Kansas City Blog Reviews

I went to see Macbeth at the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival having no past reference to the storyline other than the fact that it was a tragedy and that there were witches. When I think of Shakespeare's tragedies I think of Romeo and Juliet or some of his other more somber works. This adaptation of Macbeth performed by the HASF (Heart of America Shakespeare Festival) was full of many bloody battles and lengthy monologues but had an undertone of witchy violence.  This may very well be my favorite tragedy I have seen so far.

Elegant costumes, classical music, and tight buns. These are just a few of the things that might come to your mind when you hear the word ‘ballet.’ The Great Gatsby at KC Ballet subverts those expectations completely. The ensemble is dressed in a huge variety of dazzling costumes, from flapper dresses to suits and ties to soldier uniforms. The music in this show is so diverse and beautiful, and even includes a song with lyrics by iconic songwriter Irving Berlin.

I went to this show having read the book and seen the musical of The Great Gatsby and was accompanied by my friend who barely knew the story at all. She came out of the show with an understanding of the story, and I came out with not only a twofold respect for ballet, but with a fresh new version of the story in my mind. While The Great Gatsby at KC Ballet does not take any large creative liberties or divert from the original plot, it is performed so well that it does not need to. 

1601! A Comedically Tragic Hamlet Origin Story is a new play written and directed by Savannah Dove. Like shows such as Noises Off and The Play that Goes Wrong, this farce features a chaotic opening night of the first performance of Hamlet. From the lead role quitting, actors not knowing their cues, and a rat on the loose, the cast members must work together to successfully put on the show. 

From the moment audience members are greeted by Shakespeare, this show entertains. Before the show, Shakespeare (Brandon Baker) told jokes to the audience and even picked audience members to throw ‘tomatoes’ at a skull on his head for a reward of a piece of cheese. The ‘tomatoes’ were red foam balls, sold for $1 each to be thrown at the actors during bows. Baker’s character also had many other moments interacting with the audience, helping us to really feel included in the show, as well as adding comedy.

The Wizard of Oz has been adapted so many times; most of these adaptations are wildly successful. This show, presented by the KC Repertory Theatre, is another excellent remake. Their fantastic performance runs through May 24th.  This play did what all plays aspire to do and made me feel like I was watching a movie. The singing and all the different talents are what made it feel so cinematic.

One of the most unique parts of this show was the sheer amount of puppetry that it took to portray all the otherworldly animals that fill Oz. Zachary Garner did a wonderful job with Toto. I would also like to mention the jitterbugs as the wearable puppet aspect with the backpack-type structures was really quite astonishing, as well as the flying monkeys' creepy design. The puppets flying through the air with the grotesquely human faces was one of the spookiest portrayals of these Ozian creatures I have seen. 

Always the wedding singer, never the groom. Music Theatre Kansas City’s (MTKC) production of The Wedding Singer, directed by Drew Thomas and music directed by Julie Danielson, was a show-stopping performance that took us back to the 80s when hair was big and energy was high. Bring your spouse, fiancé or friends and say “I do” to this show filled with true love, heartbreak, nostalgia and comedic, high-energy wedding celebrations. 

The Wedding Singer is a fun and comedic musical with music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin and a book by Beguelin and Tim Herlihy. It is based on the 1998 Adam Sandler film The Wedding Singer. The musical revolves around Robbie Hart, who does vocal performances at weddings, and his journey to find true love. The show focuses on his failed relationship with his former fiancée, Linda and his growing romance with a new love, Julia. 

Smoke pours from the attic, sirens wail through the night, and red light floods the stage. The audience all asks the same question: how did we let it get this far? UMKC Conservatory’s production of The Arsonists is a blazing reminder that when violence is normalized, complacency kills. Grab your popcorn and a fire extinguisher to experience this shocking yet timely show. 

The Arsonists is a dark satire and absurdist play by Max Frisch that comments on the enablement of evil in an unjust society. The show follows Gottleib and Babette Biedermann, a wealthy couple living in a 1950s town running rampant with fires. When two men appear at their door and ask to stay in the attic, Gottlieb reluctantly agrees. Despite claiming he hates arsonists, Gottlieb finds himself housing two of them, all the while denying the hilariously obvious signs that they are the perpetrators. As the barrels of petrol in the attic grow bigger and Gottleib’s conscious grows louder, he decides he must either speak out against the arsonists or stay silent and hope that his complacency saves him. This is not just a play—it's a reminder that a fire left untamed will only keep spreading.

The play Everybody, directed by Vanessa Severo and playing at the Kansas City Actors Theatre, is different from most shows from the 21st century for a multitude of reasons. The first is the most familiar in the world of plays—this modern show is based on a 15th century morality play, written by a guy named Petrus Dorlandus (the fancy version of Peter). A morality play is simply a play that has a moral. The second and more unique reason is that the show is never the same. Every night the five main actors draw from a sort of lottery. Four of them will play a side character and one gets the main character representing “Everybody” to thematize the randomness of Death. This means the night you attend is one of the potential 120 different versions of the show.

The actors did such a wonderful job. The five “Somebodys” (Dri Hernaez, Elaine Elizabeth Clifford, R. H. Willhoit, Mateo Moreno, and Julie Shaw) managed to not only memorize the entire script but give each character all the emotion, feeling, and heart this play deserves. I did not manage to see every one of these actors play “Everybody.” However, I was able to see two shows, each with a different “Everybody.”  I was also able to see a preview and compare it to a show in which they were more practiced. These minor differences were no match for how well executed this show was. Each actor gave their take on the character without changing a single line. This play is one of the most impressive feats of theater I have seen in a smaller venue.  But no matter how impressive the main actor(s) were, there would be no show without the great performances of Love (Teisha M. Bankston), Death (Cinnamon Schulz), Time (Bellamy Kelly/Edelweiss Etherton) and the excellent John Rensenhouse (who manages to play the omniscient Usher, the omnipotent God, and the awkward Understanding). The effortless way these actors asked the deep questions this play gives us, with just the right amount of comic relief, makes this play one of the most unique I’ve seen.  

When Clarissa Knighten first started making jewelry it was as a form of therapy. She used the physicality of wire and beads to calm her mind and allow her to focus on something productive. Today, the artist has made complex, winding wearable art that can be found in museums, runways, and even TV screens. I got the opportunity to view her work in person at Kansas City Kansas Community College’s (KCKCC) Art Gallery. The pieces in this exhibit show how she elevates basic jewelry materials into beautiful pieces. 

One of my personal favorite components of Knighten’s art is how all the materials are the kinds of things you could find in a high school art class. She tends to avoid expensive materials, which allows the effort of her art to shine. In one of her most breathtaking pieces titled Connection Affection 2, she uses branches, copper wire, and pearlescent beads to evoke an insect's eggs laying upon a web. It contrasts the unnatural shine of plastic and copper with the natural scene of a spider's web delicately lying between branches. In one of her wearable pieces, Connection Affection 1, Knighten uses nearly the same materials to create a completely different vibe. The exhibition flows together and I was very impressed to see this unique and inspiring collection from a small community college gallery. I got a chance to talk to KCKCC’s Gallery Coordinator, Shai Perry, about this exhibit and what she's got coming up next. 

Trojan Women MCI is a deeply evocative play with a powerful message and a story you are sure to remember. This play, written by Lauren Gunderson and directed by Ernie Nolan, follows the story of four women: Cassandra, Hecuba, Helen, and Andromache, who are victims of a human trafficking operation run by an unnamed character only ever referred to as “He.” 

I carried a deep appreciation for the consistent references to Greek mythology throughout Trojan Women MCI. A primary example being the character Cassandra, played by actress Haley Knudsen, and her visions of the future that are constantly ridiculed by the other characters. As a Greek mythology enthusiast, the mythological ties deeply appealed to me. However, if you don’t know much about Greek mythology, the Unicorn also offered a wall that was filled with small snippets of information about these characters, as well as their mythological counterparts. On this wall there were also accounts of, and quotes from, various survivors of human trafficking as well as various statistics about the presence of human trafficking across the country. 

Doors fly open as the set slowly starts to open and light begins to shine through cracks in the wall. Porgy slowly walks toward the light, looking into a future so bright he must close his eyes. And then, just as fast as the stage illuminated, it turns dark. These are the final moments of Porgy and Bess presented by the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a show that made me think so much about the material. Every character in this show feels so real and alive; I can feel each character's past, desires and emotions throughout. 

Before the show started, I saw many young girls running around the lobby in their Snow White dresses and costumes, all giddy and excited to see a princess story performed by ballerinas. I also saw many older, elegant and well-dressed adults who were ready to see the classic story put into the art form of dance. Kansas City Ballet’s performance of Snow White was exactly that: a classic, family-friendly tale that enchanted all members of the audience. 

On the Fourth of July, looking up at the fireworks, you feel a boom throughout your body and almost an ache in your chest. This is an ache of emotion and empathy for the real people who went through this story. Watching Hamilton from the Broadway in KC series you can feel so many emotions as if you’re in the story itself. That’s why this iconic musical is a firework.

At Hamilton, I felt truly immersed in every sense. The lights look as if they are dancing with the actors and I felt a shock wave in my chest with the music and smelled the smoke of the gun fights. Every part is designed to immerse you in the story of Alexander Hamilton.

A group of soldiers. A cigarette factory. A woman named Carmen, whom all the men love. A soldier, Don José, initially shows no interest in Carmen. But Carmen has her eye on José. A turbulent love. A group of smugglers. The foreshadowing of death. A toreador in love with Carmen. A village girl in love with José. An argument. A bull fight. A murder. A suicide. A tragedy.

I went to see Carmen at the UMKC Conservatory on February 11th. I had never seen this opera before, but it has many famous songs, composed by Georges Bizet. The Habanera, “L'amour est un oiseau rebelle,” sung by Carmen (Samantha Georgiana), is instantly recognizable, with its simple melody. The Toreador song sung by Escamillo (Igor Vieria) is also very well known for its refrain. Some that sounded familiar to me were also "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée," sung by Don José (John Henrikson), and "Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante," sung by Micaëla (Yiyu Tang). 

The Drum Closet, written by Kansas City’s own Tosin Morohunfola, is a piece that showcases the many struggles of being different in modern society. First we meet Timi, played by Damarion Leonhart, an eager freshman who wants to audition for drumline section leader. His brother, Kareem, played by Parker VanMichael Jones, is a senior and also wants this role. The two brothers are competing not only against each other but against Matt, played by Ben Brewer. It is clear that Matt is a privileged, rich, white kid, while Timi and Kareem are the only two black kids at their school. 

The brothers have incredible chemistry. The show opens with fast-tempo drum rudiments played live by the actors. They show their connection as they circle each other with intense yet friendly body language. At their home, we see photos of Jesus, family, and traditional Nigerian drums in the dining room. Their mother Fatimah (played by Tobi Omodehinde), Timi, and Kareem perform another sequence of drum rudiments, but this time with their traditional Nigerian drums. Fatimah shows insight into her mind by sharing her yearning for her husband who is always away at work, being forced to convert from Muslim to Christianity for safety, and her Nigerian background. Fatimah wants the boys to acknowledge their background and understand that all things have an origin.

The play Casey and Diana, written by playwright Nick Green and directed by Sidonie Garret, left me in awe (and in tears) when I went to see it at Unicorn Theatre. The story follows residents of the Casey House, Canada’s first AIDS hospice, preparing for the visit of Princess Diana. 

Upon arriving at the Unicorn I was immediately greeted by a wall filled with all sorts of news articles, quotes, and information about the AIDS crisis. Reading all the factoids on display gave me in-depth context for the play, especially in terms of the public perspective. During the show, you constantly get a sense of the residents being looked down on; but reading through the newspaper articles really helps to get a sense of where the fear is coming from. Hearing all the negativity and fear around people affected by AIDS really helped me feel how important the visit from Princess Diana must have been for the residents.

What is the story of our land? The people that lived on it, the people that cared for it, the ones who hunted and birthed and died on the land. It is our job to remember and honor these people who came before us and it is our job to care for the land now. This is what the art exhibit Shimmer on Horizons reminds us. Andrea Carlson, an artist of Ojibwe and European descent, was born and raised in Minnesota, where she draws much of her inspiration. She now lives in Chicago and has had exhibits in various places across the country. Andrea Carlson’s exhibit Shimmer on Horizons, which will continue through February 15th at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, explores concepts of nature, colonization and Native American culture. Her work is striking and captivating. The unique qualities and subjects of her style invites introspection in viewers. 

Carlsons's art is beautiful; there is a boldness and strength to her work. She often uses distinct shapes and solid colors somewhat reminiscent of pop art. The incorporation of various objects, which sometimes feel discordant come together to create a collage-like appearance. She works on a large scale. When looking at one of her pieces, the horizon seems to spread out around the observer forever. What makes the sizes of her work so interesting, though, is that they are not done on one large canvas. Her works are broken up into smaller pieces that come together to create the image. She talks about how even though her work is on a very large scale, she likes to be able to break it down and hold it. The action of being able to hold her own work gives a type of intimacy. When looking at Carlson's art, you can see very clear elements that she incorporates into the image. There is a narrative; her work tells a story. Carlson’s art is not simply decoration, but it says something, and it invites the viewer to listen.

Last night, I had the pleasure of seeing All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 at MTKC Pro, a moving holiday performance that tells the true story of the Christmas Truce during World War I. Written by Peter Rothstein in 2007, the show has been produced twice by MTKC and directed both times by Julie Danielson. It is currently playing at the B&B Theatre in Shawnee, Kansas, and runs through December 21, 2025. All Is Calm is a powerful a cappella documentary musical that brings to life the remarkable moment when soldiers laid down their weapons to share the spirit of Christmas in ‘No Man’s Land’ (the dangerous area between opposing trenches).

The show opens with a single tenor voice alone onstage, gradually joined by seven other voices until the ensemble is complete. Singing in perfect harmony, the performers create an immersive atmosphere that reflects both the brutality of war and the quiet humanity within it. Through a blend of Christmas carols and the recitation of real letters written by soldiers, the cast tells the story of one extraordinary Christmas. In 1914, British and German troops were locked in constant conflict on the Western Front. Though the war had been promised to end by Christmas, morale declined as the holiday approached. On Christmas Day, spontaneous and unofficial ceasefires began after soldiers heard one another singing from across the trenches. Enemies met in No Man’s Land to exchange small gifts such as cigarettes and chocolate, sing carols, bury fallen comrades, and even play soccer, demonstrating shared humanity amid the horrors of trench warfare before fighting resumed the next day.

I saw & Juliet’s touring company performance at the Music Hall on November 19th. I was fortunate enough to have recently been in New York City where I saw the Broadway Cast perform in this production and was able to compare the touring production and one on Broadway.

& Juliet is a musical rewriting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet using popular music from the 90’s through today, all written by Max Martin. This production was directed by Luke Sheppard.  The plot questions, “what if Juliet didn’t kill herself over a boy she practically just met?” The story is told through discussion between Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway (played by CJ Eldred and Crystal Kellogg respectively) who delivers an empowering point of view via Juliet’s story.

This whimsical movie has been perfectly directed for the stage by Derek Trautwein.  The classic tale, interwoven with the Coterie Theater's style, shines a new light on ELF.  All the songs flowed well with the plot and gave it a magical vibe.  It really gave some of the characters a good way to show some emotion.

The classic story of ELF recounts Buddy through his adventures in New York City as a human who was raised by elves. He tries to find his birth dad and ends up at Macy's and meets “the most beautiful girl he's ever seen.”  Determined to get her attention he breaks into a cheery song.  On a less happy note, when he finally gets to meet his dad, Buddy discovers something shocking; his dad is on the naughty list and has lost his Christmas spirit. I loved watching Buddy sing loud for all to hear and restore some Christmas cheer and I think you will too. 

Bleach cleaner, microwave dinners, car headlights, candy bars, a bag of chips; these ideas don’t necessarily invoke couture unless, of course, you're Jeremy Scott. I had the honor and privilege to see Scott and Katherine Bernhardt’s breathtaking exhibit Match Made in Heaven. They are both known for taking ideas found in nursery’s, grocery stores, the back of pantry’s and elevating them to a new level. I found Scott’s collection of unique womenswear particularly captivating. 

His designs are loud and bright but maintain a level of chic elegance. It is no surprise that his designs have been worn by celebrities like Katy Perry, Charli xcx and Kim Kardashian. His outfits grace the line between junk drawer and New York fashion week in a seamless way. Although Scott’s pieces speak for themselves Bernhardt’s paintings are not to be ignored. She uses spray paint and acrylics to create vivid pieces that invoke a strange nostalgia for the 80s and 90s. Bernhardt’s paintings follow a free loose structure as the artist often tries to not think about what she’s painting when she paints. This makes her works incredibly expressive and truly one of a kind. This art show was quickly one of my favorites I’ve ever seen. My first experience with it was back in July when it had recently opened. I knew the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art as a small art museum connected to a community college. I had only seen small modern exhibits when I had been dragged there for a field trip before. This exhibit changed my view completely.