The Performing Arts Association of Saint Joseph is a non-profit corporation formed in 1979 to strengthen the performing arts in St. Joseph and support the development of the Missouri Theater into a regional center for the performing arts.
For decades, the Performing Arts Association has electrified the Missouri Theater by showcasing acclaimed artists from around the globe, infusing the region with thrilling entertainment that inspires, comforts and uplifts!
Our History
In 1962, Community Concerts initiated its classical music presentations. Fourteen years later, in 1976, Town Hall Center was established with a mission to preserve the Missouri Theater and started hosting diverse entertainment series. It was in 1979 when the merger of Community Concerts and Town Hall led to the formation of the Performing Arts Association. By 1980, a joint effort between the City of St. Joseph and the Performing Arts Association, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, commenced a capital campaign aimed at renovating the Missouri Theater.
In 2025, a fresh stage name was introduced to the public, 816 LIVE!, while proudly maintaining Performing Arts Association of Saint Joseph, Inc. as the organizations official legal name.
Our Mission
We aim to serve our community by providing access to a wide range of performing arts, including various music genres, dance forms, and theater, and support the creation of new works. We offer performing arts education to youth and the broader St. Joseph area community, ensuring no barriers to access. We collaborate with local arts organizations to achieve shared objectives and manage our program cost-effectively, maintaining a balanced budget and maximizing fundraising efforts.
Our Future
Over the next decade, the Saint Joseph Performing Arts Association will continue strengthening our mission by promoting an interest in music, theatre and dance by increasing season performances and educational opportunities:
Develop a second series for a smaller venue that will feature more family and classical performances.
Enhance partnerships with other arts organizations in order to make a more cohesive arts experience for all patrons.
Create and encourage more corporate sponsorship in order to build audience and to build funding streams to offset depleted grant resources.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Paul Gibson
Vice President
Patrick Dare
Treasurer
Kelly Morris
Secretary
Linda Judah
Board Members
Ruth Bireline, Drew Brown, Peyton Santana Castro, JoAnn Cobb, Linda DeShon, Lanny Ellis, Carter Goodwin, Sid Johnson, Rosie Lammoglia, Mary Kay Lyle, Gloria Mason-Martin, Hazel Meade, Sheila Murray, Lindsey Smith, Sponge Thevenot, Gail Tyler
Executive Director
Paul Sturiale
Executive Director
“St. Joseph is home to some of the most compassionate and community-driven individuals you’ll ever meet. There’s an energy here—a genuine spark—for creating a vibrant downtown, co-mingled with a neighborhood where people can live, work, and see a play”!
Paul joined the Performing Arts Association in April 2024, bringing with him over two decades of experience producing, writing, and directing events across Chicago, Wyoming, Alabama, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. With 16 years managing theater venues in Los Angeles, Paul also dedicated much of his career to writing and directing original theatrical works and producing and directing West Coast Premieres.
A published playwright, Paul is best known for The Columbine Project, a powerful docudrama that recounts the true events of April 1999. The play, praised by The New Yorker for its authenticity and depth, moved from Los Angeles to Off-Broadway in less than three months.
While living in L.A., Paul assisted in the development of the NoHo Arts District and served five years as President of the NoHo Neighborhood Council. During his short time in Gillette, Wyoming, he served on the Mayor’s Arts Council, helping select public sculptures for placement throughout the city, a program similar to the Allied Arts Art Walk.
In addition to his work behind the scenes, Paul remains active as a performer, bringing laughter to audiences twice a year at the iconic Guitar Hotel at the Hard Rock Café in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
He currently serves on the board of the Saint Joseph Tourism Commission.
Our Partners
