Kelly-Strayhorn Theater
| Regent Theater | |
 |
|
| Address | 5941 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania United States |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 350 |
| Current use | Performing arts center |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1914 |
| Architect | Harry S. Bair |
| Website | |
| Kelly-Strayhorn.org | |
Kelly Strayhorn Theater is a performing arts center located at 5941 Penn Avenue in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. named in honor of Pittsburgh natives Gene Kelly and Billy Strayhorn. The theater is committed to providing a platform for emerging artists, community producers, and progressive arts and cultural experiences that address contemporary issues.
The Kelly Strayhorn Theater produces arts engagement programming for young people and families through its presenting program, KSTPresents. Programming offerings that engage the community include The Alloy School, artSEEDS Student Matinees, and master classes and artist workshops.
Through the Producing Partners program, KST provides production, programming and fundraising support to local, community producers and artists who rent the venues for productions and events.
The Kelly Strayhorn Theater originally opened in 1914 as the 1,100 seat Regent Theatre, a silent film movie house. Designed by architect Harry S. Bair, it featured a grand theater organ that provided live music to the films. The theater was closed by the 1950s but had a grand reopening as an 850-seat theater on July 18, 1965 following a $175,000 renovation under Ernest Stern's Associated Theaters.
In October 1979, the Regent again closed. In the mid 1980s, the theater underwent renovations and reopened in 1995. The Regent largely served as a concert space before closing again in 1997. The current theater reopened in 2001 and was renamed to honor Gene Kelly and Billy Strayhorn. A commemorative “Walk of Stars” recognizing artists, friends, fans, and family members of the theater was installed at its entrance. The theater started original programming in 2008 and merged with Dance Alloy in the nearby Friendship neighborhood in the fall of 2011.
In 2008, janera solomon was appointed as the theater’s executive director. Under her leadership, the theater expanded to increase its original programming and funding. Kelly Strayhorn Theater is now recognized as a progressive cultural center. Its programs, such as the newMoves Contemporary Dance Festival, which features new work in dance, and World Stage, which supports new performances by international artists, have helped the theater gain local and national recognition.
Artists presented by KST include: Kyle Abraham, Suli Holum, Jaamil Kosoko,Camille A. Brown,Vanessa German, Kate Watson Wallace,Bill Shannon, Luke Murphy, and Stacey Pearl, all of whom have had extensive creative or production residencies in support of new work at KST.
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