© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Up To Date

$1 million donation to UMKC honors Theater League founder

By Steve Kraske,
Elizabeth Ruiz
Published May 25, 2022 at 2:43 PM CDT
Ways To Subscribe
A woman and a man standing in front of Broadway theater posters.
Theater League Inc.
Theater League founder Mark Edelman has brought A-list celebrities and Broadway performances to Kansas City. The League is honoring his leadership with a grant to the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

A new certificate program at UMKC will prepare students for careers in arts administration thanks to the Theater League.

The Theater League in Kansas City started 45 years ago and is responsible for bringing major Broadway productions to the city.

In honor of its founder, Mark Edelman, the Theater League, is donating $1 million to the University of Missouri-Kansas City to fund a new certificate program.

The Edelman Graduate Certificate in Performing Arts Management is a partnership between the UMKC Conservatory and the Henry Bloch School of Management that will help prepare students for a management career in performing arts, according to Edelman.

"I think it'll be a unique program around the country," Edelman said. "Hopefully, it'll turn out our next generation of box office managers, development directors and even executive directors."

Tags
Up To Date PodcastUMKCtheaterArtUMKC Conservatory of Music and DanceArts & Cultureperforming arts
Stay Connected
Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
See stories by Steve Kraske
Elizabeth Ruiz
When you listen to Up To Date, I want you to understand decisions being made in the city, feel inspired by community members, and empathize with people who've had different experiences. As an Up To Date producer, I connect you to the news through conversations with community members and elected officials. Contact me at elizabeth@kcur.org or on Twitter at @er_bentley_ruiz.
See stories by Elizabeth Ruiz
Support paywall-free journalism
KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.
Donate Now