“Now/Here,” a fresh survey of 30 recent works by Kansas City artists of color, shows an interesting spectrum of both artistic media and approach, ranging from expressionism, conceptualism, figuration, geometric
We live and learn through stories, balancing the comfort of the familiar and the thrill of the new. Of our heroes, we strip away humanity to embellish their mythologies, confusing
For a contemplative look at humanity through an anthropological lens, two new exhibitions at Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art are rich fodder for imagination and introspection. “Mid-Century Modern,” by John Ferry,
Every year the Belger Crane Yard Gallery invites artists who have been awarded residencies in one of their various programs to be part of a group exhibit. The five artists
The name you are born with isn’t always how you are known. Such is the case with Moving Arts, which began existence as the Kansas City Dance Festival and now,
The esteemed poet, essayist and playwright Elizabeth Alexander defines “the black interior” as “black life and creativity behind the public face of stereotype and limited imagination.” Alexander states that tapping into it “helps us envision what we are not meant to envision: complex black selves, real and enactable black power, rampant and unfetishized black beauty.” […]
Let us begin with a confession. As I drove home from the lively opening-night performance of “Shakespeare in Love” at the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, I found myself contemplating a basic question: Why, exactly, did there need to be a stage version of the 1998 Oscar-winning movie co-written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom […]
Though “Secrets Revealed” was the theme for the final Classics Uncorked concert for the Kansas City Symphony this season, the idea of unlocking the mysteries of orchestral music is something of a consistent mission for this particular series and something that the orchestra and associate conductor Jason Seber are particularly skilled at achieving. The format […]
Good actors. Good director. Interesting play with a self-indulgent sense of humor and a salient point to make. The Unicorn Theatre closes its 2018-19 season with a lively production of Lauren Gunderson’s “The Revolutionists,” a two-act piece that could be described, more or less, as a feminist meta-comedy set in 18th-century France — a time […]
Kansas City Actors Theatre brings together an ensemble of gifted stage veterans for its thoughtful production of Paul Osborn’s gentle 1939 comedy “Morning’s at Seven.” And the results are what you might expect: detailed character work, great timing and a level of commitment that actually elevates the material. A show like this makes perfect sense […]
With the performance of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, the Kansas City Symphony and director Michael Stern have completed a monumental goal: a nearly complete cycle of Gustav Mahler’s symphonies. This is the first time, as far as I could ascertain, they’ve had the capacity, ability and chutzpah to tackle this particular work, the longest […]
