theater

There's plenty of song and celebration this season with holiday concerts and shows around Kansas City.

Lindsey Rood-Clifford is the president and CEO of Starlight Theatre in Kansas City's Swope Park. She caught up with KCUR's Steve Kraske as part of Up To Date's new series "5 Questions."

Independence's Twin Drive-In, owned by the B&B Theatres chain, is shutting down after its landlord increased its rent by 350%. Its absence will leave just one drive-in movie theater in the Kansas City region.

Angela Wildflower grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, and has since gone on to perform in Broadway productions and popular television series. She plays the iconic jazz singer in "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill," which runs through Oct. 27 at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

There’s a whole lot of history packed into the little town of Weston, Missouri. Just a 45-minute drive north of Kansas City, it's an ideal destination for weekend getaways, whether you like to hike and bike, dine and drink, or enjoy local festivals.

Supporters have raised about three-fourths of the $9.5 million needed to restore the historic Orpheum Theatre. Plans call for new flooring, seats and other upgrades as part of a year-long renovation project that will start next summer.

Theater-goers will be in for some "surprises," says Ernie Nolan, the new artistic director of the Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City. Nolan assumed the role on July 1, after the retirement of longtime director Cynthia Levin.

Tanner Rose plays the eccentric chocolate maker Willy Wonka in The Coterie Theater production of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which runs through Aug. 4. When he's not playing the world's most famous chocolatier, Rose himself works at a Kansas City chocolate shop.

Performances of William Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" are taking place in Southmoreland Park, next to the Nelson-Atkins, through June 30. This cautionary tale explores themes of political turmoil and betrayal.

Vanessa Severo’s play “Rubik" tells the story of neurodivergent teens on the cusp of a new phase of life. It’s part of Spinning Tree Theatre’s push to bring more diverse voices to the stage and create new opportunities for artists with disabilities.

Servicemembers with post-traumatic stress disorder can find healing through re-experiencing traumatic events. A psychologist at a Veterans Affairs hospital and a play at Kansas City's Unicorn Theatre share how virtual reality might help combat veterans overcome the trauma of war.

Khalia Davis started as The Coterie's new producing artistic director on Feb. 1. Before landing in Kansas City, Davis helped lead the Bay Area Children’s Theatre in Oakland, California. Her appointment comes a year after her predecessor died by suicide amidst accusations of sexual abuse.