KC events Aug. 3-9: ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’ Live; Festival of Butterflies

A native of the Bronx, Gina Brillon has been doing stand-up comedy since she was 17 and is a regular on the Improv Comedy Club circuit. Her 2014 NuvoTV one-hour special, “Pacifically Speaking,” was produced by comedian Gabriel Iglesias, and she appeared in Iglesias’ “The Fluffy Movie.” She also is a singer, writer and poet. 816-759-5233. Tickets are $15-$47 at improvkc.com.

Here’s your chance to pay good money to see guys make fun of a bad movie. “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” with creator Joel Hodgson, was a television series for many years on Comedy Central and the Sci-Fi Channel and returned this spring on Netflix. Hodgson will bring the same ingredients to the stage show — a cheesy movie, funny riffs, wisecracking robots and silly sketches — plus audience participation. 816-283-9921. Tickets are $39.50-$49.50 through midlandkc.com.

You can get rich and at least somewhat famous these days by making YouTube videos, and this show proves it. A group of female YouTube fashion and lifestyle personalities will take their talents on the road for a 24-city tour featuring dancing and musical performances while providing an opportunity for fans to meet their favorite stars. The lineup is scheduled to include Meg DeAngelis, Lauren Giraldo, Caeli Santo and Gavin Turek. 816-474-4444. Tickets are $16-$151 through follytheater.org.

If we didn’t know better, we might think there was more than one Beau Bledsoe on the local music scene. The classically trained guitarist and UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance faculty member founded the Turkish jazz ensemble Alaturka as well as Ensemble Iberica, which recently played with Making Movies at the RecordBar. Now we have “Fool’s Gold,” which is like none of the above. Bledsoe and friends will perform a concert of honky-tonk music. 816-221-6987. Tickets are $25-$30 through mthkc.com.

Colorful, winged pollinators will fill the air in the Butterfly Breezeway and the Conservatory, where a close encounter with a blue morpho, golden birdwing or emerald swallowtail is almost guaranteed. Visitors also can participate in the Pollinator Parade, check out the Dragonfly Den and attend “Butterfly University: Mini Symposium” (Aug. 5) or “Family Frolic: Learn About Lepidoptera!” (Aug. 12). 816-697-2600. Tickets are $5-$12 through powellgardens.org.

Nothing goes together much better than beer and hamburgers. Visitors can sample more than 100 beers and enjoy hamburgers from area restaurants vying for the Steer & Beer Best Burger trophy. Admission includes a commemorative Steer & Beer tasting glass, and a portion of the proceeds benefit Harvester’s — the Community Food Network. 816-561-6061. Tickets are $35-$39 through pitch.com.

The Strawberry Swing, which BuzzFeed recognized in 2014 as one of the 35 Indie Craft Fairs Every Creative Person Needs to Visit, has become a Kansas City tradition for lovers of handmade and recycled/upcycled items. More than 80 independent craftspeople, artists and designers are expected to set up booths on the south lawn of the sculpture park. Other activities will include food trucks, a photo booth and a kids craft table. thestrawberryswing.org. Free.

Baseball people talk about “the dog days of August,” when the heat and the long season combine to take a toll on players. Sporting will get a dose of the dog days with three matches in seven days: this one against Atlanta United, a U.S. Open Cup semifinal against San Jose on Wednesday at Children’s Mercy Park and an Aug. 12 match at Seattle. 913-387-3400. Tickets are $35-$62 through sportingkc.com.

In what has become something of a tradition, Missouri’s major league teams will play a four-day home-and-home series beginning with two games in Kansas City followed by two games in St. Louis. Last season, the Royals won three of the four games. This season, the teams have experienced similar success, with both hovering around .500 but remaining in their division races. 800-676-9257. Tickets are $10-$140 through kansascity.royals.mlb.com.

The 1992 hit movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner has been turned into a stage musical that, like the film, features music Houston recorded. The classic songs include “Queen of the Night,” “One Moment in Time,” “Run to You,” “I Have Nothing” and “I Will Always Love You,” one of the biggest sellers ever. R&B star Deborah Cox is scheduled to play Rachel Marron, a superstar singer who is being harassed by an unknown stalker. Runs through Aug. 13. 816-363-7827. Tickets are $14-$140 through kcstarlight.com.

A world premiere production, this is a three-person, 90-minute retelling of Shakespeare’s great tragedy dramatizing how political ambition can affect those who seek power for its own sake. Kyle Hatley and Natalie Liccardello will play all the roles, and Sean Hogge will provide an innovative musical score. Runs through Sept. 3. 816-533-5857. $35 ($20 for previews Aug. 8-10) through thelivingroomkc.com.

Kansas City Actors Theatre turns to Agatha Christie for a night of intrigue and humor. Based on Christie’s top-selling novel, the play follows the plight of 10 people — each with a dark secret hidden in his or her past — who gather on a mysterious island at the invitation of a certain U.N. Owen and are killed one by one. Runs through Aug. 27. 816-361-5228. Tickets are $15-$40 through kcactors.org.

Peter Gene Hernandez from Honolulu has done OK for himself. Performing under the name Bruno Mars, the 31-year-old pop singer has sold more than 170 million singles and 26 million albums worldwide. He has also been nominated for 21 Grammy Awards, winning four, including record of the year for 2015’s “Uptown Funk.” 816-949-7000. Tickets to the officially sold-out concert were $49.50-$125 through sprintcenter.com.

“Wizard of Oz,” Aug. 4-6, Gladstone Theatre in the Park. gladstonetip.com

Ryan Davis, Aug. 9, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com

Alt-J with Sohn, Aug. 3, Starlight. kcstarlight.com

Bob Schneider with Travis Linville, Aug. 3, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Corey Smith, Aug. 3, Kansas City Live! powerandlightdistrict.com

Justin Moore with Noe Palma, Aug. 4, Kearney Amphitheater. kearneyamphitheater.com

Paper Diamond with Troyboi and Ekali, Aug. 4, Crossroads KC. crossroadskc.com

RL Grime with What So Not, Graves and Longer Days, Aug. 4, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com

Primus with Clutch, Aug. 5, Crossroads KC. crossroadskc.com

Uncle Kracker, Aug. 5, Legacy Park Amphitheater, Lee’s Summit. rocktheamp.net

Young the Giant with Cold War Kids and Joywave, Aug. 5, Starlight. kcstarlight.com

Jim Lauderdale, Aug. 6, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Fleet Foxes, Aug. 8, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com

Seether with Letters From the Fire, Aug. 8, Uptown. uptowntheater.com

Cracker, Aug. 9, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Visual arts

First Fridays in the Crossroads, Aug. 4, Crossroads Arts District. kccrossroads.org

“Portal” by Emily Nickel, Aug. 4-Sept. 30, Leedy-Voulkos Art Center. leedy-voulkos.com

Events/festivals/etc.

Atchison County Fair, Aug. 8-12, Atchison. visitatchison.com

This story was originally published August 1, 2017 at 12:23 PM with the headline "KC events Aug. 3-9: ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’ Live; Festival of Butterflies."