UMKC’s weekly arts, sports and culture roundup

Each week, the University of Missouri-Kansas City offers an array of on-campus activities. It’s nothing new. UMKC has a long legacy of hosting countless culturally enriching events. These activities are part of what give UMKC a vibrant campus life, and make UMKC an arts and culture powerhouse. The influence of UMKC-based and UMKC-trained alumni extends well beyond the campus’ edge, so their activities are listed here as well.

Featured Event:

What: Freedom Rider
In the tradition of providing great theatre, the University of Missouri-Kansas City is preparing for another original production, “Freedom Rider,” with performances running May 1–10. It is an original play directed by Tony Award winner Ricardo Khan. In 1961, a group of young people, black and white, from college campuses around the country boarded buses southbound on a journey to prove that love could conquer hate. “Freedom Rider” will tell the personal stories of these brave young men and women who dared to confront a daunting hatred head-on and find their greatest struggles might not have necessarily been with the challengers to the movement but rather, with themselves and their own human feelings. To celebrate the first performances, May 1 will be designated “Freedom Friday.” Ticket prices will be $10 on Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2. Opening night is Thursday, May 7. To learn about the ‘backstory of the hows and whys’ of the play, plan to attend the panel discussion presented by the UMKC Black Studies Program. The discussion will take place on Opening Day prior to the play from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. on May 7 in the UMKC Spencer Theater. The panel discussion is included in the price of the ticket for May 7.
Where: Spencer Theatre, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.
When: May 1 – 10
Ticket prices for May 3 – 10 range from $6 for UMKC students to $17 for adults. They can be purchased from the Central Box Office by calling 816-235-6222 or by ordering online.

April 30 – May 5

What: 2015 Annual Student Art Exhibition
The UMKC Gallery of Art will present the annual Student Art Exhibition, featuring works by 38 graduate and undergraduate artists. All currently enrolled students at UMKC were eligible to submit work across a variety of media including painting, photography, sculpture, printmaking, graphic design, video and performance. An opening reception will be from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Thursday, April 30. Scholarship awards will be presented during the opening reception at 6 p.m.
Where: UMKC Gallery of Art, Fine Arts Building, Room 203, 5015 Holmes St., Kansas City, Mo.
When: April 30 through July 30
It’s free and open to the public.

What: Conservatory Wind Symphony
The Conservatory Wind Symphony is directed by Steven D. Davis. The performances are: Kurka: The Good Soldier Schweik Suite, Op. 22; Reed: “Variations on the ‘Porazzi’ Theme of Wagner” from Symphony No. 3; Vaughan Williams: Toccata Marziale; and Schumann: New England Triptych.
Where: White Recital Hall, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, 4949 Cherry Street Kansas City, Mo.
When: Thursday, April 30, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $8 and $6 for senior citizens UMKC faculty, staff and students are free with UMKC or student ID. Purchase and reserve tickets online.

What: Conservatory Wind Ensemble
This show is directed by Joe Parisi. The performance include: Biedenbender: Luminescense; Madison: Waiting (Madison is a Conservatory composition BM senior); Marshall: Light; Rachmaninoff, arr. Juchniewicz: Selections from Vespers; Hindemith, trans. Wilson: March from Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber (conducted by graduate conductor Adam Fontana).
Where: White Recital Hall, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, 4949 Cherry Street Kansas City, Mo.
When: Friday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $8 and $6 for senior citizens and can be purchased at the Central Ticket Office. UMKC faculty, staff, and students are free with UMKC or student ID.

What: The Liar
UMKC Theatre third year actors will present their final performance with the production “The Liar.” It is directed by Theodore Swetz, The Patricia McIlrath Endowed Professor at UMKC Theatre. Dorante, a handsome, charming scamp, is also a pathological liar. He takes Paris by storm and for each problem his lying solves, it creates two new ones to engage.
Where: Room 116, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.
When: 7:30 p.m. May 1 and 2 p.m. on May 3
Tickets range from $6 for UMKC students to $17 for adults and can be purchased online at the Central Ticket Office.

What: Brian Woods, piano
This is a master’s recital. The performance includes Haydn: Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI:50; Bach: English Suite No. 1 in A Major, BWV 806; Schoenberg: Mäßige Viertel from Drei Klavierstücke, Op. 11; and SchumannCHUMANN: Études symphoniques, Op. 13.
Where: Grant Recital Hall, 5227 Holmes St., Kansas City, Mo.
When: Friday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.
It’s free.

What: James Harris, percussion
This is a master’s recital with Chris Larson, percussion. The performance includes Harris: Sacrament of Extreme Unction; Reeves: War Drum Peace Drum; Burritt: October Night; Ward: Lucid Dreaming; Harris: Sacrament of Confirmation; Wahlund: With Sunshine in His Face; and Keown: Apotheosis.
Where: James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, Room 326, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.
When: Saturday, May 2, noon
It’s free.

What: Spring Exhibition Men’s Soccer
UMKC Alumni Day.
Where: Durwood Stadium, UMKC Campus, 5080 Cherry S., Kansas City, Mo.
When: Saturday, May 2, 1 p.m.
It’s free.

What: Hui Yao, piano
This is a doctoral recital with Richard Jeric, orchestral reduction. The performance includes Liebermann: Nocturne for Piano No. 5, Op. 55; Kabalevsky: Sonata for Piano No. 3 in F Major, Op. 46; Tchaikovsky: Dumka for Piano in C Minor, Op. 59 (“Russian Rustic Scene”); and Prokofiev: Concerto for Piano No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26.
Where: White Recital Hall, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.
When: Saturday, May 2, 2:30 p.m.
It’s free.

What: Christina Choi, flute
This is an artist’s certificate recital with Dan Velicer, piano and William Shaltis, percussion. The performance includes CPE Bach: Sonata for Flute and Basso Continuo in G Major, Wq. 133, H. 564 (“Hamburg”); Bartok, trans. Arma: Suite paysanne hongroise; Takemitsu: Air for Flute Solo; Dahl: Duettino Concertante for Flute and Percussion; and Widor: Suite for Flute and Piano, Op. 34.
Where: White Recital Hall, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.
When: Saturday, May 2, 5 p.m.
It’s free.

What: April Kim, piano
This is a doctoral recital. Performances include Liebermann: Nocturne for Piano No. 9, Op. 97; Bach: Toccata in E Minor, BWV 914; Brahms: Vier Klavierstücke, Op. 119; Mozart: Sonata for Piano No. 9 in D Major, K.311; and Ravel: Jeux d’eau.
Where: White Recital Hall, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.
When: Saturday, May 2, 7:30 p.m.
It’s free.

What: Finale with Conservatory Orchestra and Choirs (Conservatory Artist Series)
Enjoy Strauss’s spine-tingling tone poem, Also Sprach Zarathustra, made famous by Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey; Leonard Bernstein’s life-affirming choral work, Chichester Psalms, and Ravel’s impassioned symphonie chorégraphique, Daphnis et Chloé: Suite No. 2. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center. Orchestra and Choirs directed by Robert Olson and Robert Bode.
Where: Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center,1601 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.
When: Tuesday, May 5, 8 p.m.
Tickets are $25 for the general public and $10 for UMKC faculty, staff and all students with ID. (fees apply). Purchase tickets by calling 816-235-6222, 816-994-7222 or online here.

What: Nicolas Lira, saxophone
This is a doctoral recital with Xueli Liu, piano and Patrick Olmos, baritone saxophone. The performance includes ROGERS: Breaking; Biedenbender: Images; Schubert, trans. Lira: Erster Verlust, D. 226, Op. 5, No. 4; Schumann, trans. Lira: Meine Rose, Op. 90, No. 2; Berio: Sequenza VIIb; and Guerandi: Ricochet.
Where: Grant Recital Hall, 5227 Holmes St., Kansas City, Mo.
When: Sunday, May 3, 2:30 p.m.
It’s free.

What: Ezgi Karakus, cello
This is a doctoral recital with April Kim, piano; Tobiah Murphy and Marissa Carlson, violins; and Rebekah Warren, viola. The performance includes Schumann: Concerto for Cello in A Minor, Op. 129; Crumb: Sonata for Solo Cello; and Sibelius: String Quartet in D Minor, Op. 56 (“Voces intimae”).
Where: White Recital Hall, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.
When: Sunday, May 3, 5 p.m.
It’s free.

What: Sandra Fernández Vizcaíno, flute
This is a doctoral recital with Patricia Higdon, piano. The performance includes Bach: Sonata for Flute and Basso Continuo in E Major, BWV 1035; Paganini: Caprice No. 24 in A Minor, Op. 1; Gaubert: Nocturne et allegro scherzando; Takemitsu: Meguri [Itinerant] (In memory of Isamu Noguchi); Muczynski: Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 14; and Morlacchi: Il pastore svizzero.
Where: Grant Recital Hall, 5227 Holmes St., Kansas City, Mo.
When: Sunday, May 3, 5 p.m.
It’s free.

What: The New Theatre Restaurant presents, “Forever Plaid”
This internationally acclaimed musical revue tells the story of four young, eager, male singers who in 1950 meet their demise in a bus crash on the way to their first big concert. Every evening they return from Heaven to posthumously fulfill their dreams, to perform the concert that never was.
Where: The New Theatre Restaurant, 9299 Foster St., Overland Park, Kan.
When: Now through May 3
UMKC Connection: Co-owners Dennis Hennessy and Richard Carrothers are both UMKC graduates and both were presented with honorary doctorates by the UMKC College of Arts and Sciences in 2012. For tickets and show times, visit the website.

What: Dr. Seuss’ The Cat In The Hat
“It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how!” says the Cat in the tall red and white hat. This production features Sally and her brother, their pet Fish, Thing 1 and Thing 2, and all of the favorite moments from the classic Dr. Seuss tale. Zany fun and adventures abound! With the trickiest of tricks and craziest of ideas, the Cat is certainly fun to play with. And he turns a rainy afternoon into an amazing adventure. But what will mom find when she gets home? The approximate running time is 50 minutes. Each performance is interactive! Built into each show is a pre-show experience that will explore Dr. Seuss’ world and engage kids physically and cognitively.
Where: The Coterie Theatre, 2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City Mo.
When: Now through May 17
UMKC Connection: Two UMKC graduate theatre students founded the Coterie.
For tickets and show times, visit the website.

What: Sticky Traps
This play, presented by the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, is a world premiere by local playwright Nathan Louis Jackson and directed by Kyle Hatley. It is set in a small town not far from Kansas City. A mother protects her homosexual son’s honor when his funeral is protested by a local church. Her actions have unintended consequences that will test her whole family, and the power of their love, in the face of hate. This play is appropriate for ages 13 and up.
Where: Copaken Stage, 1 H&R Block Way, Kansas City, Mo.
When: Now through May 24
Tickets can be purchased from the KC Rep website.