Photo by Abby Meyer of Do816
The Kauffman Center was delighted to welcome more than 1,200 guests for the Napoleon Dynamite live screening and Q&A event on June 28, 2019. More than 15 years after the film’s initial release, fans gathered at the Kauffman Center to celebrate its cult following and enjoy the many quote-able moments. After watching the film in Muriel Kauffman Theatre, guests enjoyed a Q&A with cast members Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Efren Ramirez (Pedro) and John Gries (Uncle Rico). The conversation was led and moderated by Shawn Edwards, an award-winning journalist and film critic for FOX 4 News in Kansas City, Missouri.
Fans were invited to enjoy many different fun film-inspired activities before the event, including a VIP meet and greet with the cast, free photos with an alpaca on the Arts District Garage Terrace and a photo booth complete with “Vote for Pedro” signs.
A young Napoleon Dynamite enthusiast high-fives John Gries (Uncle Rico) prior to the movie.
Photo by Mark McDonald
Napoleon Dynamite fans know one of the most memorable characters is the family pet, Tina the Llama. To add to the fun (and pay homage to Tina) Kauffman Center guests were invited to snap some pictures with an alpaca, Will, prior to the movie screening. Will was brought to the Kauffman Center courtesy of Manna Meadows Alpacas in Bonner Springs, Kansas, and fans were so excited to give him a pat on the head and grab a memorable photo in front of the building.
Photo by Mark McDonald
Guests of all ages also had fun taking pictures in front of a “Glamour Shots by Deb” inspired backdrop in Brandmeyer Great Hall. They posed with a collection of Napoleon Dynamite themed props, posters and favorite quotes from the film.
Photo by Abby Meyer of Do816
Napoleon Dynamite super fans could also enjoy refreshments with references to the film. One of the specials, “Shots & Tots” came with a tasty side of the film’s iconic side, tater-tots.
Photo by Abby Meyer of Do816
The fun did not stop once the show started. Enthusiasts shouted their favorite quotes during the opening credits, including “Eat the food, Tina!”, “Give me some of your tots” and “My lips hurt real bad.” After the screening, Edwards introduced the actors by beatboxing while they danced onto the stage. Guests loved the opportunity to hear from the hilarious cast members of this famous film. Through the various film-inspired activities, live screening and Q&A, the event allowed for more than 1,200 fans to engage with Napoleon Dynamite like never before.
Kauffman Center Presents brings Common to Kauffman Center This Fall
Award-winning artist, actor and activist, Common, is coming to the Kauffman Center Aug. 29. Maimouna Youssef, known as Mumu Fresh, will be opening for Common.
Common won an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture alongside John Legend for “Glory” in the Oscar-nominated film Selma. Common also starred in the film, which was centered around the American civil rights marches of the 1960s. The original song “Stand Up for Something,” co-written by Common in the film Marshall, received Oscar, GRAMMY, NAACP and Critic Choice Award nominations. Common is starring in two films set to be released this year, The Kitchen and The Informer.
In addition to his work in music and acting, Common has dedicated the past few years to his work in activism. He has spent many hours advocating for social justice and bringing awareness to issues involving mass incarceration, mental health and voting. After successes with a concert and tour centered around his activism, Common launched his non-profit, Imagine Justice, in 2018. Imagine Justice is committed to using the power of art to advocate for communities throughout the country and to fight for justice and equality.
Tickets range from $43.75 to $83.75, plus fees. Every pair of tickets for this show includes new music from Common. Ticket prices include a $4.75 cost for access to Common’s new music. Ticket buyers will receive an email with more details about their offer approximately seven days after the purchase. Limit of eight tickets per sale. VIP packages available:
Meet & Greet Package ($209.46 including fees):
- One premium reserved or general admission ticket
- Exclusive meet & greet with Common
- Personal photograph with Common
- Autographed copy of Common’s memoir – Let Love Have The Last Word
- Let Love Have The Last Word bookmark
- Common microphone keychain
- Exclusive Common VIP merchandise item
- Official meet & greet laminate
- Limited availability
VIP Tour Package ($133.24 including fees):
- One premium reserved or general admission ticket
- Copy of Common’s memoir – Let Love Have The Last Word
- Let Love Have The Last Word bookmark
- Common microphone keychain
- Exclusive Common VIP merchandise item
- Commemorative tour laminate
- Limited availability
The Kauffman Center is thrilled to welcome The Beatles’ tribute tour – It Was Fifty Years Ago Today – Tour 2019 – to Muriel Kauffman Theatre on Thursday, October 3, as part of its 2019-2020 Kauffman Center Presents series. This tribute to The Beatles’ White Album features performers Christopher Cross, Todd Rundgren, Micky Dolenz (The Monkees), Jason Scheff (Chicago), Joey Molland (Badfinger) and musical director Joey Curatolo, director of RAIN: A Tribute to The Beatles. The troupe of legendary musicians will perform their own greatest hits along with honoring one of the world’s most influential albums through a must-see live performance of The White Album.
Tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime event are available now and range from $49 to $109 plus fees, and VIP packages are available. Tickets are available through the Kauffman Center Box Office at (816) 994-7222 or online.
IT WAS FIFTY YEARS AGO TODAY – TOUR 2019 – ABOUT THE BAND
Christopher Cross is a five-time GRAMMY Award winner from San Antonio, Texas. Cross made history at the 23rd GRAMMY Awards when he won all the General Four categories (Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of The Year and Best New Artist). He is still the only artist in GRAMMY history to do so. Other accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, four number-one singles, and 9 million albums sold throughout his 30 -year career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI6UC4tTPgQ
Todd Rundgren, a Philadelphia native, began his music career as the front man of the 1960s psychedelic group, Nazz. After he left the band, Rundgren made a name for himself with his album Something/Anything?, for which he sang all vocal parts, played all instruments and even acted as his own producer. His hits include “I Saw the Light,” “Hello It’s Me,” “Can We Still Be Friends” and “Bang The Drum.” In recent years, Rundgren has been a frequent member of Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsezr0qiFIc
Micky Dolenz has done it all. Throughout his career, he has worked as an actor, singer, director, producer, writer, DJ, inventor and a top-notch performer. Dolenz is best known as the vocalist and drummer of the 1960s pop band The Monkees. The Monkees reached high levels of success from their TV show and from their recorded music. Their first five albums all went platinum, and their first four albums reached number-one spots on the charts. The band also starred in the feature cult classic film, Head. Dolenz was also a friend of The Beatles during his time in The Monkees and was even at Abbey Road Studios when they recorded Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Jason Scheff is known for being the longtime tenor lead vocalist of Chicago, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After Scheff replaced the original vocalist Peter Cetera, he went on to become one of the lead songwriters of the group. Throughout four decades, Scheff has performed with Chicago in thousands of concerts and television appearances.
Joey Molland has a five-decade career in the music industry, most notably playing guitar for classic rock band Badfinger. Molland is the only surviving member of the group and still performs their hits on worldwide tours. Molland and Badfinger have multiple connections to The Beatles, including playing on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and Concert for Bangladesh albums, and performing on John Lennon’s Imagine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1mV8UFulUY
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José González, Boyz II Men, and Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin
coming to Kauffman Center this fall
José González will perform at the Kauffman Center on August 29 at 7 p.m. with special guest Bedouine, as part of the 2019-2020 Kauffman Center Presents series. González will perform an acoustic set of his indie-folk music in Helzberg Hall.
Throughout his career, the Swedish singer-songwriter has released three solo albums, all while touring the globe and performing on some of the world’s biggest stages, including television programs like Jimmy Kimmel Live and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. González’s music is inspired by 1970s Brazilian productions, American folk and West African desert blues.
“Sonically, I think it is the sound of softness and comfort that people mostly connect with my music. It happens quite often that people come up to me to tell me that they’ve used my music to calm their kids,” González said when asked what he thinks draws people to his music.
Azniv Korkejian was born in Aleppo, Syria and took on the name Bedouine as a representation of her nomadic life, which landed her in Los Angeles, California. Bedouine has a degree in sound design and works professionally in dialogue editing and music editing. The singer and guitarist’s unique sound is described as 1960s folk meets 1970s country funk. Her music represents minimalism motivated by travel and establishes a sustained and complete mood, reflecting on the unending reverberations of displacement. Bedouine’s new album Bird Songs of a Killjoy will be released June 21.
To get tickets for this must-see performance, call the Kauffman Center Box Office at (816) 994-7222 or visit www.kauffmancenter.org. Ticket prices range from $29-$59, plus fees.
R&B trio, Boyz II Men, will be at the Kauffman Center on October 2 in Muriel Kauffman Theatre, as part of the 2019-2020 Kauffman Center Presents series. The show will start at 7:30 p.m. and will feature their timeless hit songs from the past two decades.
Boyz II Men has solidified their spot as one of R&B’s most iconic groups. On their long list of achievements are four GRAMMY awards and nine American Music Awards. Throughout their 25-year career, they have earned a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame and the distinction of being the best-selling R&B group of all time with 60 million albums sold.
Tickets range from $59-$129 plus fees. To purchase, call the Kauffman Center Box Office at (816) 994-7222 or visit www.kauffmancenter.org.
Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin are bringing their vast catalog of songs to the Kauffman Center’s Helzberg Hall on October 10, as part of the 2019-2020 Kauffman Center Presents series. This acoustic performance will start at 7 p.m. and features the lifelong friends’ hit songs as well as some of their favorite stories.
Mary Chapin Carpenter has sold more than 14 million records and won five GRAMMY awards throughout her long career. Her songs speak to the most universal of life stories and have earned her a spot as one of the 15 female members of the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.
Shawn Colvin has been a constant of the contemporary folk music scene since her first GRAMMY award in 1989. In addition to her memoir, Diamond in the Rough, she has released 12 albums that inspire fans with her enduring talent. Coming in September, she will release a special all-acoustic version of her first GRAMMY-winning album, Steady On.
Tickets range from $39 to $89 plus fees. VIP tickets are available for $175, plus applicable fees, and include:
- One premium reserved ticket located in the first 10 rows
- Collectible tour lithograph autographed by Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin
- Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin journal notebook and pen
- Specially designed Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin tote bag
- Exclusive Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin bookmark
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the Kauffman Center Box Office by calling (816) 994.7222 or by visiting www.kauffmancenter.org.
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Photo by Christina Valdez
Future Stages Festival Performance Group Gains International Attention
Crescendo in Motion to perform Yuzuru Hanyu tribute at the Kauffman Center on Sunday, June 16 at 2:30 p.m.
Crescendo Conservatory, a school performing at the Kauffman Center’s upcoming Future Stages Festival has gone viral for their ballet tribute to Yuzuru Hanyu, a renowned Japanese figure skater and two-time Olympic gold medalist.
The co-artistic director of the conservatory, Christina Valdez, first became a fan of Hanyu after watching him in the 2018 Winter Olympics. She was drawn to his athleticism and also found many similarities between his skating and ballet.
As a tribute to the consecutive Olympic gold medalist, Valdez choreographed a piece inspired by his performance at the PyeongChang figure skating gala. After tweeting a photo from a rehearsal of the ballet, Crescendo in Motion quickly attracted attention from Hanyu fans around the world.
After posting the tweet, Crescendo then shared a video of their piece, Notte Stellata – A Ballet Tribute to Yuzuru Hanyu which now has over 25,000 views on YouTube. Viewers can even spot a Winnie the Pooh bear in the background which fans traditionally throw on the rink after Hanyu’s performances.
The story went worldwide when The Japan Times and the Olympic Channel covered the tribute. The Olympic Channel noted how Hanyu is now a muse for artists in all different mediums across the world.
The Kauffman Center is thrilled that Crescendo in Motion will perform Notte Stellata – A Ballet Tribute to Yuzuru Hanyu in Muriel Kauffman Theatre at Future Stages Festival on June 16,2019 at 2:30 p.m.
For more information on all there is to do, see, hear, and make at the 6th annual Future Stages Festival, visit: kauffmancenter.org/futurestages
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