This week in Kansas City: Holiday season kicks off, plus dinosaurs, ‘Sound of Music’

Dan Kelly
·4 min read

With Halloween in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to look forward to the holidays.

Among the events that will kick off the holiday season locally in coming days will be the return of the drive-thru display “Winter Magic” on Cliff Drive, the opening of the Ice Terrace at Crown Center and the 30th year of appearances by Gerald Dickens, great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens, at Mid-Continent Public Library locations.

Gerald Dickens, the great-great-grandson of author Charles Dickens, will appear at the Midwest Genealogy Center and Woodneath Library Center.
Gerald Dickens, the great-great-grandson of author Charles Dickens, will appear at the Midwest Genealogy Center and Woodneath Library Center.

Holiday events

▪ Arrival of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree, 9 a.m. Nov. 2, Crown Center Square (free). crowncenter.com.

▪ Gerald Dickens, “Mr. Dickens Is Coming! and The Queen and Dickens,” 2 p.m. Nov. 2, Woodneath Library Center, and 7 p.m. Nov. 2 Midwest Genealogy Center; “A Christmas Carol,” 2 and 7 p.m. Nov. 3, Midwest Genealogy Center, and 2 and 7 p.m. Nov. 4, Woodneath Library Center (free). mymcpl.org.

▪ “Winter Magic,” 7-11 p.m. Nov. 2-4, 6-11 p.m. Nov. 5-Dec. 31, Kessler Park ($25 for standard car or truck; $40 for limo or commercial van up to 15 passengers; $55 for commercial bus more than 15 passengers). wintermagickc.com.

▪ Opening Day at Ice Terrace, 6 a.m. Nov. 3, Crown Center Ice Terrace (free skate 6-9 a.m.; otherwise $9; skate rental $5; hours vary through March 10). crowncenter.com and crowncenter.com/iceterrace.

▪ Holiday Fine Art and Craft Show, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 4, Pavilion at John Knox Village (free). ibdpromotions.com.

▪ Vintage Market Days “A Christmas Collection,” 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 3-4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 4, Homefield Bannister ($10-$50). vintagemarketdays.com.

▪ “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical,” opens 10 a.m. Nov. 7; runs through Dec. 31, Coterie ($14-$20). thecoterie.org.

William Ashworth, a UMKC professor emeritus of history, will speak about “The Curious Role of Images in Early Modern Science” Nov. 2 at Linda Hall Library.
William Ashworth, a UMKC professor emeritus of history, will speak about “The Curious Role of Images in Early Modern Science” Nov. 2 at Linda Hall Library.

More entertainment

▪ Science historian William Ashworth will present a program titled “The Curious Role of Images in Early Modern Science” at Linda Hall Library, 7 p.m. Nov. 2 (free; also available virtually). lindahall.org.

▪ Life-size animatronic dinosaurs will fill the Overland Park Convention Center for Jurassic Quest, noon-8 p.m. Nov. 3, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 4, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 5 ($19-$36). jurassicquest.com.

▪ Spinning Tree Theatre’s production of the musical “Ride the Cyclone” will run at the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center, 7 p.m. Nov. 3-4, 2 p.m. Nov. 5, 7 p.m. Nov. 9-11, 2 p.m. Nov. 12 ($10-$20). spinningtreetheatre.com.

▪ Random Quality Productions will have a red-carpet premiere for its film “The Best Day of Your Life” at MTH Theater at Crown Center, 6 p.m. Nov. 4 ($25-$125). facebook.com.

▪ The “Jesus Christ Superstar” 50th anniversary tour will come to the Lied Center, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4 ($21-$60). lied.ku.edu.

▪ Kansas City PBS will present a preview screening and discussion of “Nichols’ Folly: A Century of the Country Club Plaza” at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 6 p.m. Nov. 6 (free; documentary will premiere at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 on Channel 19). kansascitypbs.org.

▪ Comedian/actor Chris Tucker will bring his first major North American tour since 2011 to the Music Hall, 8 p.m. Nov. 8 ($39.50-$79.50). kcconvention.com.

Jurassic Quest will bring life-size dinosaurs to the Overland Park Convention Center.
Jurassic Quest will bring life-size dinosaurs to the Overland Park Convention Center.

Classical music and dance

▪ David Greenberg, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2, 1900 Building ($20-$30). 1900bldg.com.

▪ Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México, “Coco in Concert,” 7 p.m. Nov. 3, Folly ($12.50-$80). hjseries.org.

▪ Lyric Opera of Kansas City, “The Sound of Music,” 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4, 8, 10, 2 p.m. Nov. 11-12, Kauffman Center ($48-$223.50). kcopera.org.

▪ Kansas City Symphony, “Heroes and Villains,” 2 p.m. Nov. 5, Kauffman Center ($25-$60). kcsymphony.org.

The Lyric Opera of Kansas City will present “The Sound of Music” Nov. 4-12 at the Kauffman Center.
The Lyric Opera of Kansas City will present “The Sound of Music” Nov. 4-12 at the Kauffman Center.

More music

▪ Needtobreathe with Judah & The Lion, 7 p.m. Nov. 2, Cable Dahmer Arena ($29.95-$59.95). cabledahmerarena.com.

▪ Matteo Lane, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2, Uptown ($39.50-$101). uptowntheater.com.

▪ Terence Blanchard, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2, Lied Center ($16-$45). lied.ku.edu.

▪ Do More Concert featuring Joy Oladokun, 8 p.m. Nov. 3, White Theatre ($89-$129). domorecharitychallenge.org.

▪ Heilung, 8 p.m. Nov. 3, Midland ($40.50-$90.50). midlandkc.com.

▪ Spirits of Folly featuring Bryonha Marie, Gullywasher and Hudspeth & Taylor, 8 p.m. Nov. 4, Folly ($25-$75). follytheater.org.

▪ Aaron Lewis, 8:30 p.m. Nov. 4, Ameristar ($76-$98). ameristarkansascity.com.

▪ In This Moment, 8 p.m. Nov. 5, Uptown ($45-$162.50). uptowntheater.com.

▪ Buddy Guy with Ally Venable, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6, Lied Center ($21-$60). lied.ku.edu.

▪ The California Honeydrops, 8 p.m. Nov. 8, Knuckleheads ($30). knuckleheadskc.com.

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