Sharks, Jets & Martin headline the week ahead in Downtown

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This Coterie world premiere by Kevin Wilmott opens Tuesday at Crown Center.

From the world premiere of a play about MLK to an exhibition of the best photos of the year; from Todd Rungren to Tanya Tucker; and from Samantha Fish to RuPaul; and from an operatic West Side Story to a taste of Hamilton … Downtown Kansas City will be soaring all week long. Roll the highlight reel for the week in arts and entertainment – Monday to Sunday, Sept. 17-23:

Central Library presents Pictures of the Year International – a special exhibition of 50 arresting images by the world’s leading photographers – that runs through Oct. 28. Administered by the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri’s Missouri School of Journalism, it focuses on pivotal events of the past year and ranges from spot news to feature photos.

The legendary Todd Rungren returns to KC on Saturday for an ‘unpredictable” night at Crossroads KC.

Crossroads KC will rock the East Crossroads with two memorable concerts this weekend,, including:

  • Samantha Fish, the local blues phenom, returns to KC with special guests Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Shaw Davis for an 8 p.m. blowout show on Friday;
  • Todd Rungren returns to Downtown KC for an “Unpredictable Evening” at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Dinosaurs Revealed – Travel back 252 million years to discover dinosaurs that inhabited what is now North America. Your hands-on trek will bring you face-to-face with 26 life-size dinosaurs. The world premiere of Dinosaurs Revealed is on exhibit through Jan. 6 at Union Station.

Folly Theater will light up Downtown with four hot ‘n spicy events this week, including:

  • SuicideGirls: Blackheart Burlesque – the sexiest, smartest, geekiest, and most fun definitive pop-culture burlesque show – will light up the Folly at 9 p.m. Monday. The show has been performed hundreds of times, delighted millions of fans in over six countries, and has been touring since 2003.
  • RuPaul’s Drag Race – The official RuPaul’s World Tour, featuring performances by Season 10 finalists, will bring the house down beginning at 9 p.m. Wednesday.
  • Late Night Theatre presents its Las Vegas Legends Show, a benefit for the campy theater troupe, beginning at 8 p.m. Friday. Entertainers will span the many eras of Vegas – opening with retro (’60s) acts, and closing with modern Vegas.
  • Alyson Cambridge, one of the most diverse and compelling vocal artists on the scene today, will perform in a free recital at 7 p.m. Saturday, courtesy of the Harriman Jewell Series.

Haunted Houses – With Edge of Hell, The Beast and Macabre Cinema, all set in multi-storied commercial buildings built around 1900, the West Bottoms is home to three of the Midwest top attractions. For tickets and schedules, visit Full Moon Productions.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will feature four breathtaking performances this week, including:

  • Leslie Odom Jr. – Broadway’s Hamilton star comes to Kansas City! From his Tony® Award-winning role as Aaron Burr in Broadway’s hottest hit, Leslie Odom Jr. joins the Kansas City Symphony for an evening of music that will lift you up beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday.
  • West Side Story – Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. The Lyric Opera presents this Broadway and film classic with the original symphonic score and Jerome Robbins choreography in five performances beginning at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and continuing until Sunday, Sept. 30 in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre.
  • Conservatory Artist Series presents the Conservatory Wind Symphony in concert at 7 p.m. Sunday in Helzberg Hall. This performance is part of “Remembering WWI: The Conservatory Commemorates Armistice Day.” Featured repertoire includes works by composers and musicians who lived through, and even fought in the Great War.

Knuckleheads Saloon– the hottest honky tonk in the Big Town – features 11 smokin’ shows this week, including two of the biggest of the year featuring Tanya Tucker with Jamie Wyatt at 8:30 p.m. Friday, and Ronnie Millsap at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Yep, that’s smokin’, all right.

The Midland will feature Iron & Wine, a rock star on the burgeoning indie-folk/Americana scene, at 8 p.m. Friday. Special guest is Erin Rae.

Open Spaces is transforming Kansas City’s parks, urban spaces, galleries, performance halls and outdoor stages over the next six weeks with an all-new citywide festival based in Swope Park. The complete Open Spaces calendar for this week is located at openspaces.com.

Power & Light District will feature DIPLO with Loud Luxury for the Mix 93.3 End of Summer Bash at 8 p.m. Friday in the at KC Live! Block.

J. Cole. Sprint Center. Tuesday night.

Sprint Center will be smokin’ hot this week with two long-awaited performances, including:

  • J. Cole with special guests Young Thug, Jaden Smith and EarthGang roll into Downtown for a 7:30 p.m. show on Tuesday – part of a 34-city tour in support of his chart-topping album, KOD.
  • Fall Out Boy brings its red-hot M A N I A tour to the Big Town at 7 p.m. Friday, featuring Machine Gun Kelly and Nothing Nowhere.

The Truman will shake up the East Crossroads with one big show, featuring Lecrae & Andy Mineo with special guests WHATUPRG, NOBIGDYL and Wordsplayed at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

LIVE THEATER is thriving on Downtown stages, including these three productions this week:

  • Becoming Martin – This world premiere centers on the mentorship Martin Luther King, Jr., receives when he enters Morehouse College at age 15. Through debate over civil disobedience concepts, Morehouse College President, Dr. Benjamin Mays, sets young MLK on a path towards fighting for civil rights. This play is a Coterie commissioned work by noted filmmaker, screenwriter, director, and playwright, Kevin Willmott. Performances begin Tuesday and continue through Oct. 21 at The Coterie at Crown Center.
  • A Moon for the Misbegotten – Eugene O’Neill’s final play, a rare sympathetic turn from the Nobel Laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winner, this play offers powerful reflections on desire, family and sacrifice. This Kansas City Actors Theatre production runs through Sept. 30 at the City Stage at Union Station.
  • My Fair Lady – When Lerner and Loewe’s production opened on Broadway, it collected six Tony Awards (including Best Musical) while the film version took home eight Oscars, including Best Picture. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, this is that rare musical by which all others are measured. My Fair Lady runs through Sept. 30 at the MTH Theater at Crown Center.

ARTS – your guide to arts and culture in greater Kansas City:

LIVE MUSIC – of all tastes and flavors – is performed at these Downtown venues on most nights:

MUSEUMS are alive and well throughout Downtown, including these 16 destinations:

For more of what’s happening in Downtown and Kansas City, check out our friends at VisitKC.com

Downtown A&E scene will be riding high all week

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Music legends Ben Harper, right, and Charlie Musselwhite will present a concert for the ages on Wednesday at the Midland Theatre.

From Robert Plant to Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite; from Beethoven’s Concerto to Maroon 5; and from the Grub Fest to the KC Beer Fest, Downtown will be soaring all week long. Roll the highlight reel for the week in arts and entertainment – Monday to Sunday, Sept. 10-16:

Central Library presents Pictures of the Year International = a special exhibition of 50 arresting images by the world’s leading photographers – that opens Saturday and continues through Oct. 28. Administered by the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri’s Missouri School of Journalism, it focuses on pivotal events of the past year and ranges from spot news to feature photos.

City Market welcomes the return of Grub Crawl, a River Market foodie adventure from 6-9 p.m. Saturday. Each of 16 dining stops on the Grub Crawl walking tour offers a taste or small plate. Between bites, enjoy live music along the route. For tickets and more information, Grub Crawl 2018. Don’t delay… the Crawl is expected to sell out early.

Crossroads KC will rock the big town with three huge, back-to-back shows, including Dispatch with Nahko & Medicine for the People at 7 p.m. Thursday; Free Fridays presenting the Lucas Parker Band, 3 Son Green and Dyain Guthrie & The Good Times Guys at 7 p.m. Friday; and Monsters of Mock with Almost Kiss and KC/DC at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Dinosaurs Revealed – Travel back 252 million years to discover dinosaurs that inhabited what is now North America. Your hands-on trek will bring you face-to-face with 26 life-size dinosaurs. The world premiere of Dinosaurs Revealed is on exhibit through Jan. 6 at Union Station.

Grammy-winner Gillian Welch returns to Kansas City on Friday with a special performance at the Folly Theater.

Folly Theater will light up Downtown with two special nights this week, including:

  • Bang on a Can All Stars and KC Chorale – Thirty years ago, New York composers Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe launched Bang on a Can as a way to bring musicians and audiences together from across genres and create a vibrant international community to support innovation through music. They have since performed in concert halls and museums all over the world, and for their Kansas City debut – at 7:30 p.m. Thursday – and in collaboration with the Kansas City Chorale, the sextet will perform Wolfe’s powerful Anthracite Fields, which won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Music.
  • Gillian Welch – The Grammy-award winner returns to Kansas City to perform her signature roots and Americana music at 8 p.m. Friday. Welch will be honored next month as the recipient of the Thomas Wolfe Prize for Literature, which recognizes contemporary writers with a distinguished body of work. She will be the first musician to ever receive the award.

Hallmarket: A Hallmark Art Festival – Open to the public, this FREE, family-friendly event celebrates the creativity and talent of Hallmark employees from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at Crown Center Square.  Enjoy live music, interactive activities, food and beverage options. Plus, attendees can interact with and purchase artwork directly from employees of one of the world’s largest creative communities at Hallmark.

KC Beer Fest returns for its 10th annual edition from 3-6 p.m. Saturday at the Power & Light District.  Taste more than 200 hand-picked craft beers from around the world while enjoying live music, food trucks & and more! For tickets and more details visit kcbeerfest.com

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will feature five performances of the Kansas City Symphony this week, including:

Knuckleheads Saloon– the hottest honky tonk in the Big Town – features 14 smokin’ shows this week, including Amanda Fish new album release show at 8 p.m. Friday; David Basse at 8:30 p.m. Saturday; and Jake La Botz at 6 p.m. Sunday in the Gospel Lounge.

Robert Plant will rule Downtown with a special performance on Monday at the Midland.

The Midland will blow up the Downtown music scene this week with three over-the-top concerts in three consecutive nights, including:

National WWI Museum and Memorial presents For Liberty: The American Jewish Experience in WWI now through Nov. 11 in the Wylie Gallery. Hailed as “remarkably prescient” by The New York Times, this special exhibition examines the American Jewish battlefield and homefront participation through a series of remarkable stories and objects.

Open Spaces is transforming Kansas City’s parks, urban spaces, galleries, performance halls and outdoor stages over the next seven weeks with an all-new citywide festival based in Swope Park. The complete Open Spaces calendar for this week is located at openspaces.com.

Marvel Universe Live! Age of Heroes will rule the Sprint Center over six performances of this all-new arena stunt show from Friday through Sunday.

Sprint Center will be smokin’ this week with seven performances, including:

  • Maroon 5 with special guest Julia Michaels will present their Red Pill Blues Tour at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; and
  • Marvel Universe Live! The Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man join forces with Doctor Strange, master of the mystic arts, in a race against time to recover the Wand of Watoomb before it falls into Loki’s hands in this all-new, spectacular arena stunt show over six performances beginning at 7 p.m. Friday and continuing through the finale at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Truman will shake up the East Crossroads with a performance by Nothing But Thieves, featuring special guests Grandson and Demob Happy, at 8 p.m. Saturday.

LIVE THEATER is thriving on Downtown stages, including these three productions this week:

  • Elephant – a new play by Lewis Morrow about racism in the workplace – runs through Sunday at The Living Room.
  • A Moon for the Misbegotten – Eugene O’Neill’s final play, a rare sympathetic turn from the Nobel Laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winner, this play offers powerful reflections on desire, family and sacrifice. This Kansas City Actors Theatre production opens Wednesday and runs through Sept. 30 at the City Stage at Union Station.
  • My Fair Lady – When Lerner and Loewe’s production opened on Broadway, it collected six Tony Awards (including Best Musical) while the film version took home eight Oscars, including Best Picture. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, this is that rare musical by which all others are measured. My Fair Lady returns on Thursday and runs through Sept. 30 at the MTH Theater at Crown Center.

ARTS – your guide to arts and culture in greater Kansas City:

LIVE MUSIC – of all tastes and flavors – is performed at these Downtown venues on most nights:

MUSEUMS are alive and well throughout Downtown, including these 16 destinations:

For more of what’s happening in Downtown and Kansas City, check out our friends at VisitKC.com

Byrds, Symphony, CMFKC to raise the bar this week

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From The Byrds to Marty Stuart; from the Crossroads Music Fest to Sweetheart of the Rodeo; from Harry Potter and the KC Symphony to The KC Chalk and Walk Festival … Downtown will be riding high all First Friday week long. Roll the highlight reel for the week in arts and entertainment – Labor Day Monday to Sunday, Sept. 3-9:

The annual, free Kansas City Chalk & Walk Festival returns to Crown Center this weekend.

Chalk & Walk Festival returns this weekend, as artists use pastel chalks as their medium and pavement as their canvas. You are invited to this free event and to experience the creation of these street paintings, interact with the artists, enjoy street performers, Children’s Creative Corridor and Workshops from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Crown Center.

Local legends Puddle of Mudd will top off three back-to-back rockin’ nights at the Crossroads KC outdoor stage this week.

Crossroads KC will rock the big town with three huge shows, including Firefall with Pure Prairie League at 8 p.m. Thursday; Play On KC featuring The Sneakers, the Atomic 50’s, John El & Modern Culture, The MGDs, Chris Meck & The Second Sons and the Nick Schnebelen Band beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, and Puddle of Mudd with Saliva, The Veer Union, Tantric and Shallow Side beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Crossroads Music Fest is baaack this Saturday! This 14th annual celebration of local music in the Crossroads Arts District – featuring 30+ artists at eight venues in a three-block area – is a fundraiser 90.1 FM – Kansas City Community Radio. Headliners include Radkey with Quixotic performers and Hembree at recordBar beginning at 10 p.m., but the fireworks will be blasting through the district all day and night. The day begins at 11 a.m. with MixMaster at the Exchange at The Lead Bank; shifts to day parties from noon- 5 p.m. at Brewery Emperial and Josey Records; turns toward evening at 6 p.m. with City of Drums and three drum lines in preparation for the CMFKC rock fest from 7 p.m.-2 a.m.

Dinosaurs Revealed – Travel back 252 million years to discover dinosaurs that inhabited what is now North America. Your hands-on trek will bring you face-to-face with 26 life-size dinosaurs. The world premiere of Dinosaurs Revealed is on exhibit through Jan. 6 at Union Station.

First Friday – KC’s coolest night of the spring – returns this Friday with a sizzling collection arts and cultural experiences throughout Downtown via the:

  • City Market will be showcasing local artists who want to demonstrate their techniques and exhibit their works during Be Part of the Art from 6-10 p.m. in Pavilion 1 at City Market Square. This is a free event, but pre-registration is required.
  • Crossroads Arts District featuring arts organizations, galleries, studios, and a wide variety of local businesses in a celebration of local, regional and national artists and live entertainment from 5-9 p.m.
  • First Friday on the Vine is a cultural experience of music, art, food, and shopping on every First Friday year round. Shop local artists and a diverse array of food trucks. from 5-9 p.m. And, all of the neighbors in the Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District present lively entertainment!
  • First Friday Warehouse Weekends – one of the finest vintage marketplaces in the country – flourishes every First Friday weekend (Friday through Sunday) in the West Bottoms.

Byrds co-founders Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman (center and right) together again, along with country all-star, Marty Stuart and his amazing band for a once-in-a-lifetime visit to the Rodeo on Sunday evening at the Folly Theater.

Folly Theater will play host to the Sweetheart of the Rodeo tour, as The Byrds‘ Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman mark the 50th anniversary of the band’s pioneering country-rock album. Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives will join the Byrds’ duo on stage, as they perform songs and tell the stories behind the 1968 LP, one of Rolling Stone‘s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The fun begins at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts returns to form this week with five performances that mark the beginning of the fall season of performances, including:

  • Kansas City Symphony presents Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban in concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 4 p.m. Sunday in Helzberg Hall. Based on the third installment of J.K. Rowling’s classic saga, fans of all ages will experience the thrilling tale accompanied by the Symphony as Harry soars across the big screen.
  • The Punch Brothers, the acoustic quintet, will make their KC debut at 7 p.m. Sunday in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre. Says The Washington Post, “With enthusiasm and experimentation, Punch Brothers take bluegrass to its next evolutionary stage, drawing equal inspiration from the brain and the heart.”

Knuckleheads Saloon– the hottest honky tonk in the Big Town – features 10 smokin’ shows this week, including at KY 102 Reunion with Ozark Mountain Daredevils & The Snot Rockets with an after-party with Way Too Famous beginning at 8 p.m. Friday.

The Midland will bring a little levity into our hearts this week, as Jeanne Robertson stops in KC to charm audience with humorous observations about life around her. This former Miss North Carolina, standing tall at six-foot-two, has an infectious personality, heart and sense of humor. The fun begins at 8 p.m. Friday.

National WWI Museum and Memorial presents For Liberty: The American Jewish Experience in WWI now through Nov. 11 in the Wylie Gallery. Hailed as “remarkably prescient” by The New York Times, this special exhibition examines the American Jewish battlefield and homefront participation through a series of remarkable stories and objects.

Open Spaces is transforming Kansas City’s parks, urban spaces, galleries, performance halls and outdoor stages over the next 10 weeks with an all-new citywide festival based in Swope Park. The complete Open Spaces calendar for this week is located at openspaces.com.

Power & Light District will light up the heart of Downtown this week with two special events, including a concert by the Brooklyn indie electronic duo Matt and Kim at 8 p.m. Friday and a Sprint Family Fun Days event – It’s a Jungle Out There – from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday in the KC Live! Block.

Sprint Center will be dark this week, but will return next with Maroon 5 on Sept. 11 and the Marvel Universe Live! on Sept. 14-16.

LIVE THEATER is thriving on Downtown stages, although each one will be dark this week. The fall theater season will in mid-September.

ARTS – your guide to arts and culture in greater Kansas City:

LIVE MUSIC – of all tastes and flavors – is performed at these Downtown venues on most nights:

MUSEUMS are alive and well throughout Downtown, including these 16 destinations:

For more of what’s happening in Downtown and Kansas City, check out our friends at VisitKC.com

Open Spaces introduces event series at 21c Museum Hotel

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This week, Open Spaces KC launches a series of conversations called 21C Salon, where discussions will take place every Thursday at the new 21C Museum Hotel in Downtown Kansas City.

Open Spaces 2018: A Kansas City Arts Experience is a two-month (now through Oct. 28), multi-platform arts event that aims to attract cultural visitors and bring significant visibility to Kansas City. The event showcases renowned local, national and international artists, with a hub of activity in Swope Park and a network of additional venues extending throughout Downtown and Kansas City.

Details are below in the weekly calendar, which shows the lineup of exhibitions and performances for the upcoming week throughout the Kansas City area. A complete calendar listing of all activities will be available on the event schedule page at OpenSpacesKC.com.

Open Spaces will offer numerous opportunities to take in a dance or music performance, sample food offerings, enjoy family activities and browse through the pavilions at The Village in Swope Park.

The nine-week, citywide celebration of contemporary visual and performing art will happen on a scale not previously seen in Kansas City, with a multi-disciplinary focus unseen in the country.

In addition to highlighting the city’s rich history and cultural heritage, creativity, innovation and wide array of artists and artistic practices, Open Spaces is meant to spark new ideas and initiatives that can transform and connect the City and public spaces through the arts.

For nine weeks, in spaces both familiar and new, its parks and urban spaces, its galleries, performance halls and outdoor stages — Open Spaces will transform Kansas City into a living cultural tapestry into which the best of the world’s collective imagination can be woven.

Stay updated by downloading the OpenSpacesKC mobile app (available in both Android and iOS), and below you will find this week’s schedule of events:

Open Spaces opens Saturday – 62 Days, 400+ Artists, 1 City!

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Open Spaces, Kansas City’s citywide, family-friendly arts festival starts this weekend!  For nine weeks, August 25-October 28, local contemporary visual and performing artists join their national and international counterparts in transforming our city into an ever-evolving arts experience!
The Launch – Saturday, Aug. 25

Join Mayor Sly James and Open Spaces Founder Scott Francis as they declare Open Spaces officially open to the public at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25 at Swope Park.

Festivities begin at The Village (Pavilion 1) with FREE performances by Stone Lion Puppet Theatre, Amado & Karen’s Junkyard Orchestra, Sheri Hall’s Poetry for Personal Power, and rap collective NuBlvckCity.

Four Ways to Enjoy Open Spaces – August 25 through October 28

  1. The Exhibition includes more than 40 public art installations throughout the city, by international, national and local artists that can be enjoyed for FREE!
  2. The Village (Pavilion 1) in Swope Park comes alive on weekends with free performances, plus food, local goods for sale.
  3. The Expanded Field includes free and paid programs happening across the metro such as live puppetry, exhibitions, performances and more.
  4. The Weekend at Starlight Theatre (Oct. 12-14) includes iconic performing artists like Janelle Monae, The Roots, and Vijay Iyer.

For locations, a schedule of events, and more information about this unprecedented, nine-week arts experience that’s happening throughout the city, visit OpenSpacesKC.com.

Sit back, relax and celebrate 816 Day on Thursday, 8/16

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Downtown Kansas City will celebrate 816Day – a “holiday” inspired by Kansas City’s area code to celebrate civic pride and everything that’s great about KC next Thursday, Aug. 16. Yep, 8/16 is 816Day.

“The goal for 816Day is to connect people with our local businesses, service industries and artistic & cultural organizations,” said Jared Campbell, president of the Downtown Neighborhood Association and a leading organizer of the event.

Locals and visitors are invited to celebrate and appreciate the best of what local businesses and organizations have to offer during 816Day branded events – oftentimes, happy hours or food/drinks specials on Aug. 16. Early examples of participating organizations include:

  • KC Streetcar will participate in several 816Day events next Thursday, including a local sketch artist drawing portraits of riders – along with the streetcar and Downtown scenes – from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • John’s Big Deck, 928 Wyandotte, will be a featured 816Day party location from 5-11 p.m. with a DJ, food and drink specials, and local goodies and giveaways, including concert tickets.
  • The City Market will feature a free ’90s themed 816 Day concert featuring ThunderJacket from 5:30-730 p.m., along with an 816Day party at Brown & Loe, featuring beer, wine, water and a signature 816 Day cocktail specials.

City Market businesses are also being asked to set up a presence during the concert to help promote themselves and Kansas City.

Campbell also issued an invitation for Downtown restaurants, bars, coffee shops, retailers and destinations to participate in 816Day by providing KC-themed specials on local goods and services, live music, great food, nightlife and entertainment:

What?: How your business can take part in 816DAY?

  • Restaurants, Bars & Entertainment Venues
    • Create an event or party at your business.
    • Already have an event scheduled? Great! Brand it as part of 816Day.
      • Live music, DJ,/ Karaoke / Bar Games: Cornhole, Large Jenga / Trivia / Contests & Giveaway
    • Offer unique food & beverage specials.
    • Already have a food and drink special planned for that day? Perfect! Brand it as part of 816Day.
      • Reduced Admission or Free Event
      • Feature locally made or produced products? KC themed food special
      • Create KC themed cocktails
  • Retail & Other Service Industry Businesses
    • Offer specials/sales on goods and services
    • Already have a sale on goods and services planned for that day? Super! Brand it in part of 816Day
      • Feature KC apparel
      • Feature KC made products
      • Decorate your business with a KC/816 theme

For questions or more information, contact info@dnakcmo.org.

816Day is presented in cooperation by the DNA , Do816.com, the Downtown Council of Kansas City, the Crossroads Community Association, KC Streetcar, John’s Big Deck, the City Market, and the KC Power & Light District.

Closing Reception: KC Plays Exhibition at The Box Gallery, Aug. 1, 5 p.m.

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KC Plays exhibition by Art in the Loop
Closing Reception:
Wednesday, August 1 | 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Remarks at 5:30 p.m.
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Art in the Loop and the Box Gallery invite you to join us for a final glimpse of the KC Plays exhibit at The Box Gallery on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 5  to 7 p.m. Comments by Troy Schulte, City Manager, the Downtown Council and Art in the Loop at 5:30 p.m.

The exhibition celebrates Art in the Loop’s summer program of temporary artwork and performances in Downtown Kansas City. The exhibition displays work by the 15 visual artists who participated. The summer program also includes 18 music groups performing near the artworks onboard KC Streetcar, at streetcar stops, the Kansas City Public Library and West Terrace Park. Music performances continue on Wednesdays through August.

Enjoy the lively Irish tunes of Molly McLaughlin, who specializes in contemporary, classical and traditional Irish Flute, and her trio, Into the Sun, during the reception. Light appetizers and beverages will be provided.

The Box Gallery is located on the main floor of the Commerce Bank Building, 1000 Walnut, Suite 211.

RSVP at https://kc-plays-reception-aug-1.eventbrite.com

Contact Ann Holliday, ann@downtownkc.org for more information.

$95 million makeover to bring new glory to historic Star building

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A food hall, boutique grocer and office complex along 18th Street is planned along with renovation of the historic Kansas City Star building. (Image from 3D Development)

Courtesy, Kevin Collison, CityScene KC

(Update: Development agreement approved unanimously by City Council Thursday)

A $95 million redevelopment plan for the former Kansas City Star property that includes renovating the historic structure, and building a boutique grocery store and marketplace above a 500-space underground garage has cleared its first hurdle at City Hall.

Developer Vincent Bryant laid out his ambitious plan to a Kansas City Council committee Thursday, saying he wanted to make the former Star campus the economic center of the Crossroads area.

In a prepared statement, he said, “We hope this development will be the trailhead of an 18th Street Corridor that extends connection from the Crossroads east to Vine Street.

“Physically and architecturally, these buildings are visual landmarks that offer a nod to Kansas City’s rich history, a history we intend to highlight and build upon for generations to come.”

Bryant and his local ownership group purchased the newspaper building at 1729 Grand last year for $12 million from McClatchy, the Star’s owner.

The historic Kansas City Star building opened in 1911 and was expanded in 1924. Current newspaper employees have been consolidated in the green Press Pavilion building in upper corner. (Image from 3D Development)

Key components of the redevelopment plan which covers the block between Grand and McGee, from 17th to 18th streets:

  • Renovation of the 225,000 square-foot existing building into office, data center and retail space. The historic structure was designed by Jarvis Hunt and opened in 1911. An addition was built in 1924.
  • Construction of a 45,000 square-foot food hall, boutique grocery store and office complex on the south side of the property along 18th Street. It would be separated from the historic building by about 90 feet. The three-level grocery and office building would be on the northwest corner of 18th and McGee, the food hall would be oriented toward the northeast corner of 18th and Grand.
  • Construction of a 500-space, four-level garage beneath the food hall and grocery/office building. Bryant said building underground would avoid blocking views of the historic building.
  • Eventual construction of a three-story office building at the north side of the property at the northeast corner of 17th and Grand.
  • A sports pub with several outdoor sand volleyball courts on the north side of the property at the northwest corner of 17th and McGee.

The project also includes an event hall, dining hall for tenants and guests, and outdoor meeting space.

To read the complete story with more images, go to CityScene KC.

 

NY Times shines global spotlight on Downtown KC

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The KC Streetcar: Credit Anna Petrow for The New York Times

The Perfect Way to Explore Modern Kansas City? A Streetcar, Believe It or Not

The contemporary trolley, introduced in 2016, takes visitors to an arts district, an entertainment district and a happy state of mind.

By Richard Rubin, The New York Times

In 2002, when Sylvester “Sly” James moved his law office to downtown Kansas City, Mo., he made a wager with a colleague. “I bet him I could walk across Main Street naked at 6 p.m. and nobody would see it,” he recalled. “And the proof that I was right is that no video of that has ever shown up on YouTube.” Downtown, he said, “was freakin’ desolate.”

A decade later, Chris Hernandez remembered, he saw an item on the local news about a two-car accident downtown one evening at 7. “I took it as a sign that things were turning around,” he said. “There were actually two cars there to hit each other!”

As it turns out, Mr. Hernandez was onto something: Things were, in fact, starting to turn around. Today Kansas City can be said to have actually achieved the elusive dream of scores of proud old American cities that have seen better days: It has revived its downtown, which now skews closer to “bustling” than “desolate” many nights.

Mr. Hernandez is the city’s director of communications; Mr. James is its mayor. Both can rattle off countless examples of nearly miraculous urban revitalization: thriving businesses in storefronts that stood vacant for years; gleaming new high-rise apartment blocks that are largely (some say entirely) rented out even before they’re completed; vibrant arts and culinary scenes. But you can see what is arguably the single best embodiment of the phenomenon for yourself at regular intervals as you stroll along — or even stand still on — downtown’s Main Street.

If at this point your mind absolutely must drift to 1940s musical lyrics, I recommend nudging it away from “everything’s up to date in Kansas City” and toward “clang clang clang went the trolley” (even though, technically, that one is set in St. Louis; same state, anyway).

Pizzas at Il Lazzarone, a restaurant at the River Market West streetcar stop. Credit: Anna Petrow for The New York Times

Yes: Kansas City has a trolley. And not one of those old-timey trolleys that doesn’t go much of anywhere and goes there slowly. The one in Kansas City is sleek. Modern. Has air-conditioning and Wi-Fi.It runs a real route — 2.2 miles from end to end, then back again — through the heart of downtown.

At peak times, like rush hour, one comes along every 10 minutes; off-peak, it’s more like every 12 to 18 minutes. (Every stop has digital kiosks announcing how soon the next one will be along.) It starts running at 6 a.m. and doesn’t stop until midnight on weeknights, 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. (This being the Midwest, on Sundays it starts late — 7 a.m. — and shuts down early, at 11 p.m.)

Oh: And it’s free.

And not, technically, a trolley; they take great care here to remind you (cheerfully) that it’s a streetcar. That may seem like a distinction without a difference, but it reflects the way the city and its denizens view it. A trolley, in this day and age, is a self-conscious quaintness, almost an amusement-park ride; a streetcar, on the other hand — as Mr. Hernandez explained — is more of a “pedestrian accelerator.”

And, as it turns out, an attraction, too.

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Credit: Anna Petrow for The New York Times

In my experience, the whole “Midwestern nice” thing can be overstated; but not when it comes to Kansas City. Step off the KC Streetcar (as it is officially known) and look around as if you don’t know where you are going and a passer-by will stop and ask where you’re trying to get to. Sport that expression while you’re still riding it and someone sitting across the aisle from you will do the same thing. Ask them how they like the streetcar and they will tell you, sincerely and in a fair bit of detail.And they do like it. They ride it. The city — which has a population just under a half-million — projected one million riders in the streetcar’s first year; it got twice as many by day 364. A year later that figure exceeded four million.

No one would have predicted such a phenomenon as recently as the beginning of this decade.Back then, Mr. James recalled, “things were slow here. People were depressed. They didn’t believe the city could do things.”

But then Kansas City won a lottery of sorts: In the spring of 2011 — just as Mr. James was starting his first term as mayor — Google announced that it would be inaugurating its broadband internet and television service, Google Fiber, there. “That was a big boost,” Mr. James recalled. “Google was putting us on the map — we could leverage that.”

They did. The streetcar — which made its first run on May 6, 2016 — wasn’t by any means the only element of downtown’s revitalization, but it was perhaps the boldest, and certainly the most dynamic. “It’s been a tremendous catalytic thing,” Mr. James said. “It’s created much more flow—more profits for businesses downtown, more foot traffic.” In the streetcar’s first year of operation, revenue from sales taxes along its route — an area known as the Transportation Development District, or T.D.D. — rose 54 percent, as opposed to 16 percent citywide.

Birdie’s, a boutique in the Crossroads Arts District. Credit: Anna Petrow for The New York Times

If this seems like a boon for those businesses, you could say they earned it: “They decided it would be free,” the mayor explains — paid for by a special assessment on business owners and residential landlords along the T.D.D. (The construction boom in new high rises that are rented out before they’re even completed would seem to indicate that landlords are O.K. with the surtax, too.) “The funds,” Mr. James said, “are more than sufficient to cover the costs. It’s worked out very well.”

Unlike most successful ventures, few individuals have claimed credit for Kansas City’s streetcar; most, when asked, will give you an answer like Mr. Hernandez’s: “It was a very grass-roots effort,” he said. “How to create the streetcar, where it should go. Businesses and residents were involved at every step — where to have stops, their exact placement, even what they should look like.”

The route they all devised does a good job of introducing downtown Kansas City to both tourists and locals who had never really gotten acquainted with it before — and, perhaps coincidentally, showcasing the area’s revival.

It starts and ends at the point where decades of visitors arrived at and departed from the city: Union Station, an imposing 1914 classical structure that, despite its grandeur and the fact that it once hosted more than a half million travelers a year, was actually closed for a decade and a half in the 1980s and 90s; today it’s a museum as well as a functioning rail depot, and the anchor of a neighborhood that includes the Crown Center,an indoor shopping and entertainment complex, and the National World War I Memorial and Museum.

Farmers sell fresh meats and produce at City Market at River Market. Credit: Anna Petrow for The New York Times

Heading north, it stops next at the Crossroads Arts District, a neighborhood of old warehouses and factories that have been reclaimed as live/work spaces and is now home to a lively arts scene. Then comes the Power & Light District — named for an Art Deco 1931 skyscraper that was for decades both the home of the local electric utility company and the tallest building west of the Mississippi — which is the city’s newest entertainment district; it features the Sprint Center (a sports and concert arena), Kansas City Live! (a block-square outdoor atrium surrounded by pubs and restaurants and containing a performance stage and massive Jumbotron), most of those new residential high rises and, naturally, the world headquarters of H & R Block.

The next stop is Metro Center, home to government buildings, business offices, hotels, cafes and restaurants; then the Library stop, named for the city’s Central Library, which occupies a 1906 bank building that features 13-foot-high bronze doors, a roof garden with a life-size chess set, and a basement vault that has been converted to a movie theater; then the North Loop, which doesn’t have much of note yet except a neat older Western Union building and a neat newer office building known as “the flashcube” because, well, it looks like a flashcube; and finally the River Market, which includes old warehouses that have been converted to lofts, lots of restaurants and an expansive farmer’s market that has been going year-round since 1857.

There are edifices worthy of a good long look all along the route, but none more arresting than what you will spot looking out the window to your left as you shuttle from Crossroads to Power & Light: There, up on a hill, is the Moshe Safdie-designed Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 2011 and which, depending upon your aesthetic sensibilities, you will find either sublime or terrifying.

The National World War I Memorial and Museum. Credit: Anna Petrow for The New York Times

It contains two 1,500-plus-seat theaters, each of which, I am told, has fine acoustics; the building, which sits on more than 18 acres, is said to have been so well-designed that it can and often does host two different performances simultaneously without any aural crossover. In addition to hosting touring companies, the city’s symphony orchestra and opera and ballet companies all call it home. “We have a very strong arts scene here in Kansas City,” Jean Luzader, a volunteer at the Kauffman Center, told me. “People think we have cows running through the streets, you know, but we don’t.”

Streetcars — once almost ubiquitous, later almost extinct — are having a moment: In the past five years, lines have also started operating in Salt Lake City, Tucson, Dallas, Cincinnati and Detroit. (Two others, in Milwaukee and Oklahoma City, are scheduled to open by the end of this year.) Some have been more successful and transformative than others, but few seem to have had the impact of Kansas City’s. It’s the only one that’s free to ride, but what really makes it distinct is the palpable sense that is more than just a way of moving people around: It’s a movement — one that, judging by the crowds riding on weekends, transcends age and ethnicity.

Everyone seems to like each other, too. “When you’re on the streetcar,” Mr. Hernandez said, “you truly get a sense of community. It gets people off their phones and talking to each other again. I see it every time I’m on it. I think people who are from Kansas City are having fun talking to visitors and telling them about places they should check out.”

The Crossroads Arts District. Credit: Anna Petrow for The New York Times

Of course, many of them — locals and visitors — are there to check out the streetcar itself.Riding it around and around will strike a certain type of person as a fine — not to mention economical — way to pass a few hours. Technically, you’re supposed to get off and re-board every time it pulls into Union Station; but this being the Midwest, no one will get too terribly upset if you stay put instead. Just smile.

Richard Rubin is the author of “The Last of the Doughboys” and “Back Over There.”

Correction: 

An earlier version of this article inaccurately described Kansas City’s location in relation to the Mississippi River. It is west of the river, not east.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page TR9 of the New York edition with the headline: It’s Not Named Desire, but They Love It Just the Same. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

Arts, Opera, Jazz, UMKC Finale, First Friday – Welcome to Downtown KC

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‘The Barber of Seville’ will light up Downtown with three more side-splitting performances by the Lyric Opera of Kansas City this week at the Kauffman Center.

From The Barber of Seville to Audra McDonald; from First Friday festivities to the opening of Plein Air KC; from the International Jazz Day to the launch of Art in the Loop 2018; from the UMKC Finale to the KC Burlesque Festival ….  this promises to be an inspired first week of May – Monday to Sunday, April 30-May 6 – in the Downtown arts & entertainment scene, including:

Art in the Loop: KC Plays – The new season for Art in the Loop, a curated outdoor exhibition of 15 temporary works of art and performances in the greater Downtown area, will be launched at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Central Library. The kickoff event will feature a number of participating artists, dancers, musicians, and poets who take turns discussing their contributions. RSVP here.

The Art of Comics – an Andrews McMeel Universal retrospective of the creators and characters who shaped popular culture – is now on display through May 25 at The Box Gallery in the Commerce Arcade, 1000 Walnut. The free exhibit explores the evolution of the funny pages, from Doonesbury to Calvin and Hobbes to the new frontier that of web comics.

The Barber of Seville – The Lyric Opera of Kansas City presents one of the funniest comedies of all time and, yes, it’s an opera. Check your powdered wigs at the door and stop by Seville for a Barber of a different color. The final three performances are set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

Crossroads KC makes its seasonable return to the Kansas City outdoor concert scene this week with the debut of a new Free Fridays performance of the MGDs with DJ Diehard beginning at 7 p.m. Friday at the Grinders stage.

Kansas City Burlesque Festival returns for its 8th annual variety shows and competition at two Downtown locations on Friday and Saturday. The festivities begin at 7 p.m. Friday with Spectaculary Burlesque, followed by the Late Night Strut at the Opera House in the River Market. Next up, will be the Burlesque & Variety Extravaganza and the Classic Performer Competition beginning at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Folly Theater.

First Friday – KC’s coolest night of the spring – returns this Friday with a sizzling collection arts and cultural experiences throughout Downtown via the:

  • Crossroads Arts District featuring arts organizations, galleries, studios, and a wide variety of local businesses in a celebration of local, regional and national artists and live entertainment from 5 to 9 p.m.
  • Crossroads on the Vine showcasing the annual art exhibition of students in the Crossroads Charter Schools from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the American Jazz Museum. The event will include a silent auction and raffle featuring works by parent artists. Student art will be available for purchase for $20.
  • First Fridays on the Vine – Celebrate the second anniversary of First Fridays at 18th & Vine by shopping local artists – including the Crossroads Charter School students (see above) and a diverse array of food trucks, along with a jazzy selection of live entertainment, beginning at 4 p.m.
  • First Friday Warehouse Weekends – one of the finest vintage marketplaces in the country – flourishes every First Friday weekend (Friday through Sunday) in the West Bottoms.
International Jazz Day on Monday, April 30 will be celebrated through the 18th & Vine Jazz District beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing until daybreak on Tuesday.

International Jazz Day – The American Jazz Museum and the Mutual Musicians Foundation are teaming up to present activities in honor of International Jazz Day beginning at 11 a.m. today (Monday) in the 18th & Vine Jazz District. A full day and night of tours, talk and sweet jazz will unfold throughout 18th & Vine before wrapping up with a late-night / early morning jam session featuring James Hathaway at the Foundation. For the complete, schedule visit the Swing, Bop and Beyond website.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will showcase eight breathtaking performances this week, including:

  • UMKC Finale, Conservatory Orchestra and Choirs, directed by Robert Olson and Robert Bode, respectively. The exciting program includes Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, with orchestra and choirs and Conservatory dancers. Stravinsky’s 1930 work was commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Finale will unfold at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Helzberg Hall.
  • National Geographic Live – As commander of the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Terry Virts shot more photographs than any astronaut who came before him. Many of those images were later used in the National Geographic book View From Above and IMAX film A Beautiful Planet, but to hear Virts tell it, no photo can capture the perfect shade of blue from a sunrise viewed from outer space. Virts will share his photographic gems at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre.
  • The Barber of Seville – one funniest comedies of all time – will be presented by the Lyric Opera of Kansas City this week with performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, and 2 p.m. Sunday in Kauffman Theatre.
  • Off the Wall: Pop Hits of the 80’s, performed by the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra and featuring music from Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and more music legends, is on tap for 8 p.m. Friday in Helzberg Hall.
  • Audra McDonald, – one of today’s most highly regarded performers with a record six Tony Awards, two Grammy® Awards, and a long list of other accolades – will be featured in this special one-night-only performance with the Kansas City Symphony at 8 p.m. Saturday in Helzberg Hall.
  • Surround Sound – The Kansas City Civic Orchestra’s season finale is the orchestra’s debut performance at the Kauffman Center. In its 59th consecutive season, KCCO remains dedicated to the mission of bringing high quality, free concerts to the community. This special performance is set for 3 p.m. Sunday in Helzberg Hall.

Knuckleheads Saloon – the hottest honky tonk in the Big Town – features nine rockin’ shows this week, including two nights of Merle Jam, featuring the likes of Jason D. Williams, Slim Hanson, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, the Nace Brothers and many more beginning at 6 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Midland will be smokin’ with three performances this week, including:

  • Anthony Jeselnik brings his original brand of comedy to the Big Town for one night only beginning at 8 p.m. Thursday;
  • Whose Live Anyway? The current cast members of the Emmy-nominated TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway? present their new improv tour that features 90 minutes of hilarious improvised comedy and song all based on audience suggestions. The fun begins at 7 p.m. Saturday.
  • Las Arpias – Following their successful tour in Mexico, the Las Arpias arrives in the U.S. to weave their spell. though a play that begins as a comedy, but evolves into a suspenseful story.  The ladies will get to work at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Plein Air KC – One of Kansas City’s freshest artistic event series gets under way this weekend, as the 5th annual Plein Air KC Competition prepares for a two-month stay in and around Union Hill and Union Station. Plein Air is from the French term “open (in full) air”, so all paintings must be created outdoors. No studio works are permitted in the competition. Plein Air KC will stage three “Quick Paint” competitions in which artists will have two hours to paint in a limited area. A winning piece will be chosen by the judges each evening of the competitions, which begin on Sunday evening in Roanoke Park. Two more competitions are set for next week in Penn Valley and Union Cemetery. For more information, visit the Plein Air KC and make plans to attend the opening night Artists’ Reception and VIP Party.

Martin Lawrence will serve as the ringmaster of a comedy all-star show on Friday at Sprint Center.

Sprint Center welcomes comedian, actor, director and producer Martin Lawrence in his return to the stage as the host of 2018’s hottest comedy event, featuring an amazing lineup of comedic talent, including Bruce Bruce, Jay Pharoah, Adele Givens and Benji Brown. Buckle up for laughs beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Stanfords Comedy Club brings laughs at its new joint at 831 Walnut. Comedian Adam Maxwell will headline the 18 & older show this week – beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, plus late shows on Friday and Saturday.

The Truman will be bouncing the east Crossroads with four back-to-back performances this week, including Jonathan Davis of Korn with Champagne Campaign at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; As The Crow Flies featuring Chris Robinson, Marcus King, Audley Freed, Andy Hess, Adam McDougal, Tony Leone and Once & Future Band at 8 p.m. Wednesday; K.Flay before a sold-out audience with Yes You Are in a sold-out show at 8:30 p.m. Thursday; and Misterwives with Flor and Flint Eastwood at 8 p.m. Friday.

LIVE THEATER is thriving on Downtown stages, which feature two productions this week, including:

  • Jack and the Bean Magico! The classic fairytale, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” is told with the audience’s help, who assist Jack as he climbs the beanstalk to the giant’s rich and fertile land. This special production runs through May 20 at The Coterie in Crown Center.
  • Welcome to Fear City – In this electrifying and original story, a South Bronx boy searches for his poetic voice and wrestles with his identity. His neighborhood fights to survive following the 1977 blackout that rattled New York City and jump-started the hip-hop revolution. Presented by the KC Rep as part of the Origin KC: New Works Festival, Fear City runs through May 27 at the Copaken Stage.

ARTS – your guide to arts and culture in greater Kansas City:

LIVE MUSIC – of all tastes and flavors – is performed at these Downtown venues on most nights:

MUSEUMS are alive and well throughout Downtown, including these 16 destinations:

For more of what’s happening in Downtown and Kansas City, check out our friends at VisitKC.com

‘Barber of Seville’ grooms Downtown for a festive week

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The Lyric Opera of Kansas City will open ‘The Barber of Seville’ on Saturday at the Kauffman Center.

From The Barber of Seville to Kevin Hart; from the SFJazz Collective to Weird Al; and from the UMKC Wind(s) to the Youth Symphony of KC …  this promises to be a thrilling week ahead – Monday to Sunday, April 23-29 – in the Downtown arts & entertainment scene, including:

The Art of Comics – an Andrews McMeel Universal retrospective of the creators and characters who shaped popular culture – is now on display through May 25 at The Box Gallery in the Commerce Arcade, 1000 Walnut. The free exhibit explores the evolution of the funny pages, from Doonesbury to Calvin and Hobbes to the new frontier that is web comics, all through the lens of the company that resulted from that legendary partnership.

The Barber of Seville – The Lyric Opera of Kansas City presents one of the funniest comedies of all time and, yes, it’s an opera. Check your powdered wigs at the door and stop by Seville for a Barber of a different color. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

The SFJazz Collective will pay tribute to Miles Davis on Friday at the Folly Theater.

Folly Theater will be soaring with five performances this week, including:

  • UMKC Wind Symphony, directed by Stephen D. Davis, will perform music by Higdon and Elgar beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
  • UMKC Wind Ensemble, directed by Joseph Parisi, will perform music by five composers – including Bozza, Higdon, Milhaud, King-Smith and Wilson – beginning at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
  • SFJazz Music Collective, an all-star ensemble comprising eight of the finest performer/composers at work in jazz today, will pay tribute to trumpeter, composer and innovator Miles Davis beginning at 8 p.m. Friday. A JazzTalk program with Bob McWilliams will open the evening at 7 p.m.
  • Julia Bullock, soprano in recital, will perform in a free Discovery Concert at 7 p.m. Saturday. The New York Times heralded Bullock is “poised for a significant career.” The charismatic soprano has been lighting up stages around the world, performing vocal repertoire from Schubert to Broadway.
  • ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic will present his “ridiculously self-indulgent, ill-advised vanity tour” with special guest Emo Philips before a sold-out audience at 8 p.m. Sunday. Who could ask for anything more?
‘Weird Al’ Yankovic returns to the Big Town for a sold out show at the Folly Theater on Saturday.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will showcase five performances this week, including:

Knuckleheads Saloon – the hottest honky tonk in the Big Town – features 11 rockin’ shows this week, including the Grand Marquis CD release party with Victor and Penny, and Brandon & The Condition at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, and Valentine & The Knights – Valentine’s Birthday Bash featuring four bands starting at 7 p.m. Sunday.

The Midland will be smokin’ hot with three shows this week, including Lord Huron with Liz Cooper and The Stampede at 8 p.m. Wednesday; Vance Joy with lovelytheband at 7:30 p.m. Friday; and Maks, Val & Peta live on tour at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

Sprint Center welcomes Kevin Hart – of the hottest comedians, entertainers and actors – back to Downtown KC for his Irresponsible Tour at 7 p.m. Friday.

Stanfords Comedy Club brings laughs at its new joint at 831 Walnut. Comedienne Maeret Lemons will headline the 18 & older show this week – beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, plus late shows on Friday and Saturday.

The Truman will be bouncing the east Crossroads with back-to-back performances this weekend, including Marian Hill with Michl at 8 p.m. Friday, and Franz Ferdinand with Priests at 8 p.m. Saturday.

LIVE THEATER is thriving on Downtown stages, which feature four productions this week, including:

  • Belfast Girls – presented by Fishtank Theatre and the Charlotte Street Foundation – tells the powerful Jaki McCarrick story of five young women who seek passage on a ship to Australia to escaping the Irish famine in 1850. Performances continue through Sunday at La Esquina.
  • Jack and the Bean Magico! The classic fairytale, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” is told with the audience’s help, who assist Jack as he climbs the beanstalk to the giant’s rich and fertile land. This special production opens Tuesday and runs through May 20 at The Coterie in Crown Center.
  • The Mascot, a satirically comic coming-of-age story about an obsessive father, a starry-eyed son, and the drama that ensues when a father’s pursuit of his unfulfilled aspirations torpedo the dream of his son, runs through Sunday at The Living Room Theatre.
  • Welcome to Fear City – In this electrifying and original story, a South Bronx boy searches for his poetic voice and wrestles with his identity. His neighborhood fights to survive following the 1977 blackout that rattled New York City and jump-started the hip-hop revolution. Presented by the KC Rep as part of the Origin KC: New Works Festival, Fear City opens Saturday and continues through May 27 at the Copaken Stage.

ARTS – your guide to arts and culture in greater Kansas City:

LIVE MUSIC – of all tastes and flavors – is performed at these Downtown venues on most nights:

MUSEUMS are alive and well throughout Downtown, including these 16 destinations:

For more of what’s happening in Downtown and Kansas City, check out our friends at VisitKC.com

2018 Art in the Loop kickoff is set for May 1

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The 2018 Art in the Loop Project: KC Plays!, a curated outdoor exhibition staged in partnership with the City of Kansas City, Missouri, and KC Streetcar, will feature 15 temporary artworks and performances along the city’s streetcar route, in West Terrace/Case Park, and at the Kansas City Public Library.

Make plans to join us from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 1 for the kickoff presentation and reception at the Central Library, 14 West 10th Street.  Click here to RSVP.

As the series prepares to open, a number of the participating artists take turns discussing their works. They are introduced by art-directors Jahaira Aguilar and Andrew Lattner, local artists and co-founders of the collaborative group NDo. Both artists are current Artists-in-Residence at the Charlotte Street Foundation. Art in the Loop, running from May 1 to September 30, is designed to make cultural experiences available to downtown residents, visitors, and workers.

The 2018 Art in the Loop Project: KC Plays infuses the center of Downtown Kansas City with innovative and engaging temporary art that will refresh, intrigue and surprise Downtown employees, residents, and visitors. The project also creates opportunities for local emerging and established artists to extend their practice into the Downtown environment with curatorial, professional and logistical support. The 2018 locations for the series includes:

  1. Art in the Park – West Terrace & Case Park, 10th & Jefferson;
  2. Art on the Line – KC Streetcar, stops located along Main Street from the City Market to Union Station;
  3. Art at the Library – Kansas City Public Library Central Library,14 W. 10th St.
  4. Art in the Loop Studio Residency –  Location TBD
  5. Art in the Loop Exhibition at The Box Gallery – Commerce Bank Building, 1000 Walnut Street

2018 ART IN THE LOOP ARTISTS

SlinkyBall concept by Denise DiPiazzo

Art in the Park (West Terrace/Case Park):

  • Denise DiPiazzo, SlinkyBall
  • Stacey Sharpe, Air Play
  • Annelise Kinney, Michael Elwood & Daniel Rawlings, Busy Bead Maze

Celestial Heap concept image by Monica Dixon

Art on the Line (KC Streetcar):

  • Alter Art Space, Alter: Pop-Up pARTy (August 24, 6:00 p.m., Union Station Stop)
  • Daniel Chase, Running Idle, (Video animation on KCity Post Kiosks)
  • Monica Dixon, Celestial Heap, (Vinyl artwork onboard KC Streetcar vehicle)
  • Emily Sloan, Streetcar Shelter Sweater, (Fabric artwork, River Market West Stop)
  • Megan Karson, Stranger on a Train, (Soft sculpture onboard KC Streetcar vehicle)
  • Amy Kligman, Party Car, (Vinyl  artwork on KC Streetcar vehicle exterior)
  • Kriss Miller & Alicen Lundberg, KC Word Plays! (Interactive sculpture, Library Southbound Stop)
  • Stephen Proski, Night People (Vinyl artwork, Crossroads Southbound Stop)
  • Stone Lion Puppets, KC Puppets at Play!,(July 11 and August 8, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Union Station and City Market Stops proposed locations.)

Wearable Play concept image by Sunyoung Cheong

Art Starts at the Library (Kansas City Public Library Central Library, 14 W 10th St.):

  • David Alpert, Passing Notes, (June 1, August 3 and other dates TBD)
  • Sunyoung Cheong, Wearable Play, (August 3)

Art in the Loop Studio Residency: Soft Lab

Selected artists Olivia Clanton and Natalie Spicker will create experimental artwork as well as invite the public to interact with them during weaving and quilting workshops. This residency is the first of its kind for Art in the Loop and will provide opportunities for artists to interact with the public and collaborate in a new way. The studio location will be finalized soon. Schedules for workshops will be posted at www.artintheloop.com

The Box Gallery
New this year, The Box Gallery will host an Art in the Loop Exhibition from June through July, with an opening reception on Friday, June 1, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The exhibition will include images and ephemera for this year’s Art in the Loop Project: KC Plays, as well as, maps, brochures and videos. It will also be the site of music performances, receptions and other events. The Box Gallery is located on the first floor of the Commerce Bank Building, 1000 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106.

The 2018 Art in the Loop Project: KC Plays is made possible through the generous support of KC Streetcar; the City of Kansas City, Missouri; the Missouri Arts Council; Arts KC and our corporate sponsors including Stinson Leonard Street, Copaken Brooks, Lofts@Delaware Landing, 3D Development, Burns & McDonnell, JE Dunn Construction, McCownGordon Construction and PortKC. We appreciate support and guidance provided by our partners: Downtown Council, Downtown Community Improvement Districts, KCMO-Public Works Department, KC Streetcar, the KC Parks, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City Art Institute, The Box Gallery, Union Station and The Bridge 90.9.

Art in the Loop will also bring a diverse array of musicians to Downtown Kansas City through a lunchtime concert series on Wednesdays, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., from May 30 through September 5, at the same locations where artwork is installed.  Musicians will be announced later this month.

For more information about the project, the artists and performance schedule visit www.artintheloop.com, www.facebook.com/artintheloop, or twitter.com/ArtintheLoop.