Crown Center Announces Their Schedule Of Events For August 2009- August 2010

Crown Center Schedule of Events August 2009 - August 2010

Through August 2
U:BUG:ME
The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. Live rock musical for kids! Life isn't easy when you're a bug. Pico the Fly knows all about it: his best friend, clever Esteban the Earwig, discovers a revolutionary way to harvest soil, but things get thorny when the buddies enter Queen Bee's Annual Competition. The Ant-Hill Band rocks the show with hilarious songs! Part of the Coterie's Elementary/Family Series. 816-474-6552 or coterietheatre.org.

Through August 23
Are We There Yet? A Family Survival Guide
American Heartland Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. This merry musical romp includes everything from hysterical family car trips and mothers praying for hits at their sons' baseball games, to fathers sitting through ballet lessons and the joy of sex after 60! 816-842-9999 or ahtkc.com.

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 1
Clown Day
Crown Center Shops Atrium, Level 1. Crown Center becomes "Clown Center" for this all-smiles event. Bring the kids and see performances by area clown groups that will tickle your funny bone. Enjoy balloon animals, face painting and general clowning around from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stage show from noon to 1 p.m. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

August 7, 14
Friday Night Flicks
Crown Center Square. Bring your blanket and lawn chairs, sit under the stars and take in a classic movie on a huge outdoor screen. The August lineup: "The Wizard of Oz" (August 7), "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (August 14). No admission fee. Concessions will be available. Movies begin at approximately 9 p.m. 816-274-8444.

August 13-30
Big River
Off Center Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 3. Presented by Musical Theater Heritage. Winner of 7 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Book. This fantastic show is based on Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Call 816-842-9999 or visit AHTKC.com for tickets.

August 21
The Chef's Taste of Summer Series
Crown Center Shops Atrium, Level 1. Experience great new summer recipes from Crown Center's Executive Chefs, as they show off their creative culinary skills to help spark up your summer meals. Debbie Gold of the American Restaurant (August 21) will appear. Event begin at 12 noon. No admission fee. 816-274-8444.

August 21
Free Friday Night Concert- Eddie Money
Crown Center Square. Eddie Money brings his vault of hits to Crown Center, including "Two Tickets to Paradise," "Baby Hold On," "Think I'm In Love" and "Take Me Home Tonight." Opening act Red Guitar at 8 p.m., followed by Eddie Money. 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. More details coming soon to 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 just $5.50 and available at AHTKC.com or 816-842-9999.

September 26-October 11
33rd annual Heart of America Quilt Festival
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 4 p.m., Saturday. No admission fee. Tickets for pumpkins and games sold separately. 816-274-8444. (Rain date is October 11.)

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 under age 5. 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
Musical Theater Heritage's Musical Monday
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 $10 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, 2010
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, 2010
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 11 - March 7, 2010
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, 2010
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.

April 6 - May 16, 2010
Honus and Me: A Baseball Card Adventure!
The Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Shops, Level 1. With the discovery of the most valuable baseball card in the world - a 1909 "T-206 Honus Wagner" - we take a time-bending encounter with a struggling little-leaguer and the legendary Pittsburgh Pirate's slugger. Part of the Coterie's Elementary/Family Series. 816-474-6552 or CoterieTheatre.org.

April 28-29, 2010
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.

May 7 - June 20, 2010
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.

June 22 - August 8, 2010
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, 2010
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.

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.

Photo: Esteban the earwig (Shea Coffman ) and Pico the fly (KC Comeaux).
Photo by Marianne Kilroy