Here are thirteen great things to do in Kansas City this weekend, December 7-10, including: Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, It’s A Wonderful Life radio play and The Muppet Christmas Carol in concert.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen, but now audiences get to experience the most famous reindeer of all—Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. This live musical will be performed at the Coterie Theatre this holiday season, inspiring everyone to be true to themselves and find strength in their perceived flaws.
Various dates from November 7–December 31. Times vary. Coterie Theatre.
Sippin’ Santa
The holiday tiki pop-up Sippin’ Santa is at the Hey! Hey! Club, the intimate space at J. Rieger & Co., which is transformed for the holidays into a swanky tropical holiday oasis. This holiday pop-up features festive original cocktails in holiday inspired glassware/mugs, themed decorations and at the end of this year’s season, Miracle and Sippin’ Santa will donate 10% of all proceeds from the sale of select glassware to the Seva Foundation, a global nonprofit eye care organization that works with local communities around the world.
November 20–December 30. J. Rieger & Co.
A Christmas Carol
One of the holiday season’s most beloved plays, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been performed by The Kansas City Repertory Theatre for more than 40 years. Experience this holiday tradition focused on redemption and goodwill through Ebenezer Scrooge’s ghostly encounters with Christmas Past, Present and Future.
Various dates from November 21–December 24. Times vary. Spencer Theatre.
The Nutcracker
Clara and the Nutcracker prince are once again taking center stage at the Kauffman Center in The Nutcracker. In this classic wintertime favorite, watch snowflakes, sugar plum fairies and toy soldiers come to life in this heartwarming ballet choreographed by Devon Carney, with Tchaikovsky’s legendary score played by the Kansas City Symphony.
December 1–24. Times vary. Kauffman Center.
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Fresh off Broadway, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical tells the inspiring story of rock ‘n’ roll legend Tina Turner set to some of her biggest hits, including “Proud Mary” and “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” Watch the true story of this musical force of nature while enjoying electrifying dance numbers and powerful vocals.
December 5–10. Times vary. Kansas City Music Hall.
The Amen Corner
The second show in the new season at KC Melting Pot Theatre, a professional theater company based in KC, is James Baldwin’s The Amen Corner. KCMPT’s new season explores what author and activist W.E.B. Du Bois called the “problem of the color line” with social relations in America. “Our season will examine the ways in which race, gender, sexuality and class shape how we understand equality and our capacity to affirm those unalienable rights during such a fragile socio-historic moment in time,” says Linda Williams, general manager. Baldwin’s first work written for the stage in 1954 tells the story of a Black female pastor in Harlem who must grapple with the social, cultural and gender limitations of pastoring a church when she is confronted by the secular life that she left behind.
December 6–9. 7:30 pm. Just Off Broadway Theatre.
Grand Opening Event for Physician Aesthetic Specialists
A premier destination for face and body sculpting in KC, Physician Aesthetic Specialists, is holding their grand opening event at their flagship location in Lenexa. To celebrate, they will be having food, drinks, music, demos for guests to try game-changing technology, vendors, giveaways, big discounts and auctions for charity.
December 7. 4–7 pm. 87 Quivira Plaza, Lenexa.
Million Dollar Quartet Christmas
Inspired by the hit musical Million Dollar Quartet, this holiday reimagining brings together soon-to-be legends Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley for a musical celebration featuring a nostalgic string of chart-topping favorites as they reflect on past and future Christmases at a historical moment in time when the fate and future of rock ‘n’ roll was yet to be determined.
December 7. 7:30 pm. Yardley Hall.
TDJ
Montreal producer TDJ is coming to KC in support of her new trance-infused audio visual experiment SPF INFINI 3. The album is described as “an immersive audiovisual experience—a convergence of art, music, and storytelling that transcends conventional boundaries.”
December 7. 8 pm. Encore.
It’s a Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play
The 1946 Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life has been viewed millions of times across the globe, so it was time to put a new spin on this beloved, feel-good holiday film. In the new telling, the film has been reimagined as a radio play. Instead of a traditional play, actors will stand in front of microphones and deliver the performance as if it were broadcast on the radio. With holiday music, live sound affects and an ensemble cast, this new twist on this holiday standard is sure to excite and inspire.
December 7–10, 14–17, 20–23. Times vary. Music Theater Heritage.
The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert
Revisit the beloved holiday classic in a new format, as The Muppet Christmas Carol film is screened while the musical score is performed live. Join The Muppets gang for a lighthearted, family-friendly rendition of this classic Charles Dickens holiday tale. Scrooge, played by Michael Caine, receives visits from spirits of three Christmases—past, present and future—to show him the error of his selfish ways, just in time for Christmas.
December 8, 7 pm; December 9, 1 pm. Helzberg Hall.
What If Puppets: Animal Amigos
For over thirty years, What If Puppets has captivated young minds through puppets, which range from glove puppets to marionettes to shadow puppetry, using humor and heart in stories that connect to the complex social-emotional experiences of young audiences. In Animal Amigos, the audience gathers around the Tree of Life for a bilingual retelling of two Mexican folktales: “Tío Conejo” and “Medio Pollito.”
December 8, 6 pm; December 9, 10 am. Polsky Theatre.
Heartland Men’s Chorus Presents A Very Merry Christmas Pageant
Heartland Men’s Chorus brings audiences the most fabulous and competitive holiday extravaganza ever as they compete in a pageant that promises to be the event of the holiday season—complete with drama and laughter through vocal performances, high-energy dance numbers and tons of holiday spirit.
December 10. 3:30 pm. Yardley Hall.
