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Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

Now Playing

The New Theatre Restaurant
Don't Dress for Dinner
By Marc Camoletti
Runs April 15 - June 21
9229 Foster, Overland Park, KS.

Starring Jamie Farr (Klinger from televisions famed M*A*S*H), this twisting comedy ran for two years in Paris and an astonishing seven years in London where it played for over 2000 performances between the Apollo and Duchess Theatres. 

This rollercoaster ride of a play involves a husband, a wife, a mistress, a best friend and a cook.  What possible mischief could come from these Marc Camoletti characters?  Author of the recent New Theatre production Boeing-Boeing, Camoletti trained as an architect until three of his plays were produced in Paris simultaneously which launched his career.  This French born playwright has seen great success with his works - many of which have been produced in 55 countries. 18 of his plays have seen 20,000 performances in Paris alone.  Although he passed away in 2003, his hilarious works are still being produced to this day.    

For tickets call 913-649-SHOW or online at www.newtheatre.com

The Coterie Theatre
Roald Dahl's The Witches
Adapted by David Wood
Directed by Missy Koonce
Runs April 14 - May 17
Crown Center - Lower level
2450 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO

From The Coterie: "The Grand High Witch has a monstrous plan. Her fellow crones will take over all candy shops and make poisonous candy that transforms children into mice! Luckily, a brave young boy has overheard this terrible plot. With the help of his grandma, who knows something about witches, he will try to stop The Grand High Witch, but time is running out!  Roald Dahl reveals the whole ghastly truth about these horrible creatures!"

One More Thing: Do you want to know more about Roald Dahl?  Visit his website www.roalddahl.com.

For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online at www.coterietheatre.org

Unicorn Theatre
Bare
Written by Jon Hartmere & Damon Intrabartolo
Directed by Jeff Church
Runs April 24 - May 17
3828 Main Street, Kansas City, MO

In their words:
"Bare, a merge of Spring Awakening and The Dead Poets Society, explores the pleasures and pains of high school seniors at a co-ed Catholic boarding school.  Each of them questions where they are in their lives while trying to uphold the standards of their families and the Church.  Answers are sought in the confessional, the stage, a rave and a well-locked dorm room."

One More Thing:  Unicorn Theatre has partnered with six local University programs for this production to intern on stage, back stage and in the marketing department.  The schools are: UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, UMKC Theatre, Park University, Avila University, University of Kansas and University of Central Missouri.

For tickets call 816-531-7529 or online at www.unicorntheatre.org

Minds Eye Theatre
Hair
Book & Lyrirs by James Rado and Gerome Ragni
Music by Galt MacDermot
Runs April 24 - May 9
Just Off Broadway Theatre
3051 Central, Penn Valley Park, Kansas City, MO

This rock-musical is a product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960's.  Many of its songs became the cry and anthem of the anti-Vietnam War movement and peace rallies held during that time.  With its use of profanity, illegal drug use and sexuality as well as its infamous nude scene, Hair was the show that brought along the paradigm shift for the Broadway musical.  It first opened off-Broadway at Joseph Papp's Public Theatre in 1967, moved to a discothèque, and then transferred to Broadway's Biltmore Theatre in 1968.  Hair ran for an astounding 1,750 performances and then captured another 1,997 performances in London.  There have been many performances, recordings and film adaptations of this hip-rock musical.  A revival has been scheduled to open on March 31, 2009 in Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre after its brilliant run last summer in New York's Central Park.  Minds Eye Theatre will join Boston University on Broadway, The Winthrop Playmaker in Winthrop, MA and Theatre Le Trianon in Paris as one of four companies to produce this cult-classic.       

For tickets call 816-721-2792 or online www.mindseyetheatrekc.com

On Going

Coterie Theatre at Night
The Breakfast Club
Directed by Ron McGee
Open ended run every Monday night
Westport Coffeehouse
4010 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO

A resurrection of the defining 1980's "Brat Pack" movie is being played out on stage as Ron McGee directs The Breakfast Club.  More then a cult classic, this play - adapted from the original 1985 film - takes us on a retro-journey of five teenage strangers forced to live out a Saturday detention.  Souls are revealed, love sparks, and reality sets in as this play not only reminds us of how times in America once were but how everything stays the same.  It should be noted that this production is not suited for those under 16 or 17 years of age.

One More Thing: Stay after the play and hangout with the cast on stage, drink coffee, and listen to 80's music.

Another Thing: Visit www.youtube.com/user/anthonyalexanderpro to watch interviews of the cast and learn about their research of the characters they are portraying.

For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online www.coterietheatre.org

Coming Up This Month

American Heartland Theatre
Unnecessary Farce
By Paul Slade Smith
Directed by William J. Christie
Runs May 8 - June 21
Crown Center (Upper Level)
2450 Grand Boulevard, Downtown Kansas City, MO

From their website: "A farce, indeed, and a very good one, too! This laugh -out loud comedy has everything one can hope for in a modern-day farce: two likeable cops operating way out of their league, a supposedly crooked mayor with impeccable timing, his innocent-acting wife, a shy accountant with a penchant for dropping her drawers, a nervous double agent who'd like to get IN those drawers, a Scottish hit man whose brogue gets thicker the angrier he gets, two adjoining hotel rooms, simmering sexual tension and eight doors a slammin'"

The cast includes John Wilson, Jill Szoo, Jessalyn Kincaid, Kevin Albert, Craig Benton, Zach Woods, and Cynthia Hyer.

One more thing: An interpreted performance will be available for the hearing impaired on June 17 at 7:30pm.

For tickets call 816-842-9999 or online www.ahtkc.com

 Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Music & Lyrics by John Kander & Fred Ebb
Book by Terrance McNally
Runs May 14 - 24
METspace
3614 Main, Kansas City, MO

This adaptation based on Manuel Puig'a novel El Beso de la Mujer Araña, won a 1993 Tony Award for Best Musical.  Prior to its Broadway run, this musical was staged in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1995, Canada's Canstage in 1992 and London's West End also in 1992.  In addition to its Best Musical win, Kiss of the Spider Woman grabbed ten additional awards including Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. 

In their words: "Kiss of the Spider Woman is a harrowing tale of persecution into a dazzling spectacle that juxtaposes gritty realities with liberating fantasies. Cell mates in a Latin American prison, Valentin is a tough revolutionary undergoing torture and Molina is an unabashed homosexual serving eight years for deviant behavior. Molina shares his fantasies about an actress with Valentin. One of her roles is a Spider Woman who kills with a kiss."

 For tickets call 816-569-3226 or online www.metkc.org

 Musical Theater Heritage
The Taffetas: A Musical Journey Through the Fabulous Fifties!
Runs May 7 - 24
Off Center Theatre at Crown Center
2450 Grand Boulevard, Downtown Kansas City, MO

In their words: "It's the 1950's, and the fabulous decade comes alive again when four singing sisters from Muncie, Indiana are making their national television debut. Tight, four-part harmonies will pay tribute to some of the greatest girl groups and hits of the era."'

For tickets call 816-842-9999 or online www.musicaltheaterheritage.com