Padgett Productions brings to the stage the tribal love-rock musical HAIR, one of the most powerful pieces of theatre, still every bit as potent as when it moved to Broadway over forty years ago, still holding up a mirror to the problems we haven’t yet solved. In 2008 America seemed to be reliving 1968 politically, and today, as we (America)…
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers June 12–14, June 18–21 Living in the Oregon wilderness in the 1850s, Millie has married a man with six incorrigible brothers. Hilarity ensues when Millie tries to tame the men, and they kidnap six women to marry. Theatre in the Park is in Shawnee Mission Park (7710 Renner Road in Shawnee). For tickets, call 913-831-3359…
Kansas City Explorers Coming off last year’s 13-1 season — the best ever by a World TeamTennis organization — the Explorers hope to bring more exciting men’s, women’s, doubles and mixed-doubles action to Barney Allis Plaza (12th Street and Wyandotte) this July. Tickets begin at $25 for adults and $15 for kids. Go to kcexplorers.com or call 816-513-5630. Vs. New…
Crossroads KC at Grinders 417 East 18th Street crossroadskc.com Rain or shine, the show always goes on in the Crossroads. Rock, reggae, bluegrass or whatever, the venue behind Grinders and Grinders West has all-ages shows and free shows, depending on the artists. Saturday, June 13: Great White, Dangerous Toys, Love/Hate, Rhino Bucket, Federation of Horsepower, Cretin 66 Thursday, June 25:…
JUNE Tetro June 11 Directed by Francis Ford Coppola For his first original screenplay since 1974’s The Conversation, Coppola reportedly mined his own experiences for this tale of two brothers (Vincent Gallo and Alden Ehrenreich) trying to come to terms with their complex family history. Set in contemporary Buenos Aires, Tetro was filmed in black and white, a style that…
39th Street Community Market Midtown’s only weekday market features organic and sustainably grown produce and farm products, free-range meat, baked goods, live music, handmade art and kids’ crafts from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday through October 7 in the Javanaut parking lot (1615 West 39th Street). See 39thstreetmarket.com for more details. Badseed Organic staples are on sale directly from…
Duck Derby Sunday, June 28 Yellow rubber ducks — 20,000 of them — “race” down Brush Creek on the Plaza when RED Development teams with Children’s Therapeutic Learning Center (Children’s TLC) to raise money for the learning center, which provides early education for children with special needs. The grand-prize winner receives a 2009 Harley-Davidson VRSCF V-Rod Muscle. Other prizes include…
Near the end of Jetta Carleton’s first — and only — published novel, an old Missouri farm woman named Callie Soames pauses during her round of morning chores to examine a moonflower vine that grows near the smokehouse. “The flowers were so lovely and they lasted so short a time,” Callie reflects. “It was … something you looked forward to…
The work by Kansas City photographer Jaimie Warren is deliberate but not overly calculated, purposeful but not single-minded, meaningful without the long face. In other words, it’s serious but not, you know, serious. When asked what’s in her first solo museum exhibition, opening this weekend, Warren responds in characteristic fashion. “Tell me what you wanna know, girl!” she demands. “I…
Truck and bus drivers in many parts of Latin America take great delight in inscribing dichos, a saying, proverb, or amusing expression, on the bumpers and other surfaces of their vehicles as a way of conveying their personal feelings and worldviews to a broad audience. Dichos, hand painted by amateurs or professionals in an endless variety of graphic styles and…
As the traditionally Hispanic Westside neighborhood in downtown KC continues to shape-shift — and change colors — the time seems particularly ripe for the second-annual Comunidad/Community art exhibition at La Esquina, the Westside venue of Charlotte Street Foundation’s Urban Culture Project. The group show, presented by UCP and Azteca de Greater Kansas City, brings together some 40 Kansas City-area artists…
If you listen to This American Life, you may have heard Davy Rothbart. His contributions to the show usually spring from the found objects — letters, notes, children’s drawings — that he and other people stumble upon and ponder. Rothbart founded Found, a magazine devoted to, as he says, “investigating the riddle that all great finds present.” Rothbart stops tonight…
The West 18th Street Fashion Show has become an early summer tradition for the Crossroads crowd in the nine years since its inception. This year’s theme: “Summer in Space.” As always, the talent pool includes 18 designers, including two hometown women stirring up national buzz. In one of the most anticipated collections of the night, Ari Fish and Peggy Noland…
What sporting event on July 4 is nearly 100 years old and draws more than a million viewers and attendees? Why, the largest eating competition in the world, of course — Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest. To get to the big-time chow-down at Coney Island, wannabe champs must compete in qualifying regional contests. One of…
Check out the opening reception of Daniel Farnum’s photography exhibit, The New Country. The photographs in this series express a modern desire to connect to a traditional pastoral region; however, the people, activities, and contemporary aesthetics of this particular American culture ultimately define a new rural landscape. Fri., June 5, 7-9 p.m., 2009 Tags: Daniel Farnum, Night & Day
Through a long, cold winter and a cold, wet spring, we really missed the local vendors and organic eats at Badseed Market (1909 McGee, 913-522-3458). Seriously — it’s, like, a block over, so we go there constantly. Now that the doors are open for the season and the farmers are delivering, Badseed is the place for a series of summer…
Bust out the rainbow suspenders and big sunglasses — it’s time for the 31st-annual Kansas City Pride Festival. Named by The Advocate last year as one of the top 10 gay-pride festivals in the nation, the celebration goes down today through Sunday in midtown. Three days of fun begin tonight with Street Blast, a free, carnival-style dance party at 19th…
Don’t you even think of tossing out Great-Aunt Myrtle’s 1960s brooch encrusted with fake gemstones! What may look outré to you could be worth a small fortune. Sure, it’s no Tiffany’s creation, but it may be costume jewelry designed by one of the masters: Miriam Haskell, Coro or Kenneth Jay Lane. The high priestess of costume jewelry, Rosalie Bryzelak Sayyah…
On June 4, 1989, tanks moved into Tiananmen Square to quell student protests sparked by the death of Hu Yaobang, who had supported reforms toward capitalism in the People’s Republic of China. Diane Wei Liang was a student at Beijing’s Peking University during that tumultuous time and took part in the Student Democracy Movement’s protests on that fateful day. Wei…
Open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m., Flo’s has $2.75 domestic bottles and $3 wells that taste great accompanying the sweet smell of barbecue coming from Smokestack Bar-B-Q two doors down. Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., 2009 Tags: Night & Day
(8410 Wornall, 816-363-8722). From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at this pseudo-classy bar behind Church’s Chicken, drink Skyy Grape bombs for $4 or a Nutty Elena for $3.50. The latter is a tasty combo of Crown Royal, Bailey’s and butterscotch schnapps, named after the wacky bartender herself. Mon., June 8, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 2009 Tags: Church’s Chicken Inc., Night &…
(8431 Wornall, 816-361-4388). From 3 to 7 p.m., score $3 wells, $2.25 domestic bottles and $3.25 calls. This bar attracts a surprisingly young crowd. The Buddy Lush Phenomenon resurfaces here each Wednesday for an ear-ringing happy-hour matinee from 4 to 6 p.m. Mon., June 8, 3-7 p.m., 2009 Tags: Night & Day
At some point during the past decade, it became acceptable to like Hall & Oates for kitschy reasons. Then something worse happened: People started liking them for their songs. Lawrence musicians Dan Cook (ex-Bubble Boys) and Jack Pierrelee (Log Lady) fell under the H & O spell at Starlight Theatre several years ago. Rather than repress their animal urges, they…
Kansas City has no professional basketball or hockey team, but it does have three women’s tackle-football teams. The Women’s Football Alliance sponsors two of them: the KC Storm and the newly assembled Missouri Phoenix, which is actually based out of Kansas City, Kansas. Both teams will go head to head tonight at North Kansas City High School (620 East 23rd…
