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Home » Theater Guide » Location » United States » Missouri » Kansas City » Gem Theatre
Also known as Star Theatre

Gem Theatre

Kansas City, MO
1615 East 18th Street
, Kansas City, MO, United States
(map)
Status: Open
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Unknown
Function: Performing Arts
Seats: 1414
Chain: Unknown
Architect: George Carman
Firm: Unknown
Add a photo for this theater!
The Gem Theatre opened in 1912 as the Star theatre and got a facade facelift in 1923 along with the new name the Gem Theatre. The Gem was built for use by African-American audiences. Movies continued until the mid 70's and then went to live performances after a detail renovation. The Gem is still a popular venue for the African-American audience. The theatre is very impresive and spotlessly clean.
Contributed by Chuck Van Bibber

YOUR COMMENTS

 
Tour of Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas Theatres in 2004
From June 26 through July 1, 2004 the Theatre Historical Society of America will tour a number of theatres in Kansas City Missouri and surrounding areas, including theatres in Lamar, Joplin, Richmond, St. Joseph and Springfield, MO, as well as Miami, OK, and these cities in Kansas: Leavenworth, Kansas City, Emporia, El Dorado, Augusta, Wichita, Hutchinson, McPherson, Salina, Concordia, and Topeka. More information is contained on their web site: http://www.HistoricTheatres.org and special photos and information concerning the Kansas City theatres: UPTOWN and the MIDLAND is available on this temporary page of their site at: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~angell/thsa/fromarch.html A glossy brochure about this "Heart of America" Conclave is available from the Society's headquarters listed on their homepage, via E-mail to the Ex. Director, or via snail mail. Membership in the Society is not required to attend the Conclave and tour the theatres, but fees do apply as detailed on their site. Bring your camera and lots of film, for it is usually difficult or impossible to enter these theatres for photos, and some of them will surely not be with us in the years to come.
posted by Jim Rankin on Apr 29, 2004 at 3:35am
In the mid 1990's the Gem Theatre and immediate surrounding 14th and Vine area received a $20 million facelift from then mayor Cleaver. The old theatre was gutted and only the outside was restored to original. Today the theatre IS spotlessly clean and attracks audiences from all over the K.C. area and beyond. Black and white, young and old, especially young people from area elementary schools in convoys of school busses. Often charitable business owners purchase blocks of hundreds of seats for these young people to enjoy theatre that they otherwise may have never been exposed to...a great idea.
posted by drneel on May 25, 2004 at 9:26pm
Correction: ...18th and Vine area...
posted by drneel on May 25, 2004 at 9:35pm
Photo: http://www.kclibrary.org/localhistory/media.cfm?mediaID=7445
posted by KCK on Jul 18, 2005 at 1:27pm
This is a photo of the Gem Theater.
posted by Lost Memory on Oct 17, 2005 at 4:36am
The marquee appears to be art deco. Would one say that the building is Colonial Revival?
posted by RobbKCity on Jan 2, 2006 at 11:50pm
View of the vertical and the fornt facade.
http://snipurl.com/obw6
posted by Chuck1231 on Mar 28, 2006 at 1:35pm
Here is a night view of the Gem theater.
posted by Lost Memory on Apr 19, 2006 at 2:31pm
Yet another photo of this lovely theater:
http://haphazardous.net/index.php?showimage=103
posted by Renee May on May 11, 2006 at 4:34pm
For the technically minded (which excludes me), here is an article about sound recording at the theater:
http://tinyurl.com/qcnj6
posted by ken mc on May 30, 2006 at 4:16pm
The Gem theater currently has 500 seats. This website has some background on the Gem theater. A recent photo of the Gem theater can be seen here.

posted by Lost Memory on Jun 14, 2006 at 4:50am
This is another recent photo of the Gem theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Oct 29, 2006 at 5:44am
This is a 1997 Kansas City Star article about the re-opening of the Gem Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Nov 19, 2006 at 9:14am
The Gem Theater was designed by local Kansas City architect George Carman.
posted by RobbKCity on Dec 22, 2006 at 11:48pm
Another photo of the Gem Theater can be seen here.

posted by Lost Memory on Jul 31, 2007 at 7:02pm
This is a close-up view of the Gem Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Aug 6, 2007 at 6:49pm
Here is a 2007 photo of the Gem Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Aug 17, 2007 at 10:29am
This is another 2007 photo of the Gem Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Nov 2, 2007 at 1:50pm
My November 2007 image of the GEM THEATER.

www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/2051022815
posted by Don Lewis on Nov 20, 2007 at 6:59pm
Don, that's a lovely picture.
posted by RobbKCity on Nov 21, 2007 at 10:20am
A 2008 photo can be seen here.

posted by Lost Memory on Sep 5, 2008 at 4:09pm
From the Library of Congress:
http://tinyurl.com/cswesr
posted by ken mc on Apr 16, 2009 at 7:21pm
1985 Photo

1988 Photo

posted by Lost Memory on May 28, 2009 at 12:51pm
This is a recent photo.

posted by Lost Memory on Aug 1, 2009 at 1:37pm
Here is a 1989 photo.

posted by Lost Memory on Sep 18, 2009 at 3:06pm
This theatre has a Vitrolite tile exterior. The work was done by Tim Dunn, Vitrolite specialist located in St. Louis MO.
posted by Patsy on Oct 12, 2009 at 6:55pm
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