5 summer plays to put on your list: Shakespeare, drag queens & Agatha Christie
After “Fun Home” at the Kauffman Center, here are five more plays to look forward to this season:
▪ “Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical,” May 31-June 25 at the Unicorn Theatre: You can always expect zany high jinks from Late Night Theatre veterans Ron Megee and Missy Koonce. But combine the two of them with this musical road trip/drag show, and the proceedings should be catapulted way over the top. 3828 Main St. See unicorntheatre.org or call 816-531-7529.
▪ “Hamlet,” June 13-July 2, Heart of America Shakespeare Festival: For the festival’s 25th season, the title role of this great tragedy goes to Nathan Darrow. The Shawnee Mission North grad (and one-time Shakespeare fest regular) went on to fame as Meechum the bodyguard on “House of Cards,” Mr. Freeze on “Gotham” and, most recently, con man Bernie Madoff’s son on HBO’s “The Wizard of Lies.” Southmoreland Park. See kcshakes.org.
▪ “Something Rotten!” July 25-30, Starlight Theatre: Starlight begins its season June 3 with the Disney musical “The Little Mermaid.” But I’m most looking forward to this KC premiere, a comedic poke at Shakespeare that was nominated for 10 Tony Awards. See kcstarlight.com or call 816-363-7827.
▪ “Million Dollar Quartet,” July 6-Sept. 24, New Theatre Restaurant: Every summer, it seems, the New Theatre delivers a crowd-pleasing, stand-up-and-applaud musical. This one re-creates a gathering of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis at the Sun Studio in Memphis. See newtheatre.com or call 913-649-7469.
▪ “And Then There Were None,” Aug. 9-27, Kansas City Actors Theatre: The company of venerable local actors launches its new season with this classic Agatha Christie whodunit. See kcactors.org or call 816-235-6222.
Sharon Hoffmann: 816-234-4457, @Sharonakc
Theater/comedy/other shows
Julianne and Derek Hough, May 30, Music Hall. kcconvention.com
Westport Comedy Fest, May 30-June 3, Westport Coffeehouse. westportcomedyfest.com
Capone, June 1-4, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
Jimmie Walker, June 1-3, Stanford’s Comedy Club. stanfordscomedyclub.com
“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” June 1-11, City Theatre of Independence. citytheatreofindependence.org
“Rumors,” June 2-18, Barn Players. thebarnplayers.org
“Spamalot,” June 2-10, Shawnee Mission Park. theatreinthepark.org
“Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” June 3-11, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
“Paw Patrol Live: Race to the Rescue!” June 3-4, Music Hall. pawpatrollive.com
“Xanadu,” Music Theatre of Kansas City, June 3-4, Goppert Theatre. mtkc.org
“Fear Not,” CEW Productions, June 4, Folly. follytheater.org
Michelle Wolf, June 8-10, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
“Tommy,” June 8-25, Musical Theater Heritage. musicaltheaterheritage.com
“Grease,” June 9-25, Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center. theatreinthepark.org
James Johann, June 9, Stanford’s Comedy Club. stanfordscomedyclub.com
Tig Notaro, June 9, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
“You’ve Got a Friend,” June 9-July 9, Quality Hill Playhouse. qualityhillplayhouse.com
Busker Festival, June 11, City Market. thecitymarket.org
“Garfield: The Musical With Cattitude,” June 13-Aug. 6, Coterie. thecoterie.org
Bert Kreischer, June 15-17, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
“The SINSational Mae West,” Reel Covillo Productions, June 15-18, Olathe Civic Theater. reelcovillo.com
“Crazy for You,” June 16-24, Shawnee Mission Park. theatreinthepark.org
“Sondheim on Sondheim,” Summit Theatre Group, June 16-25, MCC-Longview Cultural Arts Center. summittheatre.org
“The Hare and the Tortoise,” June 20-July 8, H&R Block City Stage. tya.org
“The Wizard of Oz,” Mesner Puppet Theater, June 20-July 9, Musical Theater Heritage. mesnerpuppets.org
Joey Diaz, June 22-24, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
Heart of America Belly Dance Festival, June 23-25, Camelot Ballroom, Overland Park. heartofamericabellydance.com
“Mamma Mia!,” June 23-25, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Future Stages Festival, June 25, Kauffman Center. kauffmancenter.org
Hodge Twins, June 25, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
#Imomsohard, June 25, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com
“Waiting in the Wings,” June 26-30, Music Theatre of Kansas City. mtkc.org
“Jersey Boys,” June 27-July 2, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Nikki Glaser, June 28, Lawrence Arts Center. freestatefestival.org
“The Tragedy of Macbeth,” June 28-July 16, The Living Room. thelivingroomkc.com
Rob Little, June 29-July 2, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
Collaborations Live!, June 30, Folly Theater. kkfi.ticketfly.com
“Disney’s Camp Rock, The Musical,” June 30-July 8, Shawnee Mission Park. theatreinthepark.org
Joel McHale, June 30, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com
Drew Lynch, July 6-9, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
“Willie Wonka,” July 7-9, Gladstone Theatre in the Park. gladstonetip.com
“Beauty and the Beast,” July 8-23, Lewis and Shirley White Theatre. thejkc.org
“Hollywood – The Musical,” July 8, Folly. follytheater.org
Jim Breuer, July 9, VooDoo. voodookc.com
“An American in Paris,” July 11-16, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
“Annie,” Leawood Stage Company, July 13-22, Ironwoods Park Amphitheater. leawoodstageco.org
“Church Basement Ladies II: A Second Helping,” July 13-Aug. 27, Chestnut Fine Arts Center. chestnutfinearts.com
“Back to the ’80s,” July 14-22, Shawnee Mission Park. theatreinthepark.org
“The Crucible,” July 14-30, Barn Players. thebarnplayers.org
Kountry Wayne, July 14-15, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” July 18-22, H&R Block City Stage. tya.org
Jim Gaffigan, July 20, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
KC Fringe Festival, July 20-30, multiple venues. kcfringe.org
D.L. Hughley, July 21-23, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
Steve Martin and Martin Short, July 21, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
“Beauty and the Beast,” July 28-Aug. 5, Shawnee Mission Park. theatreinthepark.org
“Dancing With The Stars” Live, Aug. 2, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com
Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live!, Aug. 3, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com
“Wizard of Oz,” Aug. 4-6, Gladstone Theatre in the Park. gladstonetip.com
Kevin Farley, Aug. 5, Stanford’s Comedy Club. stanfordscomedyclub.com
“The Bodyguard: The Musical,” Aug. 8-13, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
“An Evening With George Gershwin,” Aug. 10-27, Musical Theater Heritage. musicaltheaterheritage.com
Chippendales, Aug. 12, Ameristar. ameristar.com
Tana Mongeau and Friends, Aug. 14, Folly. follytheater.org
Ralphie May, Aug. 19, Ameristar. ameristar.com
Val Kilmer Presents: “Cinema Twain,” Aug. 21, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home “Love and Comedy” Tour, Aug. 29, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Trailer Park Boys, Aug. 29, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com
Compiled by Dan Kelly
This story was originally published May 25, 2017 at 9:00 AM with the headline "5 summer plays to put on your list: Shakespeare, drag queens & Agatha Christie."