Starlight Theatre

Name

Starlight Theatre

Legal name

Starlight Theatre Association of Kansas City, Inc.

Website

https://kcstarlight.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Live performing arts
• Outdoor Broadway shows
• Live concert venue
• Season ticket subscriptions
• Community arts programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from sales of tickets to Broadway productions, concerts, movie nights, and special events. General parking is included with tickets; premium parking available for additional fee.
2. Venue Rentals: Revenue from renting Starlight facilities for private events, corporate functions, and other community uses.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations through donor memberships, annual giving campaigns, and special fundraising events including the Annual Gala and Starry Night. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit accepts one-time and recurring gifts.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for Broadway series (AdventHealth), concert series (Capitol Federal), and other programs. Sponsors receive recognition benefits, signage, and marketing exposure.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including apparel, accessories, candles, and commemorative items at venue merch booth.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Starlight Theatre is a historic outdoor performing arts venue in Kansas City that presents Broadway musical productions and live concerts. The organization sells individual tickets, season ticket subscriptions, and group tickets for its performances, and also rents its facilities for private events. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it supplements ticket revenue with corporate sponsorships, donations, merchandise sales, and fundraising events such as its Annual Gala.

Product overview

Starlight Theatre operates as a performing arts venue offering a unified portfolio of entertainment and educational products. The core offering consists of Broadway musical productions (AdventHealth Broadway Series) and live concerts (Capitol Federal Concert Series), supplemented by season ticket subscriptions, group ticket services, digital ticketing, and venue rentals. The company also operates extensive community engagement programs including the Community Tickets Program, Just Imagine traveling theatre, Blue Star Awards high school theatre competition, Raise Our Voices performance series, Vincent Legacy Scholarships, Bob Rohlf Internship Program, and Tech Theatre Training. Fundraising initiatives include the Annual Benefit Gala and Starry Night at Starlight. The 2026 season introduced the KC Starlight mobile app, developed in partnership with FanThreeSixty, enabling digital ticket access and purchases. Indoor programming and movie nights extend the season beyond outdoor performances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AdventHealth Broadway Series Full-week Broadway musical productions presented under the stars at Starlight's outdoor venue, featuring Tony Award-winning shows and touring productions for general audiences.
• Capitol Federal Concert Series Live music performances featuring popular recording artists performed in a casual outdoor atmosphere at Starlight's venue, targeting concert-goers of all ages.
• Season Tickets Subscription packages providing Broadway series attendees with best seats, exclusive perks, and savings compared to individual ticket purchases.
• Group Tickets Group booking services offering discounts for parties of 10 or more attending Broadway shows or concerts, targeting organizations, schools, and corporate groups.
• Community Tickets Program Donation program that has provided thousands of community members with free tickets to Broadway shows for over 70 years, targeting Kansas City residents with limited arts access.
• Blue Star Awards One of the nation's largest high school musical theatre awards programs, serving over 5,000 area students annually and enabling winners to compete at the Jimmy Awards in New York City.
• Raise Our Voices Performance series launched in 2020 to amplify social awareness by providing opportunities for artists from diverse backgrounds to share their perspectives on stage.
• Bob Rohlf Internship Program Full-time paid summer internships for college students across multiple departments, providing hands-on experience in theatre and entertainment operations.
• Disney Musicals in Schools Program bringing Disney musical productions to elementary schools, developed with a $150,000 Disney grant, selecting up to five Kansas City metro schools annually.
• Tech Theatre Training Training program for high school students to gain skills for careers in theatre and entertainment, with training by industry professionals.
• Venue Rentals Rental of Starlight's facilities including event spaces for corporate events, weddings, and private functions with event services support.
• Movie Nights Community outdoor movie screenings under the stars, with tickets priced at $10 in advance or $15 week of event.
• Annual Benefit Gala Starlight's largest annual fundraiser bringing together community leaders to celebrate the arts, featuring dinner, live entertainment, and the Star Award presentation, with sponsorship tiers from $2,000 to $50,000.
• Starry Night at Starlight Peer-to-peer fundraising event featuring Broadway performances and pre-show cocktail hour, directly benefiting the Bob Rohlf Internship program.
• KC Starlight Mobile App Mobile application developed with FanThreeSixty enabling ticket purchasing, instant digital ticket access, and a connected show-night experience for patrons.
• Vincent Legacy Scholarship $2,500 scholarships awarded to BIPOC middle school students to pursue professional training in performing arts, established in 2006.
• Indoor Series / Performances for Young Audiences Indoor theatre programming featuring international award-winning companies for young audiences ages 4-10 and families.
• Just Imagine Traveling interactive theatre program that reaches hundreds of children annually at schools, community centers, and nonprofits.
• Ticket Donations Program donating Broadway tickets to community nonprofits for their fundraising efforts.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• AdventHealthcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdventHealth is the title sponsor of the Broadway Series at Starlight Theatre. The partnership provides major funding and marketing support for Starlight's primary Broadway programming.
• Capitol FederalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCapitol Federal is the title sponsor of the Concert Series at Starlight Theatre. The partnership supports Starlight's live music programming.
• AARP Kansas CityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAARP Kansas City sponsors programming at Starlight Theatre, targeting mature audiences and community members.
• DisneycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisney partnered with Starlight to bring Frozen to Kansas City as a co-production with Pittsburgh CLO and the Lied Center for Performing Arts. In June 2025, Disney awarded Starlight a $150,000 grant for the Disney Musicals in Schools program.
• FanThreeSixtycoreTechnology or IntegrationKansas City-based technology company that partnered with Starlight to develop the new KC Starlight mobile app, enabling easier ticket purchasing, instant digital ticket access, and enhanced show-night experiences.
• Stepp & RothwellmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for Starry Night at Starlight 2026, a peer-to-peer fundraising event benefiting the Bob Rohlf Internship program.
• JanssenmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenting sponsor for Starry Night at Starlight 2026.
• Greater Kansas City Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStarlight interns participate in networking events hosted by the Chamber, connecting with other professionals and learning about Kansas City development.
• Southwest AirlinesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerous sponsor of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (Jimmy Awards), providing two talented Kansas City high school students annual opportunities to compete and learn in New York City.
• The Jeannette & Jerome Cohen Philanthropic FundmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting sponsor of the Jimmy Awards and Blue Star Awards program, enabling recognition and scholarships for Kansas City area students.
• Pittsburgh CLOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner with Starlight and Lied Center for Performing Arts for Disney's Frozen production.
• Lied Center for Performing ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner with Starlight and Pittsburgh CLO for Disney's Frozen production at Starlight.
• The Coterie TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Starlight to present My Stuffie and Me performances for families with children ages 2-5, in Starlight's Applause Club.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Muny: The Muny is an outdoor musical theatre in St. Louis, MO that is among the oldest and largest outdoor musical theatres in the U.S. Like Starlight, it presents Broadway-style productions under the stars during the summer season with a combination of ticket sales, sponsorships, and donations, making it the closest direct geographic and operational peer.
• Pittsburgh CLO: Pittsburgh CLO is a non-profit musical theatre organization that produces and presents Broadway-style productions in Pittsburgh. It is both a co-production partner with Starlight on Disney's Frozen and operates a similar non-profit presenting/producing model, making it directly comparable in mission and revenue mix.
• Ravinia Festival: Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL is one of the oldest and largest outdoor music venues in North America, presenting a summer concert series plus a residency with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It shares Starlight's outdoor venue, summer-season programming, non-profit structure, and reliance on donations, sponsorships, and ticket sales.
• Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts: Wolf Trap is a national park for the performing arts in Vienna, VA that operates the Filene Center, an outdoor amphitheatre hosting Broadway, concerts, and family programming. Like Starlight, it is a non-profit performing arts venue with a similar mix of Broadway tours, concerts, education programs, and donor-driven funding.
• Blossom Music Center: Blossom Music Center is an outdoor amphitheatre in Cuyahoga Falls, OH that serves as the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra and also hosts popular music concerts. It shares Starlight's outdoor venue format, mixed classical/popular concert programming, and summer-season model.
• Lied Center for Performing Arts: The Lied Center for Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln presents Broadway touring productions, concerts, and educational programming. It is a co-production partner with Starlight on Disney's Frozen and shares a comparable non-profit presenting model focused on bringing Broadway-quality work to a Midwestern market.
• Chautauqua Institution: Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, NY is a non-profit educational and arts community that presents summer performing arts programming including opera, theater, and concerts. It shares Starlight's combination of live performance, education programs, donor-supported funding, and seasonal operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Hollywood Bowl: The Hollywood Bowl is a large outdoor amphitheatre in Los Angeles operated by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. It presents a summer concert season and is one of the largest outdoor performing arts venues in the U.S., comparable to Starlight in format (outdoor, summer-season, non-profit) but with a much larger scale and broader audience.
• Tanglewood (Boston Symphony Orchestra): Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Lenox, MA, hosting classical concerts and popular music performances in an outdoor setting. It shares the outdoor summer venue model and non-profit operating structure with Starlight but operates at a much larger scale and with a symphony-anchored identity.

Regional players

• Forest Hills Stadium: Forest Hills Stadium is a historic outdoor concert venue in Queens, NY that presents a summer concert series with pop, rock, and classical artists. While it is more concert-focused than Broadway-focused, it shares Starlight's outdoor venue model, summer-season programming, and reliance on presenting touring productions rather than self-producing content.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/kcstarlight
• Facebookfacebook.com/kcstarlight
• Instagraminstagram.com/kcstarlight
• TikToktiktok.com/@kcstarlight
• Xx.com/KCStarlight
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starlight-theatre

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Starlight Theatre