Holiday favorites are hitting the stage: ‘Amahl,’ ‘Nutcracker’ and ‘Nativity’ puppets
Three holiday favorites will open on area stages this weekend:
▪ The Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” at the Michael and Ginger Frost Production Arts Building, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2; runs through Dec. 12 ($35). kcopera.org.
▪ The Kansas City Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” at the Kauffman Center, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3; runs through Dec. 24 ($34-$144). kcballet.org.
▪ The annual production of “The Nativity,” created by Mesner Puppet Theater and resurrected this year by Nativity Puppets Inc., at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, 7 p.m. Dec. 3, 2 and 5 p.m. Dec. 4, 2 p.m. Dec. 5 ($12-$17). nativitypuppets.org.
Three for free
▪ Sar-Ko Aglow, the popular walk-thru holiday lights display at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park in Lenexa, will kick off with a lighting ceremony, complete with a visit from Santa, 6 p.m. Dec. 3; runs through Jan. 17. lenexa.com.
▪ The UMKC Conservatory Choir and Orchestra will present the Concert for Harvesters at Visitation Church, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 and 3 p.m. Dec. 5 (food donations). conservatory.umkc.edu.
▪ Rockhurst University’s Musica Sacra will perform Benjamin Britten’s “A Ceremony of Carols” and traditional carols at the Arrupe Hall Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5. rockhurst.edu.
Three for laughs
▪ Patton Oswalt, who is familiar to TV viewers for his voice work and his role in “King of Queens,” will perform at the Uptown, 7 p.m. Dec. 3, Uptown ($47-$127). uptowntheater.com.
▪ Carrot Top, the wacky redhead known for his over-the-top antics, will appear at the Ameristar, 8:30 p.m. Dec. 4 ($30-$65). ameristarkansascity.com.
▪ Ana Gasteyer, former “Saturday Night Live” cast member and a Broadway musical star, will bring her Sugar & Booze Holiday Tour to Yardley Hall, 7 p.m. Dec. 5 ($35-$45). jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center/events.
Music
▪ Kip Moore with Gabe Lee, 7 p.m. Dec. 2, Uptown ($35-$159). uptowntheater.com.
▪ Kansas City Chorale, “Holiday Pops,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3, Rolling Hills Church, and 2 p.m. Dec. 12, 1900 Building ($12-$15). kcchorale.org.
▪ Bridget Kibbey and Dover Quartet, 8 p.m. Dec. 3, Yardley Hall ($25-$35). jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center/events.
▪ Travis Tritt, 8:30 p.m. Dec. 3, Ameristar ($59.50-$89.50). ameristarkansascity.com.
▪ Mariachi Los Camperos, “Fiesta Navidad,” 8 p.m. Dec. 4, Yardley Hall ($25-$35). jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center/events.
▪ Tech N9ne, 8 p.m. Dec. 4, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland ($35-$45). arvestbanktheatre.com.
▪ James Taylor & His All-Star Band with Jackson Browne, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, T-Mobile Center ($62.50-128). t-mobilecenter.com.
▪ Canadian Brass, Holiday Concert, 7 p.m. Dec. 6, Kauffman Center ($15-$85). hjseries.org.
▪ Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, “Hallelujah Holidays,” 7 p.m. Dec. 7, Kauffman Center ($33.50-$68.50). kcjo.org.
▪ Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, “Joyful Holidays,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church ($15-$35). kcchamberorchestra.org.
More entertainment
▪ The newly renovated Harry S. Truman Library will reopen again — the pandemic delayed its debut for months, then it was open briefly during the summer before COVID surged again — on Dec. 2, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays ($5-$12, online reservations required). trumanlibrary.gov.
▪ The VidaDance Company and Kansas City Aerial Arts will combine for “Cracked! A Reimagined Kansas City Nutcracker” at City Stage Theatre, 7 p.m. Dec. 3-4, 2 p.m. Dec. 5 ($15-$35). vidadancecompany.com.
▪ KC Melting Pot Theatre will present August Wilson’s “Two Trains Running” at the Just Off Broadway Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4, 2 p.m. Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8-11 ($17.25-$27.50). kcmeltingpot.com.
▪ “The Snowy Day” from the Mesner Puppet Theater will run at Johnson County Community College’s Polsky Theatre, 11 a.m. Dec. 4-5 ($9-$16). jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center/events.
▪ Humor writer and satirist David Sedaris will bring his unique brand of observational wit to the Kauffman Center, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 ($58.21-$69.57). kauffmancenter.org.
