Midland Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Midland Theatre is a 3,573-seat theater located in the Power & Light District of Kansas City, Missouri
, USA.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association
under Walter Byers
had its headquarters in the building from the 1950s until it moved to 6299 Nall Avenue at Shawnee Mission Parkway
in Mission, Kansas
in 1971.
, completed in 1927, at a cost of $4 million and is the largest historic theater within 250 miles of the city. The Midland was designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb
of New York and the Boller Brothers
of Kansas City, and Boaz-Kiel Construction of St. Louis erected the structure. The theatre, built in French and Italian Baroque, was representative of Lamb's work in the late 1920s.
The exterior of the theatre was constructed in a Renaissance Revival style in cream glazed terra cotta brick, adorned with engaged pilasters, winged figures, leaves, flowers, swags, volutes, urns, and arches. A four-story arched window rose above a copper and gold marquee that contained 3,600 light bulbs.
The theater is well known for its over 500,000 feet of gold leaf, five giant Czechoslovakia
n hand-cut crystal
chandelier
s, irreplaceable art objects and precious antiques, and spectacular wood and plaster work.
At the time the Loew's Midland opened, it was home to a Robert-Morgan theatre pipe organ. The organ was used at the theatre until after World War II, when larger screen sound movies eventually resulted in the end for stage shows and in-house organ music. The organ began to deteriorate from lack of use until it was purchased and removed in the 1960s by Robert Fray and placed in his home. After the organ changed hands and was moved across the country several more times, it was eventually purchased by local enthusiasts in 1984 and is now at home in the Kansas City Music Hall.
The Midland closed in January 1961, and then after some remodeling, it briefly reopened as an arena that served as the home for Kansas City's professional bowling team, the Kansas City Stars. The Stars were financially unsuccessful, and they left the Midland in December of the same year.
purchased the Midland in 1966, and the theatre continued to operate as a movie house until 1981. Since then, it has become a performance hall, still used today for concerts, Broadway
and stage shows, ballet
and other events. It has also served as the Kansas City home of the annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular
over more recent years. The theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1977. The theatre closed in May 2006 to prepare for its upcoming renovation.
The Midland Theatre re-opened in September 2008 following $28 million in changes to the structure. The theatre, which has become part of the Kansas City Power & Light District project, has been converted into a live entertainment nightclub.
Among the major changes on tap for the redevelopment, the main-level seating rows have been removed and replaced with a tiered open floor plan that allows for cabaret-style tables and chairs, or standing for general admission events. The Midland's exterior marquee has been restored to its original appearance when the theater originally opened. The five level office portion of the theatre that faces Main Steet has been converted into a mix of bars, lounges, and administrative space. According to the Cordish Co. of Baltimore, the developer of the project, all changes meet historic preservation guidelines as required by state and federal government.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, USA.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
under Walter Byers
Walter Byers
Walter Byers was the first executive director of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. He served from 1951 to 1988. He also helped start the United States Basketball Writers Association in 1956...
had its headquarters in the building from the 1950s until it moved to 6299 Nall Avenue at Shawnee Mission Parkway
Shawnee Mission Parkway
Shawnee Mission Parkway is a stretch of roadway in Johnson County, Kansas and Jackson County, Missouri . Its western terminus at K-7 in Shawnee, Kansas and its eastern terminus at Ward Parkway in Kansas City, Missouri...
in Mission, Kansas
Mission, Kansas
Mission is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States. The population was 9,727 at the 2000 census. The city is a first-tier suburb in the Kansas City Metro. In 2003, Mission absorbed the neighboring city of Countryside.- History :...
in 1971.
Design
It was built by Marcus LoewMarcus Loew
Marcus Loew was an American business magnate and a pioneer of the motion picture industry who formed Loews Theatres and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .-Biography:...
, completed in 1927, at a cost of $4 million and is the largest historic theater within 250 miles of the city. The Midland was designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb
Thomas W. Lamb
Thomas White Lamb was an American architect, born in Scotland. He is noted as one of the foremost designers of theaters and cinemas in the 20th century.-Career:...
of New York and the Boller Brothers
Boller Brothers
Boller Brothers, also spelled as Boller Bros., was an architectural firm based in Kansas City, Missouri which specialized in theater design in the Midwest of the United States during the first half of the 20th century...
of Kansas City, and Boaz-Kiel Construction of St. Louis erected the structure. The theatre, built in French and Italian Baroque, was representative of Lamb's work in the late 1920s.
The exterior of the theatre was constructed in a Renaissance Revival style in cream glazed terra cotta brick, adorned with engaged pilasters, winged figures, leaves, flowers, swags, volutes, urns, and arches. A four-story arched window rose above a copper and gold marquee that contained 3,600 light bulbs.
The theater is well known for its over 500,000 feet of gold leaf, five giant Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
n hand-cut crystal
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography...
chandelier
Chandelier
A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. Chandeliers are often ornate, containing dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light...
s, irreplaceable art objects and precious antiques, and spectacular wood and plaster work.
The Midland closed in January 1961, and then after some remodeling, it briefly reopened as an arena that served as the home for Kansas City's professional bowling team, the Kansas City Stars. The Stars were financially unsuccessful, and they left the Midland in December of the same year.
AMC Ownership
AMC TheatresAMC Theatres
AMC Theatres , officially known as AMC Entertainment, Inc., is the second largest movie theater chain in North America with 5,325 screens, second only to Regal Entertainment Group, and one of the United States's four national cinema chains AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinema), officially known as...
purchased the Midland in 1966, and the theatre continued to operate as a movie house until 1981. Since then, it has become a performance hall, still used today for concerts, Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and stage shows, ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and other events. It has also served as the Kansas City home of the annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular
Radio City Christmas Spectacular
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is an annual musical holiday stage show presented at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The show features over 140 performers, lavish sets and costumes and an original musical score. The 90 minute revue combines singing, dancing and humor with traditional...
over more recent years. The theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1977. The theatre closed in May 2006 to prepare for its upcoming renovation.
Redevelopment
Among the major changes on tap for the redevelopment, the main-level seating rows have been removed and replaced with a tiered open floor plan that allows for cabaret-style tables and chairs, or standing for general admission events. The Midland's exterior marquee has been restored to its original appearance when the theater originally opened. The five level office portion of the theatre that faces Main Steet has been converted into a mix of bars, lounges, and administrative space. According to the Cordish Co. of Baltimore, the developer of the project, all changes meet historic preservation guidelines as required by state and federal government.