Plays, Exhibits and More Set for the Crown Center, July 2014-Aug 2015
By: BWW News Desk Jun. 27, 2014
Crown Center has announced its upcoming events, July 2014-August 2015. Details below!
Now through January 3, 2015
Mother's Day/Woodrow Wilson Historical Exhibit
Hallmark Visitors Center. The month of May marks 100 years since President Woodrow Wilson signed the proclamation to declare Mother's Day a national holiday. In honor of the anniversary, Hallmark Cards, Inc. and the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library are partnering to present dual exhibits featuring a variety of Woodrow Wilson memorabilia, Hallmark archival Mother's Day cards from the past century, and copies of the original Presidential proclamation that created the holiday honoring mothers. Open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-3613.
Super Kids Save the World
Crown Center Shops, Level 1 Showplace. Developed by The Magic House, St. Louis Children's Museum, super kids become super heroes when given the power to go green! The exhibit's big message is Reduce, Reuse, Repair and Recycle. In the Garden, kids pick fresh vegetables before selling them in the Farmer's Market. They can sort and hang laundry in the House, sell funky clothes at the Re-Use Charity Shop and use their scientific skills to learn about solar power and bio-fuel in the Research Lab. The exhibit is open during Crown Center Shops regular shopping hours. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Independence Day and Labor Day. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.
Lysistrata Jones
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Egads Theatre Co. presents a musical comedy very loosely based on Aristophonaes' "Lysistrata." 816-545-6000 or EgadsTheatre.com. Now through August 3
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The Coterie, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Part of The Coterie's acclaimed Lab for New Family Musicals, this is the world premiere of the theatre for young audiences version, based on the Broadway production of the MGM motion picture. Take a fantastic adventure with an out-of-this-world car that flies through the air and sails the seas. The sensational songs include "Truly Scrumptious," Toot Sweets," "Hushabye Mountain," and the Oscar-nominated title song. A Coterie Shines series production intended for elementary and older audiences. 816-474-6552 or TheCoterie.org.
Friday Night Comedy Classics
Screenland Crown Center, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Start your weekends off right with one of the laugh-out-loud comedies that set the bar for moviemaking. Need a little something to sweeten the deal? Add a "frozen bar" to your ticket! The July lineup: "Animal House" (July 4), "Young Frankenstein" (July 11), "Caddyshack" (July 18). $10 movie tickets; add the frozen bar for another $10. Frozen bar opens at 9 p.m., with the movie at 10 p.m. 816-545-8034 or Screenland.com. July 5, 12, 19
Saturday Morning Fabulous Films
Screenland Crown Center, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Kick off your Saturdays with a classic film, plus a deluxe continental breakfast. The July lineup: "North By Northwest" (July 5), "Giant" (July 12), "Gandhi" (July 19). $10 movie tickets; add the breakfast buffet for another $10. Breakfast begins at 10 a.m., with the movie at 11 a.m. (Advance reservations required for breakfast.) 816-545-8034 or Screenland.com. July 11
WeekEnder- The Patrick Lentz Band & "Mean Girls"
Crown Center Square. Cap off your work week with top local bands and favorite food trucks. Shop the wares of KC artisans and finish the evening with a famous flick under the stars. The July 11th WeekEnder features The Patrick Lentz Band and a screening of "Mean Girls." Festivities begin at 5 p.m., music at 6 p.m., with the movie starting at approximately 9 p.m. No admission fee. (Please note pets are not permitted at the event.) 816-274-8444. July 17-27
KC Fringe Festival
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Now in its tenth year, the KC Fringe Festival is a city-wide celebration of local, regional and national artists. Visit KCFringe.org for details about events to be held at Off Center Theatre. July 18
WeekEnder- The Zeros & "The Sandlot"
Crown Center Square. Cap off your work week with top local bands and favorite food trucks. Shop the wares of KC artisans and finish the evening with a famous flick under the stars. The July 18th WeekEnder features The Zeros and a screening of "The Sandlot." Festivities begin at 5 p.m., music at 6 p.m., with the movie starting at approximately 9 p.m. No admission fee. (Please note pets are not permitted at the event.) 816-274-8444. July 25
WeekEnder- The Magnetics & "Star Trek"
Crown Center Square. Cap off your work week with top local bands and favorite food trucks. Shop the wares of KC artisans and finish the evening with a famous flick under the stars. The July 18th WeekEnder features The Magnetics and a screening of "Star Trek" (2009). Festivities begin at 5 p.m., music at 6 p.m., with the movie starting at approximately 9 p.m. No admission fee. (Please note pets are not permitted at the event.) 816-274-8444. July 28
Musical Theater Heritage's Musical Monday
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. An intimate evening of musical theatre starring KC's finest performers. These shows always sell out! Reservations required. 816-545-6000 or MTHKC.com. August 1
WeekEnder- Outlaw Junkies & "The Wizard of Oz"
Crown Center Square. Cap off your work week with top local bands and favorite food trucks. Shop the wares of KC artisans and finish the evening with a famous flick under the stars. The August 1st WeekEnder features Outlaw Junkies and a screening of "The Wizard of Oz." Festivities begin at 5 p.m., music at 6 p.m., with the movie starting at approximately 9 p.m. No admission fee. (Please note pets are not permitted at the event.) 816-274-8444. August 2
Clown Show
Crown Center Shops, Level 1 Atrium. Bring the kids to see a special stage performance by area clowns. Noon to 1 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444. August 8
WeekEnder- 6 Degrees West & "Jaws"
Crown Center Square. Cap off your work week with top local bands and favorite food trucks. Shop the wares of KC artisans and finish the evening with a famous flick under the stars. The August 8th WeekEnder features 6 Degrees West and a screening of "Jaws." Festivities begin at 5 p.m., music at 6 p.m., with the movie starting at approximately 9 p.m. No admission fee. (Please note pets are not permitted at the event.) 816-274-8444. August 7-24
South Pacific
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Presented by Musical Theater Heritage, this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic follows the lives of U.S. military men, nurses and residents of a Polynesian island during World War II. 816-545-6000 or MTHKC.com. August 29-31
Kansas City Irish Fest
Crown Center Square and Off Center Theatre (Crown Center Shops, Level 3). Commemorate Kansas City's proud Celtic heritage with three days of music, dancing and exhibits. The festival will feature more than two dozen locally and nationally known bands, playing traditional music and Celtic rock. Off Center Theatre will host Irish comics. Festival hours: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Call 816-561-7555 or visit KCIrishFest.com for ticket information. September 6-7
Kansas City Chalk & Walk Festival
Crown Center Square. Artists start with empty squares of asphalt and by the end of the weekend, these squares will be transformed into magnificent pieces of artwork. Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. No admission fee. Visit KCChalkAndWalk.org for more information. 816-274-8444. September 8
Musical Theater Heritage's Musical Monday
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. An intimate evening of musical theatre starring KC's finest performers. These shows always sell out! Reservations required. 816-545-6000 or MTHKC.com. September 9
Musical Theater Heritage's Musical Tuesday
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. If you missed Musical Monday, or just want to enjoy a second straight night of great music, this is the event for you. Featuring some of the finest voices in Kansas City. Reservations required. 816-545-6000 or MTHKC.com. September 23 - October 19
Rosa Parks and The Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Coterie, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. When Rosa Parks, a black, upstanding citizen of the community, refuses to give up her seat to a white man, she is jailed, giving the black community of Montgomery, AL, an opportunity to stage a boycott to protest bus segregation. A new young pastor, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is selected as the leader of the newly formed Montgomery Improvement Association, the organization that will lead the boycott. With keen intensity and uplifting songs of the period, a dynamic cast reveals this compelling story. 816-474-6552 or TheCoterie.org. October 4, 11, 18, 25
Spooky Fun October Puppet Shows
Crown Center Shops Atrium, Level 1. A Crown Center tradition continues with performances from the region's most exciting puppeteers. Scheduled to perform: Bob Kramer Marionettes (October 4), Paul Mesner Puppets (October 11), Clement McCrae Puppets (October 18), StoneLion Puppet Theatre (October 25). Shows at noon and 2 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444. October 10-12
The Art of John Lennon
Crown Center Shops, Level 1 Showplace. This exhibit, from the Pacific Edge Gallery, will feature more than 120 pieces of John Lennon's artwork. Open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. No admission fee. 816-274-8444. November 3
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Musical Theater Heritage presents the music of Jacques Brel. 816-545-6000 or MTHKC.com. November 4 - January 4
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
The Coterie, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. The beloved stop-motion classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical and his friends soar off the screen and onto the stage this holiday season. From fleeing the Abominable Snow Monster to saving Christmas, join Rudolph and his friends Clarice, Hermey the Elf, and Yukon Cornelius as their adventures teach us that what makes you different can be what makes you special. Don't miss this wonderful holiday tradition that speaks to the little misfit in all of us. 816-474-6552 or TheCoterie.org. November 6
Arrival of the Mayor's Christmas Tree
Crown Center Square. The first sign of the holiday season arrives at Crown Center, the culmination of a journey from Oregon. The 100-foot-tall tree arrives at 9 a.m. on November 6 and is put into its stand at approximately 10 a.m. on Friday, November 7. 816-274-8444. November 7
Crown Center Ice Terrace Opening Day
Crown Center Square. Kansas City's only public outdoor ice skating rink opens for its 42nd season of great skating fun. Enjoy complimentary skating, coffee and hot chocolate from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on opening day! Regular admission is $6, or complimentary for those over age 60 and children age 4 and under. Skate rental is $3, or skaters may bring their own. Hours through January: Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Hours during February and March: Monday through Thursday, noon to 9 p.m.; Friday, noon to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 816-274-8411. November 7-8
Celebration of the American Musical
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Watch Musical Theater Heritage's website, MTHKC.com, for more information about this special gala event. November 24
Musical Theater Heritage's Musical Monday
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. An intimate evening of musical theatre starring KC's finest performers. These shows always sell out! Reservations required. 816-545-6000 or MTHKC.com. November 28
Santa's Arrival at Crown Center
Crown Center Shops, Grand Boulevard entrance. Santa Claus arrives in a horse-drawn carriage to kick off the holiday season. Perry the Penguin, Tip from Crayola and other costume characters help greet Jolly Ol' St. Nick. Join Santa as he makes his way to Crayola Christmas Land, where he resides through December 24. No admission fee. 10 a.m. 816-274-8444. November 28 - December 31
Santa's Crayola Christmas Land
Crown Center Shops, Level 1 Showplace. Children can play on super-sized Crayola products, while waiting to tell Santa all their holiday wishes. Santa is in residence November 28 through December 24. The Crayola Christmas Land play area is open through December 31. No admission fee. Photos with Santa are available for a fee. Open during Crown Center Shops holiday hours. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Closed Christmas Day. 816-274-8444. November 28
Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Crown Center Square. The 100-foot-tall Mayor's Christmas Tree, one of the nation's tallest, is the centerpiece for an illuminating holiday celebration. Mayor Sly James and a celebrity guest will flip the switch to light the tree. The tree is a symbol of the Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund, which is dedicated to assisting the city's less fortunate. Program begins at 5:30 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444. After the holidays, the wood from the Mayor's Christmas Tree is made into commemorative ornaments, which are sold the following year to benefit the Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund. November 30 - December 18
Holiday Choirs
Crown Center Shops, Level 1 Atrium. Beautiful music fills the halls of Crown Center, as more than 130 area school, church and community choirs perform on weekdays and Sundays. No admission fee. 816-274-8444 or CrownCenter.com/Choirs. December 4-21
Oliver
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Musical Theater Heritage presents the classic Lionel Bart musical, based on Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist." 816-545-6000 or MTHKC.com. December 6 and 13
Musical Fun For Kids
Crown Center Shops, Level 1 Atrium. Enjoy holiday music for kids and families on the first two Saturdays of December. Shows at noon and 2 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444. December 8, 15, 22
A Spectacular Christmas Cabaret
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Enjoy a spectacular night of Christmas music with Musical Theater Heritage. More details at MTHKC.com or 816-545-6000. January 27 - March 1, 2015
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
The Coterie, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Edward Tulane is a three-foot tall toy rabbit, beautifully made, with a wardrobe of exquisite clothes. Though he's made of china and can't move, he can certainly think. And despite being much loved, he doesn't love anyone but himself. On a cruise ship, Edward is thrown overboard by mean boys, thus beginning an odyssey that carries him through many years to different owners. After bouts of damage and humiliation, Edward the china rabbit finds he can now open his heart to others. 816-474-6552 or TheCoterie.org. February 7 - May 3, 2015
Fairy Tale Village exhibit
Crown Center Shops Showplace, Level 1. Children's tales come to life as you walk into a world of make-believe to interact with characters from favorite stories and rhymes. Experience the giant adventures of "Jack and the Beanstalk." Sit in Cinderella's magic carriage or stroll with "Little Red Riding Hood" through the woods to Grandmother's house. The interactive exhibit includes a reading area where parents can share their favorite stories with their kids. Open during Crown Center Shops regular shopping hours. Closed Easter Sunday, April 5. 816-274-8444. March 3-8, 2015
To Whom It May Inspire [in letters, stories & song]
The Coterie, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. The Coterie brings the inspirational words of historical and contemporary authors, statesmen, explorers, teachers, scientists, inventors - even kids themselves - together in this premiere created and directed by Coterie Artistic Director Jeff Church. Masterfully shaped speeches, letters, accounts, poems, song, and more cover everything from career advice to rousing words of powerful persuasion from past and present. Uplifting and enlightening fuel for hearts and minds! 816-474-6552 or TheCoterie.org. March 31 - May 17, 2015
Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat
The Coterie, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. "It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how!" says the Cat in the tall red and white hat. Featuring Sally and her brother, their pet Fish, Thing 1 and Thing 2, and all of the favorite moments from the classic Dr. Seuss tale. Zany fun and adventures abound! With the trickiest of tricks and craziest of ideas, the Cat is certainly fun to play with. And he turns a rainy afternoon into an amazing adventure. But what will mom find when she gets home...? 816-474-6552 or TheCoterie.org. May 23 - September 7, 2015
Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites
Crown Center Shops Showplace, Level 1. This exhibit transforms seven beloved and award-winning picture books ("The Tale of Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter, "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats, "Where's Spot?" by Eric Hill, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura Numeroff, "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, "Abuela" by Arthur Dorros, and "Tuesday" by David Wiesner) into three-dimensional play and learning environments. Discover a love of reading in the exhibit's immersive environment, designed for children through eight years old. After visiting all the play areas, young visitors have the opportunity to create their own storybook artwork and email it home to remember the experience. Open during Crown Center Shops regular shopping hours. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. 816-274-8444. © 2013 Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites was created by Minnesota Children's Museum. All Rights Reserved. This project was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. June 16 - August 2, 2015
A Year With Frog and Toad
The Coterie, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Well-loved characters hop from the page to the stage in this Tony-nominated musical following two great friends - the cheerful, popular Frog and the rather grumpy Toad - through four, fun-filled seasons. Part vaudeville, part make-believe, all charm, "A Year with Frog and Toad" tells the story of a friendship that endures, weathering all seasons. The jazzy upbeat score bubbles with melody and wit; an inventive, exuberant, and enchanting musical for the whole family. 816-474-6552 or TheCoterie.org.
Located on the southern edge of downtown Kansas City, Crown Center offers fine hotels, entertainment, dining, shopping, offices and residential living. Home to the international headquarters of Hallmark Cards, Inc., the complex attracts more than five million visitors each year.
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