As 2018 draws to its inevitable close, so do the year’s ebbing live entertainments.
Don’t miss out on weekend events involving sports, drama, comedy, music and dance to put a festive capper on your year. Whether it was good, bad or otherwise, there’s still time to have some quality fun near the end of our latest sojourn around the sun.
Can I get an “Auld Lang Syne”? Impressive. Heck, now I’m getting misty.
1. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders
The Chiefs vie with the Oakland Raiders on Sunday in the final week of the regular NFL season. A win for the Chiefs would give the team home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, creating a hypothetically easier path to the Super Bowl. Sure, you could watch the game on TV. But there’s nothing like being there, including paying up to $60 for stadium parking. Of course, a win makes it all worth it!
Sunday, 3:25 p.m.; Arrowhead Stadium, 1 Arrowhead Dr., Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $84-$427.
The national touring production of what some bigshot theater critics consider the greatest Broadway musical in history winds up its local run this weekend. I pray that you can still get tickets! Just kidding, they’re still available … until they’re not! If you haven’t seen “South Park” co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s ingenious take on the adventures of two ridiculously mismatched Mormon missionaries in “The Book of Mormon,” here’s your chance. If you’ve already seen it, good luck resisting another go-round of devilish satire combined with a truly human message.
Thursday, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1 and 6:30 p.m.; Music Hall, 301 W. 13th St., Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $42-$142.
3. ‘The Wolves’
It’s the last weekend to run with the “The Wolves” at the Unicorn Theatre. Subtitled “A Pack of Warriors” – those with more laidback sensibilities may want to brace themselves – the play is about the dynamic interactions between members of a super-competitive squad of female soccer players. What are their goals besides scoring goals? Dramatist Sarah Delappe and director Heidi Van explore the highly charged possibilities by way of the show’s 10 diverse yet ultimately team-driven characters.
Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m.; Unicorn Theatre, tickets: $38, $43
4. Jeff Dunham
Is Jeff Dunham the last of the bigtime American ventriloquists who used to entertain all ages across the land? Yup. One more question: Then why not go see him? If you’re a fan of the ancient art form, then don’t miss out on Dunham’s renowned way of skillfully throwing his voice into the mouths of such wisecracking “dummies” as Walter, Peanut, Jose Jalapeno and Bubba J. We’ve come a long way since Charlie McCarthy!
Saturday, 5 p.m.; Sprint Center, 1407, Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $48.50.
5. Holiday KC Dance Extravaganza
Organized by Kansas City Singles Meetup, here’s a chance to pick up a few new steps and maybe make a new friend or two. Following an hour of swing dance lessons, a DJ will spin tunes for all to move around as they might. Still feeling shy? You came to the right place.
Saturday, 7-10:30 p.m.; Camelot Ballroom, 6635 W. 151st St., Blue Springs, Mo.; admission: $10.
6. Mary’s Fabulous Drag Brunch
It’s your last chance – until next year, anyway – to witness crossdressing divas mingling among the bacon-and-eggs weekend crowd. Hamburger Mary’s yearend “Drag Brunch” promises its usual singular Sunday showbiz experience, but imbued with the wistful recognition that 2018 will soon be gone. And what have you accomplished? Fortunately, all brutally honest personal inventories can be shared with accompanying rounds of Bloody Marys.
Sunday, noon; Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grill, 3700 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.; admission: cost of brunch plus $2.99 show fee.
Brian McTavish is a regular arts and culture contributor for KCUR 89.3. You can reach him at brianmctavish@gmail.com.
