It has been home to the Children's Musical Theater of Kent. It also hosts music festivals like the Kent Blues Festival and the Up From The River Music Festival. Since 2002, it has been a main venue for the Kent State Folk Festival.
