KC events Nov. 16-22: Nick Offerman, Ararat Shrine Circus, ‘Peppa Pig Live’

The New York Times best-selling author and former executive editor at Playboy magazine will appear for “The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World,” about Truman’s first four months in office. Baime also wrote “The Arsenal of Democracy: FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War” and “Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans.” 913-384-3126. trumanlibraryinstitute.org or rainydaybooks.com. Free.

Circuses are something of a dying art, what with the demise of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey earlier this year, but the Ararat Shrine Circus lives on. After 79 years in Municipal Auditorium, it moved to Silverstein Eye Centers Arena a couple of years ago and continues to present clowns, acrobats and other performers to raise funds for Shriners Hospitals for Children. Also, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17; 10 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18; 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 19. 816-442-6100. Tickets are $12-$45 through silversteineyecentersarena.com.

Contestants from the VH1 television show “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will appear at this nontraditional holiday event. If you’re not familiar with “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” rest assured that the show does not involve souped-up cars racing against one another. Hosted by Trinity Taylor, the evening will feature holiday songs and performances by drag queens such as Sasha, Shea, Latrice and Aja. 816-474-4444. Tickets are $23.50-$160 through follytheater.org.

More a humorist than a comedian, Nick Offerman is best known for playing mustachioed Ron Swanson on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation.” Now he has hit the road with his “Full Bush Comedy Tour,” which promos say is “a collection of his sawdusty musings on survival in the wild, living with enthusiasm, and most importantly, the cultivation of fulsome body hair.” 816-753-8665. uptowntheater.com. Sold out; tickets available on secondary market.

Discover the true meaning of Christmas as Kansas City Repertory Theatre presents a stage version of Charles Dickens’ classic for the 37th year. This will be a new adaptation, however, with musical numbers complementing the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the old miser who is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. Runs through Dec. 24. 816-235-2700. Tickets are $30-$102 through kcrep.org.

At age 26, Madrid native Pablo Ferrández is one of the world’s top cellists, having been named the International Classical Music Awards’ 2016 young artist of the year. His celebrated cello, on the other hand, is anything but young — it is a Stradivarius called the “Lord Aylesford” that dates to 1696. American pianist Julio Elizalde will accompany Ferrández in the Harriman-Jewell Series Free Discovery Concert. 816-415-5025. hjseries.org. Free.

Here’s a show that the littlest of kids are sure to enjoy. “Peppa Pig” is a British preschool animated television series carried on Nick Jr. that focuses on a female pig, her little brother George and their parents and friends. “Peppa Pig’s Surprise!” is a new stage production that features Peppa and friends in an all-singing, all-dancing adventure. 816-283-9921. Tickets are $33-$43 through midlandkc.com.

After the success of its “The Music of Led Zeppelin” show last year, the Kansas City Symphony will return with similar treatment of Queen. Richard Carsey will be guest conductor and Brody Dolyniuk will be guest vocalist as the Symphony brings the music of Freddie Mercury to life with versions of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” “We Are the Champions,” “Another One Bites the Dust” and more. Kauffman Center. 816-471-0400. kcsymphony.org. Sold out.

After the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame honors some of the game’s greats, four teams will vie for a tournament title. The opening night’s games will match UCLA against Creighton and Baylor against Wisconsin; the consolation and championship games will take place Tuesday night. The Hall of Fame will induct Tim Duncan, Rick Mount, Jay Williams and five others during a ceremony that will begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. 816-949-7100. Tournament tickets are $10-$100 through sprintcenter.com.

One of America’s favorite humorists, David Sedaris will offer a selection of readings and recollections, as well as a Q&A session and post-show book signing. Sedaris has written several books, his most recent being “Theft By Finding: Diaries (1977-2002),” and can be heard regularly on National Public Radio. He is perhaps best known for “Santaland Diaries,” which began as an essay and evolved into a play. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. 816-994-7200. Tickets are $50.50-$60.50 through kauffmancenter.org.

The holiday season will kick off in eastern Jackson County with Christmas in the Sky and the opening of Christmas in the Park. Performances by singers and dancers will be followed by the arrival of Santa Claus, then by fireworks synchronized to holiday music. After the festivities, visitors can take a magical driving tour through more than 300,000 lights and 175 animated displays. Christmas in the Park, 5:30-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 5:30-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; runs through Dec. 31. makeyourdayhere.com. Free.

In the geographically challenged ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League), the Wichita Thunder competes in the Mountain Division — and is doing quite well. The flat-land Thunder led the division with a 10-1 record entering this week, including a 4-1 victory Oct. 29 in the Mavericks’ home opener. The Mavericks were 4-6. 800-745-3000. Tickets are $16-$41 through kcmavericks.com.

“No Sleep November,” Nov. 19-20, Living Room. thelivingroomkc.com

Musical Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 20-21, MTH Theater at Crown Center. mthkc.com

Cut Copy, Nov. 16, Granada. thegranada.com

Flying Lotus in 3D, Nov. 16, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com

Midwest Innocence Project Champions of Justice Benefit Concert featuring My Oh My, Erica Joy and Fritz Hutchison and Lauren Krum, Nov. 16, Madrid. themip.org

Slow Magic, Nov. 16, RecordBar. therecordbar.com

Turnpike Troubadours, Nov. 16, Liberty Hall. libertyhall.net

Cindy Wilson with Olivia Jean, Nov. 17, Riot Room. theriotroom.com

Jai Wolf with Elohim, Nov. 17, The Truman. thetrumankc.com

Noname, Nov. 17, Liberty Hall. libertyhall.net

Seven Lions with Tritonal and Kill the Noise, Nov. 17, Uptown. uptowntheater.com

Belphegor with Cryptopsy, Hate and more, Nov. 18, Riot Room. theriotroom.com

Brandy Clark, Nov. 18, RecordBar. therecordbar.com

James McMurtry, Nov. 18, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Molotov, Nov. 18, Granada. thegranada.com

Tamir Hendelman, Nov. 18, 1900 Building. 1900bldg.com

Wade Bowen with Andrew Foshee, Nov. 18, The Truman. thetrumankc.com

St. Vincent, Nov. 19, Uptown. uptowntheater.com

I Prevail with We Came As Romans, The Word Alive and Escape the Fate, Nov. 21, The Truman. thetrumankc.com

Mac Lethal, Nov. 22, The Truman. thetrumankc.com

The World Underground: An International Festival, Nov. 17, Park University. park.edu

Great Train Show, Nov. 18-19, KCI Expo Center. kciexpo.com/event/great-train-show

Kansas City Comic Book Convention, Nov. 18, VFW Post 846, Overland Park. epguides.com/comics

Legendary Tree Lighting Ceremony, Nov. 18, Legends Outlets. legendsshopping.com

Northern Lights Holiday Lighting Ceremony, Nov. 18, Zona Rosa Town Square. zonarosa.com

Ainsley Earhardt for “Through Your Eyes: My Child’s Gift to Me,” Nov. 17, Barnes & Noble Zona Rosa. barnesandnoble.com

Kansas City Soul (basketball) vs. St. Louis, Nov. 18 (Truman Memorial Building); Topeka, Nov. 19 (St. Catherine of Sienna). kansascitysoul.org

UMKC men’s basketball vs. Loyola, Nov. 16. Municipal Auditorium. umkckangaroos.com

Shamrock FC Mixed Martial Arts, Nov. 18, Ameristar. ameristar.com

National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Celebration, Nov. 19, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. collegebasketballexperience.com/2017-hall-fame-induction

This story was originally published November 14, 2017 at 7:00 AM with the headline "KC events Nov. 16-22: Nick Offerman, Ararat Shrine Circus, ‘Peppa Pig Live’."