Kansas City things to do: Handel’s ‘Messiah,’ Keith Sweat, return of Fairy Princess

Dan Kelly
·4 min read

Nearly 200 instruments and voices will combine as the Kansas City Symphony and Chorus present Handel’s “Messiah,” one of the highlights of the holiday season, this weekend at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

Patrick Dupré Quigley, founder and artistic director of indie-classical ensemble Seraphic Fire, will serve as the symphony’s guest conductor in collaboration with Charles Bruffy, the longtime director of the Grammy Award-winning chorus.

Performances will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 10-11 and 2 p.m. Dec. 12. Tickets ($30-$90) and more information are available at kcsymphony.org.

Patrick Dupré Quigley, founder and artistic director of Seraphic Fire, will be the symphony’s guest conductor for Handel’s “Messiah.”
Patrick Dupré Quigley, founder and artistic director of Seraphic Fire, will be the symphony’s guest conductor for Handel’s “Messiah.”

More holiday music

▪ Stile Antico and Kansas City Chorale, “A Renaissance Christmas,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9, Folly. ($20-$40). chambermusic.org.

▪ Kansas City Chorale, “Benjamin Britten: St. Nicholas,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17, Atonement Lutheran Church ($12-$15). kcchorale.org.

▪ David Benoit Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown, 8 p.m. Dec. 10, Folly ($20-$55). follytheater.org.

▪ Liberty Symphony Orchestra, Winter Concert, 8 p.m. Dec. 10, Liberty High School (free). libertysymphony.org.

▪ Dan and Claudia Zanes, “The Holiday Sing-Along,” 11 a.m. Dec. 11, Yardley Hall (free). jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center/events.

▪ Christmas with Kansas City Bronze, 4 p.m. Dec. 11, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church ($10). festivalsingers.org.

▪ Central Standard, “Together Again for the Holidays,” 7 p.m. Dec. 11, Folly ($15-$45). follytheater.org.

▪ Bach Aria Soloists, Holiday Concert, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church ($20-$40). bachariasoloists.com.

▪ Choral Spectrum, “Light: A Holiday Celebration,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, 3 p.m. Dec. 12, Central United Methodist Church ($15-$20). choralspectrumkc.org.

▪ “Handel’s Messiah” Sing-Along with St. Paul Choir, 4 p.m. Dec. 12, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Lee’s Summit (free). stpaulsls.org.

R&B star Keith Sweat will perform with Bell Biv DeVoe, Bobby Brown and others Dec. 12 at the T-Mobile Center.
R&B star Keith Sweat will perform with Bell Biv DeVoe, Bobby Brown and others Dec. 12 at the T-Mobile Center.

Other music

▪ Junior Brown, 8 p.m. Dec. 9, Knuckleheads ($24). knuckleheadskc.com.

▪ Anderson East, 8 p.m. Dec. 10, Madrid ($25). ticketmaster.com.

▪ The Driver Era with The Wrecks, 8 p.m. Dec. 10, The Truman ($30). thetrumankc.com.

▪ Home Free, 8 p.m. Dec. 10, Uptown (sold out). uptowntheater.com.

▪ Hermon Mehari, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, 1900 Building ($15-$25). 1900bldg.com.

▪ Keith Sweat with Bell Biv DeVoe, Bobby Brown and more, 7 p.m. Dec. 12, T-Mobile Center ($66-$175). t-mobilecenter.com.

▪ Chris Isaak, 7 p.m. Dec. 13, Uptown ($35-$135). uptowntheater.com.

▪ Lindsey Buckingham with Sammy Brue, 8 p.m. Dec. 15, Uptown ($35-$95). uptowntheater.com.

The Fairy Princess, here in 2016 before the Kansas City Museum’s renovation, will welcome children Dec. 9-12 in the Betty Milbank Waldrop Salon on the first floor of the museum.
The Fairy Princess, here in 2016 before the Kansas City Museum’s renovation, will welcome children Dec. 9-12 in the Betty Milbank Waldrop Salon on the first floor of the museum.

More entertainment

▪ After a one-year reign in the virtual world, the Fairy Princess will return in person at the renovated Kansas City Museum, 3-7 p.m. Dec. 9-10, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 11, noon-4 p.m. Dec. 12 ($20). kansascitymuseum.org.

▪ “A Spectacular Christmas” will open at MTH Theater at Crown Center, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9; runs through Dec. 23 ($39-$59). musicaltheaterheritage.com.

▪ “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play” will run at the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre Stage 2, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9-11, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16-18, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 19 ($15-$54). metkc.org.

▪ The Olathe Civic Theatre Association will present “OCTA is Home for the Holidays,” celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and other holiday traditions around the world, 8 p.m. Dec. 9-11, 2 p.m. Dec. 12, ($5-$10). olathetheatre.org.

▪ The John Wornall House will celebrate a Christmas Five Senses Open House, 6-9 p.m. Dec. 10 ($5-$10). wornallmajors.org.

Three for free (or almost free)

▪ Christmas Train, noon-4 p.m. Dec. 11, KC Northern Miniature Railroad, Frank Vaydik Park (75 cents). kcnrr.com.

▪ Country Christmas, 1-4 p.m. Dec. 11, Lanesfield School Historic Site. jcprd.com.

▪ Day in the Life: Holiday Spirit and WWI, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 11, National WWI Museum and Memorial southeast lawn (free). theworldwar.org.

Comedian Taylor Tomlinson will perform two shows Dec. 11 at the Uptown.
Comedian Taylor Tomlinson will perform two shows Dec. 11 at the Uptown.

Three for laughs

▪ John Crist, 7 p.m. Dec. 9, Music Hall ($29.75-$49.75). ticketmaster.com.

▪ Josh Wolf, 7 and 9:45 p.m. Dec. 10-11, Kansas City Improv ($27). improvkc.com.

▪ Taylor Tomlinson, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Dec. 11, Uptown ($37.75-$39.75). uptowntheater.com.