Here are twelve great things to do in Kansas City this weekend, November 9-12, including: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, John Cleese and Thundergong! Hosted by Jason Sudeikis.
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.
What the Constitution Means to Me
Direct from Broadway, playwright Heidi Schreck’s boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans in What the Constitution Means to Me. In this hilarious and hopeful new play, Schrek reimagines her teenage self in order to connect the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.
November 8–12. Times vary. KCRep Copaken Stage.
Kansas City Dreamin’
Independence resident and local filmmaker Diallo Javonne French is holding a special fundraising screening of his documentary Kansas City Dreamin’. This documentary celebrates KC’s African American music history and culture, from the evolution of jazz to modern day and features interviews with Melissa Etheridge, Tech N9ne, Mayor Quinton Lucas and more. There will also be a silent auction and Q&A with the director and cast members after the film.
November 9. 7 pm. The Pharaoh Cinema.
Heirlooms
This new play written by Bethany Vermillion, Heirlooms, centers on the Wildes’ family over four Christmas Eves as they grapple with the aftermath of substance use and how to reconcile the tragedies they’ve faced. This play aims to inspire audiences to investigate their own family heirlooms and what future they want the next generation to inherit.
November 9–11. 7 pm. The Black Box.
The Sound of Music
The Lyric Opera’s second show this season will be the beloved Broadway classic The Sound of Music, which was famously adapted into a movie starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in 1965. While free-spirited governess Maria falls in love with her new family, the Nazi regime comes crashing in around them, forcing the family to make unthinkable decisions and sacrifices for love in the face of adversity.
November 10–12. Times vary. Kauffman Center.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey
Come witness daring and never-before-seen acts on a highwire, trapeze, bicycle and more at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Share the awe-inspiring spirit of the circus with the new Triangular Highwire, the Criss-Cross Flying Trapeze, the Extreme Box Jump Trampoline which sends bikes soaring through the air during a high-adrenaline extreme sport act and other unbelievable performances at the greatest show on Earth.
November 10–12. Times vary. T-Mobile Center.
Gift Gallery
Gift Gallery celebrates its twentieth anniversary as a unique shopping experience that supports local charities by featuring local small businesses, including over 60 local artisans and vendors. On Friday evening, “Miracle on Mission” features shopping, cocktails by Union Horse, Rooted Health pop-up providing med-spa services, hair tinseling by Hyde Salon and a raffle. Saturday is a family shopping experience with a visit to Santa’s Workshop where kids can do holiday-themed activities. All proceeds go to local charities.
November 10 & 11. Times vary. Various locations.
An Evening with the Late John Cleese
Be forward-thinking and pay your respects to iconic, beloved comedian John Cleese before he dies by seeing him in his new live touring show, which features both comedy and conversation. The show is a hilarious and insightful look at the life and work of living legend Cleese, best known as the co-founder of Monty Python and for his subsequent acting in the James Bond and Harry Potter franchises.
November 9. 7:30 pm. Muriel Kauffman Theatre.
John Cameron Mitchell & Amber Martin in Cassette Roulette
Tony Award-winning writer, director and star of Hedwig and the Angry Inch John Cameron Mitchell joins Broadway music director Justin Craig and international cabaret star Amber Martin for a unique evening of songs, stories and characters all chosen by fate from the cassette roulette.
November 10. 8 pm. Yardley Hall.
Mia x Ally
Viral TikTok stars Mia x Ally are a duo project of electric violinist Mia Asano and bagpiper/multi-instrumentalist Ally the Piper. With a combined following of over 6 million people, they have gone viral for playing both original songs and covers of pop rock and metal music with a Celtic twist.
November 10. 8 pm. VooDoo at Harrah’s Kansas City.
Nelson-Atkins at 90: A Progressive Party
The Nelson-Atkins is celebrating 90 years of art with a “progressive party.” The festivities begin with a tour of the original galleries, featuring curated highlights from its collections, live music and entertainment. Thematic cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served to partygoers as they stroll through the galleries. The evening culminates in Kirkwood Hall with more food and dancing.
November 11. 6 pm. Kirkwood Hall, Nelson-Atkins galleries.
Thundergong! Hosted by Jason Sudeikis
Proceeds from this seventh-annual celebrity benefit concert featuring comedy and music performances helps amputees get the prosthetics they need. KC’s sweetheart and Emmy-winning funnyman Jason Sudeikis will be hosting, with performances from fellow SNL alum Will Forte and co-creator of Ted Lasso, Brendan Hunt.
November 11. 7 pm. Uptown Theater.
