Building the Performing Arts Center

Sitting in the middle of campus, the James C Olsen Center for the Performing Arts is an integral part of UMKC student life. Every day, students study in the lobby, practice in the dance studios and music rooms, and perform in the center’s two theaters. The center is such a fixture on campus that it seems like it could have sprung out of the ground, fully formed! However, the performing arts center actually took an incredible amount of work, fundraising, and political maneuvering to be constructed! And it generated a not insignificant amount of controversy.​

Since the 1960s, Dr. McIlrath had been aware that UMKC needed a new theater. As mentioned previously, the Playhouse, which had been built as a temporary military structure in 1943, deteriorated throughout the decades until it was entirely demolished in 1978.​

In 1964, Dr. McIlrath wrote a letter discussing her desire to build a new performing arts center with two theaters- one with 1200 or 1400 seats and one with 500 seats. It would take around 15 years until Dr. McIlrath’s dream would be completed.​

In 1966, the university received a large grant from the Kenneth A. and Helen F. Spencer Foundation. The university announced that part of the money would be used for a performing arts center, but the road to building the performing arts center would be long and complicated.​

Because UMKC is a public university, large scale building plans had to be approved by the state legislature.​

Initially, the performing arts center was going to be financed by a gift of 5 million dollars from the Crosby Kemper Foundation and individual donations of 3 million dollars. After a great deal of legislative debate and wrangling regarding the amount of funding which the performing arts center and other building projects should receive, the Missouri legislature finally agreed to provide the project with 6 million dollars. Dr. McIlrath was optimistic, saying, “With the promise of a new performing arts center on the horizon, M.R.T. begins this new decade with new strength.”​

However, in December of 1975, when the university received bids from construction companies, the costs were much higher than expected, with the lowest bid being 15.3 million dollars. Because of this, the plans for the performing arts center were severely cut, and ultimately the Crosby Kemper Foundation withdrew their funding. The future of the performing arts center seemed uncertain.​

However, after Helen Spencer donated 2 million dollars and UMKC raised more money from private donors, the performing arts center was guaranteed.​

A groundbreaking ceremony was conducted on November 7, 1976, and a reception honored both Dr. Patricia McIlrath and Helen Spencer on June 10, 1979.​

On July 5, 1979, Hamlet opened as the first production in the new performing arts center, and the building was officially dedicated on October 14, 1979. Reception of the center was generally very positive, and the James C. Olsen Center for the Performing Arts still serves the KC Rep and UMKC today!​