Kansas City Halloween spirit grows with ‘Jekyll and Hyde,’ Powell Gardens, KC Rep show

Dan Kelly
·5 min read

Kansas City Repertory Theatre will put patrons in the mood for Halloween with its fourth annual “Ghost Light: A Haunted Night of Songs and Stories From KC’s Cultural Crossroads.”

The free evening of music, storytelling and more will fill the woods of Roanoke Park on Oct. 13 and 14. Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be preceded at 4:30 p.m. by arts activities, food trucks and a haunted parade. More information at kcrep.org.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s free show “Ghost Light: A Haunted Night of Songs and Stories From KC’s Cultural Crossroads” will return Oct. 13 and 14 at Roanoke Park.
Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s free show “Ghost Light: A Haunted Night of Songs and Stories From KC’s Cultural Crossroads” will return Oct. 13 and 14 at Roanoke Park.

More entertainment

▪ “State of Grace” from Overland Park filmmakers Stephen Wallace Pruitt and Mary Settle Pruitt will make its Kansas City premiere at the Glenwood Arts Theater, 7:10 p.m. Oct. 13, 4:10 p.m. Oct. 14, 1:10 p.m. Oct. 15 ($10-$12). fineartsgroup.com.

▪ The Kansas City Ballet will open its 2023-24 season at the Kauffman Center with the North American premiere of Val Caniparoli’s “Jekyll and Hyde,” a ballet based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13-14, 1:30 p.m. Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19-20, 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21, 1:30 p.m. Oct. 22 ($34-$149). kcballet.org.

▪ The Quixotic performing arts troupe will be featured in Dark Forest, a multimedia walk-thru experience in the woods at Powell Gardens, 7-11 p.m. Oct. 13-15, 20-22 and 26-29 ($38). powellgardens.org.

▪ “Dancing With the Stars” performer-turned-judge Derek Hough will bring his Symphony of Dance to the Music Hall, 7 p.m. Oct. 15, Music Hall ($36-$150). kcconvention.com.

▪ Psychic medium Matt Fraser, known for the reality TV show “Meet the Frasers,” will perform at the Uptown, 8 p.m. Oct. 15 ($50-$65). uptowntheater.com.

Quixotic will be part of Dark Forest running Oct. 13-29 at Powell Gardens.
Quixotic will be part of Dark Forest running Oct. 13-29 at Powell Gardens.

More theater

▪ “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” opens 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12; runs through Oct. 29, MTH Theater at Crown Center ($45-$65). musictheaterheritage.com.

▪ “The Mex Files: A Divination Ritual,” 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13, Charlotte Street Stern Theater (free). charlottestreet.org.

▪ “Gospel Stage Play, Where Is Your Faith?,” 7 p.m. Oct. 14, Gem ($30). eventbrite.com.

▪ “Macbitches,” opens 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18; runs through Nov. 5, Unicorn Theatre ($42-$52). unicorntheatre.org.

Festivals

▪ Cornucopia, 5-9 p.m. Oct. 13, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 4, noon-6 p.m. Oct. 15, KC Live! (free) powerandlightdistrict.com.

▪ Turner Days Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 14, Kansas City, Kansas (free). turnerdays.squarespace.com.

▪ Artist’s Bash, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 14, Tower Park (free). dynamicpawz.com.

▪ Turkic Food and Art Festival, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 14, Dialogue Institute (free). dialoguekansascity.org.

▪ Cultura Fest, noon-6 p.m. Oct. 14, Johnson County Community College (free). nermanmuseum.org.

▪ Barkin’ in the Woods, 1-5 p.m. Oct. 14, MCC-Maple Woods Vet Tech Building (free). mcckc.edu.

▪ Botanical Brewfest, 6-9 p.m. Oct. 14, Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens ($75-$100). artsandrec-op.org.

▪ Brew at the Zoo, 6:30-11 p.m. Oct. 14, Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium (sold out). kansascityzoo.org.

▪ Jewish Culture Fest, 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Oct. 15, Jewish Community Center ($3-$10). thejkc.org.

▪ The Prospect KC Gumbo Festival, noon Oct. 15, 2000 Vine ($10-$75). theprospectkc.org.

Comedy

▪ Shane Gillis, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Oct. 13, Midland ($38.50-$48.50). midlandkc.com.

▪ Trevor Wallace, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Oct. 13-14, Comedy Club of Kansas City ($30-$40). thecomedyclubkc.com.

▪ Charlie Berens, 8 p.m. Oct. 13, Uptown ($39-$49). uptowntheater.com.

▪ Kathleen Madigan, 8 p.m. Oct. 14, Midland ($29.50-$59.50). midlandkc.com.

▪ Ryan Long, 7 p.m. Oct. 18, Kansas City Improv ($27). improvkc.com.

Classical music and dance

▪ Cecilia Series, “Gabo: A Love Letter,” 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12, 1900 Building ($20-$80). 1900bldg.com.

▪ Violinist Hilary Hahn, 7 p.m. Oct. 13, Folly ($12.50-$90). hjseries.org.

▪ Kansas City Civic Orchestra, “French Connection,” 3:30 p.m. Oct. 15, Yardley Hall (free). kccivic.org.

▪ Chicago Tap Theatre, “Unleash the Beats,” 8 p.m. Oct. 13, Yardley Hall ($12-$45). jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center.

▪ Kansas City Symphony, “Bond and Beyond: 55 Years of 007,” 8 p.m. Oct. 13-14, 2 p.m. Oct. 15, Kauffman Center ($40-$99). kcsymphony.org.

Singer Samara Joy will perform Oct. 14 at the Folly as part of the Folly Jazz Series.
Singer Samara Joy will perform Oct. 14 at the Folly as part of the Folly Jazz Series.

More music

▪ Jason Aldean with Mitchell Tenpenny, Corey Kent and Dee Jay Silver, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12, T-Mobile Center ($49.75-$179.75). t-mobilecenter.com.

▪ Langhorne Slim with John Craigie, 8 p.m. Oct. 12, Madrid ($60). madridtheatre.com.

▪ Odesza with Big Boi, TokiMonsta, Olan and Qrtr, 6:30 Oct. 13, T-Mobile Center ($39.50-$109.50). t-mobilecenter.com.

▪ Billy Strings, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13-14, Cable Dahmer Arena ($39.50-$69.50). cabledahmerarena.com.

▪ Porchfest, noon-6 p.m. Oct. 14, Midtown (free). porchfestkc.com.

▪ Ashnikko, 8 p.m. Oct. 14, Uptown (sold out). uptowntheater.com.

▪ Samara Joy, 8 p.m. Oct. 14, Folly ($25-$35). follytheater.org.

▪ Shovels & Rope, 8 p.m. Oct. 14, Knuckleheads ($30). knuckleheadskc.com1.

▪ MercyMe with Crowder and Andrew Ripp, 7 p.m. Oct. 15, Cable Dahmer Arena ($70.50-$90.50). cabledahmerarena.com.

▪ Polyphia, 8 p.m. Oct. 16, Uptown ($35-$49) uptowntheater.com.

▪ Goblin, 8 p.m. Oct. 17, Liberty Hall ($30-$60). libertyhall.net.

▪ Tom Odell, 8 p.m. Oct. 17, The Truman ($28-$30). thetrumankc.com.

▪ Kevin Gates, 8 p.m. Oct. 18, Uptown ($65). uptowntheater.com.