While there are lots of places to enjoy art and fun as a family, how about some theater and performing arts thrown into the mix? What about young students who want to hear an opera? Read on to see what a few places in town offer.
Folly Theater
The Folly Theater promotes The Folly Kids’ Series. With stories drawn from history, children’s literature, folklore, and fairy tales, live theater becomes an enriching experience. Children, parents, and school groups can enjoy programs that inspire and entertain, all from the stage of Kansas City’s most historic arts venue. The coming shows are Henry and Mudge, Oct. 2; Splat the Cat, Oct. 23; Harriet Tubman, Feb. 11; I am Jack, Feb. 26; and The Hungry Catepillar & Other Eric Carle Stories, April 15.
Harriman-Jewell Series
The Harriman-Jewell Discovery Concerts were created to introduce excellence and artistry to new audiences by eliminating the barrier of cost. Families with late elementary students and on up may find these concerts as a means to introduce their children to classical music. The new season will open at the Folly Theater played by pianist Ji-Yong (Sept. 21). Although he’s only 22, Ji-Yong is already a seasoned performer and first played for the Series when he was 13. Pianist George Li, age 17, will make his first appearance in Kansas City in a free Discovery Concert (Nov. 16). Cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan, the 2011 International Tchaikovsky Competition Gold Medalist who was first presented by the Harriman-Jewell Series as a featured artist for its Prelude Gala in October 2011, will return to play a free Discovery Concert in the Folly Theater (March 14, 2014).
Jewish Community Center, Cultural Arts & The White Theatre
The Jewish Community Center provides a number of opportunities for the community to enhance their own lives through culture. The JCC offers a vast array of opportunities in which families can participate, including theatrical productions for all ages, classical music concerts, modern music reviews, the Jewish Film Festival, dance classes, art classes for kids and seniors, and much more.
Johnson County Community College Performing Arts Series
The series promotes arts education through educational outreach and student/school matinees. The idea is to connect students with curriculum standards. Teachers can also get study guides to help their students. This year, there is Johnny Appleseed, Oct. 2; The Let’s Go Science Show, Nov. 20; and The Ugly Duckling and the Tortoise and the Hare, Feb. 6.
Kansas City Ballet
The Kansas City Ballet offers half-price youth subscriptions and student rush seats. These tickets are for students who present valid I.D. at the Kauffman Center Box Office one hour prior to all repertory performances for a significant discount. Rush prices not valid on tickets to The Nutcracker or any other special performances.
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
The Student Matinees Series at Kansas City Repertory Theatre is an affordable way for area students to experience professional theater performances. In addition to seeing a professional theater production, students learn more about the performance and production via post-show discussions with the actors and technical crew that immediately follow all matinees. All student matinees begin at 10 a.m., with the exception of A Christmas Carol matinees, which begin at 10:30 a.m. This year’s student matinees include The Tallest Tree in the Forest, a world premiere production; Romeo and Juliet, When I Come to Die, and The Foreigner. The shows are recommended for late middle school and older.
Kansas City Symphony
The symphony encourages no children younger than 8 for the classical series, but the family series concerts are a whole different story. Aimed at children ages 4 and up, Family Series concerts are fun and educational, generally 60 minutes in length and performed without intermission. Beethoven Lives Upstairs features a lively exchange of letters between young Christoph and his uncle after composer moved upstairs. The first is Sept. 22 at the Kauffman Center’s Helzberg Hall. This Classical Kids production captivates audiences of all ages with more than 25 excerpts of the master’s music, including the Moonlight Sonata, Fur Elise, and the great Fifth and Ninth Symphonies. The Christmas Festival is Dec. 22. In 2014, Aram Demirjian, assistant conductor, will conduct two more: Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs & Ham, Plus Mozart’s Toy Symphony, Jan. 19; and PROJECT Trio: Classical Beats, Feb. 16.
There are also special group rates to school groups attending evening concerts. Field trips outside of the regular school day also happen for band, orchestra, choir, or other school group to an evening symphony performance.
Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Student Rush tickets are available for $15 for those students with valid ID, one ticket per ID, cash only) one hour prior to curtain at all performances. Students may also buy one single ticket in advance at a 20 percent discount with a valid student ID. Most students who take advantage of these tickets range in age from 16 to 22.
