KC events July 5-11: Wyandotte County Fair, ‘Oklahoma,’ ‘Newsies,’ Summerfest
Comedian CP
Opens 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 5, at Kansas City Improv
A one-time advertising man in Detroit, Chris Powell has switched successfully to acting and comedy. He had a recurring role as L’il Prince in the first season of “Empire,” but most of his other gigs have been in comedies, including last year’s short-lived “White Famous” starring “Saturday Night Live” alum Jay Pharoah. Comedian CP performed his stand-up act on HBO’s “All Def Comedy.” Also, 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday, July 6; 7 and 10 p.m. Saturday, July 7; and 7 p.m. Sunday, July 8. 816-759-5233. Tickets are $17-$47 through improvkc.com.
“Oklahoma!”
8:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday, July 6-8, at Gladstone Amphitheatre
Gladstone Theatre in the Park, plus the North Star Community Band, will begin its 31st season with a rollicking musical classic that was Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first collaboration — and it’s free. “Oklahoma!” tells the story of farm girl Laurey and rival suitors Curly and Jud, who isn’t the type of guy you’d want to bring home to meet your mother. The many familiar tunes include “Oklahoma,” “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” and “Kansas City.” Oak Grove Park. 816-423-4200. gladstonetip.com. Free.
Royals vs. Boston
7:15 p.m. Friday, July 6; 6:15 p.m. Saturday, July 7; and 1:15 p.m. Sunday, July 8, at Kauffman Stadium
Yes, you really can spend $509 for a ticket to one of the first two games of this series (it will get you into the Cboe Crown Club). But if you simply want to watch one of the American League’s best teams tangle with one of its worst, you can spend considerably less and celebrate Country Music Night (Friday), Faith & Family Night and Huskers Night (Saturday) or Girl Scout Day (Sunday). 800-676-9257. Tickets are $19-$509 through mlb.com/royals.
Veterans of Comedy
7:30 p.m. Friday, July 6, at All Star Bar and Grill
This unique night of comedy will feature performers who served in the military, led by Will C, a veteran of the Army, Air Force and Marines who founded the Veterans of Comedy in 2014. He has appeared in “Sons of Anarchy,” “The Office” and “Modern Family.” Also slated to perform are Air Force vet Jared Langley and former Army officer David Scott, who is billed as the funniest man over 65 (Bill Murray, Steve Martin and David Letterman will be shocked to hear that). Tickets are $10 through brownpapertickets.com.
Union Station Swing Dance
7:30 p.m. Friday, July 6, at Union Station
Nostalgia will fill the air for the Union Station Swing Dance, a USO-style affair featuring the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra. The historic setting and throwback music will evoke memories of off-duty soldiers partying during World War II. A dance-lesson warm-up with 627 Stomp will start at 7:30 p.m., with the Jazz Orchestra taking over at 8 p.m. 816-460-2023. Tickets are $15 through unionstation.org; $20 at door.
Ehud Ettun and Henrique Eisenmann
7 p.m. Saturday, July 7, at Karbank 1900 Building
Israeli bassist Ehud Ettun and Brazilian pianist Henrique Eisenmann met in 2010 at the New England Conservatory in Boston and now tour the world together playing music inspired by folk world rhythms, chants, cultures and poems. Their program will include originals by Ettun and Eisenmann as well as standards reflecting the influence of Brazilian and Middle-Eastern music. 816-221-4488. Tickets are $15-$25 through 1900bldg.com.
“Disney’s Newsies”
Opens 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 7, at Lewis and Shirley White Theatre
The Coterie theater and the White Theatre will combine to present the 2012 Broadway hit based on the 1992 movie “Newsies,” which was inspired by the newsboys’ strike of 1899 in New York City. It tells the story of a ragged band of newsboys who take on Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst when the publishing titans raise distribution prices at the newsies’ expense. Runs through July 29. Jewish Community Campus. 913-327-8054. Tickets are $14-$25 through thejkc.org.
Sporting Kansas City vs. Toronto
7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 7, at Children’s Mercy Park
This match will cap first-place Sporting’s most difficult portion of the Major League Soccer season, a stretch of three matches in eight days, with the first two on the road (at Montreal on June 30 and at Salt Lake on July 4). On the other side, Toronto FC has struggled this season with a 4-8-3 record through June and will be playing its third match in seven days. 913-387-3400. Tickets are $45-$130 through sportingkc.com.
Summerfest
7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 7, at White Recital Hall, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 8, at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
During each July, Summerfest brings audience-friendly chamber-music concerts to White Recital Hall on Saturday evenings and to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on Sunday afternoons. The first of this summer’s four concerts is titled “Soul” and will feature Nico Muhly’s Gibbons Suite, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Ich habe genug and Ernest Bloch’s Piano Quintet No. 1. 816-895-2920. Tickets are $10-$24 through summerfestkc.org.
USSSA Pride vs. Aussie Spirit
8 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, July 9-10, at T-Bones Stadium
The dominant women’s softball team of National Pro Fastpitch will put its talents on display with two games in Kansas City, Kan. The USSSA Pride, sponsored by the United States Specialty Sports Association based in Viera, Fla., has won league championships the past four years. National Pro Fastpitch consists of five teams, including the Aussie Spirit and the Beijing Shougang Eagles. usssapride.com and tbonesbaseball.com. $9-$17.
Wyandotte County Fair
6-10 p.m. Tuesday, July 10, through July 13, and noon-11 p.m. July 14, at Wyandotte County Fairgrounds
This longstanding event will kick off the area’s county fair season with a celebration of agricultural and rural life that goes beyond kettle corn, corn dogs and funnel cakes. The staples of the five-day Wyandotte County Fair, which dates to 1863, are 4-H exhibits, livestock competitions, a petting zoo, a carnival, concessions and arts crafts as well as live entertainment (Garth Brooks performed here in 1990). wycofair.com. $5 per car.
Sheila Brooks
6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 11, at Kansas City Public Library-Central Library
Lucile H. Bluford is an important figure in Kansas City’s history, but the journalist and civil rights activist isn’t well known nationally. Sheila Brooks, a Kansas City native and former TV personality who now lives and works in Washington, D.C., hopes to change that. She will be in town to discuss her book, “Lucile H. Bluford and the Kansas City Call: Activist Voice for Social Justice,” which she co-authored with Howard University’s Clint C. Wilson II. 816-701-3400. kclibrary.org. Free.
Also this week
Theater
“Into the Woods,” July 6-14, Theatre in the Park. theatreinthepark.org
“Fame,” Music Theatre Kansas City, July 7-15, B&B Live. mtkc.org
Music (rock, pop, jazz)
Cash’d Out, July 5, Crossroads KC. crossroadskc.com
Vans Warped Tour, July 5, Providence Amphitheater. providenceamp.com
Xscape with Bell Biv DeVoe and SWV, July 5, Sprint Center. sprintcenter.com
Boz Scaggs, July 6, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Bush, July 6, VooDoo. voodookc.com
Evanescence and Lindsey Stirling, July 6, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Paramore with Foster The People, July 7, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Rock N Roll Dream Concert, July 7, Providence Amphitheater. providenceamp.com
STS9 with Tauk, July 6, Crossroads KC. crossroadskc.com
STS9 with Marvel Years and Kaminanda, July 7, Crossroads KC. crossroadskc.com
Ray LaMontagne with Neko Case, July 8, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, July 9, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Jenny Lewis, July 10, The Truman. thetrumankc.com
Styx and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts with Tesla, July 10, Starlight. kcstarlight.com
The Black Dahlia Murder and Whitechapel, July 11, The Truman. thetrumankc.com
Visual arts
First Fridays in the Crossroads, July 6, Crossroads Arts District. kccrossroads.org
Events/festivals/etc.
Cass County Fair, July 10-15, Pleasant Hill. casscountyfairmo.com
Sports/recreation
Lakeside Speedway: Joe Berry Clash of the B-Mods, July. lakesidespeedway.net