Kansas City Repertory Theatre Opens Copaken Stage

By Laura Spencer

Kansas City, MO – The Kansas City Repertory Theatre today (Friday, February 2) opens previews of a new production, Love, Janis, in a new performance space: the Copaken Stage, in downtown Kansas City. KCUR's Laura Spencer reports.

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What was first envisioned as a meeting hall for events at the new 17 story H & R Block headquarters at 13th and Walnut is now the Copaken Stage. With 320 seats, the second performance site for the Kansas City Repertory Theatre is an intimate space, about the size of the Rep's original home and main stage, the Helen F. Spencer Theatre, housed in the Performing Arts Center at UMKC. Artistic Director Peter Altman says it's been an important partnership between H& R Block and the Rep.

Peter Altman: We've really worked on it together...by being in partnership...we never could have afforded this theatre on our own.

Altman says the Rep raised about $5 million for the new theatre, and fundraising continues until the $7 million goal is reached to fund the company's operating endowment. Altman retires at the end of the season and says he's proud that this project has reached completion. Laura Spencer, KCUR News.