Three Performances Added To The Kauffman Center Presents Spring 2022 Calendar

Three musically diverse acts are coming to the Kauffman Center this spring. On March 18, see Natalie MacMaster, Donnell Leahy and Family, then see The TEN Tenors March 22, followed by The Queen's Cartoonists April 27, 2022.

Tickets for MacMaster, Leahy and Family and The TEN Tenors range from $29 to $69 plus applicable fees. Tickets for The Queen's Cartoonists range from $19 to $49. Tickets for these three shows go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 19. Tickets will be available through the Kauffman Center Box Office at (816) 994-7222, via the Kauffman Center mobile app, or online at www.kauffmancenter.org.

Celtic sensations Natalie MacMaster, Donnell Leahy and Family bring their phenomenal fiddle skills to the Helzberg Hall stage for an impressive night of music. The couple, who each began their respective music careers as children, married in 2002. Now, the powerhouse duo has seven children, five of whom frequently perform with them.

Though they didn't intend to perform with their children on the road, they realized early on that being on the road without their children was much more difficult than touring with them.

"Initially we were reluctant to let the kids perform. We worried the expectations might be too much," Leahy says. "But then one night we put Mary Frances on stage. Soon after that Michael wanted to play. And you must reward practice."

MacMaster and Leahy have collaborated with classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma, bluegrass star Alison Krauss and banjo ace Béla Fleck.

"Love Is in the Air" is the latest show from The TEN Tenors, which made its debut in Adelaide, Australia, on May 18, 2019. The TEN Tenors latest show embraces love and includes some of the most popular feel-good love songs and wedding first dance songs of all time. They'll cover it all, from pop songs with a twist to classic love songs, and even a few of the most famous and touching love arias in existence.

The idea was sparked by a conversation between D-J Wendt (producer/manager) and longtime Tenor Paul Gelsumini while discussing Paul's upcoming wedding. Paul was planning to use "Perfect" for his first dance with the hope the other tenors would serenade him and his new wife, Jessica. The day after the wedding, D-J Wendt phoned Stephen Baker (record producer/musical director) with the notion of an album and show dedicated to wedding first dance songs. "Love Is in the Air" hopes to bring joy and hope to its audience. It's a chance to reminisce and enjoy a few laughs as The TEN Tenors use their voices and sense of humor to navigate love in all its forms.

Since their inception in 2015, The Queen's Cartoonists have gone from playing in the New York subway system to selling out the Blue Note Jazz Club and opening for the New York Philharmonic.

The Queen's Cartoonists play music from classic cartoons and contemporary animation. The performances are synchronized to video projections of the original films, with the goal of creating a concert of classical music and jazz for everyone. Expect the unexpected from repertoire that includes the Golden Age of animation, cult cartoon classics, modern video pieces, comedy and elements of a musical circus!

The six members, born on three continents, are now residents of Queens, New York.

The Kauffman Center Presents series features extraordinary and diverse artists from a variety of musical genres and performance styles. Access to approved media photos for 2021-2022 Kauffman Center Presents artists can be found here. Upcoming events include:

2021-2022 Kauffman Center Presents events:

• Jan. 18, 2022 - National Geographic Live: The Secret Life of Bears - 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• Jan. 22, 2022 - Mystery Science Theater 3000 LIVE: Time Bubble Tour - 7:30p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• Jan. 23, 2022 - Diana Krall- 7 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• Feb. 9, 2022 - The Beach Boys - 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• Feb. 10, 2022 - Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets: The Echoes Tour - 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• Feb. 22, 2022 - National Geographic Live: Improbable Ascent - 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• March 15, 2022 - National Geographic Live: Akashinga: The Brave Ones - 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• March 18, 2022 - Natalie MacMaster, Donnell Leahy and Family - 7 p.m., Helzberg Hall
• March 22, 2022 - The TEN Tenors - 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• April 5, 2022 - National Geographic Live: Nature Roars Back - 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• April 10, 2022 -Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - 8 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre
• April 27, 2022 - The Queen's Cartoonists - 7 p.m., Helzberg Hall
• May 5, 2022 - National Geographic Live: Wild Seas, Secret Shores - 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre

Look for more Kauffman Center Presents announcements coming soon.

*Additional performances will be announced throughout the 2021-2022 season. Updates are available at kauffmancenter.org/kauffman-center-presents/.