Starlight Theatre Association of Kansas City, Inc.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Advance our organizational model to support sustainable growth.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Live Performing Art Events - Broadway Musical Theatre & Popular Music and Comedy Concerts
Starlight's annual summer series features national Broadway tours, locally-produced musical theatre and a wide variety of concert events. The original Starlight stage was constructed in 1950 as part of Kansas City, Missouri’s centennial celebration, making Starlight the oldest and largest outdoor performing arts venue in the metropolitan area. In addition, it is one of only two remaining outdoor theatre venues of its kind in the United States. Contributions help to close the gap between earned revenue and expenses. Although production costs continue to escalate, Starlight remains committed to keeping its ticket prices affordable. Each year, Starlight presents anywhere from 5-9 Broadway shows appealing to a diverse group of audience members. Shows often include a mixture of classics and contemporary titles. Starlight regularly has more than 20 live concert events each summer, artists range from classic rock to pop music to comedy.
Community Ticket Program
For more than 70 years, Starlight's Community Ticket Program has offered free tickets to thousands of community members every season. This is an important component of how Starlight delivers on its mission to provide accessible live entertainment for all audiences. This program, which provides over 13,000 free tickets each year, is available to 501(c)(3) charitable organizations operating in the bi-state area. Through partnerships with Kansas City nonprofits, Starlight shares the magic of theatre with community youth, individuals with disabilities, and low-income senior citizens.
Community Engagement Programs
Starlight Theatre's year-round community engagement programs include: the Bob Rohlf Summer Internship Program, which provides paid internship opportunities for college students; the Vincent Legacy Scholarship, which provides funding for performance training for BIPOC students in the Kansas City metro; Starlight Stars of Tomorrow and Starlight Stars, training programs for middle and high school students that help them develop performing skills; Just Imagine, an interactive theatre experience for children in hospitals, shelters or child service organizations; Raise Our Voices, a virtual performance series that amplifies social awareness and provides opportunities for performers from diverse backgrounds to share their perspective; and the Blue Star Awards, recognizing and promoting achievement in high school musical theatre programs in Kansas City.
Where we work
Awards
Favorite Live Music Venue 2018
VisitKC
Favorite Live Show 2018
KC Parent
Best Outdoor Venue 2018
The Pitch
Best Live Music venue (over 1,00) 2019
The Pitch
Best Live Theatre 2019
The Pitch
Best Outdoor Venue 2019
The Pitch
Community Anchor 2019
Southtown Council
Best Charitable Event (Bronze) 2019
Ingram's Magazine
Best Outdoor Music Venue 2020
Kansas City Magazine
Best Live Theatre Venue 2020
Kansas City Magazine
Best Outdoor Venue 2020
The Pitch
Best Live Theatre 2020
The Pitch
Best Live Music Venue (over 1,000) 2020
The Pitch
Traveler's Choice 2020
Trip Advisor
Best Live Theatre Venue 2021
Kansas City Magazine
Best Outdoor Music Venue 2021
Kansas City Magazine
Best Local Theatre Company 2021
Kansas City Magazine
Best Live Theatre Production 2021
Kansas City Magazine
Best Live Theater 2022
The Pitch
Best Live Music Venue 2022
The Pitch
Affiliations & memberships
Independent Presenters Network - Voting Member 2007
Actor's Equity Association 2009
Broadway League 2000
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total number of free admissions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Community Ticket Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
All 2020 in-person shows were cancelled due to the COVID-19 Global Pandemic but two virtual events were offered free to the public and resulted in increased reach from usual attendance.
Total number of performances
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Live Performing Art Events - Broadway Musical Theatre & Popular Music and Comedy Concerts
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Starlight's summer Broadway season and concerts were cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Global Pandemic, however, Starlight did produce and present virtual content and three Off-Broadway shows.
Total number of audience members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Live Performing Art Events - Broadway Musical Theatre & Popular Music and Comedy Concerts
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
2020 numbers represent shows presented as part of Starlight's Indoors Series between January and early March. Virtual event attendance would increase this number by nearly 20,000.
Total number of off-site performances held
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
At-risk youth
Related Program
Community Engagement Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In 2022, we had 35 performance and workshops through Just Imagine, and 8 Starlight Stars performances. The 10 noted performances for 2020 were all hosted prior to the onset of the global pandemic.
Total dollar amount of scholarship awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Community Engagement Programs
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In 2020, the pandemic impacted a signature scholarships program as it prevented the typical cycle of auditions and applications.
Number of competition entrants
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Community Engagement Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of entities served by expertise
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families
Related Program
Community Engagement Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The 2020 increase includes online/virtual reach through virtual programming alternatives and a new performance web series focused on elevating artists of color.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
- Financial Health - Evolve the current financial model to create sustainability, transparency, and accountability.
- People + Culture - Invest in our people and organization culture to be an Employer of Choice
- Operations Excellence - Optimize every aspect of operations to deliver an excellent guest experience.
- Programming - Develop a mission-aligned, profitable programming plan developing generations of patrons.
- Community Engagement - Cultivate community through innovative partnerships and impactful arts and education programs.
- Brand Marketing - Expand brand activation by engaging with new audiences and elevating the organization's story.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
- Financial Health - Expand fundraising, Finish the Capital Campaign, Increase Contribution Margin, Expand Donor Demo Data, and Create a Sustainability Plan
- People + Culture - Analyze Organizational Design, First Comprehensive Compensation Analysis, Formalize Performance Management Plan, Formalize Professional Development Plans
- Operations Excellence - Improve Guest Experience, Focus on Accessibility, Create Maintenance Roadmap, Evaluate Tech Solutions for Efficiency, Ensure Growth Capacity
- Programming - Create Venue Utilization Success Plan, Formalize Criterial/Eval, Revise Programming Calendar/Balance, Create Innovation Pipeline
- Community Engagement - Formalize Program Design + Evaluation + Maturation, Enhance Community Building + Civic Engagement, Implement Capital Campaign Initiatives
- Brand Marketing - Enhance Outbound Sales, Focus on Audience Development, Audit Website + Advertising, Grow Merch + Promotions Opportunities
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Starlight has several key human assets: 1) An incredible, tenured professional staff: from finance to fundraising to production staff, Starlight's full-time employees represent a wealth of talent, and, perhaps most importantly, a tremendous amount of tenure. Ten full time employees of 42 began their careers as interns in the summer internship program and have continued on, one for two decades. Senior staff has seen little turnover in twenty years, resulting in rich historical knowledge and deep organizational devotion. 2) A robust, high-impact Board of Directors: with 30-35 active elected members and many engaged past Board chairs as lifetime members, Starlight's Board of Directors is populated with some of the best and most tenacious corporate and civic leaders. Many of them are longtime Starlight subscribers, most are Starlight donors, and all are dedicated to continual improvement and progress. 3) An unparalleled army of volunteers: while some organizations may boast higher numbers of volunteers, few can boast more dedicated volunteers than the approximately 200 "Ambassadors" that serve as a critical extension to the full-time employee team. Ambassadors not only usher, they give tours and are versed in Starlight history, they help with special events, and they show up whenever they are needed with few questions asked besides "when and where?" 4) A deepening relationship with the City: as a city-owned venue, Starlight's relationship with the City of Kansas City, Missouri is rich and storied. While those that have populated both entities have changed over the years, the strength of the relationship has rarely faltered, particularly between the Department of Parks and Recreation and Starlight, who work closely together in the shared Swope Park space. 5) Starlight fills a unique space in the arts and civic community; it is one of just two theatres like it left in the country: an outdoor theatre that self-produces musical theatre, presents Broadways tours, and promotes live concerts in addition to its signature education and outreach programs which uniquely create arts access, arts education opportunities, and foster arts advocates and patrons.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
As a performing arts organization that opened its gates in 1951, and one of only 2 outdoor amphitheatres of its kind in the nation, Starlight has a storied history within the Kansas City community as a presenter, producer and promoter of Broadway musical theatre and world-class concerts. The stories from long-time attendees that have, in some cases, grown up with Starlight as an annual tradition, make a strong foundation of support and love for the civic asset that Starlight is.
What lies ahead is a refining of the intentions and strategies by which Starlight will continue to create unforgettable performing arts experiences in an environment no one in the area can equal. Further, there is increased interest and stakeholder investment in focusing and fortifying our education and outreach efforts to make a bigger and/or more meaningful impact on the community, particularly those who might not otherwise be able to experience the magic of a Starlight night.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Starlight Theatre Association of Kansas City, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 06/21/2023
Mr Howard Cohen
Retired
Term: 2023 - 2025
Anita Gorman
Community Volunteer
Mark Fortino
Country Club Bank
Becky Blades
Startistry Publishing
Lesley Elwell
Evergy
Ed Enyeart
Bardavon Health Innovations
Jenny Housley
Blue Cross Blue Shield KC
Terry O'Toole
Kansas City Transportation Group
Howard Cohen
Retired
Sabrina Wiewel
Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Dean Newton
Delta Dental of Kansas
Wendy Burgess
RDD Family Office
Mandi Wright
Starlight
Aviva Ajmera
SoLVE KC
Jeff Carson
Enterprise Bank & Trust
Michael Condon
IMA Financial Group
Nikki Emison
North Kansas City Hospital/Emison Life Care Planning
Amy Guerich
Stepp & Rothwell
Robert Hingula
Polsinelli
Michael Knecht
AdventHealth
Michael Lanning
US Asset Services
Christopher Stine
JP Morgan Chase & Co
Angelo Trozzolo
Trozzolo Communications
Mark Van Dyne
Burns & McDonnell
Vanessa Vaughn West
Lathrop GPM
Robert K. Wolf
KPMG
Michael Collins
Grayson Capital, LLC
Jill Farrell
American Century Investments
Richard Heise
Commerce Bank
Heather Jones
Seigfreid Bingham, P.C.
Kevin Kelly
U.S. Federal Properties, Co., LLC
Troy Nash
Newmark Zimmer
Joni Cobb
Creative Planning
Toby Cook
The University of Kansas Health System
Mark Coulter
Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes, P.C.
Tondee Lutterman
FORVIS
Ramsey Mohsen
Everhance
Tempe Ostergren Elsberry
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Emily Tilgner
McCownGordon Construction
Carey Wilkins
Evolytics, A Concord Company
Lindsey Rood-Clifford
Starlight
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 07/20/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.