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Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

The Coterie Theatre, is in it 33^rd season, offering programming for children, teens and young adults at the theater on Level 1 of Crown Center. The Outsiders is based on the S.E. Hinton novel and runs Sept. 13–Oct. 9 as part of the Preteen/Young Adult Series. The Coterie will welcome back an all-ages version of Seussical from Nov. 1–Dec. 31.

Theater for Young America has two shows lined up for Union Station’s H&R Block City Stage Theater. Both shows are adapted from popular children’s books: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff runs Oct. 4–Nov. 12 and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson runs Nov. 22–Dec. 30. 

Also drawing from classic literature, the Martin City Melodrama & Vaudeville Company will present Mother Goose’s Christmas Crimes! with an all new holiday vaudeville revue, featuring a water glass symphony from Nov. 19–Jan. 1 at 9601 Metcalf Ave Overland Park, Kansas. 

The Kids Club at the UMKC Conservatory’s Community Music and Dance Academy hosts two performances in White Recital Hall 4949 Cherry Street. Musicians Tatev Amiryan and Aryana Nemati lead an Armenian Journey of improvisation and exploration (Oct. 8). Conservatory and Academy dancers will perform an adaption of Sergey Prokofiev’s timeless Cinderella ballet (Nov. 5). 

Johnson County Community College is offering many family friendly shows this season as part of its Performing Arts Series at Yardley Hall 12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, Kansas. There are three eclectic shows in November that combine performance and science. Bella Gaia (Beautiful Earth) is a “multimedia journey of our world” led by violinist Kenji Williams. The show incorporates NASA imagery and investigates the human relationship with—and impact on—the planet (Nov. 3). 69° South: The Shackleton Project is a new work by puppet theater company Phantom Limb that explores the 1914 Antarctica expedition (Nov. 11). ArcAttack features Singing Tesla Coils that generate 12-feet long electrical arcs and create rhythms on electric drums (Nov. 18). Each show has additional educational opportunities. 

The Folly Kids’ Series has two shows this fall in the historic Folly Theatre at 12^th and Central.  Beakman on the Brain! brings the popular television show to life with an entertaining venture into neuroscience on Oct. 17. A staged version of If You Give a Moose a Muffin on Nov. 9 tells the tale of a hungry moose from the classic children’s book by Laura Joffe Numeroff.  Both shows are performed at 10 am and 11:30 am on the day of the show. 

Now in its 24^th season, Paul Mesner Puppets will perform P. D. Eastman’s beloved classic Go, Dog. Go at their studio 1006 E. Linwood Blvd.  The show runs Nov. 2–27. They will also perform two shows of Wiley & the Hairy Man at Crown Center on Oct. 22 and perform The Nativity at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral—complete with seven-foot tall puppets—on Dec. 9, 10, and 11. 

The Stone Lion Puppet Theatre offers many family-friendly performances at events throughout the community this fall. The weekend of Sept. 24 has the troupe performing at both the Plaza Art Fair (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 5 pm) and the Overland Park Art Fair (Saturday at 11 am). They present their seasonal shows Boneyard Jamboree in October and Twas the Night Before Christmas and Twas, Etc. in December (visit the website for specific dates and locations). On Nov. 6 they will have roving peacock puppets from 12 pm to 3 pm as part of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art’s Family Day. 

The Kansas City Public Library offers Friday Night Family Fun at various branches. On Sept. 30 the Plaza Branch will host Abe Lincoln Live! With Special Guest Frederick Douglas, with actors Larry Greer and Walter Coppage portraying the historical figures in a theatrical conversation. This event is appropriate for grades 3 and up. And, highlighting the very first form of theater, the 11^th Annual Kansas City Storytelling Celebration will be happening Nov.3–5 with events for all ages at various branches. 

Top Photo: Paul Mesner Puppets from Sleeping Beauty

By Libby Hanssen

Traditional and New Classical, Theatre Contributor

Libby Hanssen holds degrees from University of Missouri-Kansas City (M.M.) and Ball State University (B.M.) in trombone performance and also studied music education at Indiana University. She has studied trombone with Carl Lenthe, JoDee Davis, John Seidel, John Huntoon and Denis Wick, and music education with Brent Gault, Estelle Jorgensen and Katherine Strand.

While at IU, she taught classes in general music, focusing on listening skills and music fundamentals through practical music usage and exploring new sound constructions. During the course of her studies at UMKC, she performed with many ensembles, including the Conservatory Orchestra and Musica Nova. She has also performed with the Kansas City Puccini Festival, the People's Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City, the New Jazz Order, the Indiana Wind Symphony and the Muncie Symphony Orchestra.

In 2010, she was a fellow (one of 23 journalists selected from across the US) for the seventh annual National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Arts Journalism Institute in Classical Music and Opera at Columbia University’s Journalism School in New York City.

Most of her free time is spent with her three boys (son, dog and husband) and camera, exploring the many fine aspects of Kansas City living. She enjoys listening to KKFI - Kansas City Community Radio and KCUR - Kansas City's NPR station, visiting Kansas City's fine collection of museums and galleries, and scavenging in thrift and antique stores to add to her collection of toy instruments.

She writes for the joy of words and the process of constructing a story, maintaining the blog Proust Eats a Sandwich (www.prousteatsasandwich.wordpress.com). She is working on her first book: Murray Goes to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.