Folly Theater

The Folly Theater is Kansas City's oldest theater, built in 1900 and designed by famed architect, Louis Curtiss originally as a burlesque and vaudeville house. After closing in 1974, civic leaders restored the theater to her original glory as the “Grand Lady of Twelfth Street”, and she reopened in 1981. Now home to the Folly Jazz Series, Folly Kids' Series, Cyprus Avenue Live at the Folly, as well as Harriman Jewell Series, Friends of Chamber Music, Heartland Men's Chorus, Ailey II, and many more, the Folly is renowned for it's intimate atmosphere and great acoustics. Artists such as Dave Brubeck, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Ahmed Jamal, Eliane Elias, Esperanza Spalding, Renee Fleming, Itzhak Perlman, Yo Yo Ma, Rosanne Cash, Marty Stuart, Randy Newman, Richard Thompson, and so many more have performed at the Folly Theater.