| This thesis is an overview of several important women who helped shape Kansas City theatre. Georgia Brown, Lenore Anthony, Cecile Burton, Susan Dinges and Patricia McIlrath laid the groundwork for the current state of theatre in Kansas City. With their foresight, passion and dedication they inspired generations of young people. In addition to mentoring aspiring theatre professionals, these women built a theatre-going community by offering engrossing and thought-provoking entertainment.;This document is arranged chronologically, although there are overlaps in the timelines of these five women's accomplishments. The focus of my research spans the years 1900 to 2000. There are hundreds of women who achieved great success in Kansas City theatre during those years, but my work here focuses on the women whose work steadily improved the state of theatre in Kansas City. As teachers, directors, and performers, these women were role-models to all who came in contact with them. |
