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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

The Folly Theater is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

We believe in celebrating the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and talents of all individuals who contribute to our vibrant community. We strive to create a welcoming and accessible environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to fully participate in the arts. Through our programming, partnerships, and outreach efforts, we endeavor to amplify underrepresented voices, challenge systemic barriers, and promote a sense of belonging for all. Together, we embrace diversity as a strength, champion equity as a priority, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience the transformative power of the performing arts.

Our Commitment
We believe that every individual, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, or socioeconomic background, should feel welcomed, respected, and valued.

The Folly’s Imperfect History

At the end of the 19th century, Colonel Edward Butler, a Saint Louis businessman, commissioned the design and construction of the Standard Theater, a project of generosity inspired by his son’s love for vaudeville. During its first 74 years, private ownership of the theater passed through several hands under different names. The Performing Arts Foundation of Kansas City, an existing 501(c)(3) nonprofit, acquired the building in 1974 and has operated it under the Folly Theater name since then.

From the beginning, the Grand Lady of 12th Street served a multitude of audiences seeking culture and catharsis through entertaining song and story. Any faithful recounting of her-stories must begin with the recognition of our culpability in the complicated growth and development of Kansas City. Ours is not an exhaustive account of the theater’s past, but a continual self-critical gaze on the Grand Lady’s very foundation.

The Folly Theater acknowledges this theater was constructed on the traditional land and ancestral home of many different Indigenous people. We acknowledge this theater was built in the Midwest during the height of the “Jim Crow” era, a period deeply marked by laws of prejudice and exclusion. For many years, prior theater operators implemented racist practices, including segregated seating, and presented entertainers who engaged in racist stereotyping. We acknowledge that, during its first 74 years, the theater routinely presented both live programs and movies that were degrading and demeaning to women. We do not recount these unjust and disreputable practices to shame or discredit our predecessors. We simply accept ownership of the flaws and errors of our imperfect past and commit ourselves to pursuing a better path that honors and respects the humanity in each of us.

As we continue serving our increasingly diverse audiences in the 21st century, the Folly Theater strives to advance inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in all aspects of our programming, governance, and operations. We believe embodying inclusion and equity in our vision and mission as a world-class theater will make our communities stronger.

Remembered histories are often the ones written by those like Edward Butler who have the means and resources to invest in reshaping architectural and cultural landscapes. Those of us who sit under the Grand Lady’s chandeliers and who gaze at the stage lights now have the responsibility to recount the alternative narratives of our artists, audiences, and performance artistry. the untold stories of our conscious past. Engage with new performances reflecting our lived histories. Come experience the Folly of our times.