National Geographic Live: 2018 Season Announcement

Kauffman Center Announces 2018 National Geographic Live Series

The seventh annual season features photographers,
filmmakers, adventurers and a NASA astronaut

Subscriptions go on sale Aug. 9

National Geographic Live 2018 series

Kansas City, MO – Today, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts announced the line-up for the 2018 National Geographic Live speaker series.

National Geographic Live speakers share their journeys of exploration from being on assignment around the world. Illustrated with award-winning photography and video, each evening concludes with a speaker-led audience Q&A session.

For its seventh season at the Kauffman Center, National Geographic Live features underwater photographer Brian Skerry; wildlife photographer Florian Schulz; marine biologist/photographer Cristina Mittermeier; and NASA astronaut Terry Virts. Photographer Pete McBride and writer/filmmaker Kevin Fedarko close the 2018 series with a special engagement event.

Season subscription packages will be available starting Wednesday, Aug. 9. Single tickets for all five events will go on sale Thursday, Aug. 31.

Subscriptions and single tickets will be available through the Kauffman Center Box Office at (816) 994-7222, via the Kauffman Center mobile app, or online at kauffmancenter.org.

The 2018 National Geographic Live series in Kansas City is generously supported by Teresa and Tom Walsh.

ABOUT THE 2018 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE SERIES

Brian Skerry: Ocean Wild - January 9, 2018 at the Kauffman Center

Brian Skerry, Underwater Photographer
Ocean Wild
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018
Muriel Kauffman Theatre | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Dive deep into the world’s oceans with one of National Geographic’s most seasoned photographers. Watch as Brian Skerry’s images illuminate the vast, hidden world beneath the waves. Skerry has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater using his camera to tell the story of some of the ocean’s most elusive inhabitants.

Florian Schulz: National Geographic Live - February 6, 2018 at the Kauffman Center

Florian Schulz, Wildlife Photographer
Into the Arctic Kingdom
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018
Muriel Kauffman Theatre | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Despite the Arctic’s reputation as a barren wasteland, award-winning photographer Florian Schulz discovered a vibrant ecosystem including playful polar bears, mysterious musk ox, and a herd of thousands of caribou over the course of 34 months in the high arctic. To the German explorer, it was a quest for an uncharted wilderness that stands in contrast to an otherwise ever more populated and industrialized world.

National Geographic Live: Cristina Mittermeier - March 6, 2018 at the Kauffman Center

Cristina Mittermeier, Marine Biologist & Photographer
Standing at the Water’s Edge
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Muriel Kauffman Theatre | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Cristina Mittermeier learned the concept of responsible earth stewardship from her indigenous nanny as a child growing up in Mexico, and she explores that calling through the ways of life of four communities and their individual relationships with water—the Kayapó in the Amazon, the Inuit of Greenland, the First Nations people of British Columbia, and native Hawaiians.

National Geographic Live: Terry Virts - May 1, 2018 at the Kauffman Center

Terry Virts, NASA Astronaut
View From Above
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Muriel Kauffman Theatre | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Former International Space Station Commander Terry Virts helped to install the outpost’s 360-degree observation module, and made good use of it, taking hours of video and hundreds of thousands of still images, including some featured in the National Geographic book View From Above.

National Geographic Live: Pete McBride & Kevin Fedarko - June 5, 2018 at the Kauffman Center

SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT: Pete McBride and Kevin Fedarko
Between River and Rim: Hiking the Grand Canyon
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Muriel Kauffman Theatre | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

In an effort to share the Grand Canyon’s uncharted glory and shed light on the myriad threats it faces, writer Kevin Fedarko and photographer/filmmaker Pete McBride set off on an audacious and demanding adventure: to transect the length of the canyon on foot.

STUDENT MATINEES

As part of the Kauffman Center’s Open Doors program, National Geographic Live will present three student matinee performances in winter 2018. More information about student matinee events can be found at kauffmancenter.org/open-doors/school-matinees-fieldtrips

Student Matinee Schedule:
Jan. 9, 2018 / Brian Skerry: Ocean Wild / 10:30 a.m.
Feb. 6, 2018 / Florian Schultz: Into The Arctic Kingdom / 10:30 a.m.
March 6, 2018 / Cristina Mittermeier: Standing at the Water’s Edge / 10:30 a.m.

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Branford Marsalis and Kurt Elling: July 31

Branford Marsalis Quartet
with Kurt Elling

Monday, July 31 | 7:00 PM
Muriel Kauffman Theatre

Branford Marsalis and Kurt Elling. Photo by Palma Kolansky.

Kansas City, MO – The Branford Marsalis Quartet and special guest Kurt Elling will perform at 7 p.m. Monday, July 31, 2017 in Muriel Kauffman Theatre at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The group’s original May 11 performance date was postponed due to weather-related artist travel delays.

ABOUT BRANFORD MARSALIS AND KURT ELLING

Energetic jazz group Branford Marsalis Quartet unites with Kurt Elling, one of jazz’s foremost singers, for a lively night of innovative, spirited and provocative music. Branford Marsalis is a multiple award-winning musician and composer celebrated for his achievements in classical music and jazz.

Pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner make up the Branford Marsalis Quartet. Technically versatile and a true jazz musician, Kurt Elling has been honored with awards and accolades from across the world.

This performance will showcase Upward Spiral, a collection blending songbook staples, jazz standards and original material. Upward Spiral was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album in this year’s GRAMMY Awards.

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A look back on the Fourth Annual Future Stages Festival

Community Youth Performed at Future Stages Festival

Future Stages 2017 dancers

Future Stages Festival 2017 dancers perform in Muriel Kauffman Theatre. Photo by Cody Boston.

On Sunday, June 25th, the Kauffman Center’s Fourth Annual Future Stages Festival showcased more than 800 youth artists performing on the stages in Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Helzberg Hall and on Saint Luke’s Outdoor Stage, constructed specifically for this festival. Nearly 5,000 guests attended the free event that welcomed the entire community.

“We are committed to providing young artists opportunities to perform and engage year-round at the Kauffman Center. Future Stages Festival offers young artists the experience of performing at a venue that national and international performers share,” said Kauffman Center President and CEO Paul Schofer. “Opening the Kauffman Center’s doors to visitors of all ages, Future Stages Festival invites all to experience the diversity of the performing arts and shine the spotlight on the talented young performers that are in our community.”

This year, the Kauffman Center saw the return of many performing groups from previous Future Stages Festivals, including: Lily Zhang Taylor Academy of Dance, 5 Star Jazz Band, AileyCamp’s Group, Heart of America Shakespeare Festival’s Team Shakespeare, and many more. These Future Stages veterans continue to grace the stages at the event much to the delight of the community. However, the fourth installment of this festival put emphasis on welcoming new performance groups to the stages with more than a third of the groups performing at Future Stages Festival for the first time; Harmony Project KC, United Dance Performers, and Grupo Axé Capoeira were among the fresh faces at this year’s event. Regardless of past experience at the festival, each group performed excellently and certainly deserved to perform on those stages.

“Most of my Harmony Project KC students come from Northeast Kansas City, an inner-city underserved neighborhood. As my students were going down the stairs to the backstage area, one of the boys said: ‘Wow, this place is so cool.’ They were not expecting to be treated like ‘real performers,'” said Carmen Eppright, Program Manager for Harmony Project KC. “They knew that was the hall where the symphony plays at, and they were so proud they got to play there too. They were beaming. Experiences like Future Stages go a long way towards building their self-esteem, confidence, team work, and love for music.”

When attendees weren’t dazzled by Kansas City’s young performers, they milled about the Kauffman Center taking part in a wide array of arts activities and engagements. Some of the activities featured in Brandmeyer Great Hall and outside on the south lawn included cardboard city construction, coloring on the Kauffman Center glass, a stage combat workshop, and an instrument petting zoo. The efforts from community organizations like AIA Kansas City, Drum Safari, Mattie Rhodes Center, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and many other partners were met with delight from guests of all ages.

Click here to view a full list of all the performance groups and community partners who were a part of the fourth annual Future Stages Festival.

Photos from this event can be viewed on the Kauffman Center’s Flickr page.

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Mother’s Day Brunch

 

Mayor Sly James and family enjoy brunch at the Kauffman Center.

On Sunday May 14th, the Kauffman Center hosted their annual Mother’s Day Brunch in the Brandmeyer Great Hall.  150 people enjoyed brunch and live music with their mothers while overlooking a gorgeous view of downtown Kansas City. The brunch included a buffet which featured a build-your-own omelet station, a prime rib carving station, Chef’s special homemade pastries, a yogurt parfait station sponsored by the Kauffman Center’s Premier Partner St. Luke’s Health System, bottomless mimosas and more!

Brunch with a view.

Adding to the morning’s festivities was Kauffman Center Executive Chef and mom, Laura Comer. Chef Laura got to attend the brunch and enjoy the morning with her two boys, Donovan (age 13) and Ronan (age 6). This event was open to the public, and members of the Kauffman Center’s membership programs Spotlight and Spotlight Premiere, as well as the corporate membership program, Ensemble, enjoyed a $10 per person discount.

Chef Laura and sons.

For information about joining one of the Kauffman Center’s membership programs, visit kauffmancenter.org/support-us or contact Betsy Lindsey, Development Manager, at blindsey@kauffmancenter.org or call 816.994.7220.


Vienna Boys Choir to Perform November 11

Vienna Boys Choir

Saturday, November 11 | 8:00PM

 Helzberg  Hall

Buy Tickets

The Kauffman Center for Performing Arts is proud to welcome the world-renowned Vienna Boys Choir on Saturday, November 11. Tickets including fees range from $35-$65, and are available now.

Vienna Boys Choir

The Vienna Boys Choir has a history that spans centuries. The group was officially formed in 1498 when Emperor Maximilian I wished to add boys’ voices to the Imperial Choir. The boys began to sing at Sunday Mass at the Imperial Chapel in Vienna, a tradition that continues today.

Heralded as one of the best musical groups in the world, the members of the Vienna Boys Choir are known for their stringent training and admittance policies. The boys are educated in music theory and sight singing, and must also be able to play at least one instrument. At the age of 9, members are tested on musical ability and vocal quality before joining one of the four touring groups.

Today’s Vienna Boys Choir tours all over the world, delighting audiences with angelic voices and beautiful harmonies. Join the Vienna Boys Choir at the Kauffman Center for a night of incredible music on Saturday, November 11.

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