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

Now Playing

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

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

 Coming This Month

Kansas City Repertory Theatre
A Flea in Her Ear
by Georges Feydeau
Directed by Gary Griffin
Runs May 15 - June 7
Call or visit the website for performance times.
Spencer Theatre at UMKC
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO

In their own words: Having recently directed The Color Purple on Broadway, Olivier Award-winner Gary Griffin brings us a new adaptation of Feydeau's masterful French farce that was a recent hit at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. The story begins when Madame Raymonde Chandebise suspects that her husband Victor's lack of affection indicates he is having an affair behind her back. To prove her suspicions, Raymonde writes an anonymous letter to him requesting a romantic rendezvous at a disreputable hotel. Victor misinterprets the letter and sends his friend Tournel, a notorious womanizer, in his place. This results in a series of misunderstandings, misplaced jealousies, mistaken identities and numerous side-splitting complications.

For tickets call 816-235-2700 or online at www.kcrep.org

Byrd Productions
Fools Fortune III
Runs May 15, 16 & 17
Call or visit the website for performance times
Just Off Broadway Theatre
3051 Central, Kansas City, MO

Third times a charm, and even better.  Byrd Productions presents their third annual Fool's Fortune.  Staring Jay and Leslie Cady, J.J. mime Jason Smith, Beth Byrd, BOOM!, Damian Blake and Dan Griffiths, this show will demonstrate theatre as it moves physically across the stage. 

In their own words: "Once upon a time in a theater that used to be a castle, a group of buffoons, mimes, fools and movement artists gathered to perform their most amusing, stunning and fascinating stories.  Jugglers juggled, fools were foolish, mimes were silent, clown bands played and all enjoyed each others company.  Then one day they looked around and said 'Hey, we should do this in front of people!'"

 For tickets call 816-753-0517 or online at www.byrdproductions.org

The Chestnut Fine Arts Center
Babes in Hollywood: The Music of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney
Directed by Brad Zimmerman
Thursday May 21 through Sunday June 21
Call or visit the website for performance times
Chestnut Fine Arts Center
234 N Chestnut, Olathe, KS

Babes in Hollywood salutes the legendary musical careers of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney and features such American classics as Over the Rainbow, You Made Me Love You, Easter Parade, But Not for Me, The Man Who Got Away, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Meet Me in St. Louis, That's Entertainment, Where or When, Born in a Trunk, Yankee Doodle Boy, Come Rain or Come Shine, Strike up the Band and many more. 

For tickets call 913-764-2121. Visit www.chestnutfinearts.com for more information.

On Going


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

Coterie Theatre at Night
The Breakfast Club