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MASTER OF THE ARTS

The new GM Rick Duplissie is ready to deliver a ‘world-class experience’.

In the midst of a pandemic, inside the sparkling new Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, the new general manager of the center, Rick Duplissie, is quietly waiting for patrons to fill the 525 seat Ross Family Theater, the125 seat studio theater, and several event spaces. The coronavirus outbreak prevented an August opening and put a crimp in scheduling that will include film, dance, music, opera, aerial arts, and children’s programming. 

Rick, a native of Waynesville, Missouri, about two hours west of St. Louis, brings a wealth of experience in the arts with a focus on enhancing patron experience while producing community-centric programming. 

Here’s our conversation with the center’s new boss: 

What drew you to the arts? 
My dad, Rick Sr., is retired military, and my mom, Liz, is a retired school nurse. My brother and sister are both in the military. I am the artist of the family. I very much remember how I felt the first time I heard an audience react to strong a performance. It felt like I was in a dream. Whether I’m performing or producing, I have been chasing that dream ever since. 

What is your favorite thing about the Performing Arts Center? 
The lobby. It’s designed for people to connect and share their experience. Here, families and friends can hang around after a performer showcases their work. Patrons can take what they saw on stage and continue that experience in the lobby while enjoying a signature cocktail outside on the balcony or upstairs in the loft. KPAC’s designers have crafted unique seating areas that are picture-perfect for Instagram and Facebook to commemorate their outing. The upstairs lobby feels more like a living room; it says, “come on in, grab a drink, let’s chat.”

What is your vision for the Performing Arts Center? 
I see KPAC being a neighborhood hangout, a park with an artistic flair. We intend to have something happening here roughly 300 days a year. A typical Saturday could start with yoga on the west lawn, immediately followed by mimosas, then an afternoon matinee capped off with a concert in the evening, maybe even nightcap drinks on the Sunset Deck.  

Can you describe the patron experience at KPAC? 
Once we get fully staffed, we plan to deliver a world-class experience on stage. I want to create a dynamic venue for patrons in the center both before and after the performance. After that, I want to focus on the outdoor environment adjacent to the center. If we can enhance the space surrounding KPAC, the patron's experience will subtlety start before they even hit the parking lot. 

Describe the event space 
We have 5,000 square feet of space ideal for weddings, receptions, holiday parties, galas, and cabarets. KPAC is fully equipped with two bars, drink stations, a warming kitchen, and several VIP experience rooms. Outside, there is over 2,600 hundred square feet of space. On the event lawn, I’m planning outdoor movie nights, concerts, and art festivals. I’d love to utilize the rooftop as an additional outdoor event space. The rooftop is perfect for wedding photos at sunset, and perhaps a live band. The future rooftop space should be part of the performing arts experience. But we need someone to claim the rooftop naming right to make that happen. A rooftop lounge would be the perfect capstone. Whose name should be up there? Maybe your readers can give us a lead. 

Is there anything unique about this theater? 
Because Kirkwood is Tree City USA, I want to commission a tree trunk painted backstage so that it emotionally pairs with the experience of bringing Kirkwood’s outdoor environment inside, similar to our Feature Wall in the main lobby. Each performing artist, designer, and director will have the opportunity to place his or her colored handprint on the tree, forming branches and leaves - I’m thinking vibrant greens, yellows, reds, and oranges. Eventually, we will have a forest backstage. I see this living art as a unique opportunity and leaves a lasting impression of the performance we all had a hand in. 

How do you plan to put the ART in Performing Arts?
You cannot have a Performing Art Center without art. My vision is to have many pieces of art and some large rotating pieces dotting the facility. We don’t have a marquee here so it would be fun to have five permanent art pieces around the center representing the core arts competencies. Essentially, this is an art gallery for artists to share their work. The lobby loft features a gallery wall and can accommodate hundreds of people. I want people to come and experience world-class art in Kirkwood’s back yard. 

What is your favorite thing about managing the theater? 
I love watching the audience. I love to discover what they think about their entire theater experience. The best time to get that unfiltered feedback is walking with them, incognito, to their cars after the show. I listen with intent as they talk about their experience. I find out how their drink was, if the restrooms' lines were too long, or if the box office attendant was polite. That type of information is invaluable. 

Final thoughts? 
Do you know how it feels when you have a large, fun space that you want to share with people? For me, KPAC is like that. Prior to finding KPAC, I was looking for an artistic home where I could host incredible performances and large parties. KPAC is not just my home; it is Kirkwood's home. There is something ultra-fulfilling about what we do, how we do it, and how we share it with folks. I am loving this ride. I cannot wait for our grand opening.

Sidebar:

What shows are you excited to bring to the theater?

I am excited about our relationship with On the Fly Productions, an international flight/wire performance company based in St. Louis. They will be a major part of our grand opening. Currently, the group is using the main stage as a classroom, training youth programs, and program development for new shows to be performed across the country and around the world in 2021. I’m very excited to see what they can do with our space. Soon, we’ll have STAGES St Louis and Kirkwood Theatre Guild and Kirkwood Youth Theatre, too. I want to bring the St. Louis Film Festival here and be the extended classroom for the Shakespeare Festival, and I’m eyeing the St Louis Fringe Arts Fest. Outside of St. Louis, there is an urban, hip-hop version of The Nutcracker that I want to bring in from Birmingham, Alabama. I’ve had a long-standing relationship with the organization and have watched it grow from concept to multiple, sold-out houses. It is a beautiful rendition of the classic story, and I want to bring it to this stage.

  1. STAGES St. Louis is thrilled to mark its 35th Anniversary Season with the move into the organization’s new artistic home in the Ross Family Theater at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center.

  2. Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents theatrical productions for the enjoyment of its members and the community and to stimulate interest in dramatic arts. 

  3. Kirkwood Youth Theatre prides itself on being a place where young performers can develop their passion and talent for theater in a fun environment. 

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