Historic Kansas City theater caught fire. Here’s where and when the Warwick was built

Eleanor Nash
·2 min read

A historic Kansas City theater went up in flames early Wednesday morning.

The Kansas City Fire Department responded to a call shortly after 5 a.m. about a fire at the Warwick Theatre near the intersection of Main and 39th Streets, said Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Firefighters found flames in the roof and ceiling.

While the fire was extinguished by 7 a.m., the theater sustained “pretty significant damage,” including a possible hole in the floor, Hopkins said. Adjoining buildings might have minimal smoke or water damage.

What is the Warwick Theatre? Here’s a look at its story:

Where is the Warwick?

The theater is located at 3927 Main St., in midtown Kansas City’s Southmoreland neighborhood and near Old Westport, according to Kansas City property records. It is across the street from the historic Katz Drugstore and a CVS, and next door to buildings housing That’s Entertainment KC and Midtown KC Now.

When was the Warwick built?

The theater opened in 1912 and seated more than 1,000, according to the theater’s website. The building was designed by the Boller Brothers, a Kansas City-based firm that designed over 150 theaters across the Midwest and as far as California, according to Cinema Treasures. Some in the Kansas City area include The Midland downtown and the Granada theaters in Lawrence and Kansas City, Kansas.

The Warwick Theatre in 1940, from the 1940 Tax Assessment photographs. Provided by Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Warwick Theatre in 1940, from the 1940 Tax Assessment photographs. Provided by Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library in Kansas City, Missouri.

A notice in the May 18, 1929, edition of the Kansas City Journal-Post announced the arrival of sound movies, “The Warwick Theatre takes pleasure in announcing that it will be able to offer the best entertainment in talking pictures.”

The space operated as a theater until 1953, when the red velvet seats and original decor were removed.

The building then held a Salvation Army Thrift Store and a furniture store before the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre bought the property in 2015, according to Kansas City Times and Star archives.

The Warwick in 1983, when it was used as a Salvation Army Thrift Store. Provided by Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Warwick in 1983, when it was used as a Salvation Army Thrift Store. Provided by Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library in Kansas City, Missouri.

What shows are performed there?

Rehearsals have already started for a production of August Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” according to the MET’s Facebook page. The show is scheduled to open in the Warwick on March 1. The MET has not responded to requests for comment about the future of the production.

The Star’s Bob Cronkleton contributed to this story.