Here are twelve great things to do in KC this weekend, March 30-April 2, including: a new immersive VR gaming experience in Leawood, Taiwanese ensemble band A Moving Sound, and the Harlem Globetrotters at T-Mobile Center.
Hamilton
One of the most popular musicals of all time, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton comes to KC, retelling the story of the forgotten founding father through hip-hop.
March 21–April 2. Times vary. Kansas City Music Hall.
the ripple, the wave that carried me home
Written by Christina Anderson and directed by Khanisha Foster for KC Rep, the ripple, the wave that carried me home is a moving exploration of a family’s response to injustice, reckoning with legacy and, ultimately, forgiveness.
March 29–April 2. Times vary. KCRep Copaken Stage.
War Football: WWI and the Birth of the NFL
Author Chris Serb delivers a timely lecture on the history of American football, illustrating the stories of men who served from the warfront to the field. During WWI, to raise the morale of servicemen, each branch of the US military created competitive football teams. The result was a special camaraderie fostered between military players, as well as interest from spectators, which lingered long after war’s ending—leading to the founding of the National Football League in 1920.
March 30. 6:30 pm. National WWI Museum and Memorial Auditorium and YouTube Live.
Sandbox VR
Sandbox VR’s new immersive gaming experience combines full-body motion capture and high-quality haptics to provide unprecedented realism, taking group virtual reality gameplay to the next level. In this new Leawood location, four private rooms are available for groups to explore virtual worlds and rely on each other to win at games designed to be social experiences. This new VR technology allows players to see and physically interact with one another while playing in the action. After the games, all guests receive personalized highlight videos that are similar to movie trailers which capture all the excitement of their experiences.
March 31. Leawood Town Center Plaza.
A Moving Sound
Fusing traditional Taiwanese influences with global styles, award-winning ensemble A Moving Sound has garnered a worldwide following through their exciting mix of original music and dance, being featured on BBC Radio 3 and NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Utilizing the unique sounds of the erhu (fiddle) and zhong ruan (lute) with transcendent vocals, the sound strikes an unexpected balance between meditative and cheerful.
March 31. 8 pm. Polsky Theatre.
Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and Nielsen’s “Inextinguishable”
Guest conductor Thomas Wilkins, principal conductor of the Hollywood Bowl orchestra, leads the KC Symphony in Danish composer Carl Nielsen’s reflection of the human spirit during WWI, aptly titled “Inextinguishable,” and George Gershwin’s enduringly-popular “Rhapsody in Blue,” featuring the rising talent of pianist and violinist Ray Ushikubo.
March 31–April 1, 8 pm; April 2, 2 pm. Kauffman Center.
Black Hoof Disc Golf
Two brand new disc golf courses will be opening at Lenexa’s Black Hoof Park. The new courses will have a championship-level eighteen-hole timber course and a family-friendly nine-hole course to provide fun for people of all ages. On the grand opening day, there will be all day events such as clinics (including one for beginners) and a tournament.
April 1. 9:30 am. Black Hoof Park.
Harlem Globetrotters
As the hundredth anniversary of the team approaches, the Harlem Globetrotters are making a stop in KC, showing off their athleticism and tricks against the Washington Generals. Although mainly seen as entertainers, they have truly changed the way basketball is played. Moves such as the jump shot, slam dunk or a half-court hook shot are a direct reflection of the creative moves made famous by the Harlem Globetrotters.
April 1. 2 & 7 pm. T-Mobile Center.
Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet plays from a wide catalog of music, from jazz to opera, and has also worked on film scores like The French Dispatch and Atonement, the latter of which won him an Oscar for his original score. His program in KC will include the complete Debussy Préludes.
April 1. 3 pm. Folly Theater.
Tommy James and The Shondells
After forming as then-twelve-year old lead singer Tommy James over sixty years ago, Tommy James and The Shondells are still going strong, performing their one-hit-wonder “Crimson & Clover,” over and over.
April 1. 7:30 pm. Kauffman Theatre.
Masters of Percussion
World-famous Indian classical instrumentalists Zakir Hussain, Kala Ramnath and Jayanthi Kumaresh come together for the first time as a trio, seamlessly fusing North and South Indian music traditions as a way for the traditional instrument veena and the violin to meld. They have named this tour “Triveni” in honor of the mythical site where three sacred rivers in India meet, representing the convergence of their varied musical talents.
April 1. 8 pm. Yardley Hall.
Menopause The Musical
Written in 2001 by Jeanie Linders, Menopause The Musical follows four middle-aged women who all happen to be shopping for lingerie at the same Bloomingdale’s sale rack. Each one’s symptom of menopause is told through lyrics parodying popular music from the Baby Boomer era through the sixties, seventies, and eighties.
April 2. 3:30 pm. Kauffman Theatre.
