Here are ten things to do in KC this weekend, May 7—10 including The Wizard of Oz, The Great Gatsby and Arterie Fest.
ArtPop
The Kansas City Art Institute’s (KCAI) biggest party of the year, ArtPop, is back, transforming the campus into a festival with outdoor art installations, student performers, music, drag, food and drinks. This progressive dinner party gives attendees the opportunity to view and purchase students ahead of the weekend-long End of Semester Exhibition + Sale.
May 7. 6 pm. Kansas City Art Institute.
The Wizard of Oz
From The Wiz to Wicked, L. Frank Baum’s turn-of-the-century novel The Wizard of Oz has seen a plethora of interpretations—especially for the stage. As Dorothy and Toto stray far from their Kansas farm, KCRep’s upcoming production makes the classic story its own. A collaboration with PigPen Theatre Co., KCRep artistic director Stuart Carden says the New York City-based indie troupe specializes in productions that place “music-making at the center of the experience.” In this reimagining, the score is performed entirely by 15 actor-musicians: The Cowardly Lion will timidly strum the ukulele; the Tinman operates as a rustic one-man-band, complete with a washboard integrated into the costume; Dorothy doubles as a cellist.
May 5–24. Times vary. Spencer Theatre.
Mini Golf At The Museum
It’s back! Art Course offers an artist-designed mini-golf adventure within the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park at the Nelson-Atkins Museum. Play nine unique holes, each offering a creative spin on a masterpiece from the museum’s collection.
April 10—October 25. Times vary. Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park at the Nelson-Atkins Museum.
The Great Gatsby
In the Roaring Twenties, flappers defied modest societal norms of womanhood by sporting shorter dresses and hairstyles and embracing nightlife—which included partaking in once-scandalous dances like the Charleston. The Kansas City Ballet pays tribute to this formative era in music and dance with a reimagining of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Bringing the glitz, glamour and grandeur of the Jazz Age to the Kauffman Center, the production is choreographed by renowned director Septime Webre and features extravagant set design and costumes by Academy Award-winning designer Tim Yip.
May 8–17. Times vary. Muriel Kauffman Theatre.
Arterie Fest
KC’s arts-centric Southmoreland neighborhood welcomed the streetcar’s Midtown expansion with open arms with The Arterie, an experiential pathway that guides riders from the tram stop through the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Kansas City Art Institute. The Arterie’s inaugural festival combines the Kemper Museum Block Party with immersive activities at the Nelson-Atkins and KCAI’s End of Semester Exhibition + Sale. Expect hands-on artmaking, food trucks, live music and more.
May 10. 10 am. Southmoreland.
Mother’s Day Weekend at Powell Gardens
Celebrate Mother’s Day with the scenic and peaceful backdrop of Powell Gardens. For those celebrating early, Saturday’s festivities include a charming garden tea at 10:30 am, as well as a picnic lunch beginning at 11 am. On Mother’s Day, the botanical gardens will again offer picnic lunch options in addition to brunch.
May 9 & 10. Times vary. Powell Gardens.
Crossroads Flea
If you’re on the hunt for Mother’s Day plans, look no further. Hosted by Mildred’s, this market—inspired by Brooklyn Flea—pops up each second Sunday of the month on 19th Street between Wyandotte and Baltimore streets. Treat Mom to one of KC’s best breakfast sandwiches (and coffee and cocktails) before shopping a wide range of local produce and flowers, artisan-made goods, vintage gems and more.
May 10. 9 am. Mildred’s (Crossroads location).
“The World in Kansas City”
The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art prepares for this summer’s World Cup matches with its latest exhibition, “The World in Kansas City.” Representative not only of the global event but also of KC as a multicultural hub, the exhibit features a diverse array of artists with ties to the region. Curator Jessica S. Hong says the display aims to showcase “how we all belong to a shared, complicated and nuanced social and cultural fabric.”
March 6–August 9. Times vary. Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
Ma Ma Mia!
Rooftop Cinema Club has officially reopened. Located at the corner of Broadway and 21st Street, the open-air movie theater is known for its skyline views in major cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, London and more. Enjoy cocktails, mocktails and elevated bar-food bites alongside a late-night showing of Ma Ma Mia!, the hit musical based on the music of ABBA.
May 8. 8:50 pm. Rooftop Cinema Club.
Water Lantern Festival
KC’s Water Lantern Festival truly illuminates the night. On May 10 at Frank A. Theis Park (across the street from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art), festivalgoers can eat at food trucks, create paper lanterns and enjoy the spectacle. After jotting down your hopes and dreams on your lantern, they are launched on the park’s pond at dusk.
May 9. 5:30 pm. Frank A. Theis Park.
