City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Address: 201 Wyandotte
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Address: 1717 W. 39th St.
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Address: 3607 Pennsylvania
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Address: 4635 Wyandotte, Suite 201
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Address: 1020 Central, Suite 300
81. Lyric Opera Of Kansas City
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (816) 471-7344
Address: 712 E. 18th St.
Description: Not crazy about opera? The Lyric may change your mind. Since 1958 it has been presenting glowing productions that have turned blasé audiences into opera lovers. What’s the secret? For one thing, although the performances are in the original languages, supertitles shown above the stage let you know what that large man is bellowing about. Four productions are offered each season, including a blockbuster like Aida or Madame Butterfly and an American opera (for which supertitles may still be necessary). Long-term subscribers may have noticed an upgrade in singers and production values since 1998, when artistic director Ward Holmquist took the helm.
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Address: 303 W. 10th St.
83. Actors Theatre Of Kansas City
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (913) 677-5374
Address: 30 W. Pershing Rd., Suite 850
Description: This is a relatively new troupe of some of the city’s most talented thespians who banded together to present plays that don’t get as much, well, play as they should. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? made audience members appreciate their own spouses during a recent series, for instance. The productions aren’t elaborate, but we’d put the quality of the acting against any in the country. ATKC schedules three plays each season during the summer, all performed at the H&R Block City Stage Theatre, relocated in Union Station. Tickets are available through the Central Ticket Office, 4949 Cherry St. in the University of Missouri–Kansas City Performing Arts Center, (816) 235-6222, or on the company’s Web site.
84. American Heartland Theatre
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (816) 842-9999
Description: The actors must have been chanting “Break a leg!” nonstop when this theater opened on April 1 more than 20 years ago. Luck was obviously on its side, however, because the American Heartland continues to thrive. What keeps it so fresh is the variety of productions that include musical comedies, mysteries, and drama. The 420 seats rise sharply from the stage, ensuring that everyone has an unobstructed view. Unique features include a full-service bar (patrons can take beverages to their seats), a private suite for 36 guests, and free covered parking. Single ticket prices range from $19 to $27.50, with the holiday shows costing a few dollars more.
85. Barn Players
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (913) 432-9100
Address: 6219 Martway
Description: “Hey kids! I’ve got a barn, and my sister can sing and dance. Let’s do a musical!” That’s probably close to what happened in 1955 when this group held its first production, making it the longest continuously operating community theater in Kansas City. The group presents three productions a year, ranging from California Suite to Little Shop of Horrors. The group also has a scholarship fund for college-bound high school students interested in the performing arts.
86. The Coterie Theatre
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (816) 474-6552
Description: This professional theater for young adults has been a Kansas City favorite for more than 20 years, thanks to artistic director Jeff Church’s mission to create an experience that all age groups can enjoy—with or without the kids in tow. The Coterie focuses on imaginative adaptations of beloved stories and fairy tales but isn’t afraid to tackle deep subjects, like the Holocaust. The artistic integrity is so high that Travel + Leisure rated it one of the country’s top-ten children’s theaters. A new grant is allowing the Coterie to expand its classroom space and construct a lobby.
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Address: 9229 Foster
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Shopping
Address: 4600 Starlight Rd. in Swope Park