More than 1,500 people attended Los Tigres del Norte
with special guests Making Movies at the Kauffman Center
Photo by Cody Boston
Photo by Cody Boston
On Sunday, April 14, 2019, more than 1,500 people attended the nearly sold-out Kauffman Center Presents Los Tigres del Norte performance.
Los Tigres del Norte have reinvented Mexican popular music with their modern take on traditional norteño, cumbia, bolero and rock music. The multiple Grammy award-winning band has sold 37 million records and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Making Movies, the Kansas City-based rock band who opened the show, blends Afro-Latino rhythms with psychedelic jams and rock ’n’ roll swagger.
In line with the Kauffman Center’s mission to bridge the gap between the arts and local communities and organizations, the Open Doors Community Tickets program provided free tickets to local nonprofit agencies including El Centro, Guadalupe Centers and Mattie Rhodes Center. The Consulate of Mexico in Kansas City also donated three traditional Mexican dresses for display as part of the Kauffman Center’s Live in the Lobby series.
Photo by Cody Boston
Eduardo’s Pueblito food truck was parked outside the south entrance of the Kauffman Center for guests to enjoy traditional Mexican food before the show.
The Kauffman Center Presents series is proud to provide inclusive programming that represents people of all cultures and backgrounds. Through the Los Tigres del Norte and Making Movies performance, a diverse crowd of fresh new faces was able to experience the Kauffman Center, many for the first time.
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Kauffman Center Featured by Google Arts & Culture
Explore Kansas City culture in a new interactive online project by
Google Arts & Culture in collaboration with the Kauffman Center
Photo of Brandmeyer Great Hall by Jillian Shoptaw
On Friday, April 5, 2019, Google Arts & Culture launched Kansas City – Google Arts & Culture’s first online exhibition featuring an American city. The project brings together collections, stories and 360-degree tours from 15 renowned Kansas City institutions, including the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
Photo of Helzberg Hall by Steve Mohlenkamp
From articles like ‘11 Fun Facts About Kansas City‘ to ‘The KC BBQ Experience: What to Expect,’ the exhibition highlights the history, people and culture that makes Kansas City the “Heart of America.” The project launched with a video highlighting Kansas City’s arts and culture scene. The platform has introduced Kansas City and its arts and culture to an international audience giving visitors around the world the opportunity to learn and experience Kansas City in a new way.
The partnership also features Google Arts & Culture’s Art Camera – a custom device that takes hundreds of close-up images, revealing a level of detail hidden from the naked eye. This means Helzberg Hall, Muriel Kauffman Theatre and Brandmeyer Great Hall can now be viewed in an interactive 360-degree gigapixel-picture.
“We’re excited to launch our first project profiling an American city here in Kansas City,” said Simon Delacroix, US Lead at Google Arts & Culture. “Kansas City’s vibrant art and history has been instrumental to Google Arts & Culture from our very beginning in 2011. Today marks a big step forward — with the help of 15 world-class institutions, we’re thrilled to share with anyone, anywhere, some of the amazing stories that make Kansas City the Heart of America.”
Paul Schofer, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Kauffman Center stated, “We’re excited and honored to be a part of this ambitious endeavor to highlight the many artistic and cultural experiences that Kansas City has to offer. The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is an iconic part of the arts and cultural landscape of Kansas City and we are proud to be included to showcase what so many of us already know: that Kansas City has world-class entertainment for everyone.”
Below are some of the featured exhibitions about the Kauffman Center:
Photo of the Kauffman Center from the southside by Mary Beth Russell
- Performances at the Kauffman Center: featuring information on the 300+ performances the Kauffman Center hosts per year (including the Kauffman Center Presents series, Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Ballet and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City).
- The Construction of the Kauffman Center: an exclusive look into the five-year construction of the Kauffman Center from groundbreaking to grand opening.
- Architecture Highlights: an in-depth look at the Kauffman Center’s architectural features both inside and outside of the facility.
- The King of All Instruments: a showcase of the Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant Organ, Opus 3875, one of the finest performance organs in the country and the visual centerpiece of Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center.
You can experience Kansas City and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts by downloading the Android or iOS app or visiting Google Arts & Culture.
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Open Doors School Matinees Serve More Than 5,000 Students Across the Kansas City Metro During 2018-2019 School Year.
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is passionate about providing youth in our community opportunities to experience high quality performing arts, learn about the facility, and even plan for a future in the arts.
Photo by Jillian Shoptaw
Through the Open Doors program, students in 19 school districts and more than 35 schools have attended this year’s four school matinees: Black Violin, a hip-hop string instrument duo from Florida, and three National Geographic Live events, including Ronan Donovan, Mark Synnott, and Kara Cooney. More than 1,600 students enjoyed Black Violin in October 2018 while over 3,500 students attended the three National Geographic Events.
Teachers and chaperones commented that these presentations provide opportunities for their students to learn and spark discussions outside the classroom. “[My students] had so much fun and loved all the energy. [Black Violin] did such a nice job talking about dreams, stereotypes, and how we can change things through music, or how music helps to break down barriers. Here you have a crowd from all backgrounds, sharing the same wonderful experience and getting along. It was great,” said Parker Stanley of South Valley Middle School in Liberty, Missouri.
Photo by Jillian Shoptaw
Educators and administrators also appreciate the low ticket prices offered through the Open Doors school matinee program. While the tickets initially cost $5 per person, the Open Doors Community Tickets initiative pays for a portion of each ticket bringing the expense down to $2 per student and chaperone. Additionally, the Transportation Fund provides schools with the opportunity of eliminating or reducing the cost of transportation to and from the matinees. Ultimately, the Open Doors program strives to make these experiences affordable for schools across the Kansas City metro.
“With Open Door Transportation, we don’t have to charge our students $5 for a bus fee to pay for gas and our bus driver,” says Shauna Townsend, Music and Band Teacher at Clinton Christian Academy. As a result, more families and students can afford to go on the field trip, she says.
As the school year comes to a close, it is time to prepare for the 2019-2020 school year of matinees at the Kauffman Center. Next year’s first matinee will be Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild Live! coming on October 1, 2019 at 10:30 a.m.. Jack Hanna, America’s most beloved zoo keeper, will bring his favorite furry friends to Kansas City. Students will have the chance to meet the animals and hear their stories during the matinee. Reservations for this matinee, and the National Geographic Live series will open up in May 2019. To stay up to date on Open Doors opportunities, be sure to sign up for the Kauffman Center’s Educator email list.
Visit our School Field Trips page for more details.
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‘Music from the Heart’ features Jan Kraybill performing on the
Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant Organ, Opus 3875
Photo by Cody Boston
This Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and Premier Partner Saint Luke’s Health System will present “Music from the Heart,” a special concert and free community event. The concert takes place Sunday, May 12 at 4 p.m. in Helzberg Hall and features the Kauffman Center’s spectacular pipe organ.
Jan Kraybill, organ conservator for the Kauffman Center, has curated a selection that illustrates many shades of love. Compositions from Bach to The Beatles touch on love of family, country, romance and peace. Kraybill will perform on the Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant Organ, Opus 3875, one of the finest concert hall organs in the nation.
The free concert is a Mother’s Day gift to the community in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Saint Luke’s Muriel I. Kauffman Women’s Heart Center. Prior to the performance, Saint Luke’s will present Julia Irene Kauffman, Chairman of the Board for the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, with the Visionary Award in recognition of her leadership, dedication and support to advance women’s heart health in Kansas City by creating a resource that is a center of excellence for the community over its 25 year history.
Tickets for this event are free but reservations are required. Free tickets will be available to the public at 10 a.m. Friday, April 5, through the Kauffman Center Box Office at (816) 994-7222 and online at www.kauffmancenter.org.
Presented by Premier Partner Saint Luke’s Health System
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Fifty local Girl Scout Cadettes visited the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts for their first-ever “SPARK the Arts!” event.
Photo by Girl Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri
March 16, 2019 – In collaboration with the Kauffman Center’s resident arts organizations (Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony and Lyric Opera of Kansas City), Girl Scouts senior cadettes and accompanying adults got to hear about the career paths of working women at the Kauffman Center. In addition, the scouts learned about all the behind the scenes work and details that go into creating performances at nonprofit arts organizations.
The Kauffman Center’s Open Doors Spotlight on Youth initiative connects youth artists and future art professionals with the Kauffman Center’s staff and stages. In combination with the “SPARK the Arts!” program, the Girl Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri hope to enlighten young cadettes on career opportunities in the arts as they enter into the pivotal years of their education and future career planning.
“I know that I learned a lot from observing all the elements that go into each facet of the different types of performances and I know our girls walked away [with] a greater ability to see themselves as professionals in [the] industry.” – Mindy Ryan, Girl Scouts Community Partners Manager
More details of the individual presentations are featured below:
Kansas City Symphony
Stephanie Brimhall, Education Manager, spoke on careers for women within an orchestra. The presentation took place on stage in Helzberg Hall and included a performance by an all female string quartet followed by a Q&A for the girls.
Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Linda Ade Brand, Director of Education, spoke on set design followed by a behind the scenes tour of Muriel Kauffman Theatre in anticipation for the Lyric Opera’s opening night performance of Così fan tutte later that evening.
Kansas City Ballet
April Berry, Community Engagement Manager, spoke on professional careers for dancers, dance instructors and choreographers followed by an improvised dance session with the girls.
Kauffman Center Marketing Department
Joanna Polley, Community Outreach Supervisor, spoke on marketing campaigns and developing promotional social media posts. The girls were able to build their own social media campaign for an upcoming performance and tested their Instagram photo-taking abilities. They also found out how to get involved in this year’s Future Stages Festival.
All photos featured are provided by the Girl Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri.
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