By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Someplace old is about to present something new.

Historic Kenyon Hall will host the first West Seattle Story Slam on Friday night.

The 109-year-old former Olympic Heights Social Hall at 7904 35th SW also is about to write a new chapter in its own story, with a closure this summer for major repairs/renovations.

That’s why we visited Kenyon Hall to talk with the two men who are now managing the nonprofit venue, moving into for a bright future just a few years after uncertainty it would have much of a future at all.

For many years, Kenyon Hall was run by a memorable music man named Lou Magor. His unexpected death four years ago left the century-old building somewhat rudderless, though board members of the nonprofit that owns it, Seattle Artists, worked to keep it going.

Others got involved with the effort to save Kenyon Hall, including Murphy Janssen and Nick Shadel, who now manage it. They jumped in as volunteers, Nick joining just after Lou’s death, Murphy coming aboard six months later. “That period of time was spent figuring out what was even going on at the hall – tracking down records, understanding the state of (the hall) – a tumultuous but positive time. We learned a whole lot about Kenyon Hall, its history, the players …”

And they learned many other things. Murphy, a drummer among other things, hadn’t been involved with a nonprofit before. Nick, a film composer and music educator among other things, had run companies. The board dwindled, including those who had headed the effort to keep Kenyon Hall going. “Volunteerism alone wasn’t going to bring the hall back to its previous (status),” said Murphy. “So Nick and I both flirted with director roles on our own. Neither of us wanted to do solo.” So with the support of remaining board members, they wrote a job description, “found some money” for it, and as of the end of next month, they’ll have been running Kenyon Hall for two years. Murphy is focused on bookings, Nick on administration.

One of their first tasks was to rebuild the board, which was down to three members at the time. Now there are eight.
“All local West Seattle folks,” notes Nick. Some were already involved with the hall via music classes offered there

“We’ve. also been working to build up our volunteer program, opening arms to a greater group of community members who want to help the community out,” Murphy explains. Lou did so much himself, they observe, but they are trying to delegate – helpers with concessions, chair-stacking, maybe even “help run live sound”; they’ve organized volunteer opportunities online.

Fundraising has expanded too; they had a telethon-style fundraiser for Kenyon Hall’s Mighty Wurlitzer organ, with both a live audience and live stream. That day alone, they raised $6,000, and that’s since grown to $30,000 to go toward maintaining the organ as well as improvements such as lighting to make it “even more magical.”

The organ has continued to get a workout, with performances including two shows by Bernard Struber, who saw the sign outside the Hall (“Home of the Mighty Wurlitzer”) while visiting his daughter Laure Struber, also an organist, and “stumbled in” to learn about it.

Even before Friday’s Story Slam, the hall has seen other firsts under its co-directors, including a performance of Celtic dance, and novel ways to use the Wurlitzer, such as this spring’s Cartoon Mess, a March performance that also was streamed:

Organist Sawyer Best helped with that, they explained, “using the Wurlitzer in a fun way.” Next month, Murphy adds, it’ll be put into action with Luke Fitzpatrick, integrating it into an experimental work on June 1st (Laure Struber will be the organist).

And while that will be very modern music, the Wurlitzer also is used to celebrate history, as with Dennis James’s silent-film performances. “It’s been a fun fusion.”

Murphy says bringing Kenyon Hall at least partly into the present is a key part of their work. “We’re finally able to take credit cards!” They’re also selling advance tickets online. Previously, they just took reservations, and “maybe half would show up,” which meant not only less compensation for the hall but less for the performers.

“We take a lot of pride in (supporting artists),” Nick says. “We’re artist-focused, not profit-focused,” Murphy adds.

In addition to visiting performers, they’ve been featuring regular monthly programming – an open-mic night, jazz night, and a drag night – Kenyon Hall Cabaret, which has just celebrated its second anniversary and will celebrate Pride with a Wizard of Oz-themed show again this year, two performances this time.

The drag community helped with the Wurlitzer fundraiser in a big way, Nick notes, saying they’re “deeply integrated into our cool little scene here.”

The other regular features have been a resounding success too, they add. The “open mic,” which focuses on songwriters, has had some “incredible” ones show up to play original music, Nick says. “And we record everyone so they get free demos,” adds Murphy. He goes on to describe the jazz jam, with a Chief Sealth International High School trio as the “house band”; this month will be the third one, 6 pm May 30, free admission. It’s meant to be not just a performance opportunity but also a mentoring event and “some moments of a master class,” as Murphy explains it. Nick summarizes, “We’re creating this space for the spirit of jazz-improvisation collaboration. … We’re excited to offer more free programming.”

Friday’s Story Slam will be free too, and another move toward their goal of “diversifying the art that is presented here.” Murphy elaborates that they’re often approached by people with ideas, asking “have you ever thought about this?” and that’s what the Story Slam sprang from: “We’ll have five or six pre-set story tellers and then an open call.” They hope this too will be monthly.

“Our purpose is for people of any skill level to come in and engage in art,” Nick declares. “At every turn the community lifts us up further – it’s amazing to see the level at which people care about this place. It has some magic.”

What’s happening now is synched with what the two co-directors felt when they first got involved with Kenyon Hall. Murphy had pondered “commitment to art as a community support.” Nick had been teaching music at the hall for years before Lou Magor’s death, and came to regard it as a “sacred creative space (that) was capable of more.” He helped sustain it even during the no-live-events pandemic time, when they presented recorded performances online. “I fell in love with it as a space where creation happens.” Now he says, he’s never felt better about the state of Kenyon Hall, which is at the “dawn of a new era in a really exciting way.”

“It’s almost unfathomable that this place is still here,” marvels Murphy. “How can we not (work to save it)?”

That’s more than a matter of keeping performers onstage and keeping audiences in the seats. It’s also a matter of preserving and updating the hall itself. Murphy allows that “the building’s in pretty good shape,” it needs some work. “We want to do some renovations enabling more recording, with more of a control room in the loft,” he says. “We are going to be a great-sounding room for artists that want to record for a bit cheaper.” Nick hosted a sold-out “guerrilla recording workshop” last fall, and Murphy promises they’ll do it again.

Other upcoming events include “Bach and pancakes” (the latter made by neighboring Locöl Kitchen & Bar, which they laud as a “great partner”) on Sunday (advance tickets are sold out), part of a Memorial Day weekend that also includes a klezmer concert on Saturday. “For those who are sticking around (on Memorial Day weekend), we’re gonna be here and it’s gonna be (great).”

Coming to Kenyon Hall for shows is a huge way you can support its future. You can donate money too – “we’re always running Lights On for Lou.” You can volunteer (Murphy says, “The more people we get on the volunteer list, the less I’ll have to wear three or four hats at once” and the more he can focus on actually running the hall). If you’re a music teacher and not already involved with Kenyon Hall, they want it to “be a place for local music teachers to connect with each other.”

For the major renovations, the hall will “go dark” for a few months starting around July 1st; part of the renovations will include demolishing and rebuilding the restrooms, which will then be ADA compliant (among other improvements). They’ll be streamlining the power to reduce things like cable hum. As Murphy summarizes, “The building needs to be recalibrated for the 21st century.” Trying to figure out everything that needs to be done has led to “some fun and laughter and frustration,” as they describe it.

But Kenyon Hall won’t lose its charm, which includes the mere fact it exists – “Why is this place here? Because it’s been loved by so many people for so long. It’s amazing how intimate this place is,” despite its placement on a busy arterial. “Whatever has happened over the decades has created a special, intimate place for art.”

(Past “happenings” include the legendary 2008 “secret” Eddie Vedder concerts, you might recall, and if you have a poster for that show, the Kenyon Hall directors would love to hear from you!)

HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE HALL: The calendar of upcoming Kenyon Hall performances/events is here.

OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT THE HALL: Donation and volunteering links are here.