KCMETROPOLIS.org
Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

Kansas City Ballet
The Nutcracker
Wednesday and Thursday, December 22 and 23 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Friday, December 24 at 1:00 p.m.
Music Hall
13th and Broadway, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-931-2232 or online at www.kcballet.org.

As far as the Kansas City music and dance scene is concerned, the crown jewel of holiday performances each year is the Kansas City Ballet’s presentation of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, The Nutcracker, designed by the Ballet’s late, great dance master Todd Bolender.  In addition to the regular ballet troupe of 25 dancers, these performances feature over 200 area children who are students in the Kansas City Ballet School. 

Why does The Nutcracker never wear out its welcome?  Well, in this author’s view, it’s simple: the charming story, full of holiday hope and inspiration, is coupled with some of the most magnificent and danceable music ever composed to create a loving and visually riveting work.  Your children will love it.  But even after they are grown and gone (as is the case with this writer) you’ll find yourself buying tickets and going back to performances, just to see and hear it again.  Just like I’m doing this year.  One of the pleasures of the Christmas season is the opportunity to hear and see it again.

Ballet artistic director William Whitener and his impressive troupe deserve kudos for bringing off such a complex and popular production.  Enjoy!

(Note: Some of the above listed performances may be sold out.  Checking with the box office or ordering tickets on the web site ahead of time is highly recommended.)

Quality Hill Playhouse
Christmas in Song
Through December 26
Quality Hill Playhouse
303 W 10th Street, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-421-1700 or online at www.qualityhillplayhouse.com.

The Quality Hill Playhouse annual program of Christmas favorites from Broadway composers is continuing to run through the day after Christmas.  If you haven’t been, Kent Barnhart’s Quality Hill Playhouse in the charming small theater on Tenth Street downtown features small-setting performances of favorites from Broadway shows and American composers, some familiar and some forgotten, but all performed with talent and dedication by Barnhart, a superb pianist, and a group of singers and (sometimes) other instrumentalists.

For this year’s Christmas in Song Barnhart has chosen singers Karen Errington, Cary Mock and LaTeesha McDonald Jackson. Many of these performances are sold out as of this writing, so just don’t waltz into the ticket office the night of the performance expecting to get tickets.  By all means call first or order online.

By Don Dagenais

City Classics Music and Dance Columnist; Classical Contributor

A lifelong classical music fan, Don Dagenais is a frequent preview speaker for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and has taught classical music and opera courses at several Kansas City venues. He has served on the boards of directors of a number of performing arts organizations including the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, the Lyric Opera Guild, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, Opera Volunteers International, the Civic Opera Theater of Kansas City, Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony, Octarium, and the Friends of the Symphony.  He has been the past president of most of these organizations and is current the president of the Friends of the Symphony. 

Dagenais co-authored a history of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, published on the occasion of its 50th anniversary (2007) and has written books on the histories of both the Lyric Opera Guild and Opera Volunteers International, as well as an introductory book for opera novices (Your Passport to the Opera).  He has received several local and national awards for outstanding volunteer work for the arts, including a lifetime achievement award from The Coterie Theatre in 2000, the Kansas City Musical Club's annual award in 2001, a Partners in Excellence Award from Opera Volunteers International in 2002, a Bravo Award from Opera Volunteers International in 2004 and a community service award from the Daughter of the American Revolution in 2008 honoring him for his community service to the arts.

In addition to his music interests, Don is president of the board of directors for the Metropolitan Ensemble Theater and has served on the boards of The Coterie Theatre and the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, serving as president of each organization.  He publishes newsletters for seven arts organizations.  When not involved in the performing arts, Don is a senior real estate attorney with Lathrop & Gage LLP in Kansas City, Missouri, where he has practiced law since 1976 after graduating from the Cornell Law School.