Kansas City’s theater artists are second to none. They need local opportunities to thrive | Opinion
Theater, at its core, constitutes a powerful exercise in empathy. It is a medium that unites us, sparks conversations, and connects communities. In an era of social media saturation, of perpetual screens, the magic of the shared experience often loses to nights scrolling on the couch. The digital realm reduces our complex world to binaries, but theater allows us to engage with each other and to create a dialogue. Theater can reinvigorate local audiences by starting community-specific discussions with empathy. And who better to start these conversations than the experts: Kansas City-based storytellers. Instead of importing people to speak to our community, let’s start the conversation ourselves. Let’s look to local talent.
Since I arrived in Kansas City, I’ve witnessed hardworking artists wearing a multitude of hats in the city’s theater landscape: Production managers have taken the stage in musicals; writers have started theater companies and dramaturgs have ventured into design, often while juggling full-time jobs. There is an incredible work ethic and commitment to excellence here.
When the larger performing institutions prioritize bringing in talent and works from other cities, they not only deny local artists proper compensation but also prevent the community from witnessing the growth of local artists and the emergence of new talent. Companies such as Kansas City Public Theatre have demonstrated confidence in local artists by planning entire seasons featuring area actors and playwrights. This trend is a good thing for our community.
New play examines Missouri rural-urban divide
As a playwright, I moved to Kansas City specifically to develop new works with local talent with the hope of building bridges to further opportunities. Olathe Civic Theatre Association — about to celebrate its 50th year and committed to new work — is producing my new play “We Are Blood” running Nov. 16 to 20. The play, set in rural Missouri, delves into themes of family trauma, class, religion and the rural-urban divide. It is uniquely exciting to premiere a play in the region where it is set, with the hope that it will spark necessary conversations in post-show discussions.
Theater can be a tool to heal polarization when it fosters nuanced conversations about topics affecting a community. “What the Constitution Means to Me,” currently running at Kansas City Repertory Theatre until Nov. 12, is an excellent example of effective, topical theater sparking discussion about issues affecting Missourians and Kansans through talkbacks and a partnership with American Public Square.
My vision is for Kansas City to become a thriving hub for the creation of similar new works by local storytellers — one where they have the infrastructure necessary to create theater that starts nuanced community conversations.
Local establishments should function as talent incubators and cultivate broader opportunities both in Kansas City and beyond. Otherwise, talent will seek opportunities elsewhere. I’ve seen many artists leave the theater community since I arrived. Who can blame them when they can make a living wage only as out-of-town hires? Let me be clear: The talent is here, and regional theater leaders have a responsibility to artists, much like public officials have to constituents, to remain attuned to the heartbeat of our community and find opportunities to strengthen it. In a community of our size, it will require accessibility and a collective effort to transform Kansas City into the vibrant, collaborative theater city I know it can be.
Several other cities across the country have become homes for pre-Broadway productions or new works, such as Louisville, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. As Lonely Planet recently ranked Kansas City one of the top 10 places to visit in the world, the time has come for us to rise up and establish ourselves as a destination that cultivates theater talent. I am committed to being a part of the change and creating an ecosystem in which local storytellers can find “roots and wings” — at home in a community while having opportunities of advancing professionally.
We can start by reframing our perspective, seeing our theater community as a collective that rises together. Otherwise, we risk losing the valuable artists who have made this city vibrant and ascendant. When local leaders consider the prosperity of the Kansas City theater community as a whole, they may discover that what they’ve been seeking has been right in their own backyard all along.
This story was originally published November 5, 2023 at 5:06 AM with the headline "Kansas City’s theater artists are second to none. They need local opportunities to thrive | Opinion."