Midland Theatre facts for kids
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Loew's Midland Theatre (1927–61)
Midland Stadium (1961–62) Saxon Theatre (1962–66) Midland 1-2-3 Theatre (1966–77) Midland Theatre (1977–2008) The Midland by AMC (2008–13) Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland (2013 - 2022) |
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Facade of theatre, 2007
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| Address | 1228 Main Street Kansas City, Missouri United States |
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| Owner | The Cordish Company |
| Operator | AEG Presents |
| Capacity | 3,200 (2008–present) 3,573 (original) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | October 27, 1927 |
| Rebuilt | 1961, 1988, 1998, 2008 |
| Architect | Robert O. Boller Thomas W. Lamb |
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Loew's Midland Theater-Midland Building
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| NRHP reference No. | 77000808 |
| Added to NRHP | September 28, 1977 |
The Midland Theatre is a famous 3,000-seat theater in Kansas City, Missouri. It is located in the city's lively Power & Light District. This historic building has been a popular spot for entertainment for many years.
When it first opened, the theatre was known as the Loew's Midland Theatre. Over time, it has had several different names. These include Saxon Theatre, Midland Stadium, Midland 1-2-3 Theatre, Midland Theatre, The Midland by AMC, and currently, the Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland.
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Theatre Design and History
The Midland Theatre was built by Marcus Loew and finished in 1927. It cost about $4 million to build, which was a huge amount of money back then! At the time, it was the biggest historic theatre within 250 miles of Kansas City.
The theatre was designed by famous architects Thomas W. Lamb from New York and the Boller Brothers from Kansas City. Its style is a mix of French and Italian Baroque, which was popular in the late 1920s.
Outside the Theatre
The outside of the theatre looks like a Renaissance Revival building. It is made of cream-colored terra cotta bricks. You can see beautiful decorations like winged figures, leaves, flowers, and arches.
A large four-story arched window sits above a shiny copper and gold sign. This sign, called a marquee, used to light up with 3,600 light bulbs!
Inside the Theatre
The inside of the Midland Theatre is truly amazing. It has over 500,000 feet of gold leaf, which is a very thin layer of real gold. There are also five huge Czechoslovakian crystal chandeliers. These chandeliers were cut by hand and are very valuable.
You can also find many beautiful art objects and old antiques inside. The wood and plaster work throughout the theatre is also very detailed and special.
The Theatre Organ
When the Loew's Midland Theatre first opened, it had a special Robert Morton theatre pipe organ. This organ was used for live music during shows. However, after World War II, movies with sound became very popular. This meant less need for live stage shows and organ music.
The organ was eventually removed from the theatre in the 1960s. After being moved around the country, it was bought by local fans in 1984. Today, this historic organ is played at the Kansas City Music Hall.
A Brief Change
In January 1961, the Midland Theatre closed for a short time. After some changes, it reopened as an arena. It became the home for Kansas City's professional bowling team, the Kansas City Stars. But the bowling team didn't do well financially, and they left the Midland in December of the same year.
AMC Ownership and Concerts
AMC Theatres, which was a smaller movie chain in Kansas City at the time, bought the Midland in 1966. The theatre continued to show movies until 1981. For a while, it was even connected with another AMC theatre nearby, called the AMC Midland-Empire.
Since then, the Midland has become a popular place for live performances. It hosts many different events, including concerts, Broadway shows, ballet, and other stage events. For several years, it was also the Kansas City home for the annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, which means it's recognized as an important historic building.
Modern Redevelopment
In 2007, two companies, AEG Live and the Cordish Company, worked together to give the historic theatre a huge makeover. They spent millions of dollars to renovate it. When it reopened in late 2008, the theatre was called "The Midland by AMC." It started hosting many events promoted by the AEG Presents company.
One big change during the renovation was on the main floor. The old rows of seats were removed. Now, the floor is open and tiered, which means it has different levels. This allows for cabaret-style tables and chairs, or standing room for general admission events.
The outside marquee, the big sign with lights, was also restored to look just like it did in 1927. The five-story office part of the theatre, which faces Main Street, was turned into bars, lounges, and office spaces. All these changes were made carefully to follow rules for preserving historic buildings.
On September 4, 2013, it was announced that Arvest Bank would partner with the theatre. The theatre's name officially changed to the Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland on September 13, 2013. This happened around the time of the theatre's fifth anniversary since its big reopening in 2008.
See also
