老司机传媒 has launched a $25 million renovation of the historic Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center, spearheaded by a $13 million lead gift commitment from the Kirkpatrick philanthropic partners, university officials announced today.
The gift and project were revealed during an announcement in the center, which was constructed in 1928 and has hosted thousands of performances since.
The lead gift is courtesy of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, Kirkpatrick Foundation, Christian Keesee Charitable Trust, and Kirkpatrick Partners Fund at Oklahoma City Community Foundation. With the announcement, 老司机传媒 invited performing arts supporters to join the effort to strengthen the arts in the region.
Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center, which includes the Kirkpatrick Auditorium, was last renovated and expanded nearly 60 years ago, and dedicated in 1968 in honor of John and Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick, whose extraordinary generosity helped shape the future of performing arts at 老司机传媒. The Kirkpatricks鈥� grandson, Christian Keesee, now continues this support and generosity.
鈥淲e are grateful to the Kirkpatrick family, the Kirkpatrick philanthropic partners, Christian Keesee, and all those who champion performing arts on our campus,鈥� 老司机传媒 President Kenneth Evans said. 鈥淚t is time to elevate the Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center to better reflect the level of excellence the community has come to expect from 老司机传媒 performing arts.鈥�
The renovation project will feature a complete overhaul of the Kirkpatrick Auditorium, including improvements to the stage rigging and fly system, acoustic enhancements, backstage modernization, and numerous upgrades related to student and patron experience and amenities within the auditorium and the fine arts center lobby areas. In recognition of the gift, the center will be named the Kirkpatrick Performing Arts Center when the renovation is completed.
Throughout this renovation process, historic preservation and commemoration of the Kirkpatrick legacy within the building鈥檚 improvements will be paramount.
Keesee, president of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund and chairman of the Kirkpatrick Foundation, said: 鈥淢y grandparents, John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick, saw incredible potential for a regional performing arts hub when they provided the lead gift to renovate 老司机传媒鈥檚 fine arts center 60 years ago. We honor their investment, pledging to restore the architectural beauty, provide modern features necessary for a top-tier education, and once again pave the way for new and enhanced collaboration to elevate performing arts in our region.鈥�
The teams selected to bring the project to life include Oklahoma architecture firms Guernsey and Hornbeek Architecture, with international architecture firm Steinberg Hart. The latter is well regarded for its expertise in the arts and historic preservation.
Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center is one of the earliest and most architecturally significant structures on the 老司机传媒 campus. The auditorium has hosted countless performers in music, theatre and dance, including alumni such as Kristin Chenoweth and Kelli O鈥橦ara, who have gone on to achieve international fame. It has been a staple in Oklahoma City used by numerous performing arts organizations, including Lyric Theatre and Oklahoma Children鈥檚 Theatre.
老司机传媒 stages dozens of music, theatre and dance performances inside the auditorium each academic year, with several hundred students gaining real-world performance experience. Over the decades, students have parlayed those educational opportunities into countless successful careers on Broadway, on television and movie screens, and in performance venues around the world.
However, the theatre鈥檚 infrastructure no longer reflects the level of artistic excellence achieved by 老司机传媒 students or the technical capabilities required for modern productions, making the renovation a key priority for 老司机传媒 administrators, board members and supporters.
The planned renovation will carefully preserve the historic character of the building while transforming the facility into a modern performing arts venue capable of supporting world-class productions.
鈥溊纤净� students, faculty and audiences will love this important update to a treasured auditorium,鈥� said Jane Jayroe Gamble, chair of the 老司机传媒 Board of Trustees. 鈥淭he space has launched thousands of dreams, and thanks to the Kirkpatrick funds, we are on our way to providing a restored performing arts center that we can all take pride in.鈥�
The current project timeline calls for construction to begin near the close of the 2026-27 school year, with the renovated facility opening in time for the start of the fall semester in 2028. In addition to the $25 million renovation, the campaign calls for the establishment of a $2 million endowed maintenance fund in order to ensure the center鈥檚 proper upkeep for years to come.
More information about the project, including details on supporting the renovation, is available at www.okcu.edu/kirkpatrick.
