Midwest Trust Center presents “Million Dollar Quartet Christmas” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 in Yardley Hall, Johnson County Community College. (Midwest Trust Center)
This holiday season is filled with great concerts, performances and exhibits by local, national and international artists. Peruse our holiday calendar and make your plans for a festive outing with family and friends.
– compiled by Anne Thorson
MUSIC
Kansas City Symphony: Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 With Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21
Nov. 24 – 26, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcsymphony.org
Juan Diego Flórez, Tenor
Nov. 26, 3 p.m.
Folly Theater
www.follytheater.org
Kansas City Chorale: “Wintersong”
Nov. 30, 5:30 p.m.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum
www.kcchorale.org
Park ICM Piano Studio in Recital
Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m.
1900 Building
Mission Woods, Kansas
icm.park.edu
“Milking Christmas”: A New Musical
Written by Friend Dog Studios and Ryan McCall
Nov. 30, Dec. 2 – 6, times vary
William Inge Memorial Theatre
theatretickets@ku.edu
Kansas City Symphony: “The Messiah”
Dec. 1 – 3, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcsymphony.org
Heartland Men’s Chorus Presents “A Very Merry Christmas Pageant”
Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m., Dec. 3, 3:30 p.m., The Folly Theater
Dec. 10, 3:30 p.m., Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College
hmckc.org
Park ICM Orchestra Presents a Holiday Concert: “An Intimate Christmas with the ICM”
Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.
Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel, Park University
Parkville, Missouri
icm.park.edu
“On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan”
Dec. 3, 7 p.m.
Yardley Hall, Johnson County
Community College
www.jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center
Friends of Chamber Music: Alessio Bax & Lucille Chung, Master Pianists
Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m.
The Folly Theater
www.chambermusic.org
Kansas City Chorale: “Holiday Pops!”
Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m.
1900 Building
Mission Woods, Kansas
www.kcchorale.org
“A Christmas Carol”
Dec. 7, 7 p.m.
Lied Center of Kansas
lied.ku.edu
Kansas City Chorale: “A Christmas Carol”
Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m., Country Club United Methodist Church
Dec. 9, 1 p.m., St. Michael the Archangel, Overland Park, Kansas
Dec. 10, 2 p.m., Atonement Lutheran Church
www.kcchorale.org
Bach Area Soloists: Annual Holiday Concert
Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
www.bachariasoloists.com
Jim Brickman “A Joyful Christmas”
Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m.
Folly Theater
www.follytheater.org
Kansas City Symphony and Chorus: Christmas Festival
Dec. 14 – 17, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcsymphony.org
Lee’s Summit Symphony Holiday Radio Show
Dec. 16, 3 p.m.
The Pavilion at John Knox Village, 520 NW Murray Rd., Lee’s Summit
www.lssymphony.org
“Holiday Harmonies – Central Standard and Vocal Standard”
Dec. 16, 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Folly Theater
www.follytheater.org
“Girl Named Tom”
Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m.
Folly Theater
www.follytheater.org
Ashley Davis – Winter Solstice Celebration
Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m.
Lied Center of Kansas
lied.ku.edu
Te Deum: “Lessons and Carols for Today”
- Dec. 18, 7 p.m., St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
- Dec. 19, 7 p.m., Village Presbyterian Church
Kansas City Symphony: “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (Film and Live Orchestra)
Dec. 21 – 24, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcsymphony.org
THEATER
Kansas City Rep: “A Christmas Carol”
Nov. 21 – Dec. 24, times vary
Spencer Theatre
www.kcrep.org
MeatEater Live
Dec. 7, 7 p.m.
Folly Theater
www.follytheater.org
“Million Dollar Quartet Christmas”
Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Yardley Hall, Johnson County Community College
www.jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center
EXHIBITIONS
“These Colors Will Not Run”
Through Dec. 21
Kansas Focus Gallery, Nerman Museum
www.nermanmuseum.org
“Rooted among the Ashes: Hibakujumoku / A-bombed Trees”
Through Dec. 31
Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum
trumanlibraryinstitute.org
“Jewish Holidays in the All-Electric House”
Through Jan. 6
Johnson County Museum
www.jcprd.com/1835/Arts-Heritage-Center
“Julie Blackmon: A Life in Frame”
Through Jan. 7
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
www.kemperart.org
“TRAINS: Transportation and the Transformation of Johnson County”
Through Jan. 13
Johnson County Museum
JCPRD.COM/Trains
“Entertaining the Troops” through Jan.
“Bespoke Bodies: The Design and Craft of Prosthetics” through April
“Votes and Voices” through April 2025
“Mail Call” through June 2026
National WWI Museum and Memorial
hwww.theworldwar.org/exhibitions
“Beyond Ninth Street: Legacies of Women in Abstraction”
Through Feb. 11
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
www.kemperart.org
“Evelyn Hofer: Eyes on the City”
Through Feb. 11
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org
“Spandita Malik: Jāḷī — Meshes of Resistance”
Through Feb. 25
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
www.kemperart.org
“Cities Are for People: Street Photography, 1945 – 1970”
Through Feb. 25
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org
“Monet and his Modern Legacy”
Through March 10
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org
“Landscapes: Real and Imagined”
Through March 17
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org
“Charlotte Street Fellows • 2023”
Through April 24
Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art
www.nermanmuseum.org
“Frederick J. Brown Exhibit: Energy is Jazz”
Through May 5
American Jazz Museum
americanjazzmuseum.org
“Sarah Zapata: So the roots be known”
Through July 28
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
www.kemperart.org
“A Layered Presence – Una presencia estratificada”
Through Sept. 8, 2024
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org
“Sonam Dolma Brauen, My Father’s Death”
Through Nov. 11, 2024
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org
“Holidays at the Belger Crane Yard Gallery”
Nov. 3 – Dec. 30
Belger Crane Yard Gallery
belgerarts.org
“Glamorous Women: Gender and Fashion in Chinese Art”
Nov. 18 – May 19
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkinsorg
Holiday Tree in Kirkwood Hall
Nov. 24 – Dec. 31
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
www.nelson-atkins.org
DANCE
Kansas City Ballet: 2023 Nutcracker Ball
Dec. 1, cocktail hour 6 to 7 p.m., ballroom opens at 7 p.m.
The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center
balletball@kcballet.org
Kansas City Ballet: “The Nutcracker”
Dec. 1 – 24, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcballet.org
“Lawrence Art Center’s The Nutcracker, A Kansas Ballet”
Dec. 8 – 10, times vary
Lawrence Arts Center
lawrenceartscenter.org
JAZZ
The Soul of Santa “Do Good” Foundation 5th Annual “Very Jazzy” Holiday Benefit Concert Fundraiser, featuring Lonnie McFadden
Dec. 1, 7 p.m.
Gem Theater
thesoulofsanta.org
Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, “A Charlie Brown Christmas featuring Lee Langston”
Dec. 5, 7 p.m.
Kauffman Center
www.kcjo.org
KU School of Music: 2023 KU Jazz Vespers
Dec. 6, 7:30p.m.
Lied Center
lied.ku.edu/?event=ku-jazz-6dec2023
CHILDREN
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical”
Through Dec. 31, times vary
- ASL interpreted performance Nov. 25 at 4 p.m.
- Sensory-friendly performances Dec. 14 at noon and Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.
The Coterie Theatre
thecoterie.org
“Bricktionary: The Ultimate LEGO® A-Z”
Through March 31
Union Station
www.unionstation.org
Kansas City Ballet: “Sugar Plum Fairy’s Children’s Ball”
Dec. 2, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center
www.kcballet.org
“MTC Kids Jam – Hot Peas ‘N Butter”
Dec. 2, 11 a.m.
Midwest Trust Center
www.jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center
What If Puppets – “Animal Amigos”
Dec. 6, 7 p.m.
Midwest Trust Center
www.jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center
Kansas City Symphony: “The Muppet Christmas Carol ™ in Concert”
Dec. 8 and 9, times vary
Kauffman Center
www.kcsymphony.org
Kansas City Ballet: Sensory-Friendly Nutcracker
Dec. 13, 6 p.m.
Kauffman Center
www.kcballet.org
HOLIDAY LIGHTS AND FUN
Winter Magic on Cliff Drive drive-thru lights experience
Nov. 2 – Dec. 31, 7 to 11 p.m. (6 to 11 p.m. following DST)
Cliff Drive in Kessler Park, Enter Gate 1 at The Paseo and Lexington, 1800 Cliff Drive
$25/car
wintermagickc.com
Adults-Only Candlelight Stroll 2023
Nov. 13 and Dec. 14, 5 to 9 p.m. (last entry at 8 p.m.)
Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
$16 per person
www.artsandrec-op.org
Evergy Festival of Lights
Nov. 16 – Dec. 30, Wed.-Sun. 5 to 10 p.m.
Powell Gardens
Admission prices vary
powellgardens.org
Laser Holiday Magic
Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, Union Station
Nov. 17 – Dec. 31, times vary (no shows Nov. 24 and Dec. 24 and 25)
www.unionstation.org
94th Annual Plaza Lighting Ceremony
Nov. 23, 5 p.m.
View lights 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. through Jan. 14
Country Club Plaza
www.countryclubplaza.com
Luminary Walk
Nov. 24-25, Dec. 1-2, 7-9, 15-16, 5 to 9 p.m. (last entry at 8 p.m.)
Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
$15 per person; children 5 years and younger are free
www.artsandrec-op.org
Electric Glow 2023
Nov. 28 and 29, Dec. 5 and 6, 12 and 13, 19 and 20, 4:30 to 8 p.m. (last entry at 7 p.m.)
Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
$10 per person; children 5 years and younger are free
www.artsandrec-op.org
Christmas Tree Lighting
Dec. 1, 5 p.m., Historic 18th And Vine Jazz District
Dec. 8, 5 p.m., The Shops on Blue Parkway
thesoulofsanta.org
Lawrence Lithography Workshop 2023 Holiday Print Sale
Through Dec. 23, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Wed. – Sat. and by appointment
2011 Tracy Ave.
www.lawrencelitho.com
KC Clay Guild Holiday Pottery Sale and Studio Tour
Dec. 1, 5 – 9 p.m.; Dec. 2, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Dec. 3, noon – 4 p.m.
Various locations
www.kcclayguild.org
Kansas City Art Institute End-of-Semester Exhibition and Sale
Dec. 1, 5 – 8 p.m.; Dec. 2, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.;
Dec. 3, noon – 5 p.m.
Kansas City Art Institute
www.kcai.edu
Irma Starr Ceramic Artist Holiday Appearances
Nov. 24, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Hall’s Crown Center
Dec. 1 and 2, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Randy Neal Florist, 4308 W. 119th St., Leawood
www.irmastarr.com
Lawrence Art Guild Holiday Art Market
Dec. 2, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Dec. 3, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Cider Gallery, 810 Pennsylvania St., Lawrence
lawrenceartguild.org
