Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Announces NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE School Matinees in 2023

The 2023 National Geographic Live student matinee series features three presenters, including a cave-diving photographer, wild cat filmmaker and nature photographer. Each National Geographic Live speaker will share visual stories, illustrated with award-winning photography and video, about their topic. A short Q&A session will follow each presentation.

Recommended for middle school-aged students. Tickets are $2 each for students and educators. Schools that attend a student matinee at the Kauffman Center may apply for bus assistance through the Open Doors Transportation Fund, supported by Evergy. Learn more at kauffmancenter.org/transportation.

Educators can find more information and request tickets to the matinees starting Sept. 12, 2022 at kauffmancenter.org/schoolmatinees. Email opendoors@kauffmancenter.org with questions.

2023 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE SCHOOL MATINEES

Jasper Doest, Photographer
A Voice for Nature

Jan. 24, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.

Dutch photographer Jasper Doest creates visual stories that explore the relationship between humankind and nature. From Bob, a rehabilitated flamingo on the island of Curaçao who now acts as an educational ambassador, to the Japanese "snow monkeys" that delight in soaking in local hot springs, Doest aims to give a voice to our world's wildlife. His emotional, award-winning images are an urgent reminder of the beauty and fragility of our planet.

Sandesh Kadur, Photographer and Filmmaker
Wild Cats of India

Feb. 21, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.

With landscapes spanning the towering Himalaya, arid plains and dense jungles, India is home to an unmatched diversity of wild cats. While many of the big cats are well known and thoroughly documented, photographer and filmmaker Sandesh Kadur is on a mission to highlight the country's lesser-known felines in order to protect their future. Discover the tiny, grumpy-faced Pallas's cat, the fishing cat that jumps into water to catch its prey, and the ancient, elusive clouded leopard. Through Kadur's captivating images and video, you'll get an up-close look at a world of wild cats you've never seen before.

Robbie Shone, Photographer
In Deep: Adventures in Caving

April 11, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.

For more than 20 years, renowned cave photographer Robbie Shone has traveled to remote parts of the world to illuminate and document the world's deepest, largest and longest known cave systems. In 2018, he joined a team on a National Geographic expedition to Abkhazia, Georgia, to descend to the bottom of Veryovkina, the deepest known cave in the world. But when a sudden flood pulse hit, Shone and the team had to climb for their lives to escape the rapidly rising waters. Join him for a first-hand account of this gripping adventure and an inside look at the mesmerizing beauty of one of the world's last known frontiers of exploration.

The 2023 National Geographic Live school matinees in Kansas City are supported by the Marlese and Robert Gourley Children's Fund, the Teresa and Tom Walsh Family Foundation and the John N. and Marilyn P. McConnell Foundation. PNC Bank is the Community Tickets sponsor.

The 2023 National Geographic Live series in Kansas City is made possible by the Teresa and Tom Walsh Family Foundation. The Kauffman Center Presents series is made possible by the John N. and Marilyn P. McConnell Foundation.

Support is also provided by Saint Luke's Health System, as well as Aristocrat Motors and Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City. "A Voice for Nature" is sponsored by the Kansas City Zoo.

Find information and maps for Kauffman Center parking and construction updates at kauffmancenter.org/parking. The Arts District Garage, immediately south of and beneath the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, is the primary parking garage for patrons. Parking for individual cars is $10 per vehicle in the Arts District Garage.

The Kauffman Center's promise to bring artists and audiences together is reflected in many ways, including removing barriers and providing access to our performing arts experiences for all patrons. You can learn more by visiting kauffmancenter.org/accessibility. To request services or receive additional information that would make your visit more enjoyable, please contact our box office at 816.994.7222 or contact@kauffmancenter.org.

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