The newest Starr Women’s Hall of Fame exhibit, Center Stage: The Legacy of Dr. Patricia McIlrath, is now available online as a UMKC University Libraries Digital Exhibit.
Dr. Patricia McIlrath was the founder of the Kansas City Repertory Theatre (KC Rep), head of the UMKC Theatre Department, and a visionary theatre director. She reinvigorated the Kansas City theatre scene and trained numerous Kansas City theatre professionals. The digital exhibit, which highlights primary sources from the Patricia McIlrath Collection in LaBudde Special Collections, explores Dr. McIlrath’s work and life. It also describes the challenges and successes of her career, including her off-Broadway production of Electra, the demolition of the University Playhouse, and the construction of the James C. Olsen Center for the Performing Arts.
Jesse Walker-McGraw, Starr Women’s Hall of Fame intern and exhibit curator, shares why this featured photo is a fascinating part of the exhibit:
“Dr. McIlrath worked incredibly hard for years to raise money for a new performing arts center and to convince officials of the project’s importance. This image shows Dr. McIlrath inspecting the construction of the future James C. Olsen Center for the Performing Arts. It demonstrates her commitment to her theatre projects and her hands-on management style. Of all the items in the exhibit, this photograph shows Dr. McIlrath’s personality.”
