The Quad

Kansas City Actors Theatre (KCAT), in a unique collaboration with the A&S Theatre Department and the National World War I Museum, will pres­ent “Oh What a Lovely War” from February 11 through 27 at the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial. Directed by UMKC Professor of Theatre Arts Barry Kyle, this 20th-century theatrical master­piece features Theatre graduate students and two prominent lo­cal artists, KCAT’s John Rensenhouse and Phil Fiorini. For more go to: http://www.kcactors.org/our-season/oh-what-a-lovely-war/

Architecture, Urban Planning + Design students completed a studio project for the District Board with ideas on the use of 39 school buildings recently closed.  The students analyzed significant amounts of data about the District, developed a repurposing strategy, a community engagement plan and prepared recommendations that will be available in the form of a Guidebook to help the District move forward through this complex process. For more see: http://www.kmbc.com/ news/ 25932604/detail.html  and http://www.iterasi.net/ ReportViewer.aspx?presid=NaR 6VDHhIEuvD9elYlaT6Q 

KSHB-41 NBC Action News featured Kathleen Kilway, (Chemistry), in a recent story about cell phones use by col­lege students. See: http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/education/ banning-cell-phones-from-class-helps-students-focus

Max Skidmore,(Political Science), begins his third year as Editor of this A&S UMKC-based on-line journal of The Policy Studies Organization. For the most recent issue see: http://www.psocommons.org/ppp/.

For more about the organization, see: http://www.ipsonet.org/

Under the mentoring of A&S HSCP adjunct faculty member Haley Brueck (who teaches broadcast journalism courses at the Columbia Area Career Center that serves students in the Columbia Public High Schools), several of her students got big time opportunities as ESPN and ABC television came to Columbia last year and enlisted their help in generating footage for programming around the national Game Day Coverage of the MU-Oklahoma football game. These students are earning UMKC credit in Communications Studies 220 along with their high school credits.  See: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/ 2010/dec/04/broadcast120410/

Director Dan McIntosh

Warkoczewski Observatory on the roof of UMKC’s Royall Hall is again open to the public on clear Friday nights April through October. And through the “Warko” (pronounced ‘var-co’) one can see clearly the rings of Saturn, Jupiter’s moons, the craters of the Moon and other distant astronomical sights. (To see if it will be open, visit http://cas.umkc.edu/physics/warko)

Director Dan McIntosh (Physics) is currently involved in a major research project with colleagues at other universities employing the Hubble Telescope to study the origins and growth of galaxies. But he also says it is still a real treat to look at the planets and the Warko lets him and others do so amazingly well.

Stanley Warcoczewski with Norman Royall, Jr. at the observatory in March 1974

There is an amazing story behind the 900-pound telescope and the Observatory as well. The scope was built by amateur astronomer Stanley Warkocszewski over a ten-year period and first installed behind his home in south Kansas City where he used it to observe and photograph the night-time skies before donating it to UMKC. (See his 1970 photo of the Comet Bennett below). Warkoczewski followed his telescope to UMKC and became an Instructor with duties dealing with astronomy.

The telescope was donated to UMKC in 1974 and the Observatory was opened on the roof of Royall Hall.

McIntosh reports that a new telescope will be joining the Warco and one other now in place. A new dome to house the expanded observatory is planned for the near future. Even with some intrusion of urban sky-glow, he believes that those who visit the UMKC Observatory will be very surprised and pleased with their view of the heavens from so close to home.

Members of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City will be present to guide their tour. For a view of the “Warko” today see: http://cas.umkc.edu/physics/warko/
For more on Dan’s research on galaxies see:

• www.publicbroadcasting.net/kcur/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1635370
• www.umkc.edu/news/news-release.asp?id=886

Dr. Patricia McIlrath, archive photo

On January 11, the Theatre Department and the K.C. Repertory Theater celebrated the legacy of Dr. Patricia McIlrath who became chair of the Department of Speech and Theater at KCU in 1954 and started the Missouri Repertory Theatre in 1964. The “Rep” is now the Kansas City Repertory Theatre and owes its legacy to McIlrath who created the new theatre by gathering a team of artists all personally invested in the work.

More than 125 faculty, students, staff and guests joined to hear stories about “Dr. Mac,” reminisce about the past, celebrate the present and dream about the future.

For two looks back at the theater in which Dr. Mac opened the Rep, go to:

• UMKC “recycled” decades ago
• Playhouse marks birth of UMKC theatre

University Playhouse, c. 1948

Ever wonder what the plaque on the steps of Scofield Hall marking a speech by President Truman commemorates? He received an honorary degree from the University of Kansas City and stopped to accept it on his way back from San Francisco where he had just signed the documents creating the United Nations. For more about how the UMKC Truman Center is trying to honor the Truman legacy and maintain the Truman connection, see:

• http://cas.umkc.edu/truman%20center/Files/Truman-Center-pres-120709.pdf