Events
Daniel Tiger and Friends to take the Kauffman Center stage in March
Daniel Tiger is back! He and all his friends from the Emmy Award-winning PBS KIDS television series are taking the stage again for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live: Neighbor Day. This live theatrical production follows the highly successful Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live: King for a Day tour that visited 50 communities in 2019. Neighbor Day brings interactive fun, music, dancing, and laughter to the Muriel Kauffman Theatre stage on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.
Building on the pioneering PBS series, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood follows the adventures of four-year-old Daniel Tiger. The top-rated television series airs daily on PBS KIDS. Throughout each episode, Daniel interacts with his viewers, making each child feel like one of his neighbors. Episodes aim to reinforce childhood learning through imagination, creativity, and song. Each story incorporates input from a wide range of specialists in early childhood learning, extensive childhood research, and the 40-year career of the beloved Fred Rogers.
Tickets for the Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood event range from $25 to $75, plus applicable fees. VIP tickets are available and include a post-show photo with Daniel Tiger.
David Foster and special guest Katharine McPhee coming to Kauffman Center May 2020
GRAMMY Award-winning musician, songwriter, record producer, and composer, David Foster is taking his four decades of hits to the stage with An Intimate Evening with David Foster: Hitman Tour Featuring Special Guest Katharine McPhee.
Canadian-born Foster leads the music industry, taking the reins on albums that have collectively sold in the hundreds of millions. He has written hit songs and earned both gold and platinum albums for an array of top artists including Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. Foster has also escorted singers who have straddled both pop and classical styles like Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban into the mainstream. Foster is also a celebrity judge on Asia’s biggest talent competition show, Asia’s Got Talent and World Got Talent, which airs in China to 150 million viewers a night. For his legendary work, Foster has won 16 GRAMMY Awards, including three for Producer of the Year, an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and was a three-time nominee for Best Original Song.
As an artist always looking for another challenge, Foster is taking on Broadway, starting with a new musical about the classic, animated character Betty Boop, directed by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell. Foster is also writing the music for a musical based on the Amy Bloom novel and New York Times bestseller Lucky Us.
Joining Foster will be his wife, singer, actress and American Idol star, Katharine McPhee fresh off her Broadway and West End run of the hit musical Waitress. She is known for her powerhouse presence, show-stopping performances, and unforgettable voice. Her first smash hit “Over It,” brought her 2007 self-titled debut album to life, bowing at number two on the Billboard Top 200 and receiving an RIAA gold certification. McPhee has become a star on the big and small screens, appearing on multiple TV shows and movies, all while releasing hit music. In 2017, McPhee reimagined, recharged, and reinvigorated a host of timeless jazz standards on her fifth full-length album, I Fall In Love Too Easily, produced by Don Was. Katharine will join David for a number of his well-known songs including The Prayer.
Tickets for An Intimate Evening with David Foster: Hitman Tour Featuring Special Guest Katharine McPhee range from $39 to $109, plus applicable fees.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the Kauffman Center / Photo by David Riffel
On October 1 the Kauffman Center, in a 10-year partnership with local organization Variety KC, announced new amenities that celebrated inclusive arts experiences. The new features will support the Center’s ongoing effort to ensure attending a performance is a positive experience for all. Variety KC parents and children attended a ribbon cutting ceremony and were invited to be the first to experience these new additions.
Variety KC understands the challenges that families face when navigating a world that is not designed for children with disabilities. The organization has been working for years to provide adaptive equipment and opportunities for children with developmental disabilities. The Variety KC supported amenities are a meaningful step to ensure all audiences can experience the performing arts at the Kauffman Center.
Variety KC parent Nancy Truitt, who was in attendance with son Maddox (age 16) shared, “As the parent of a child with special needs, it is really exciting that the Kauffman Center is so willing to create access for all and has such an interest in becoming a leader in the inclusion revolution that is happening here in Kansas City.”
The Variety KC kids and parents were the first to explore the Kauffman Center’s new accessibility amenities made especially with them in mind. The official opening day for the resources was marked with a ribbon cutting ceremony followed by families attending Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild Live! matinee.
Family in the newly opened Serenity Room / Photo by David Riffel
The two new Variety-supported Serenity Rooms were especially notable. The rooms offer a quiet, welcoming space that patrons can visit when they need a little privacy or to take a break from the performance or crowds. Each Serenity Room is equipped with comfy furniture, outlets, dimmable lights, and sensory items like a fiberoptic color changing lamp and playable art sculpture. All of these items can help someone relax and refocus in potentially stressful or overwhelming moments. Since each Serenity Room is outfitted with a monitor, patrons don’t need to worry about missing a moment of the performance they came to see. Patrons can use either of the two Serenity Rooms during a visit to the Center by asking a staff member or volunteer.
“The Kauffman Center is an exceptional experience and the accommodations you guys have put in are just wonderful!” Variety KC parent Carol Caron said. “The sensory room was so well thought out and is going to be just the thing needed for families to go and enjoy shows who would not be able to otherwise.”
Sensory Kit / Photo by David Riffel
New Sensory Kits made available by Variety KC were also on hand and used by many families throughout the morning. Each kit includes noise-muffling headphones, a weighted lap pad, and a handheld sensory item. These items are designed to provide comfort and sensory stimulation for someone who is affected by the sights and sounds of a performance. During all performances, Sensory Kits will be available for complimentary use by any patron at Coat Check, located on the Plaza Lobby Level.
Universal changing table / Photo by David Riffel
Family restrooms at the Kauffman Center have always featured changing tables for the very young, but the newly added universal changing tables, located in the Mezzanine Level family restroom and First Aid Office, can accommodate infants to adults. Variety KC parent Katie Ernzen, who was in attendance with her son George (age 6), was thrilled by this addition.
“Being able to take George to see Jack Hanna at the Kauffman Center was a dream come true,” Ernzen said. “The new accessible restrooms, equipped with adult changing tables, gave me peace of mind knowing that I wouldn’t have to worry about where to change George’s diaper. In fact, we used the new changing tables twice while at the Kauffman Center and they were perfect!”
Shortly before the ribbon cutting ceremony was set to begin, special guest Jack Hanna made an appearance to greet attendees and take a photo with each Variety KC family. Families delighted in the exclusive, intimate time with America’s favorite zookeeper.
Variety KC family with Jack Hanna / Photo by David Riffel
Janet Mark, vice president of development at the Kauffman Center, welcomed those in attendance for the ribbon cutting ceremony and reinforced the Center’s commitment to provide inclusive arts experiences to all patrons. Other speakers at the ceremony included Kansas City’s First District Councilwoman Heather Hall, vice president of Variety KC board Marc Harrell, and Variety KC kid Olivia Bloomfield. Amid many poignant comments from the speakers, the most endearing address came from 7-year-old Olivia.
“I’m here today to thank Variety KC and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Thank you guys for letting everyone be able to come here, be safe, have fun, and not have to worry about anything. Thank you for making the arts available to everyone!” Olivia said.
Variety KC kid Olivia Bloomfield at the ribbon cutting / Photo by David Riffel
Following the ceremony, Variety KC families made their way into Muriel Kauffman Theatre to enjoy the Jack Hanna Into the Wild Live! matinee performance. As Jack Hanna took the stage, the Variety KC children and parents clapped enthusiastically alongside approximately 1,500 other students from area Kansas City schools. The hour-long performance featured animal facts and tales from Hanna, along with appearances from many animals including a penguin, sloth, and kangaroo. The audience delighted in the chance to experience this fun, yet informative performance.
Jack Hanna on Muriel Kauffman Theatre stage / Photo by David Riffel
The Kauffman Center is committed to providing an enjoyable, safe, and welcoming environment for all patrons to experience live performing arts. Unveiling the new accessibility resources was another major step forward for the Center as they work to provide access to the performing arts for all.
For a full album of photos from the October 1 ribbon cutting event, visit our Flickr.
To learn more about the Kauffman Center’s accessible amenities, visit the accessibility page on our website.
Shaken & Stirred: Michael Feinstein and Special Guest Storm Large
to perform at the Kauffman Center in February
Award-winning musician Michael Feinstein is coming to Muriel Kauffman Theatre with renowned vocalist Storm Large on February 9, 2020.
Michael Feinstein, known for being the Ambassador of the Great American Songbook, has dazzled audiences with his music for more than three decades. He has earned five GRAMMY nominations, an Emmy nomination for his PBS special, and has performed in the world’s most iconic venues, including The White House, Buckingham Palace and Carnegie Hall, just to name a few. His most recent award-winning album is A Michael Feinstein Christmas, which features GRAMMY- winning jazz pianist Alan Broadbent.
In addition to his music, Feinstein founded The Great American Songbook Foundation in 2007. The foundation is committed to the celebration and promotion of music through educational programs, master classes and the annual High School Songbook Academy. Feinstein is the artistic director of both the Palladium Center for the Performing Arts and Carnegie Hall’s “Standard Time with Michael Feinstein,” and also serves as the director of the Jazz and Popular Song series at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Vocalist Storm Large gained national attention on CBS’s Rock Star Supernova in 2006. Her recent highlights include working with the New York Pops, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony. In addition, Storm Large made her guest debut in 2011 as a vocalist in Pink Martini, singing four sold-out concerts at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. with the National Symphony Orchestra.
Tickets for this must-see performance range from $49 to $109, plus applicable fees. They can be purchased at the Kauffman Center Box Office, by calling (816) 994-7222, or online at kauffmancenter.org.
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Two bands with New Orleans-inspired rhythms will perform a quirky mix of jazz, folk, punk rock and a “musical gumbo” of bebop jazz, funk and R&B
Squirrel Nut Zippers and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band will perform in Muriel Kauffman Theatre on Saturday, February 1, 2020. Squirrel Nut Zippers began their music journey in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in the mid-1990s. The group started as a casual musical foray among family and friends and quickly began attracting a national following with their mix of jazz chords, folk music and punk rock sound. Between 1995 and 2000, the band sold three million albums. Their pivotal album Hot (1996) broke free of jazz stereotypes, taking their signature style of anti-establishment sound to commercial radio.
Years later, Squirrel Nut Zippers emerged from a lengthy recording hiatus, reinvigorated, reinvested and rejuvenated with an all-star cast of New Orleans musicians determined to reignite the band’s unique, enigmatic sound. The result was their first studio album in 18 years, Beasts of Burgundy. The album’s name is a handsome moniker referring to Burgundy Street in New Orleans. The album itself heralds the band’s mission while offering a fresh objective of its own – a hand-tailored thrift store suit of songs, stitched into one complete body of material.
In the past few years, Squirrel Nut Zippers have spent time on the road honing their sound and further developing the band’s chemistry.
“The Zippers have always been full of outlandish characters which provides great self-referential material for songs,” said co-founder Jimbo Mathus, whose motto to “let the music lead” still rings true 18 years later.
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In 1977, The Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club began in honor of two antiquated traditions known to New Orleans: social and pleasure clubs; and brass bands. Dating back more than a century, social and pleasure clubs would offer funeral arrangements for black southerners who could rarely afford life insurance. Brass bands, early predecessors of jazz as we know it, would often follow the funeral procession playing somber dirges, then burst into jubilant tunes causing onlookers to dance in the streets. By the late 1970s, few social and pleasure clubs or brass bands existed. The Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club decided to assemble as a house band, and eventually, the seven-member ensemble adopted the venue’s name – The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Known for their high-octane performances and genre-bending romps, the band is now celebrating more than 40 years of their unique “musical gumbo” sound – a blend of funk, R&B and bebop jazz. They have toured in more than 30 countries across five continents and recorded 12 studio albums. Their nontraditional sound has led them to collaborate with many artists, including Modest Mouse and Norah Jones.
Tickets for the event range from $29 to $49, plus applicable fees, and can be found at the Kauffman Center Box Office, by calling (816) 994-7222 or online at kauffmancenter.org.
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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.
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