Coterie Leader Joette Pelster Announces Retirement

Longtime Executive Director of The Coterie Theatre, Joette Pelster, has announced her retirement from the organization she has led for 28 years. Under her leadership, The Coterie has grown from an annual budget of $600,000 to $1.6 million, which Pelster accomplished by expanding the theatre from its Crown Center home base out into the community with youth drama classes, in-school programming, and community impact projects garnering foundation and donor support. Serving youth and family audiences, the theatre has grown audiences to 97,000 individuals per year through over 350 performances.

With Producing Artistic Director Jeff Church, Pelster managed hundreds of productions. Highlights include multiple production transfers to The Kennedy Center and an Off-Broadway transfer to New York City's New Victory Theatre. Pelster is known for her level-headed perspective towards her staff and board of directors. Pelster's colleague, Executive Artistic Director Sidonie Garrett of Heart of America Shakespeare Festival remarks, "Joette has the respect and deep affection of our Kansas City theatre and arts community... She has been a stalwart advocate for live theatre, arts education and artists in all disciplines."

Pelster's journey into theatre was long: she graduated with an undergraduate degree in political science from Creighton University and worked as a research analyst at the Nebraska Legislature. During that time, she read 100 plays in order to begin graduate work at the University of Nebraska's Theatre Arts program. Prior to joining The Coterie in 1993, she was the marketing director for the Folly Theater and then became the first executive director of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA). "Her skills, insights and ability to understand organizational mechanics with a special uniqueness all her own, helped lay a path of success for Alvin Ailey for which I will always be grateful," says Allan Gray, Founder/Chairman KCFAA. Pelster is an advisory board member of KCFAA today, and has also served on the board of Charlotte Street Foundation. She has been a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Missouri Arts Council.

Interestingly, Pelster briefly left The Coterie for a time to assist in the restoration and reopening in 1997 of the Gem Theater into the crown jewel of the 18th & Vine corridor. Pelster joined Pat Jordan, President of the Gem Cultural and Educational Center, who remembers, "Joette was able to take a sabbatical from The Coterie to help us open the Gem Theater. I will be forever grateful... We could not have done it without her."

Coterie Board President Andrew Van Der Laan praised the outgoing leader and noted, "Joette's great strength is that she effortlessly bridges the worlds of business and art, matching a keen organizational and financial acumen with a profound respect for artists and the art. We have been tremendously fortunate to have her leadership." Pelster predicts her full retirement will be in place by end of January 2023. She will remain an advisor to The Coterie and a succession plan is in place.