Hola
6/17-6/18
The Full Circle Theatre Company deals exclusively with serious issues — its stated mission is “to evoke social change” — but that doesn’t mean it always takes itself seriously. Its latest production, Latins Anonymous, resembles sketch shows such as In Living Color more than it does preachy political rallies. The satirical script pushes stereotypes to absurd extremes, demonstrating that life for Latinos in America is too complex to be reduced to generalizations. The actors use the titular therapeutic setting as a jumping-off point for fantasy sequences that skewer condescending advertising images (Juan Valdez and his trusty goat get beaned), unwitting social discrimination and xenophobia. The musical portion of the program includes a tragicomic tune about the plight of immigrant workers. The cast name-checks local landmarks and even pulls the Royals into the mix, parodying former manager Tony Peña and lamenting the loss of Carlos Beltran. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Avila University’s Goppert Theatre, 11901 Wornall Road. Call 816-501-2405— Andrew Miller
Bard Game
6/21-7/17
Thank you, Kansas City Shakespeare Festival, for returning every summer with free, outdoor entertainment. This year, it’s the romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing, replete with quibbles, puns, jests and other forms of verbal dexterity. It’s the ultimate celebration of bad jokes. The play opens at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Southmoreland Park, just west of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art at 47th Street and Oak, returning every evening but Mondays through July 17. To see the actors ham it up even more, come an hour early for the “Show Talk” — and celebrate this summer’s concession addition of beer and wine. Bring a blanket to sit on, and chip in a few bucks if you can. Call 816-531-7728 or see www.kcshakes.org. — Sarah Smarsh
Use Your Delusion
Crazies invade the Unicorn Theatre.
6/17-7/10
Where is the line between legitimate fear and neurotic paranoia? The Unicorn Theatre (3828 Main) investigates with its season finale, Bug, a horror-movie-as-play that puts as much focus on conspiracy theories and gore as it does drama and suspense. Taking place in an Oklahoma City motel room, Tracy Letts’ thriller follows Agnes White as she hides from her abusive ex-husband with her love interest, a strange young drifter who scours the room in search of invisible bugs. As the play descends into bloody madness, mysterious doctors and unordered pizzas arrive, discussion turns to the links between Timothy McVeigh and Jim Jones, and the separation of dreams from reality becomes less discernible. The show premieres at 8 p.m. Friday and runs through July 10. Tickets are $20. Call 816-531-7529 for more information. — Christopher Sebela
