In Hot Pursuit
SAT 2/12
Valentine’s Day can be hard on everyone — the lovers, the lonely and the lost. It always reminds us of the one of those nights with high expectations that are hard to live up to. Fortunately, a group of raconteurs has come to save us from the bittersweet sentimentality of this insidiously invasive holiday of sweet nothings, boxed chocolates and the indiscriminate use of pink and red. “True Stories of Courtship and Pursuit” is a storytelling event that hopes to unify lonely hearts — not necessarily to commiserate but to celebrate the comically absurd behavior prompted by romance and pursuit. To accomplish this, the Pitch‘s own contributing writer Gina Kaufmann has rounded up storytellers who will provide 6-minute monologues.
Blogger, performer and self-described nerd Kelly Sue DeConnick, for example, has a modern tale of love found on the Internet. “We met on a comic-book Web site, so it’s just about as mortifying as it can be,” says DeConnick, whose story (spoiler ahead!) ends in matrimony. Other storytellers include Kansas City burlesque ex-pat Maygun Metzger; comic-book maker and “MK12 guy” Matt Fraction; artist Jane Almirall; and another of our own personal favorites, former Pitch writer Casey Logan
To enhance the ambience, live music and a romance-inspired soundtrack (from Wham to Tchaikovsky) punctuate the stories, which get started at 7 p.m. at the Brick (1727 McGee); the door fee is $2. Also at the Brick that night, David Wayne Reed and Ron Megee of Late Night Theater host a Bittersweet Bridesmaids competition, with music by Hot Fruit and the Rather Nots. Call 816-421-1634 for information. — Michael Vennard
Great Sexpectations
THU 2/10
Dolphins do it. Bonobo monkeys do it. And, well, that’s about it. Why can’t humans simply have sex for the hell of it — without the interference of emotions, psychology or past experience? Because it’s all so fucking complicated. “Complicated” is the word Jennifer Lehr used in couples therapy to describe sex with her boyfriend of one year, John, whom she later married, despite their problems in bed. In her new memoir, Ill-Equipped for a Life of Sex, Lehr recounts how she and John escaped the sexual doldrums by re-examining their prior sex miseducation. The Lehrs share their story —which, despite shades of narcissism, is ultimately disarming —and take questions at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Writers Place, 3607 Pennsylvania. Call 816-753-1090. — Jason Harper
Mmm … Beer
SAT 2/12
The craft of making beer isn’t new — even the ancient Egyptians liked to swill a brewski after a long day at the, uh, pyramids. But the home-brewing trend has been growing fast, thanks to lower costs and the potential for higher-quality results. People are buying more DIY kits, and pubs are sponsoring classes — such as the one at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Power Plant Restaurant and Brewery (2 Main Street, Parkville). There, Brewmaster Gordon Gerski teaches the history and process of craft ale brewing, then helps students with hands-on production. The $40 entrance fee covers lunch, samples and a half-gallon to take home. Call 816-746-5051 to register. — Annie Fischer
Play On, Playa
MON 2/14
Boy meets girl. Boy and girl flirt. Boy and girl get rip-roaring drunk, tear off each other’s designer duds and engage in completely forgettable sex. Boy and girl never speak again. That’s how it goes most nights at Re:Verse, right? Monday’s Players’ Holiday shouldn’t be that different — except it’s at the beginning of the week, it milks Valentine’s Day-inspired insecurities, and it costs $50. But we think it’ll be worth it to top the smug smiles and romantic stories from our coupled-up friends at work the next day. Tickets include drinks, hors d’oeuvres and music from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Call Re:Verse (618 Ward Parkway) at 816-931-7811. — Fischer
