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The Folly Theater, located at 300 W. 12th St., has a new top showrunner and a big project waiting in the wings.

Rick Truman was named executive director of the Folly in January, succeeding Gale Tallis who retired after 15 years at the historic performing arts venue. She was executive director for more than 11 years.

Most recently, Truman spent 18 years with Quality Hill Playhouse, which is a 153-seat theater featuring cabaret revues and musicals just two blocks north of the Folly. He served as its business manager from 2003 to 2006 before being elevated to managing director in 2007.

Renovating Kansas City’s Carnegie Hall

Four years after completing a $2.5 million renovation of its main lobby and private event space, The Folly Theater has raised more than $3.25 million toward a second phase of renovations expected to cost $4 million.

Last year, its fundraising efforts got a big boost when the Sunderland Foundation pledged $2 million toward the project. That donation is the single largest in the Folly’s history.

The proposed work includes replacing C. Stephen Metzler Hall’s 1,078 seats, which are believed to be more than 80 years old, with wider and more comfortable seats. As a result, seating capacity will be reduced by 66 seats to 1,006.