Classical,
Symphony's spectacular performance
Beginning with Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture, Op. 36, the Kansas City Symphony performed three characteristic examples of Russian orchestral repertoire in their aptly named program "Russian Spectacular."
Gentle woodwinds and resonant pizzicati on the low strings filled Helzberg Hall as the Overture introduced themes from Russian Orthodox liturgy and pagan musical references set in unconventional meters. Although the orchestra launched a captivating start, the effect was brief and the general sound of the orchestra was slightly feeble in the first half of the piece; the brass section lacked oomph in the delivery of the fanfares. However, the orchestra caught its wind halfway through and proceeded strongly as the piece moved from one climactic moment to another.
Tianwa Yang, a young violinist with an ever-growing international fame, took the stage for Glazunov's Concerto in A minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 82. Yang captured the audience in the first notes of the piece with astounding musicality. She delivered each musical phrase with drama, character, and purpose—unquestionably mature for her 23 years of age.
Born in Beijing, Yang began studying violin at age four and won six competitions as a child. At age ten she was accepted into Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music. She recorded Paganini's 24 Caprices at age thirteen receiving the title of the youngest interpreter of these compositions in the world. In 1999, Isaac Stern invited Yang to study with him in the U.S.
Yang exhibited a physical connection with the violin as she swayed and bounced with the melodies. Her impressive technique manifested itself in a performance of complex violin techniques that she executed immaculately. The orchestra showed a good balance with the soloist providing a solid musical base for her to rely on.
Yang indulged the audience with a lovely encore. After her performance she met with the attendees for an autograph session. Yang expressed her enjoyment of performing at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and described her experience as, "Just amazing!" She complemented the acoustics of Helzberg Hall in allowing musical dynamics, from pianissimo to forte, to shine equally.
The second half of the night was devoted Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93. The composer wrote his tenth symphony after the death of Stalin as a celebration of his long-awaited musical freedom. The KC Symphony excelled in this performance. Starting with a sublime legato in painstakingly soft dynamics, the opening clarinet solo was hypnotic, and the clarinet section blended flawlessly.
The KC Symphony performed this work with such energy and commitment that the first half of the concert was almost forgettable. After the intense Allegretto movement the audience couldn't help uttering celebratory remarks. The orchestra particularly thrived in the tutti passages as they moved through radical dynamic changes.
The low strings, especially the contrabass section, delivered high-level musicality; not only in this work, but also throughout the concert. The night could easily be entitled "pizzicato spectacular" for each work included extended pizzicato sections that were delivered in precise synchronicity resulting in a single heartbeat produced by many.
Players showed good chemistry with the conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto, and were remarkably responsive to his joyful direction. The selection of Russian composers for the program showcased a historical student-mentor relationship and a timeline. Rimsky-Korsakov who was the teacher of many a Russian composer also discovered Glazunov's talent and tutored him. Later on, Shostakovich became a student of Glazunov. In this sense, the program was educational for already knowledgeable audience.
Although at first I was skeptical of the extravagant title "Russian Spectacular", it proved to be appropriately chosen. The performance lived up to the expectations generated by the title of the night, and was awarded with an extended standing ovation from the audience that called Maestro Prieto to stage three times.
REVIEW:
Kansas City Symphony
Russian Spectacular
November 25–27, 2011 (Reviewed Friday, November 25)
Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
1601 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO
For tickets visit http://www.kcsymphony.org
Top Photo: Kansas City Symphony (Photo by Chris Lee)
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Classical, Dance,
PREVIEW: Holiday music and dance
The holidays provide an opportunity for almost every classical music and dance organization in town to put on some special programming, and 2011 is no different in that respect from other years. Just take a look at the some of the offerings identified below. But remember: like everybody else, musicians and dancers like to spend the actual holidays with their families, so get in the mood early. If you wait until after December 18, the pickings get much slimmer.
Perhaps Kansas City’s favorite music and dance tradition is Tchaikovsky’s delightful Nutcracker. The Kansas City Ballet will bring its own extravagant holiday favorite to the stage of the Muriel Kauffman Theatre at the Kauffman Center for the first time beginning December 3 and continuing through December 24. Times for the performances vary, so be sure to check the Ballet’s website for details. Audiences young and old will appreciate the charm and grace of Tchaikovsky’s timeless score and the choreography of the Ballet’s artistic director, William Whitener, in this exciting new space.
Musica Sacra, the fine baroque choral ensemble led by Timothy McDonald, presents Vivaldi’s setting of the Magnificat at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 2 at St. Francis Xavier Church across from Rockhurst University. Also on the program are works by Purcell and Buxtehude, as well as favorite carols. At 8:00 that same evening you can enjoy the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra’s annual holiday concert, which is “Christmas by Candlelight,” at the Old Mission United Methodist Church in Fairway, Kansas. Hear the Christmas music of Handel, Vivaldi, Corelli and Bach in a candlelit setting.
The weekend of December 2, 3, and 4 brings us the Heartland Men’s Chorus at the Folly Theater, in a concert entitled “Holiday Glee.” The first two concerts are at 8:00 p.m., with the Sunday matinee being at 4:00 p.m. This group always performs with an infectious spirit.
A traditional holiday favorite is Handel’s Messiah, for which the Kansas City Symphony and the Independence Messiah Choir have been teaming up for yours. In years past, performances have been held at the Community of Christ Auditorium in Independence, Missouri. This year, however, the Symphony is holding all of its performances in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center, so the 95-year tradition will move to Helzberg Hall at 8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, December 2 and 3, and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 4. Associate conductor Steven Jarvi leads the combined forces.
On Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4, at 7:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively, at St. Theresa’s Academy auditorium, Kansas City Young Audiences will present a special performance of A Gilbert and Sullivan Christmas Carol, the only opera-related Christmas performance taking place locally (outside of church services) this season. The book and music is by Gayden Wren, utilizing music written by Arthur Sullivan for other occasions, but retooled to present the familiar Dickens story. It should be a hoot.
The Turtle Island Quartet joins local group Te Deum to perform “Solstice Celebration: A Festival of Lights” at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 3 in the Polsky Theatre as part of the Performing Arts Series at Johnson County Community College. The concert will feature Jewish and Hindu traditions, both called the Festival of Lights. In addition, “famous classical gems” are included.
Saturday, December 4 brings us the Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City concert “A Celtic Christmas on the River” at Park University’s Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel at 3:00 p.m. That evening at 7:30 p.m. the combined Conservatory Choirs of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance present “A Season for Giving,” a concert at Visitation Church which is a benefit for Harvester’s, the community food network.
On Sunday afternoon, December 4, the choirs of MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe sing “A Christmas Celebration Concert” at 3:30 p.m. That evening, the University of Kansas School of Music presents its “87th Holiday Vespers” concert at 7:30 p.m. at the Lied Center on the University of Kansas campus.
The famous Tallis Scholars of Great Britain visit Kansas City during the holiday season once again this year under the sponsorship of the Friends of Chamber Music, to present mostly ancient Christmas music structured around settings of the Magnificat with diverse masterpieces by composers from across Europe. The concert will be on Tuesday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception; an appropriate place for a Magnificat! Enjoy the music of Taverner, Praetorius, Palestrina, and others.
Wednesday, December 7 brings “’Tis the Season” by the Topeka Symphony Orchestra under the direction of guest director David Feltner at 7:30 p.m. at White Concert Hall on the Washburn University campus in Topeka. With guest soloist Jeff Kready, the orchestra will bring you “traditional chestnuts along with a few surprises.”
If you like Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and have a sense of humor, try out the Owen/Cox Dance Group’s innovative and hilarious send-up of Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, being performed the weekends of December 9–11 and 16–18 (8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, 2:00 p.m. for the Sunday matinees). Jennifer Owen and Brad Cox are clever in both their choreography and musical riffs on the Tchaikovsky favorite. Strictly fun.
Saturday, December 10 will be the busiest date on your holiday music calendar, with many fine performances from which to choose. Terri Teal’s Fine Arts Chorale joins with outstanding local organist Jan Kraybill to perform familiar Christmas carols as well as more unusual holiday fare at Visitation Catholic Church at 7:30 p.m. The friendly resonance of Visitation should be an excellent location for such a concert. Also at 7:30 p.m. the Metropolitan Chorale of Kansas City, the chorale of the metropolitan community colleges under the direction of Rebecca Johnson, will perform “Holiday Miracles” at the Stone Church in Independence, Missouri. The Kansas City Women’s Chorus will sing its annual holiday concert at 8:00 p.m. at the Folly Theater. According to information from the group, “The women will perform seasonal favorites, beautiful choral classics, and some funny surprises thrown in.”
That same day, the Lee’s Summit Symphony performs its annual holiday concert at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m., at Bernard C. Campbell Performing Arts Center at Lee’s Summit High School. At 7:30 p.m. that same night, the Liberty Symphony Orchestra presents its holiday concert at the Liberty Performing Arts Center. In addition, at 7:30 p.m., the Fountain City Brass Band will play its “Bells-A-Plenty” holiday concert at the Bell Cultural Arts Center on the campus of MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe. It is the tenth installment of this award-winning group’s holiday program.
Also on Saturday, December 10, Octarium, Kansas City’s prized eight-voiced a capella singing group, sings its “Holidays With Octarium” concert at 3:00 p.m. at Powell Gardens, then repeats the concert at 7:30 p.m. at the Parkville Presbyterian Church. Octarium also performs a “Lessons and Carols” at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 11 at St. Mark Hope and Peace Church in Kansas City. Its concerts are often among the most engrossing of the holiday season.
Sunday, December 11 is the date for the Northland Symphony Orchestra’s two holiday concerts, one at 3:00 and one at 4:30 p.m., both featuring choirs from local schools, and both performed at Park Hill South High School.
Sunday, December 11 and Tuesday, December 13 are the dates of the Kansas City Chorale’s annual holiday songfest, this year entitled Guadete! Rejoice!, which will feature carols and classical holiday music. Performances are at the Redemptorist Church on Broadway and Asbury United Methodist in Overland Park at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m. on those two dates, respectively.
The Kansas City Symphony’s annual holiday pops concert, “Christmas Festival,” is on the Helzberg Hall stage the weekend of December 16 through 18. It is performed at 8:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, evenings, at 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. for the matinees on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, and at 6:00 p.m. for an additional Sunday performance. This program is always great family fun.
Christmas concerts by brass players are holiday favorites, so keep in mind the Burning River Brass ensemble, which will perform on Friday, December 16 at 8:00 p.m. at Yardley Hall at the Johnson County Community College. This twelve-member ensemble is known for its eclectic performances, and the program will include new arrangements of Christmas favorites.
The Kansas City Civic Orchestra under Christopher Kelts presents its holiday concert on Saturday, December 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Atonement Lutheran Church in Overland Park. The same night the Heritage Philharmonic performs its free “Holiday Pops Spectacular” 7:30 p.m. at the Blue Springs High School Performing Arts Center. Also, December 17 is the date for Kantorei’s "Christmas: Sweet Was the Song," performed at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church at Loch Lloyd, Missouri; the concert repeats on Sunday, December 18 at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Kansas City, Missouri.
The holiday season also brings a number of performances by groups that you wouldn’t strictly call “classical,” but at this time of year our categories become a little more flexible. For example, you will hear lots of delightful holiday music sung by fine voices at J. Kent Barnhart’s Quality Hill Playhouse performances of “Christmas in Song” downtown beginning November 18 and continuing through December 24. Another group which normally performs Broadway-type music but which entertains with a holiday special is George Harter’s Musical Theatre Heritage, which performs “A Spectacular Christmas in Concert” from Friday, December 2 to Sunday, December 18 at Crown Center’s Off Center Theatre.
On Friday, December 9 at 8:00 p.m. the Kansas City Symphony performs a holiday pops concert with the Texas Tenors at Helzberg Hall. The performance is a benefit for the Mission Project, a local charity assisting adults with disabilities.
Saturday, December 10 brings White Christmas, a collection of seventeen Irving Berlin favorites, to Theatre Lawrence at 7:30 p.m. The leading favorite is, of course, the title song.
Mannheim Steamroller, the famous group that performs “new age” versions of many classics, including Christmas favorites, takes the stage at the Lied Center on Saturday, December 14 at 7:30 p.m. as part of its national Christmas tour. The performance will probably include selections from its new Christmas CD, Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Symphony.
Another not-quite-classical Christmas performance is that of the DePue Brothers Band, which presents a holiday concert under the sponsorship of the Harriman-Jewell Series on Monday, December 19 at 7:00 p.m. at Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center. The group, which has been featured on PBS, performs works which “encompass a vivid blend of bluegrass, classical, and rock genres,” according to the publicity.
Get out your calendar and begin to make some tough choices! You can’t possibly attend them all, but even a few of them should get you into the holiday spirit.
Classical,
Movers, Shakers, Stalwarts: Jan Kraybill
Skilled organists have always been an important component of the performing arts scene in Kansas City. Today, music lovers can celebrate a number of excellent artists in our community: John Schaefer, John Ditto, and Jan Kraybill, to just name three.
Kraybill is the successor to John Obetz as the organist of the Community of Christ Auditorium (formerly RLDS Auditorium) and Temple in Independence, Missouri. Obetz gained international fame with his syndicated radio show, The Auditorium Organ, which was heard throughout the country. It is not only in Independence that she can be heard, however. For years she was also a longtime participant in the Bach Aria Soloists programs (now succeeded by Elisa Bickers), she also performs in solo recitals and in concert other groups throughout the Kansas City area and beyond.
KCMetropolis: Being the successor to John Obetz at the Community of Christ Auditorium and Temple must be quite an honor for you. How do you feel about your celebrity here in the Kansas City area?
Jan Kraybill: I do feel honored to follow in the footsteps of John Obetz and join the many other fine organists making great music weekly in the Kansas City metro area. Their example inspires me to strive to do my best in every musical environment I encounter.
KCM: Tell us about your background and how you came to have your position as one of Kansas City’s leading organists.
JK: My background includes many inspirational teachers, mentors, and models. I began piano lessons when I was three years old, and a strong background in piano is fundamental to my organ technique.
I became enamored with the sound and the mechanics of the organ as a kid when our church, First United Presbyterian in Colby, Kansas, purchased a small Reuter pipe organ. The organist there, Velma Lippoldt, was my first organ instructor. I’ve been a professional church musician since age nineteen, serving in various denominations through the years.
Mary Ellen Sutton, professor of organ at Kansas State University, gave me occasional coaching sessions during my student days there (though I was a piano major then), and I’ve received guidance from many instructors in master classes and clinics along the way. Later, I studied with John Obetz and did well in organ concert and competition situations, then earned my doctorate in organ performance from the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance.
I’ve been a member of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) for over twenty years, and have benefitted greatly from the Guild’s certification program, conventions, competitions, and the collegiality I’ve encountered at chapter meetings. I have served in many leadership positions within the Guild; for the past six years I’ve been the Regional Councilor of AGO’s Region VI, representing ten Midwest states on the national council. I also serve at the national level of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada and on the board of the Master Teacher Institute. All of these networks have encouraged me to take on ever-widening roles in the field of classical music, which in turn inspires my daily work. I’m always looking for the next challenge. Last year I earned the highest certification available to organists, and as a result am a Fellow of the AGO.
KCM: Tell us about some of your performing activities, both inside and outside the Community of Christ. I understand that sometimes you perform on the harpsichord as well as the organ.
JK: My position at Community of Christ International Headquarters is unique among church organist positions, because I serve as a resource person for the musicians of the denomination worldwide. Therefore, a lot of travel is involved, as I lead hymn festivals and provide music for other worship services, play recitals, and teach workshops in a wide variety of places each year. Through these experiences I’ve learned that each culture of the world brings its own gifts and perspectives to music-making, and I’ve enjoyed incorporating ideas from all sources into what I do as a church musician.
Outside the Community of Christ, I maintain an active performing career both as a soloist and as a collaborative musician. That usually involves a lot of travel too, but as it happens, I’ll be in Kansas City for the entirety of December. I’ll perform at Helzberg Hall as harpsichordist for three performances of Handel’s Messiah by the Kansas City Symphony and Chorus and Independence Messiah Choir, appear with the Fine Arts Chorale in a concert of Christmas music at Visitation Catholic Church, serve as organist for a Lessons and Carols service with the Spire Symphonic Choir at Community of Christ’s Peace Temple, perform a solo recital as a fundraiser for the historic organ at Grand Avenue Temple, and be back at the harpsichord for a period performance of Handel’s Messiah with the Spire Chamber Ensemble and Orchestra at Trinity Lutheran Church in Overland Park—in addition to Sunday worship services. It’s a “most wonderful time of the year” for a musician! (Visit www.jankraybill.com for details on these and future performances.)
KCM: At the Community of Christ you have an opportunity to perform on two of the finest organs in the area. Tell us what it is like to perform on one of these instruments.
JK: I am very fortunate to have my artistic passion as my career, and to be able to express it at the two magnificent pipe organs at Community of Christ. When I play there, I experience a grand mix of emotions: awe at the power and complexity of these mighty machines, joy at the variety of sounds at my disposal, fascination with the music and the challenge of communicating it clearly to the congregation or audience—but most of all, intense gratitude, for the creativity and talents of the organ builders, instructors, and composers whose work comes together in any one performance. I always feel so lucky to be the fingers and feet that bring the music to life!
KCM: What are some of your other favorite organs in Kansas City? Are there any "hidden treasures" out there that the rest of us should know about?
JK: Kansas City is full of pipe organ treasures! The bigger instruments in prominent venues tend to get the most attention; in addition to my “home instruments” the ones I’ve most frequently played include the Gabriel Kney at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, the Lively-Fulcher at Visitation Catholic Church, and the Ruffatti/Rogers at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
But our city’s smaller organ “gems” are works of art as well. Each pipe organ is custom-designed and built specifically for the place in which it resides, so each one is as unique as an individual you might meet at a party—with strengths and characteristics that are fun to get to know and explore. In the Kansas City metro area we have instruments created by organ builders close to home, such as Reuter Organ Company in Lawrence and Quimby Pipe Organs in Warrensburg. We have a historic and recently “transplanted” treasure in the E&GG Hook at Rainbow Mennonite Church. We have Grand Avenue Temple’s Skinner, currently undergoing restoration, which will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its installation in 2012. There are many, many more—how many pages can I have here, to list them all?
In 2018, Kansas City will host the national convention of the American Guild of Organists. I serve on the planning committee for this event, and one of the first of our tasks was to make a list of all the potential convention venues with organs in our metro area. It’s a long list: over two single-spaced pages.
KCM: We would imagine that you are excited about the installation of the new Casavant organ in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the upcoming debut of that organ in a special concert in March. Tell us about the new organ, how it might compare to the other organs in Kansas City, and the hopes of the organ community for the use of the organ.
JK: I am beyond excited about this very significant new addition to Kansas City’s pipe organ scene! We all know that the acoustics of Helzberg Hall are incredible. The organ will be the hall’s only resident instrument—the only one which can never be moved from its location—and therefore it will be uniquely voiced to match the particular acoustic advantages of its home.
The organ is a Casavant, built by the same firm who created the newest of the two Community of Christ instruments, and it is very similar to our Casavant in some aspects, such as overall size, number of ranks (sounds), and action (the link between keys and their corresponding pipes). Therefore, I like to say our organ is the “older sister” instrument to the “newborn” at the Kauffman Center.
The new organ of course has its own unique range and expression, and I am eagerly anticipating the concert on March 10, 2012, when it will be heard in public for the very first time. James David Christie, the organ consultant for this instrument, will be the organist for that event. He is a well-known performer and instructor, the long-time resident organist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and is a spectacular and entertaining musician. I encourage everyone to purchase a ticket when they become available and join me in the audience for this concert!
I am also eagerly anticipating the Kansas City Symphony concerts in June—already sold out!—when we’ll hear the organ with our Symphony for the first time, in Saint-Saëns magnificent Symphony No. 3, known as the “Organ” Symphony. The well-known concert organist Paul Jacobs, head of the organ department at Juilliard, will play. I’ve performed that work with other orchestras, and there is a moment when the full power of the organ is heard in a stupendous C-major chord—I can’t wait!
I believe that my hopes for the future of this glorious instrument mirror those of the organ community: that in addition to the international artists it will attract to our city, it will be an inspiration and outreach tool to the community in which it resides, with a wide variety of programming and educational opportunities each year. One of the best parts of my job at Community of Christ is doing pipe organ demonstrations for people of all ages, especially kids, introducing them to this incredible instrument and its music. I hope the Kauffman Center organ’s programming includes these and other opportunities for learning.
KCM: Do you have a feel for what the future holds in Kansas City, for classical organ performance?
JK: It’s a great time to be a musician in Kansas City. The music world is buzzing with the news that the arts are experiencing such a resurgence here. In the organ community we have many upcoming young musicians who are excited about organ performance and organ building. New instruments of all sizes are being constructed in our city and across the country each year. The Kauffman Center pipe organ will bring together musicians and audiences for rich artistic experiences, and each venue for organ music in our city will benefit from the revitalized arts culture here.
There is a saying, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” That’s happening now and will continue, I’m sure of it. As a result, we all—artists and audiences alike—will experience a better quality of life in our city. Kansas City’s artistic future is rich with possibilities!
For more information about Jan Kraybill and her performance calendar, visit www.jankraybill.com.
Top Photo: Jan Kraybill at the Community of Christ Auditorium Organ in 2007, Independence, MO (Photo by Jim Doty)
Classical, Film, Dance, Local Arts News,
From opera house to art house
Beginning next week, the Tivoli’s Jerry Harrington will be bringing the best of Europe’s ballet companies and opera houses to his Westport art house. On December 7, the movie theatre will launch what is known as “opera in cinema” and “ballet in cinema,” showing live broadcasts from world-renowned stages such as Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet, the Teatro alla Scala Opera House in Milan, and the Royal Ballet and Opera Company in London. This newest endeavor has required a big investment by Harrington, who has already been making changes at the Tivoli.
In December of 1992, Harrington moved into the Manor Square Theater and renamed it the Tivoli. Nineteen years later, he is still presenting a wide array of foreign and independent films to art-house enthusiasts. However, times are changing in the film industry with the advent of high-definition (HD) technology. Combined with his own shift in tastes to include other forms of artistic expression, Harrington in May started presenting HD films of plays performed at London’s National Theatre.
Harrington said showcasing the National Theatre—giving people a chance to see a live performance without having to travel to London—was something he had always wanted to do. Still, it took a while for him to be sure it would be worth his time and to finally spend the money required to make necessary changes, including the installation of a new HD projector in the Tivoli’s largest auditorium. Thus far, he said his experiment has been “pretty successful” and he plans on making the broadcasts of National Theatre plays a permanent fixture.
Harrington’s foray into opera and ballet has required him to bring in satellite equipment as well, which is just part of several, long-term renovations at the Tivoli. “We started the process with redoing the restrooms, nothing very exciting,” he said. “We’re going to renovate the box office and redo the seats in the big auditorium. We pay as we go so we’re picking and choosing things that really need to be done and are affordable.”
The Tivoli is also working with KCP&L to replace all of the lobby’s light fixtures with LED lights and to put them on timers. Harrington said KCP&L will help them pay for it all, since the improvements will reduce their energy use. Additionally, he plans to upgrade the building’s air-conditioning and heating units. “They’re not very sexy projects, but they’re things that need to be done for the long haul.”
Despite his love for 35mm film, Harrington is about ready to install another digital projector in one of his auditoriums. “Digital cinema is what’s coming, whether we like it or not,” he said. “I don’t really like it, but I have to change, or I have to get out of the business.”
Harrington worries about costs in the long run when it comes to digital projectors: “How long are these projectors going to be workable? Nobody knows that. It’s supposed to be 10 years, but most computer stuff is only viable for five years at best. And so are we going to be constantly spending money to upgrade the software and the equipment? Another thing is that if I buy something today, will five years or three years from now will it be a lot cheaper? If I had waited could I have bought it for half of what I paid for it now?”
In addition to his concerns about keeping up with changes in projection, Harrington believes the predominantly older age range of art-house customers, typically around 50, will eventually become a problem. “Not now, but I’ve seen a lot of my customers die off,” he said. “I’ve been doing this for thirty years so I get to know people. I know when they’re not around anymore, and usually it’s because they’re not living. What’s going to happen ten years from now? I’m hoping that people who are 25 to 35 now will, when they hit 45 to 50, say, ‘I want to go the theater or an art house movie.’”
Harrington recalled that while he did occasionally attend theater when he was 20, he didn’t have any inclination to go to operas or symphonies. He said he now goes all the time because his tastes changed as he got older, hence his inclusion of opera and ballet at the Tivoli.
While he may be diversifying what the Tivoli has to offer, Harrington still loves the movie experience, even if he doesn’t see as many as he once did. He said he loves when customers come up to him and thank him for doing what he does, and added how great his employees have been over the years. “I can’t imagine doing anything else,” he said. “I went to film school to make movies, but really I was born to show them, not to make them.”
Mozart’s Don Giovanni by La Scala Opera can be seen live at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 7, and in a recorded version at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 11. This will be followed by a presentation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 27. For ballet lovers, the Tivoli will present Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty by the Bolshoi Ballet at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 28 and 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 29. Collaborators, a new play by John Hodge at London’s National Theatre, will be broadcast at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 5 and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 8. Tickets for all of these showings are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors/students, and $10 for UMKC students with an ID. All seating is general admission.
For more information, visit www.tivolikc.com, or call 913-383-7756.
Theatre ,
This Christmas, many “Carols”
Ever since Charles Dickens’s novella first appeared in 1843, it has been impossible to imagine a Christmas season without A Christmas Carol. This weekend in Kansas City, there will be at least three distinctly different professional presentations of A Christmas Carol playing out simultaneously within a few miles of each other. And whether you prefer state-of-the-art stagecraft, appreciate hearing the story in its purest form, or have always believed Scrooge & Co. was more the stuff of musical comedy, there is an offering for you.
Kansas City Repertory Theatre is currently mounting its 31st-annual production of A Christmas Carol. Last year’s 30th-anniversary extravaganza was notable for all its technical upgrades—new projection design, new lighting design, and a reconstructed set on a 40-foot-diameter turntable. While the artistic team has not only fine-tuned and enhanced the theatrical aspects—keep a lookout for Jacob Marley’s entrance, not that you can miss it—this year’s production focuses more on the fact that this is at heart a dream play, a psycho-drama.
“When you can really nail some of these special effects, if you can channel that back in to the human story, that’s where the payoff is,” says Rep associate artistic director Kyle Hatley, who is directing Carol for the second time. “Though there is some flair to it, the idea is that it hopefully all comes back to Scrooge’s journey and transformation.”
The audience’s favorite moments, from the full-cast rendition of “O Come All Ye Faithful” to the twelve-foot-tall Ghost of Christmas Past wandering the aisles, are all still here, and Gary Neal Johnson is embodying Scrooge for the tenth time on the Rep stage in what Hatley believes is Johnson’s best performance yet. “He only pushes himself further every year,” the director says. “I feel I’ve discovered him more as I’ve discovered the play more. He’s astonishing.”
A few minutes drive away, Westport Center for the Arts will be renewing an annual tradition of its own, with a dramatic reading of Dickens’s original text. “It’s been over ten years, and we’ve lost track,” says WCA president Jeanne Murphy of the number of times she and other Kansas City actors have come together for what began as a project of Westport Presbyterian and Westport Cooperative Services as something of a fundraiser. [Murphy later confirmed the first reading took place in 1998.]
The WCA Live Readers’ Theatre presentation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is not a staged reading, but a complete “unstaging” of the story, Murphy says. Four actors take turns reading edited staves of the novella, playing all the roles in their respective sections. “This gets it down to ‘let’s tell a story,’” she says. “Let’s listen to how it was written, because it starts with the words.” Joining Murphy are Robert Gibby Brand (also a longtime veteran of the Rep’s A Christmas Carol), Jennifer Mays, and Tosin Morohunfola.
Meanwhile, Kansas City Young Audiences is enlivening the dark tale with some light-opera classics. A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol, as concocted by author Gayden Wren, recasts Dickens’s ghost story in the style of his musical-comedy contemporaries, with scenes set to music by Arthur Sullivan and with lyrics inspired by W.S. Gilbert. As the final production of its 50th-Anniversary Season, KCYA is presenting the show in a “concert-style performance…fun for the whole family” with stage-and-screen veteran Kip Niven in the role of Scrooge and co-starring Deb Bluford as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Local author Andrea Warren will also be present before and after each performance to discuss and sign copies of her new book, Charles Dickens and the Street Children of London.
Whether you will be experiencing A Christmas Carol for the first or the 31st time, there will likely be something novel about the encounter. “You always want to find what makes it new for right now,” the Rep’s Hatley says. “That’s the urgency behind this year’s production.”
Even the unvarnished words themselves reflect differently against the backdrop of the current world with each new reading. “Every time we do it, I get to hear the story again,” Murphy says. “And every time, I learn something new about the story. It’s never static.”
PREVIEW:
Westport Center for the Arts
A Christmas Carol
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Westport Presbyterian Church
201 Westport Rd., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-701-3481, ext. 3, or online at www.westportcenterforthearts.org
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
A Christmas Carol
Runs through December 26
Spencer Theatre, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center
UMKC Campus
4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-2700 or online at www.kcrep.org
Kansas City Young Audiences
A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol
Saturday, December 3, and Sunday, December 4
St. Teresa Academy Auditorium
5600 Main St., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-531-4022 or online at www.kcya.org
Top Photo: Gary Neal Johnson (Scrooge) in the Kansas City Repertory Theatre's A Christmas Carol. (Photo by Don Ipock)
Theatre ,
MET does Arthur Miller proud
We live in a country where the divide between civilians and the military is growing exponentially. Immediately following World War II, however, it was a rare and lucky person who hadn’t lost a friend or family member overseas. Yet even then, there were still those who didn’t understand that anyone’s loss was everyone’s loss.
This is the concept that Arthur Miller examined in his 1947 play All My Sons. This was his first successful show on Broadway; had it flopped, there may have been no Death of a Salesman, no Crucible. His deft storytelling brings to light the moral and emotional struggles that many people are faced with every day: If you gain from someone else’s loss, what have you really gained? And when will repayment be exacted?
The Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre brought forward this powerful drama, directed by Karen Paisley, with a shattering realism. Set as the back garden of an innocuous middle-class home, the stage could have been bare of everything save the symbolic apple tree, the performances were so compelling. The intimate space allowed the audience, ranged on either side of the performance area, to surround the action.
The characters grappled with moral ambiguities, none more so than the main character, Joe Keller, played by James Wright. Joe is a good ol’ boy with a glib answer to every question. He has been exonerated for selling damaged parts to the military during the war, causing the death of 21 soldiers. His partner and former next-door neighbor, Steve Deever, was sent to jail, found guilty of the crime. While his partner’s life and family are destroyed, Joe continues on, blithely unperturbed by his misdeeds. He doesn’t hate himself, because he doesn’t blame himself. It’s not his fault the defective parts were sold to the military—no, he blames the business, the military, his wife, his sons, his partner, just about everyone else.
His wife, Kate (Licia Watson), has her own troubles. Three years prior, her eldest son, Larry, was announced MIA, and she obsessively awaits his return. When Chris (Taylor St. John), the son that survived the war, invites home his brother’s sweetheart Ann (Natalie Liccardello) with the intention of marrying her, Kate can hardly stand it. Not only is Ann the daughter of the ruined partner, but admitting that she has moved on is as good as admitting that Larry is dead. Watson does a tremendous job of portraying Kate’s fractured mental state.
Chris now works with his father. He is not innocent; as we are told, no one who had survived the war could be innocent. But he believes, naively, in the best of people. Ann is neither innocent nor naive, but wants to believe what Chris believes. Her brother George (Doogin Brown) has had any naivety or belief stripped from him, first by the war and then their father’s incarceration.
These three young actors performed with a superb display of tension as young adults fully realizing the drastic foibles of their elders.
Besides directing, Karen Paisley joins her real-life husband (and fellow MET co-founder) Bob Paisley in playing the couple that now lives in Ann and George’s childhood home. Though at first they seem like good-natured observers, their characters offer harsh insight into their neighbors’ tricky moral situations through some revealing statements.
The cast also included Matt Griggs, Courtney Stephens, and Angel Reese. Karen Paisley pulled quadruple duty by also designing the set and costumes with Donovan Kidd and Licia Watson, respectively. Greg Casparian designed the lighting, which ranged from lightning storm to soft twilight. No one was credited with sound design, though the drone of airplanes added another dimension to the already complex emotional terrain.
REVIEW:
Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre
All My Sons
Runs November 16 through December 4 (reviewed Friday, November 18)
METSpace
3614 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri
For tickets and more information, visit www.metkc.org or call 816-569-3226
Top photo: Taylor St. John and Doogin Brown in MET's All My Sons
Theatre ,
Magical, musical Christmas celebration
The Christmas season is here, and the musical events are lining up to fill the holidays with tuneful cheer. Rolling up to the starting gate is the Quality Hill Playhouse traditional “Christmas in Song.” This audience favorite opened on November 18, with vocalists Molly Hammer, LaTeesha McDonald Jackson, and Lindsey McKee joining pianist and musical director Kent Barnhart for a program of both traditional and contemporary Christmas music.
“Christmas in Song” follows Barnhart’s tradition of mixing the meditative and amusing Christmas fare. The opening set included “Ave Maria,” “Gesu Bambino,” “Carol of the Bells,” and an arrangement of “The First Noel” set over the Pachelbel Canon in D, with Jackson and McKee in a lovely duet.
The ladies and Barnhart singing together provided some of the concert’s best moments. Led by soloist Molly Hammer, the ensemble hit its stride in “Light a Candle,” early in the program, and an exciting arrangement of “Joy to the World” highlighted their strengths as an ensemble.
The final three numbers of the program’s first half featured each of the singers in a piece that showed off their particular vocal talents. Hammer’s “Grown-Up Christmas List” was gently jazzy and heartfelt. Jackson skillfully rendered a beautiful but unusual setting of Psalm 27 by Michael J. Criss and Steve Rue, while McKee filled the room with the ringing tones of “O Holy Night.” She was joined in the final verses by the others in complex and beautiful harmony.
Barnhart opened the second half with the arrangement of “Jingle Bells” by Charles Lindberg. He set the keys on fire in this familiar piece, a virtuosic showcase that garnered the biggest response of the night from the appreciative audience. This set the tone for the Tom Lehrer comic “A Christmas Carol” and William Bolcom’s “Lime Jello Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise,” with McKee at her comic best as a sort of demented Dame Edna at the church social.
The strongest segment in the second half came with all of the soloists around the piano singing some of the traditional favorites. McKee’s most touching moments were in “Christmas Auld Lang Syne,” which gave her the opportunity to really caress the notes of the song. Jackson’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and Hammer’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” were also special moments in this lyrical and sentimental portion of the program.
"Christmas in Song" is a charming musical opening to the holidays. It will remind you of what you love best about the songs you know so well, and introduce you to some tunes that may become new favorites.
REVIEW:
Quality Hill Playhouse
Christmas in Song
Reviewed Sunday, November 20, 2011. Runs through December 24
Quality Hill Playhouse
303 W. 10th St., Kansas City, MO
For tickets, information, and show times: call 816-421-1700 or visit www.qualityhillplayhouse.com
Top Photo: "Christmas in Song" cast
City Classics,
Music and Dance through mid-December
Quality Hill Playhouse
Christmas in Song
Performances through December 24
Quality Hill Playhouse
303 W Tenth St, Kansas City, MO
For tickets, call 816-421-1700 or visit online at www.qualityhillplayhouse.com.
This writer is a big fan of Kent Barnhart’s Quality Hill Playhouse. At this time of year when holiday favorites normally supplant more traditional classical fare at concerts by our classical music organizations, Barnhart presents his annual Christmas show. The show is always very popular and features vocalists Molly Hammer, Lateesha McDonald Jackson, and Lindsey McKee, along with Barnhart himself at the piano. It's sure to tickle your fancy with holiday compositions both familiar and unusual. Prior reservations are a must, as many performances are sold out.
Musical Theater Heritage
A Spectacular Christmas in Concert
Thursday, December 1 through Sunday, December 18
Off Center Theater, Crown Center
2450 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO
For tickets, call 816-842-9999 or visit online at www.musicaltheaterheritage.com.
George Harter’s Musical Theater Heritage group brings a holiday program to Crown Center, featuring Lauren Braton, Jeremy Watson, Richard Gibson and other talented local singers and actors.
Kansas City Ballet
The Nutcracker
Saturday, December 3 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 4 at 1:00 p.m.
Friday, December 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 10 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 11 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
(continues through December 24)
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
1601 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO
For tickets, call 816-931-2232 or visit online at www.kcballet.org.
Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker is one of the most popular ballets ever written and has been a holiday favorite in Kansas City for many years. The Kansas City Ballet presents one of the most spectacular productions of the ballet in the Midwest. This year, you have a chance to see it as you have never seen it before, redesigned for the magnificent new Muriel Kauffman Theatre in the Kauffman Center. There are lots of performances, but tickets always go fast and many dates will be sold out. Youngsters old and new will appreciate the charm and grace of Tchaikovsky’s timeless score and the choreography of the Ballet’s artistic director, William Whitener, in this exciting new space.
Musica Sacra
Magnificat (Song of Mary)
Friday, December 2 at 7:30 p.m.
St. Francis Xavier Church
52nd St and Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO
For tickets, call 816-235-6222 or visit online at www.rockhurst.edu/mtickets.
Timothy McDonald’s Musica Sacra chorus presents a special holiday treat, with Antonio Vivaldi’s beautiful setting of the Magnificat (Song of Mary). In addition, the ensemble will perform Behold, I Bring You Good Tidings by the Baroque master Henry Purcell and Kommst du, Licht der Heiden (Come, You Light of the Gentiles) by Dietrich Buxtehude. As always, Musica Sacra’s holiday concert concludes with traditional Christmas carols.
Kansas City Chamber Orchestra
Christmas by Candlelight
Kansas City Chamber Orchestra
Friday, December 2 at 8:00 p.m.
Old Mission United Methodist Church
5519 State Park Rd, Fairway, KS
For tickets, call 816-960-1324 or visit online at www.kcchamberorchestra.org.
Bruce Sorrell’s Kansas City Chamber Orchestra will present Corelli’s Baroque-era Christmas Concerto in the friendly and picturesque confines of the Old Mission United Methodist Church as part of its candlelight concert series. Also on tap are “Winter” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (while not exactly a Christmas piece, at least it is appropriate for the time of year) plus Bach’s Suite No. 3, Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Violins and Two Cellos and Handel’s Entrance of the Queen of Sheba from his 1749 oratorio Solomon, which rivals the famous Messiah for the pure beauty of its music.
Heartland Men’s Chorus
Holiday Glee
Friday, December 2 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 3 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 4 at 4:00 p.m.
Folly Theater
300 W 12th St, Kansas City, MO
Tickets are available online at www.hmckc.org.
The Heartland Men’s Chorus, led by Joseph Nadeau, always performs with zest and spirit, nowhere more so than in its annual holiday concert. Expect some traditional Christmas selections along with some unusual fare, if past experience is any guide. This program takes its lead from the television show Glee, so those familiar with the show may have some idea of what to expect. Bring your own seatbelt.
Kansas City Symphony
Handel’s Messiah
Friday, December 2 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 3 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 4 at 2:00 p.m.
Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
1601 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO
For tickets, call 816-471-0400 or visit online at www.kcsymphony.org.
Aside from the Nutcracker, the most popular piece of classical music during the holiday season is surely George Frideric Handel’s magnificent oratorio The Messiah. Riotously popular from its first performance, the oratorio continues to enchant today just as it has for over 300 years.
In years past, the Messiah as performed by the Kansas City Symphony, the Kansas City Symphony Chorus, and the Independence Messiah Choir has been presented at the Community of Christ Auditorium in Independence, Missouri. This year, however, the Symphony is holding all of its performances in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center, so the 95-year tradition will move to Helzberg Hall. Associate conductor Steven Jarvi conducts. The soloists are Joelle Harvey, soprano, Leah Wool, mezzo-soprano, Gregory Warren, tenor and Lee Poulis, baritone.
Kansas City Young Audiences
A Gilbert and Sullivan Christmas Carol
Saturday, December 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 4, at 2:00 p.m.
St. Theresa’s Academy Auditorium
5600 Main St, Kansas City, MO
For tickets, call Young Audiences at 816-531-4022.
Kansas City Young Audiences continues its 50th anniversary celebration with a fundraising performance of A Gilbert and Sullivan Christmas Carol this weekend. What, you say? You didn’t know that Gilbert & Sullivan wrote a Christmas Carol? Well, you’re right…sort of. The two English masters of comedy in music never actually set a Christmas Carol, but they did write lots of songs which could be adapted to the story, or so compiler Gayden Wren thought. So he took many of the popular Gilbert & Sullivan tunes and re-set them to new words, adapting them to the Dickens favorite.
The work is directed by Linda Ade Brand and led by Kip Niven as Scrooge, Deb Bluford as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Rick Truman as Tiny Tim. Also in the cast are Kevin Albert, Jeanne Averill, Victoria Botero, Amy Cahill, Larry Greer, Cynthia Hyer, Joshua Lawlor, Brian Steele, Sylvia Stoner, William Grey Warren, Joe Winans, and Toby Wright.
Turtle Island Quartet and Te Deum
Solstice Celebration: A Festival of Lights
Turtle Island Quartet and Te Deum
Saturday, December 3 at 8:00 p.m.
Polsky Theatre, Carlsen Center
Johnson County Community College Campus
12345 College Blvd
Overland Park, Kansas
For tickets, call 913-469-445 or visit online at www.jccc.edu/TheSeries.
The Turtle Island Quartet and Te Deum, an eight-voice local chorus, perform a join concert focusing on the Festival of Lights, a tradition in both Jewish and Hindu traditions. The concert also includes old English carols and other classical gems.
Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City
A Celtic Christmas on the River
Sunday, December 4 at 3:00 p.m.
Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
Park University
8700 NW River Park Dr, Parkville, MO
Tickets available at the door. For more information, visit http://www.kcphilharmonia.org/
The Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City, led by Travis Jürgens, presents its holiday concert this afternoon with guest vocalist Connie Dover, a popular folk ballad singer who specializes in songs of the British Isles and similar repertoire.
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
A Season for Giving
Sunday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Visitation Church
5141 Main St, Kansas City, MO
Free admission, but monetary donations or donations of non-perishable food items to Harvesters, the Community Food Network, are requested. For more information, visit http://conservatory.umkc.edu
The combined choirs of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance are hosting a program of holiday music to benefit Harvesters, the Community Food Network, which serves those less fortunate throughout the Kansas City area. The ensembles to be featured include the Conservatory Concert Choir under the direction of Charles Robinson; the University Singers and Conservatory Singers directed by Robert Bode; Canticum Novum and Amphion, directed by Jacob Narverud, and the Kansas City Children’s Chorus directed by Rebecca Penerosa. Instrumental groups are included as well. They should certainly fill the dome of Visitation Church with sound.
Kansas City Chorale and various school choirs
Family Christmas Concert
Sunday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral
1300 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO
For tickets, call 816-235-6222 or visit online at www.kcchorale.org.
Members of the Kansas City Chorale join forces with the honors choirs of eight area high schools to present a Christmas program this evening. Chorale fans should note that although the Chorale may sing some separate numbers, this concert is not the annual holiday concert of the Kansas City Chorale, which will be performed on December 11 and 13 (see below).
Schola Cantorum, William Jewell College
Evensong
Sunday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral
415 E 13th St, Kansas City, MO
Free admission. For more information, visit http://www.jewell.edu/william_jewell/gen/william_and_jewell_generated_pages/Music_Department_Welcome_p5400.html
William Jewell College’s Schola Cantorum vocal group performs tonight; no programming information is available as of the deadline for this issue of KCMetropolis.org.
Heritage Choir and Concert Choir of MidAmerica Nazarene University
A Christmas Celebration Concert
Sunday, December 4 at 3:30 p.m.
Bell Cultural Arts Center
2030 E College Way, Olathe, KS
Free admission, but tickets are required; obtain them online at www.mnu.edu/bellcenter.
The two choirs of MidAmerica Nazarene University present a “new annual tradition” this year with a joint concert of holiday favorites.
University of Kansas School of Music
87th Holiday Vespers
Sunday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Lied Center of Kansas, University of Kansas
1600 Stewart Dr, Lawrence, KS
For tickets, call 785-864-3436 or visit online at www.music.ku.edu.
The University of Kansas School of Music presents its annual Holiday Vespers concert at the Lied Center on the University of Kansas campus this evening.
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
UMKC Graduate Fellowship String Quartet
Sunday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m.
White Recital Hall, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center
UMKC Campus
4949 Cherry St, Kansas City, MO
Free admission. For more information visit http://conservatory.umkc.edu
The always-stimulating UMKC Graduate Fellowship String Quartet offers one of the few non-holiday related concerts at this time of year. The group will be performing Haydn’s “Lubkowitz” Quartet, Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, and String Quartet No. 5 by John Corigliano, who will be in residence at the Conservatory next year as Barr Laureate.
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
UMKC Jazz Bands Combined Concert
Monday, December 5 at 7:30 p.m.
White Recital Hall, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center
UMKC Campus
4949 Cherry St, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call (816) 235-6222, or online at http://conservatory.umkc.edu
The Conservatory Concert Jazz Band, directed by Bobby Watson, and the 11 O’Clock Jazz Band, directed by Dan Thomas, present a combined concert this evening which should keep your toes tapping during the holiday season.
Friends of Chamber Music
Tallis Scholars
Tuesday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
416 West 12th Street, Kansas City, MO
For tickets, call (816) 561-9999 or online at www.chambermusic.org.
This columnist remembers being enchanted by the otherworldly sounds of Britain’s Tallis Scholars years ago on KXTR radio and wondering who in the world this group was. Since that time, local audiences have had the extraordinary good luck of hearing the group live, in-person here in Kansas City many holiday seasons, courtesy of Cynthia Siebert’s Friends of Chamber Music.
This year’s concert will present mostly ancient Christmas music structured around settings of the Magnificat with diverse masterpieces by composers from across Europe. Enjoy the music of Taverner, Praetorius, Palestrina and others.
Topeka Symphony Orchestra
’Tis the Season
Wednesday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m.
White Concert Hall
Washburn University Campus, Topeka, KS
Tickets available at (785) 232-2032 or online at http://topekasymphony.org.
Guest conductor David Feltner leads the Topeka Symphony in its annual holiday concert with guest artist Jeff Kready, a Broadway performer known for his roles in Billy Elliott, Sunday in the Park with George, Les Miserables and other shows. According to publicity material, the orchestra will bring you “traditional chestnuts along with a few surprises.”
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Conservatory Wind Ensemble
Wednesday, December 8 at 7:30 p.m.
White Recital Hall, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center
UMKC Campus
4949 Cherry St, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call (816) 235-6222, or online at http://conservatory.umkc.edu
Joseph Parisi brings the Conservatory Wind Ensemble to the White Recital Hall stage for one of the few non-holiday related concerts of the month. The ensemble will perform Chen Yi’s Suite From China West and the music of Zwilich, Uhl, Grainger, and Bennett. This group is always outstanding.
Owen/Cox Dance Group
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King
Friday and Saturday, December 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 11 at 2:00 p.m.
(also being performed the weekend of December 16–18)
H&R Block City Stage
Union Station
30 West Pershing Rd, Kansas City, MO
Tickets available online at http://owencoxdance.org/
Is it possible to do a satirical take-off on Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker while at the same time showing reverence to the story? Be your own judge at the Owen/Cox Dance Group’s irreverent look at the Nutcracker story and tradition. The zany Owen/Cox production offers a stark and highly entertaining contrast to the “straight” performance of the Nutcracker being offered by the Kansas City Ballet.
Co-founders Jennifer Owen, dancer, and Brad Cox, composer/pianist, present an offbeat take-off of the Tchaikovsky masterpiece (actually, based the original story by E.T.A. Hoffmann). Performances the past two years have delighted a growing audience.
Jennifer Owen’s charming and often uproarious choreography is set to clever Tchaikovsky take-off music supplied by fifteen musicians of the People’s Liberation Big Band, horn sculptor Mark Southerland, artist Peregrine Honig, and students from the Paseo Academy of the Performing Arts.
Octarium
Holidays with Octarium
Saturday, December 10 at 3:00 p.m.
Powell Gardens
1609 N.W. U.S. Highway 50, Kingsville, MO
Saturday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Parkville Presbyterian Church
819 Main St, Parkville, MO
For tickets to the Powell Gardens concert, call 816-697-2600, extension 209. For tickets to the Parkville concert, tickets are available online at www.octarium.org.
Octarium, Kansas City’s prized eight-voiced a capella singing group, sings its annual holiday concert at 3:00 p.m. at Powell Gardens, then repeats the concert at 7:30 p.m. at the Parkville Presbyterian Church. To this listener’s ears, Octarium is one of the finest a capella choral music experiences around, as demonstrated by its holiday CD released several years ago, copies of which will probably be available at these concerts. Krista Blackwood and her eight singers bring truly elegant sounds to everything they sing.
Fine Arts Chorale
Celebrate the Holidays with Jan Kraybill
Saturday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Visitation Church
5141 Main St, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call (816) 235-6222, or online at http://fineartschoralekc.org.
Community of Christ organist Jay Kraybill joins Terri Teal’s Fine Arts Chorale to perform familiar Christmas carols as well as more unusual holiday fare. In the first half, the Chorale will sing familiar Christmas carols, each verse from a different composer, and Kraybill at the organ will respond antiphonally with another setting of the tune. The concert’s second half will feature pieces for choir and organ.
Lied Center Performing Arts Series
Songs of the Season: The Celtic Tenors
Saturday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Lied Center, University of Kansas
1600 Stewart Dr, Lawrence, KS
For tickets call (785) 864-3436 or online at www.music.ku.edu
The Celtic Tenors are a crossover group known for singing classical, operatic, and popular songs. “Performing a program of traditional folk and contemporary holiday favorites, The Celtic Tenors seasonal concert will take audiences on an emotive journey and provide a thoroughly uplifting experience,” the Lied Center tells us. Since their debut in the year 2000, the Celtic Tenors have established an international presence with their recitals throughout the world and five recordings.
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
UMKC Graduate Wind Quintet
Saturday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m.
White Recital Hall, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center
UMKC Campus
4949 Cherry St, Kansas City, MO
Free admission. For more information visit http://conservatory.umkc.edu
The UMKC Graduate Wind Quintet will play the woodwind quintet by Elliott Carter and also the works of Tomasi, Milhaud, and Briccialdi.
Metropolitan Chorale of Kansas City
Holiday Miracles
Saturday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Stone Church
1012 West Lexington Ave, Independence, MO
Tickets available at the door. For more information, visit http://mcckc.edu/blueriver/humanities/music/
Rebecca Johnson will lead the Metropolitan Choral of Kansas City in a concert of holiday favorites, plus “special guests galore,” according to the publicity material for this concert. Perhaps one of them will be in a red costume?
Kansas City Women’s Chorus
Annual Holiday Concert
Saturday, December 10 at 8:00 p.m.
Folly Theater
300 W 12th St, Kansas City, MO
Tickets available online at www.kcwomenschorus.org.
According to information from the Kansas City Women’s Chorus, “the women will perform seasonal favorites, beautiful choral classics, and some funny surprises thrown in.”
Lee’s Summit Symphony
Holiday Magic
Saturday, December 10 at 4:00 p.m.
Summit High School Bernard C. Campbell Performing Arts Center
400 S.E. Blue Parkway, Lee’s Summit, MO
Tickets available at Hy Vee East and West in Lee’s Summit, and online at www.lssymphony.org.
The Lee’s Summit Symphony performs its annual holiday concert this afternoon. At press time no information about the programming was available.
Liberty Symphony Orchestra
Holiday Concert
Saturday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Liberty Performing Arts Theatre
1600 South Withers Rd, Liberty, MO
Tickets available at 1-888-711-TICKETS or online at http://www.libertysymphony.org/
The Liberty Symphony Orchestra presents its holiday concert which will include the Toy Symphony, selections from the Nutcracker, and Sleigh Ride, among other favorites of the season. Tony Brandolino is the music director.
Fountain City Brass Band
Bells-a-Plenty X
Saturday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Bell Cultural Arts Center
MidAmerica Nazarene University Campus
2030 E. College Way, Olathe, KS
Free admission, but tickets are required; obtain them online at www.mnu.edu/bellcenter. For more information visit http://fcbb.net
This concert is the tenth installment of this award-winning group’s holiday program. Joseph Parisi of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance faculty is the director of the brass band, which is among the most-decorated brass bands in the country.
Octarium
Lessons and Carols
Sunday, December 11 at 3:00 p.m.
St. Mark Hope and Peace Church
3800 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO
Tickets available online at www.octarium.org.
This holiday concert by Octarium is a benefit presented in conjunction with Friends of St. Mark and Tulips on Troost. Proceeds from the concert will aid St. Mark's neighborhood outreach programs.
Northland Symphony Orchestra
Holiday Pops
Sunday, December 11 at 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Park Hill South High School
4500 NW River Park Drive, Riverside, MO
Free admission. For more information, visit http://www.northlandsymphony.org
The Northland Symphony Orchestra gives two holiday concerts, one at 3:00 and one at 4:30 p.m., both featuring choirs from local schools, and both performed at Park Hill South High School.
Kansas City Chorale
Gaudete! Rejoice!
Sunday, December 11 at 2:00 p.m.
Redemptorist Church
3333 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO
Tuesday, December 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Asbury United Methodist Church
5400 West 75th Street at Nall, Overland Park, KS
Tickets available at (816) 235-6222 or online at www.kcchorale.org.
The Kansas City Chorale presents two performance of its annual holiday songfest, which will feature medieval holiday compositions along with popular carols and classical holiday music. Charles Bruffy’s group always gives outstanding performances, and in past years the Chorale’s holiday concerts have been among the highlights of the holiday season performances.
City Stage,
Theatre through mid-December
For complete Theatre listings through 2011, click here to visit the KC Events calendar.
The Coterie Theatre
Seussical
Runs November 1 through December 31
For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online at www.coterietheatre.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
The plot of Horton Hears a Who and Horton Hatches the Egg are tunefully interwoven in this widely celebrated and critically acclaimed celebration of Dr. Seuss. The Coterie was credited in the New York Times for originating this version "for all ages"... a true family classic!
American Heartland Theatre
The Marvelous Wonderettes
Runs November 4 through December 24
For tickets call 816-842-9999 or online at www.ahtkc.com
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
Everyone wants the perfect prom night, but when the Crooning Crab Cakes from the Glee Club fail to show up to the 1958 Springfield High Prom, it's up to The Wonderettes to save the night! Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy and Suzy, four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts and voices to match! You've never had so much fun at the prom as you're treated to classic 50's and 60's songs as "Lollipop", "Dream Lover", "Stupid Cupid", "Lipstick on Your Collar," "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me", "It's My Party," "It's In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)" and so many more!
Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre
All My Sons
Runs November 16 through December 4 at MET Space
For tickets call 816-569-3226 or online at www.metkc.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
This quintessential American family drama by one of America’s greatest playwrights, Arthur Miller, tells the story of Joe Keller,a man who loves his family above all else, and has sacrificed everything, including his honor, in his struggle to make the family prosperous. He is now sixty-one. He has lost one son in the war, and is keen to see his remaining son, Chris, marry. Chris wishes to marry Ann, the former fiancée of his brother, Larry. Their mother, Kate, believes Larry still to be alive. It is this belief which has enabled her, for three and a half years, to support Joe by concealing her knowledge of a dreadful crime he has committed. Directed by Karen Paisley, the cast includes James, Wright, Licia Watson, Taylor St.John, Natalie Liccardello, Doogin Brown, Matt Griggs, Courney Stephens, and Angel Reese.
Quality Hill Playhouse
Christmas in Song
Runs November 18 through December 24
For tickets call 816-421-1700 or online at www.qualityhillplayhouse.com
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
Join us for holiday cheer at "Kansas City's most consistently stirring Christmas show for 15 years" (The Pitch). The beauty and wonder of the Christmas season come alive through its songs in this revue that features a unique blend of music. From the sacred and traditional – “Joy To the World!,” “Carol of the Bells” and “O Holy Night” – to the popular – “White Christmas,” “Grown-Up Christmas List” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” this show has something for everyone. There's even a surprise recipe for a dessert that is sure to become a perennial favorite on your holiday table!
Martin City Melodrama & Vaudeville Co.
Mother Goose’s Christmas Crimes!
Runs November 19 through January 1
For tickets call 913-642-7576 or online at www.martincitymelodrama.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
Set to the rousing melodies of some of the best know classical—and not so classical composers, Mother Goose’s Christmas Crimes! Unravel for yourself the crime of the century in this outrageous, offbeat opera. Features the perennial audience favorite, the Water Glass Symphony, Charlie the Wonder Dog, along with other seasonal silliness to get you in the holiday spirit.
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
A Christmas Carol
Spencer Theatre
Runs November 19 through December 26
For tickets call 816-235-2700 or online at www.kcrep.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
In honor of last year’s 30th anniversary of A Christmas Carol, our venerable holiday production received a “make over.” While staying true to the original Rep show we all love, the set was rebuilt to include a revolving stage and other theatre magic that surprised and delighted audiences. For more than three decades the Rep’s enchanting holiday show has captured the true meaning of Christmas for many Kansas City families, who year after year are inspired by its strong family values and message of hope and redemption.
Musical Theater Heritage
A Spectacular Christmas, in Concert
Runs December 1 through 18
For tickets, call 816-842-9999 or online at www.mthkc.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
Come experience a Christmas show like never before...in an intimate setting, featuring Kansas City’s top performers. Songs will be sung and stories will be told, gently tugging at your heart strings to reveal the true feeling of Christmas.
Theatre Lawrence
White Christmas
Runs December 2 through 18
For tickets, call 785-843-7469 or online at www.theatrelawrence.com
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
Bring the whole family to this heartwarming musical adaptation of a beloved and timeless film that features seventeen Irving Berlin songs. World War II Army vets with romance on their minds and comedy in their bones, find themselves in a lodge owned by their former commander. The dazzling score features "Blue Skies," "I Love A Piano," "How Deep Is the Ocean" and the perennial favorite, "White Christmas."
Kansas City Young Audiences
A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol
Runs December 3 through 4
For tickets call 816-531-4022 or online at www.kcya.org
Kansas City Young Audiences (KCYA) will conclude its 50th Anniversary year with a concert-style performance of Gayden Wren’s A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol, directed by Linda Ade Brand. Performances will be on Saturday, December 3, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 4, at 2 p.m., in the Music and Arts Building at St. Teresa’s Academy, 5601 Wyandotte. Tickets are $15 in advance and can be ordered by calling 816-531-4022. Tickets are $20 at the door. A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol is the Dickens’ story with melodies from Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, given alternative lyrics by Gayden Wren, entertainment editor for The New York Times. The result is a 90 minute family show that has mor tra-la-las than "Bah Bumbugs." This holiday performance features Kip Niven as Scrooge, Deb Bluford as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Rick Truman as Tiny Tim. Other Cast members include kevin Albert, Jeanne Averill, Lori Blalock, Victoria Botero, Amy Cahill, Richard Gibson, Larry Greer, Cynthia Hyer, Joshua Lawlor, Brian Steele, Sylvia Stoner, William Grey Warren, Joe Winans and Toby Wright. All proceeds will benefit Kansas City Young Audiences.
The White Theatre at the Jewish Community Center
Beau Jest
Runs December 3 through 11
For tickets call 913-327-8054 or online at www.jcckc.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
Sarah is a nice Jewish girl. Her parents want her to marry a nice Jewish boy. They have not met her protestant boyfriend, so Sarah says she is dating a Jewish doctor and hires an escort service to supply the ficitition Dr. Steinberg for a family seder. Sarah's parents are delighted with her "choice" and, eventually, so is she, forcing her to face revealing the truth.
Unicorn Theatre
The Salvation of Iggy Scrooge
Runs December 3 through 24
For tickets call 816-531-7529, ext. 10 or online at www.unicorntheatre.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
A cross between the Dickens classic and a rollicking trip down pop culture memory lane, this is a phantasmagorical evening of irreverent Christmas cheer. Iggy is a burned out rock-n-roll superstar who snarls through Christmas Eve until a top of the charts group of ghosts shows up: rock legends Bob Marley, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley come to set his warped values straight. This crazy Christmas offering was first seen at the Unicorn in 1998.
Central Standard Theatre
“British Invasion 2011”
Runs December 8 through 18
For tickets, call 816-516-4422 or online at cstkc.com
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
For the second year now, direct from the Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe Festivals, nine shows will be presented over two weekends, bringing the best world theatre to Kansas City. This dynamic 10 days will also feature workshops and panel discussions. All these shows will be presented in repertory - different shows every in performance. While Shylock and September in the Rain are full length productions with intermissions, the rest are approximately 70 minutes in length and will be presented in pairs throughout the Invasion. Catch your favorite or catch them all.
Paul Mesner Puppets
The Nativity
Runs December 9 through 11
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.paulmesnerpuppets.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
Come see beautiful seven-foot puppets gracefully move through the aisles of the Cathedral with musical and chorale accompaniment as live actors narrate this familiar tale. The larger -than-life characters are brought to life by puppeteers, movement artists, and volunteers who perform this eternal story of grace and love. Performed at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral at 13th & Broadway in downtown Kansas City, MO.
The Theatre Gym
The Fox On The Fairway
Runs December 15 through 30, at Just Off Broadway
For tickets, call 816-235-6222 or online at www.theatregym.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
A tribute from Ken Ludwig (Lend Me A Tenor, Moon Over Buffalo) to the great English farces of the 1930s and 1940s, Ken Ludwig’s The Fox On the Fairway takes audiences on a hilarious romp that pulls the rug out from underneath the stuffy denizens of a private country club. Filled with mistaken identities, slamming doors, and over-the-top romantic shenanigans, it's a furiously-paced comedy that recalls the Marx Brothers' classics. In December, this romp will be a terrific alternative to the usual Christmas fare and overwhelm players and audiences alike with sheer delight.
One Night Only
Westport Center for the Arts
A Christmas Carol
Saturday, December 3, at 7:30 p.m.
For tickets call 816-701-3481, ext. 3, or online at www.westportcenterforthearts.org
Westport Center for the Arts stages its annual live reading of Charles Dickens’ first and most famous Christmas book, “A Christmas Carol” at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 3 at Westport Presbyterian Church, 201 Westport Road. Kansas City actors Robert Gibby Brand, Jennifer Mays, Tosin Morohunfola and Jeanne Murphy will present the classic holiday ghost story following the tradition established by Dickens – without costumes, props or sets. The author read an abbreviated version of the story to audiences during reading tours of Great Britain and on his second and final tour of the United States in 1867-1868.
One Night Only
Jewell Theatre
Jewell Theatre Showcase-Fall Edition
Wednesday, December 7, at 7:00 p.m.
For tickets call 913-415-7590.
Students enrolled in theatre courses perform and display work from their classes. Free Admission!
For complete Theatre listings through 2011, click here to visit the KC Events calendar.
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