Here are some calendar picks from KC Studio editor, Alice Thorson, for this Mother’s Day weekend. This First Friday in the Crossroads, the Mid-America Arts Alliance extends their exhibition of Bedouin art. Spinning Tree Theatre’s production of “Amadeus” starts the same night, and the Kansas City Art Institute holds its annual ArtPop fundraiser party. On Saturday, The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum presents Jazz & Jackie, celebrating Jackie Robinson, at the Gem Theater. And on Sunday, enjoy StoneLion’s Mother’s Day celebration on the lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum. For more ideas, visit Kansas City’s most comprehensive arts calendar at kcstudio.org/events
Traditional Arts of the Bedouin
April 1 – May 7
Mid-America Arts Alliance
In the month of May, please join MCAA for an extended First Friday weekend to celebrate the arts and the opening of the Kansas City streetcar in our Crossroads Arts District. We will be open on Friday, May 6 from 6–8:00 p.m. On Saturday, May 7, we will be open from 2–8:00 p.m.
Visitors to the exhibition will learn how Bedouin arts and crafts frequently bridge the gap between aesthetic and utilitarian purposes, as well as recognize the unique tenacity of Bedouin traditions in an ever-changing political, social, and environmental landscape.
Spinning Tree Theatre – “Amadeus”
May 5 @ 7:30 pm
May 6 & 7 @ 8:00 pm
May 8 @ 2:00 pm
$25 – $40 | Arts Asylum
The story of “Amadeus” focuses on the bitter rivalry of the young musical genius – Mozart – versus the established court composer Salieri, brilliant but tortured by this competition. Shaffer’s work digs into how human ambition can destroy one’s soul.
Spinning Tree Theatre’s “Amadeus” features two of Kansas City’s finest actors, Robert Gibby Brand in the role of Antonio Salieri, the nemesis of the young Mozart, and Walter Coppage as the Emperor Joseph II. Michael Reiser makes both his professional and Spinning Tree debut in the title role of the gifted composer Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart. Spinning Tree Co-founder Michael Grayman directs.
ArtPop 2016
May 5 @ 8:00 pm | $75
Kansas City Art Institute
You will not want to miss ArtPop, KCAI’s premiere fundraiser for 2016!
In the spirit of a true “pop-up shop”, ArtPop (formerly Patron Preview) is a fun, progressive campus party that takes you into the studios to see student work and meet KCAI’s young artists, designers and faculty. This exclusive event allows you to be one of the first to browse and buy at the End of the Semester Exhibition and Sale the night before the public opening. Artwork will be on display in all 13 departments. Savory appetizers and festive cocktails are sprinkled throughout campus and all ArtPop guests will cap off the evening with dinner on the beautiful KCAI campus. All proceeds benefit student scholarships.
Individual tickets are $75, and 98% of KCAI students receive some sort of financial assistance. 100% of ArtPop proceeds go to student scholarships.
Jazz & Jackie
May 6 @ 7:30 pm | $20 – $75
American Jazz Museum – Gem Theater
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) will host our inaugural “Jazz & Jackie” celebration, 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 6, 2016 at the Gem Theater. The event celebrates Jackie’s first game as a member of the KC Monarchs (May 6, 1945) and his love of jazz. The event includes a concert by Grammy nominated and Soul Train music award-winning recording artist Maysa. I hope you will be able to join us for this historic celebration and the start of a new annual KC tradition.
Mother’s Day for Mother Earth – Tenth Anniversary Celebration!
May 8 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Free
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ten years and counting! StoneLion Puppet Theatre will celebrate Mother’s Day with Kansas City’s largest community arts project and giant puppet show, Mother’s Day for Mother Earth. Larger than life puppets, professional actors, dancers, community participants and you will celebrate spring on the lawn of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. This free event has attracted over 6000 audience members and grows annually. Viewers from as far away as Sweden and Pakistan have joined our local residents in a day of celebration for our planet and families with puppets up to 20’ tall.
This year’s theme is all about water. The Mermaid’s Tail (Tale) follows the journey of a giant plastic water bottle down a storm drain and eventually out to sea. Who and what will be effected? Over 100 community volunteers from age 2 years to 75 will perform alongside StoneLion’s professional troupe. Crescendo Conservatory from Overland Park, KS is our featured partner supplying over forty dancers to the cast. Bring your picnic, set up a lawn chair, tour the museum, make your own puppet at our craft tables and enjoy the day.
