Kauffman Center Presents brings Common to Kauffman Center This Fall
Award-winning artist, actor and activist, Common, is coming to the Kauffman Center Aug. 29. Maimouna Youssef, known as Mumu Fresh, will be opening for Common.
Common won an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture alongside John Legend for “Glory” in the Oscar-nominated film Selma. Common also starred in the film, which was centered around the American civil rights marches of the 1960s. The original song “Stand Up for Something,” co-written by Common in the film Marshall, received Oscar, GRAMMY, NAACP and Critic Choice Award nominations. Common is starring in two films set to be released this year, The Kitchen and The Informer.
In addition to his work in music and acting, Common has dedicated the past few years to his work in activism. He has spent many hours advocating for social justice and bringing awareness to issues involving mass incarceration, mental health and voting. After successes with a concert and tour centered around his activism, Common launched his non-profit, Imagine Justice, in 2018. Imagine Justice is committed to using the power of art to advocate for communities throughout the country and to fight for justice and equality.
Tickets range from $43.75 to $83.75, plus fees. Every pair of tickets for this show includes new music from Common. Ticket prices include a $4.75 cost for access to Common’s new music. Ticket buyers will receive an email with more details about their offer approximately seven days after the purchase. Limit of eight tickets per sale. VIP packages available:
Meet & Greet Package ($209.46 including fees):
- One premium reserved or general admission ticket
- Exclusive meet & greet with Common
- Personal photograph with Common
- Autographed copy of Common’s memoir – Let Love Have The Last Word
- Let Love Have The Last Word bookmark
- Common microphone keychain
- Exclusive Common VIP merchandise item
- Official meet & greet laminate
- Limited availability
VIP Tour Package ($133.24 including fees):
- One premium reserved or general admission ticket
- Copy of Common’s memoir – Let Love Have The Last Word
- Let Love Have The Last Word bookmark
- Common microphone keychain
- Exclusive Common VIP merchandise item
- Commemorative tour laminate
- Limited availability
The Kauffman Center is thrilled to welcome The Beatles’ tribute tour – It Was Fifty Years Ago Today – Tour 2019 – to Muriel Kauffman Theatre on Thursday, October 3, as part of its 2019-2020 Kauffman Center Presents series. This tribute to The Beatles’ White Album features performers Christopher Cross, Todd Rundgren, Micky Dolenz (The Monkees), Jason Scheff (Chicago), Joey Molland (Badfinger) and musical director Joey Curatolo, director of RAIN: A Tribute to The Beatles. The troupe of legendary musicians will perform their own greatest hits along with honoring one of the world’s most influential albums through a must-see live performance of The White Album.
Tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime event are available now and range from $49 to $109 plus fees, and VIP packages are available. Tickets are available through the Kauffman Center Box Office at (816) 994-7222 or online.
IT WAS FIFTY YEARS AGO TODAY – TOUR 2019 – ABOUT THE BAND
Christopher Cross is a five-time GRAMMY Award winner from San Antonio, Texas. Cross made history at the 23rd GRAMMY Awards when he won all the General Four categories (Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of The Year and Best New Artist). He is still the only artist in GRAMMY history to do so. Other accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, four number-one singles, and 9 million albums sold throughout his 30 -year career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI6UC4tTPgQ
Todd Rundgren, a Philadelphia native, began his music career as the front man of the 1960s psychedelic group, Nazz. After he left the band, Rundgren made a name for himself with his album Something/Anything?, for which he sang all vocal parts, played all instruments and even acted as his own producer. His hits include “I Saw the Light,” “Hello It’s Me,” “Can We Still Be Friends” and “Bang The Drum.” In recent years, Rundgren has been a frequent member of Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsezr0qiFIc
Micky Dolenz has done it all. Throughout his career, he has worked as an actor, singer, director, producer, writer, DJ, inventor and a top-notch performer. Dolenz is best known as the vocalist and drummer of the 1960s pop band The Monkees. The Monkees reached high levels of success from their TV show and from their recorded music. Their first five albums all went platinum, and their first four albums reached number-one spots on the charts. The band also starred in the feature cult classic film, Head. Dolenz was also a friend of The Beatles during his time in The Monkees and was even at Abbey Road Studios when they recorded Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Jason Scheff is known for being the longtime tenor lead vocalist of Chicago, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After Scheff replaced the original vocalist Peter Cetera, he went on to become one of the lead songwriters of the group. Throughout four decades, Scheff has performed with Chicago in thousands of concerts and television appearances.
Joey Molland has a five-decade career in the music industry, most notably playing guitar for classic rock band Badfinger. Molland is the only surviving member of the group and still performs their hits on worldwide tours. Molland and Badfinger have multiple connections to The Beatles, including playing on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and Concert for Bangladesh albums, and performing on John Lennon’s Imagine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1mV8UFulUY
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José González, Boyz II Men, and Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin
coming to Kauffman Center this fall
José González will perform at the Kauffman Center on August 29 at 7 p.m. with special guest Bedouine, as part of the 2019-2020 Kauffman Center Presents series. González will perform an acoustic set of his indie-folk music in Helzberg Hall.
Throughout his career, the Swedish singer-songwriter has released three solo albums, all while touring the globe and performing on some of the world’s biggest stages, including television programs like Jimmy Kimmel Live and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. González’s music is inspired by 1970s Brazilian productions, American folk and West African desert blues.
“Sonically, I think it is the sound of softness and comfort that people mostly connect with my music. It happens quite often that people come up to me to tell me that they’ve used my music to calm their kids,” González said when asked what he thinks draws people to his music.
Azniv Korkejian was born in Aleppo, Syria and took on the name Bedouine as a representation of her nomadic life, which landed her in Los Angeles, California. Bedouine has a degree in sound design and works professionally in dialogue editing and music editing. The singer and guitarist’s unique sound is described as 1960s folk meets 1970s country funk. Her music represents minimalism motivated by travel and establishes a sustained and complete mood, reflecting on the unending reverberations of displacement. Bedouine’s new album Bird Songs of a Killjoy will be released June 21.
To get tickets for this must-see performance, call the Kauffman Center Box Office at (816) 994-7222 or visit www.kauffmancenter.org. Ticket prices range from $29-$59, plus fees.
R&B trio, Boyz II Men, will be at the Kauffman Center on October 2 in Muriel Kauffman Theatre, as part of the 2019-2020 Kauffman Center Presents series. The show will start at 7:30 p.m. and will feature their timeless hit songs from the past two decades.
Boyz II Men has solidified their spot as one of R&B’s most iconic groups. On their long list of achievements are four GRAMMY awards and nine American Music Awards. Throughout their 25-year career, they have earned a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame and the distinction of being the best-selling R&B group of all time with 60 million albums sold.
Tickets range from $59-$129 plus fees. To purchase, call the Kauffman Center Box Office at (816) 994-7222 or visit www.kauffmancenter.org.
Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin are bringing their vast catalog of songs to the Kauffman Center’s Helzberg Hall on October 10, as part of the 2019-2020 Kauffman Center Presents series. This acoustic performance will start at 7 p.m. and features the lifelong friends’ hit songs as well as some of their favorite stories.
Mary Chapin Carpenter has sold more than 14 million records and won five GRAMMY awards throughout her long career. Her songs speak to the most universal of life stories and have earned her a spot as one of the 15 female members of the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.
Shawn Colvin has been a constant of the contemporary folk music scene since her first GRAMMY award in 1989. In addition to her memoir, Diamond in the Rough, she has released 12 albums that inspire fans with her enduring talent. Coming in September, she will release a special all-acoustic version of her first GRAMMY-winning album, Steady On.
Tickets range from $39 to $89 plus fees. VIP tickets are available for $175, plus applicable fees, and include:
- One premium reserved ticket located in the first 10 rows
- Collectible tour lithograph autographed by Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin
- Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin journal notebook and pen
- Specially designed Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin tote bag
- Exclusive Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin bookmark
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the Kauffman Center Box Office by calling (816) 994.7222 or by visiting www.kauffmancenter.org.
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Photo by Christina Valdez
Future Stages Festival Performance Group Gains International Attention
Crescendo in Motion to perform Yuzuru Hanyu tribute at the Kauffman Center on Sunday, June 16 at 2:30 p.m.
Crescendo Conservatory, a school performing at the Kauffman Center’s upcoming Future Stages Festival has gone viral for their ballet tribute to Yuzuru Hanyu, a renowned Japanese figure skater and two-time Olympic gold medalist.
The co-artistic director of the conservatory, Christina Valdez, first became a fan of Hanyu after watching him in the 2018 Winter Olympics. She was drawn to his athleticism and also found many similarities between his skating and ballet.
As a tribute to the consecutive Olympic gold medalist, Valdez choreographed a piece inspired by his performance at the PyeongChang figure skating gala. After tweeting a photo from a rehearsal of the ballet, Crescendo in Motion quickly attracted attention from Hanyu fans around the world.
After posting the tweet, Crescendo then shared a video of their piece, Notte Stellata – A Ballet Tribute to Yuzuru Hanyu which now has over 25,000 views on YouTube. Viewers can even spot a Winnie the Pooh bear in the background which fans traditionally throw on the rink after Hanyu’s performances.
The story went worldwide when The Japan Times and the Olympic Channel covered the tribute. The Olympic Channel noted how Hanyu is now a muse for artists in all different mediums across the world.
The Kauffman Center is thrilled that Crescendo in Motion will perform Notte Stellata – A Ballet Tribute to Yuzuru Hanyu in Muriel Kauffman Theatre at Future Stages Festival on June 16,2019 at 2:30 p.m.
For more information on all there is to do, see, hear, and make at the 6th annual Future Stages Festival, visit: kauffmancenter.org/futurestages
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Crescendo in Motion performs in Helzberg Hall. Photo by Rachel Nyhart.
More than 700 youth performers will be featured on four stages at this year’s festival.
Kansas City, MO – Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is thrilled to announce performance groups and arts partners presenting at the 6th Annual Future Stages Festival. On June 16, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., kids from 4-18 years of age will present their talents to the Kansas City audience. To RSVP to this FREE event and get up-to-date information on the day’s activities, visit kauffmancenter.org/futurestages.
See highlights of last year’s Future Stages Festival.
As part of the Kauffman Center’s Open Doors Spotlight on Youth program, the Future Stages Festival is a celebration of the arts and youth performers. It is a chance for emerging artists to showcase their talents and passions on the Kauffman Center’s stages. Not only will guests be able to see the talented youth representing many parts of the Greater Kansas City metro area, they can enjoy activities and crafts throughout the day. Activities, such as drawing on the Kauffman Center’s windows and the Selfie Scavenger Hunt, will keep attendees of all ages busy having fun inside and outside of the performance halls.
See all of the fun activities at the 5th Annual Future Stages Festival.
This FREE festival is presented by Kauffman Center’s premier partner Saint Luke’s Health System and will showcase performances by 34 local community arts organizations listed below. Throughout the day, groups will perform on four stages: Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Helzberg Hall, the Saint Luke’s Outdoor Stage, and the Community Stage on the south lawn. Performing arts genres featured at this year’s festival range from ballet and hip-hop to acrobatics and jazz bands.
Featured Performance Groups at the 6th Annual Future Stages Festival Include:
Soundz of Africa performs in Muriel Kauffman Theatre. Photo by Jillian Shoptaw.
5 Star Jazz Band
AileyCamp the Group
Ballet Folklorico de Topeka
Bharathanatyam from Chilanka School of Dance
Caruthers Dance Studios – The Hot Steppers
Chinese School Dance Group
Crescendo in Motion
Dynamic Dance Competition Team
Harmony Project KC
Heart of America Shakespeare Festival: Team Shakespeare
HK Chinese Folk Dance Group
House of Dance Company
Ice Studios School of Dance
Kansas City Aerial Arts Training Company
Kansas City Boys Choir and Kansas City Girls Choir
Kansas City Dance Company
Kansas City Jazz Academy – Advanced Combo
KC Homeschool Dance
KC Youth Percussion Ensemble
KCYA Community School of the Arts Dancers
Lily Zhang Li Taylor Dance Academy
Los Bailadores de Kansas City
Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s Frost High School Honors Artists
Metropolitan Conservatory Orchestra
Miles Swaminathan
Miller Marley School Show Biz Performers
Mudra Dance Academy
School of Rock Kansas City House Band
Starlight STARS
Street Styles Academy’s “Elite Team”
String Sprouts KC
TeamEXCEL! (Take the Stage Program)
The A-Flat Youth Orchestra
The Charlie Parker Memorial Jazz Ensemble
The Last Carnival Circus School
Dancers perform a modern dance piece in Muriel Kauffman Theatre. Photo by Ellie Fehlig.
Activities Provided by:
American Institute of Architects – Kansas City
College Basketball Experience
Folk Alliance International
Girl Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri
Great American Kites & Events
Heart of America Shakespeare Festival
Kansas City Ballet
Kansas City Broadway Series
Kansas City Chalk and Walk Festival
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Symphony
Kansas City Zoo
KCPT Kids
Latino Arts Foundation
Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Mattie Rhodes Center
Museum at Prairiefire
Sporting KC
StoneLion Puppet Theatre
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Vania Soto – Visual Artist
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 16, 2019
Where: Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108
Cost: FREE and open to the public.
More information: Registration is not necessary as tickets will not be issued. Once registered, attendees will automatically be entered to win two tickets to an upcoming performance at the Kauffman Center. All ages are welcome; programming is suggested as most suitable for families with children ages 4-15.
ABOUT THE OPEN DOORS PROGRAM
The Kauffman Center Open Doors program connects young people to the arts through three major components:
– The Open Doors Spotlight on Youth initiative offers year-round programs and engagement opportunities that connect young people with the Kauffman Center.
– The Open Doors Community Tickets program offers free and reduced price performance tickets to underserved audiences through local social service agencies and schools.
– The Open Doors Transportation Fund helps schools offer high quality performing arts experiences to students by eliminating or defraying the costs of bus transportation.
More information about Open Doors programs is available at: kauffmancenter.org/open-doors.
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