Crown Center Announces Their Schedule of Events For September 2009 - August 2010

Crown Center Schedule of Events September 2009 - August 2010

Through September 7
The Art of the Brick® (An Art Adventure with LEGO® Bricks)
Crown Center Shops Showplace, Level 1. The exhibit consists of approximately 30 artworks created solely from LEGO ® blocks, by artist Nathan Sawaya. The amazing designs include Lennon Tribute, Apples, Infinity, Sunflower and Globe, ranging in size from 20 inches to 78 inches. Kids can create their own LEGO designs in a play area. Open during Crown Center Shops regular shopping hours. Labor Day hours are noon to 5 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

August 28
Free Friday Night Concert- Jo Dee Messina
Crown Center Square. Jo Dee Messina, owner of nine #1 singles, performs at Crown Center. Messina was the first female country artist to have three multi-week #1 songs from the same album ("I'm Alright.") Opening act Billy Doores at 8 p.m., followed by Jo Dee Messina. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

September 4-6
Kansas City Irish Fest
Crown Center Square. 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. Festival hours are 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. $10 per day and complimentary for children under 12. 816-997-0837 or kcirishfest.com.

September 10-12
KC Improv Festival
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. See some of the funniest people from around the country and right here in Kansas City. Saturday's lineup includes SNL star Jason Sudekis, performing with Der Monkenpickel. Tickets at AHTKC.com or 816-842-9999. More information at KCImprov.com.

September 11 - October 25
I'll Be Back Before Midnight
American Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Somewhere between Agatha Christie and a Hitchcock thriller, this mystery has the audience laughing out loud one moment and gasping in horror the next. Jan, who's recovering from a nervous breakdown, and her husband, Greg, rent a remote cabin where she can recuperate. Soon Jan finds herself tormented by strange sounds in the night and visions of a vengeful ghost. Is she having another breakdown? Is someone trying to drive her mad? A first rate thriller and a wonderfully spooky ghost story. 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.

September 15 - October 9
Tell-Tale Electric Poe
The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Blending an actor with a musician, expertly selected Poe passages are complemented by musical lines and retorts from a reactive electric guitar! This masterful two person show overflows with poetry, riffs, ghosts and morbid prose! Part of the Coterie's Preteen/Young Person Series. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org.

September 18-20, 25-27
Alice in Wonderland
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Presented by Bellenwhissle Productions. Tickets are $8 and available at AHTKC.com or 816-842-9999. More information at Bellenwhissle.com.

September 26-October 11
33rd annual Heart of America Quilt Show
Crown Center Shops Showplace and Atrium, Level 1. The Greater Kansas City Quilters Guild presents this showing of 150 beautifully crafted quilts, wall hangings and decorative items. The exhibit is open during Crown Center Shops regular hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday - Wednesday & Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday & Friday; noon to 5 p.m., Sunday. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

October 10
Crown Center Pumpkin Patch
Crown Center Square. This annual benefit features 30,000 pounds of pumpkins piled high for a cause-Children's TLC. Visitors can pick out a pumpkin to take home in time for Halloween. This one-day event is packed with children's games, activities, entertainers and music. The StoneLion Puppets provide a speciAl Halloween performance in the Crown Center Shops at noon and 2 p.m. Event hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday. No admission fee. Tickets for pumpkins and games sold separately. 816-274-8444. (Rain date is October 11.)

October 12-18
Back In The Swing Retail Therapy
Crown Center Shops. Purchase a shopping card for $25 and receive up to 20% off at more than 30 shopping areas in the bi-state region. More than 800 retailers and restaurants participate, including many at Crown Center. Every shopping card sold supports local breast cancer survivors and their families. 816-842-7444 or BackInTheSwing.org.

October 16-31
Maul of the Dead
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Presented by Coterie After Dark. It's 1978, the day after "Night of the Living Dead" (but 10 years later)! Four refugees hide in an abandoned shopping center, only to find that zombies seem to lurk around every mannequin. A pale 'Sid Vicious' beauty joins the motley crew of survivors, as does her best friend Donna (the perfume counter girl.) As the audience arrives, like the characters in the play, they experience the invasion of Crown Center by attacking zombie hoards, whose undead instinct has led them "back to the mall." 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org.

October 17
Waddell & Reed Kansas City Marathon
Crown Center Square. Races include a 26.2-mile marathon, 13.1-mile half marathon and 5K run/walk, all starting and ending at Crown Center Square, site of the finish line festival. 7 a.m. For registration information, visit KCMarathon.org.

November 3 - December 29
Little House on the Prairie
The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. The Ingalls family-Laura, Ma, Pa, Mary and Carrie-sells their house, leaves the Big Woods of Wisconsin and heads west to Indian Territory near Independence, Kansas. With gorgeous new scenery, we bring you a beloved classic! Part of the Coterie's Elementary/Family Series. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org.

November 5
Arrival of the Mayor's Christmas Tree
Crown Center Square. The first sign of the holiday season arrives at Crown Center, the culimination of a journey from Oregon. The 100-foot-tall tree arrives at 9 a.m. on November 5 and is put into its stand at approximately 10 a.m. on Friday, November 6. 816-274-8444.

November 5 - December 27
It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
American Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. The "On the Air" light flickers on and the magic begins. Experience the captivating story of George Bailey as a live radio broadcast, set in the Manhattan studios of radio station WBFR on Christmas Eve, 1946. This heart-tugging drama brings a new dimension to the film classic, yet still captures all the sweetness and joy of the original. 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.

November 6
Crown Center Ice Terrace Opening Day
Crown Center Square. Kansas City's only public outdoor ice skating rink opens for its 37th season of great skating fun! Enjoy complimentary skating 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: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday & Saturday. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. in February and March. 816-274-8411. (The rink is open until March 14, 2010.)

November 13-14
Alacartoona
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Alacartoona is a modern cabaret troupe effortlessly blurring the lines between music and theatre, creating what they call "theatrical music." Their May show at the Off Center Theatre sold out! Visit Alacartoona.com for troupe information.

November 16
Musical Theater Heritage's Musical Monday
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. An impromptu evening of Broadway with Musical Theater Heritage. Tickets are just $15 or complimentary for Musical Theater Heritage season ticket holders. 816-221-6987 or MTHKC.com.

November 27
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. 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 27 - December 31
Santa's Crayola® Christmas Land
Crown Center Shops Showplace, Level 1. Children can play on super-sized Crayola® products, while waiting to tell Santa all their holiday wishes. Santa is in residence November 27 through December 24. The Crayola Christmas Land play area remains open through December 31. No admission fee. Photos with Santa are available for a fee. Open during Crown Center Shops holiday hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday; noon to 6 p.m., Sunday. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Closed Christmas Day. 816-274-8444.

November 27 - December 31
Santa's Gingerbread Village
Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Three locomotives travel through a Santa's gingerbread village in the North Pole, all created by the chefs at The Westin Crown Center and Hyatt Regency Crown Center hotels. See the reindeer stable, Santa's sleigh garage, the elves' dorm, a doll, rocking horse, and ball factory, and even Mr. & Mrs. Clause's home. Three tracks of garden scale trains from Hall's Station help deliver the magic of Christmas. No admission fee. Open during Crown Center Shops holiday hours. Closed Christmas Day. 816-274-8444.

December 3-20
"Spectacular Christmas"
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Presented by Musical Theater Heritage. Like a visit from old friends. After having so much fun together last season we just have to do it again! You can be sure that the show will put you in the holiday spirit with your favorite songs of the season. Call 816-842-9999 or visit AHTKC.com for tickets.

December 5, 12, 19
Musical Fun For Kids
Crown Center Shops, Level 1 Atrium. Enjoy holiday music for kids and families on three Saturdays in December, featuring Jim Cosgrove, Mr. Stinky Feet & The Hiccups (December 5), The Doo-Dads (December 12) and Dino O'Dell and the Veloci-Rappers (December 19). Shows at noon and 2 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

January 8 - February 21
GLORIOUS! - The true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, the worst singer in the world
American Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. A charming musical based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, an eager but hopelessly inept American soprano, who built a whole career out of unintentionally butchering beautiful music. At the pinnacle of her improbable fame, she even charmed real artists like Cole Porter, who may have admired her chutzpah as much as they relished the sheer ludicrousness of her performances. 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.

January 26 - February 28
Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi
The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Young Samuel Clemens leaves home to be a cub pilot on a Mississippi steamboat in 1858 and finds himself learning about life. And death. And love. And writing! A musical premiere based on Twain's autobiographical coming-of-age novel! Part of the Coterie's Preteen/Young Person Series. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org.

February 6 - April 25
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. Relive the adventure of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," run safely inside the "Three Little Pigs" brick house, stroll with "Little Red Riding Hood" to grandmother's house and much more! The exhibit includes a reading area for parents to share favorite tales with their little ones. Open during Crown Center Shops regular shopping hours. Closed Easter Sunday, April 4. Complimentary admission. 816-274-8444.

February 11 - March 7
SPOOKY DOG: A Scooby-Doo Mystery (Plagiarized, Improvised, Not for kiddies!)
The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Jinkies! It's time to bone up on your Scooby snacks and hop in the jivin' mystery mobile to follow four ghost-seeking teens and a dog detective. For the mod college gang, high school hipsters, even groovy older folks who want to relive Saturday morning! 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org.

March 5 - April 18
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
American Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Celebrating the universal theme of love and poking fun at the life experiences we've all either gone through or will go through. This production explores every aspect of relationships - the joys of dating, romance, marriage, lovers, babies, husbands, wives...and in-laws. 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.

March 27-28, April 2-3
The Easter Bunny visits Crown Center
Crown Center Shops Atrium, Level 1. The Easter Bunny greets children at Crown Center. A professional photographer will be taking pictures for a fee and visitors are welcome to bring their cameras. Noon to 4 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

April 6 - May 16
Frindle
The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Based on Andrew Clements' award-winning book. The ingenious Nick gets his best idea ever when a teacher explains how words end up in the dictionary. He creates his own word...frindle, and gets other kids to use it. A buzz ensues all over school and town. But, a fierce power struggle develops between him and the teacher over his made-up word! Part of the Coterie's Elementary/Family Series. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org.

April 28-29
Young Playwrights Festival
The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. The Coterie's Young Playwrights' Festival features a collection of new work by the city's best young writers. The rich and varied theatrical writings which emerge from a year-long process are forged into an ambitious festival of script-in-hand stagings utilizing professional actors. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org.

April 30 - May 16
The Heart Gallery: Through Our Children's Eyes
Crown Center Shops Atrium, Level 1. Crown Center partners with Missouri Children's Division of Jackson County to host the Missouri Heart Gallery. The gallery consists of 100-150 photos (16" x 20" size) of children waiting for adoptive homes. The exhibit is open during regular shopping hours. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

May 7 - June 20
The Dixie Swim Club
American Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Free from men, kids, and jobs, five Southern women meet every August at the same beach cottage on North Carolina's Outer Banks to laugh, catch up, and meddle in each other's lives. This is the story of five unforgettable women- a hilarious and touching comedy about friendships that last forever. 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.

May 7-9
Fiesta Kansas City
Crown Center Square. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at this tenth annual event, which features great music, food, dancing and exhibits. Sponsored by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City. No admission fee. Check www.hccgkc.com or call 816-472-6767 for more information.

May 22
Heart of America Jaguar Concours d'Elegance
Crown Center Square. Jaguar owners from around the region will display their cars and have them judged for awards in many classes. Presented by the Heart of America Jaguar Club. 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

May 29-30
Jiggle Jam Family Fest
Crown Center Square. Returning for a third fabulous year, featuring national and local entertainers and many kids activities. Call 816-997-8511 or visit KCJiggleJam.com for more information.

May 29 - September 6
Adventures With Clifford The Big Red Dog^TM
Crown Center Shops Showplace, Level 1. On loan from the Minnesota Children's Museum, in partnetship with Scholastic Entertainment, this exhibit transports visitors to the homes of Clifford, Emily Elizabeth, and all the residents of Birdwell Island. The large scale elements are based on the PBS Kids Clifford The Big Red Dog television series and include the Birdwell Ferry, Samuel's Fish & Chips Shack, T-Bone's Beach Fun and of course, Clifford and his Doghouse. Open during Crown Center Shops regular shopping hours. Open noon to 5 p.m. on Independence Day and Labor Day. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

June 5
HospitAl Hill Run
Crown Center Square. This premier Kansas City road racing event is nationally recognized by Runner's World magazine. Races include a 13.1-mile half marathon, 10K race and 5K run/walk, all starting and ending at Crown Center Square. 7 a.m. For registration information, call 816-274-8444 or visit HospitalHillRun.com.

June 12-13
Crown Center Antique Festival
Crown Center Square. The festival celebrates its tenth year, featuring pottery, china, toys, linens, collectibles, furniture, jewelry, books and much more. More than 150 dealers. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. No admission fee. Complimentary appraisals in the Crown Center Shops Atrium from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. (One item per person.) 816-274-8444.

June 18-19
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. Visit KCChalkAndWalk.org for more information.

June 22 - August 8
Lucky Duck
The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. A singing swan supermodel! It's The Ugly Duckling meets Project Runway, with music by the composer of Dreamgirls. Homely songbird Serena runs away from her fowl days of barnyard mockery to seek her special destiny. Hear star turn numbers like "Average, Simple Mega Superstar" and "Wipe the Egg Off Your Face"! Part of the Coterie's Elementary/Family Series. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org.

July 14 - August 22
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
American Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. This adorable tale of six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, will have audiences in stitches. The show's Tony Award-winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes for whom a spelling bee is the one place they can stand out and fit in at the same time. 816-842-9999 or AHTKC.com.