KC events Feb. 7-13: Andrew Gillum, ‘Journey to Oz,’ KC Superman fun run, Adele Givens

The first black nominee for governor in Florida’s history will speak as part of the Martin Luther King Lecture Series. Andrew Gillum, who served as mayor of Tallahassee, Fla., from 2014 through 2018, became a national figure as he narrowly lost his bid for the governorship to Republican Ron DeSantis in November. UMKC campus. Tickets are $5-$10 through info.umkc.edu/diversity/events-programs/martin-luther-king-jr-lecture-series.

Musical Theater Heritage will present an original revue tracing the evolution of the Big Band Era. With a 10-piece band performing standards by Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw as well as more contemporary arrangements by Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Buble, the show will bring the Great American Songbook up close to the audience in the intimate MTH Theater. Runs through Feb. 24. 816-221-6987. Tickets are $29-$58 through mthkc.com.

If Adele Givens is one of “The Queens of Comedy” — and she is — then what does that make Grandma Lee? Born Lee Strong in 1934 in Oklahoma City, she didn’t start in comedy until she was 62 and didn’t hit it big until 13 years later, when she was a contestant on “America’s Got Talent.” Grandma Lee will appear for one show before Givens, who toured with “The Queens of Comedy” and has appeared on multiple sitcoms, takes over for four weekend shows. 816-759-5233. Tickets are $18-$48 (Grandma Lee) and $25-$55 (Adele Givens) through improvkc.com.

American compositions will be the focus of conductor Michael Stern and the Kansas City Symphony. Gershwin’s Cuban Overture was inspired by the music he heard on a 1932 vacation to Havana, and Dvorák composed his immensely popular tribute to America while living in the United States in 1893. The symphony also will play Hanson’s Second Symphony, written in 1930 for the Boston Symphony’s 50th anniversary. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. 816-471-0400. Tickets are $25-$95 through kcsymphony.org.

Named the Associated Press’ Female Athlete of the Year for 2016 after winning four gold medals, including the individual all-around, at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Simone Biles is expected to compete in the U.S. Gymnastics national championships Aug. 8-11 at the Sprint Center. But first she will speak at the WIN for KC Women’s Sports Awards Celebration. Six local individuals will be recognized for their impact on the community through sports, and high school female state champions will take part in the Celebration of Champions march. 816-474-4652. sportkc.org/win-for-kc. Sold out.

Kansas City will pay homage to Michael Wheeler, known in these parts as KC Superman, with a fun run from the Liberty Memorial to the mural honoring Wheeler at 42nd Street and Broadway Boulevard. Wheeler, who has advocated against violence and for peace by running in races, at sporting events and elsewhere in his Superman outfit, has said he will retire his cape on Valentine’s Day. Runners are encouraged to wear superhero costumes. Registration is $15 at runsignup.com/race/mo/kansascity/farewelltothecape.

Local fans will have three chances in two arenas to enjoy the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters’ amazing ballhandling, slick passes, nifty trick shots and thunderous dunks, not to mention their smile-inducing interactions with the crowd. The Globetrotters, who have entertained millions of fans in 123 countries since their inception in 1926, will play in more than 250 markets during their 2019 World Tour. 816-442-6100. Tickets are $22-$139 through silversteineyecentersarena.com. 816-949-7100. Tickets are $15-$132 through sprintcenter.com.

Some people simply can’t get enough of the “Wizard of Oz,” which researchers in Italy recently determined to be the most influential movie ever. It turns 80 this year, and Crown Center will celebrate with an interactive exhibit including “Wizard of Oz” memorabilia, the yellow brick road, the witch’s castle and much more. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. 816-274-8444. crowncenter.com. Free.

Lyric Opera resident artists will venture into the realm of American popular music at this Explorations Series concert, performing songs of George and Ira Gershwin and Kurt Weill in a cabaret setting with musical direction by Mark Markham. Among the standards on the program are “I Got Rhythm,” “’S Wonderful,” “September Song” and “Mack the Knife.” 816-471-7344. Tickets are $30 through kcopera.org.

Singer, pianist and composer Damien Sneed is touring North America with a show honoring Martin Luther King Jr. during the year of his 90th birthday. An ensemble of vocalists and instrumentalists, as well as the Kansas City Boys Choir and the Kansas City Girls Choir, will present music ranging from traditional gospel and spirituals to jazz and Broadway and from Aretha Franklin and Duke Ellington to Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway. Johnson County Community College. 913-469-4445. Tickets are $21-$35 through jccc.edu/theseries.

Inspired by civil rights icons such as Ruby Bridges, the first African-American child to desegregate an all-white elementary school, and the Little Rock Nine, who integrated Little Rock Central (Ark.) High School, “Polka Dots: The Cool Kids Musical” is a new production of Theatre for Young America. It tells the story of 8-year-old Lily Polkadot, who is the first Polkadot in an all Square school. Runs through March 23. 816-460-2083. Tickets are $9-$12 through unionstation.org or tya.org.

Soloists from the Park International Center for Music will join the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra to perform “Bridges of the Heart,” which will open with Caroline Shaw’s 2011 composition “Entr’acte” and also will include works by Haydn, Chopin, Saint-Saens, Kreisler and Tchaikovsky. The evening will feature ICM soloists Dilshod Narzillaev (cello), Laurel Gagnon (violin), Igor Khukhua (violin) and Vladislav Kosminov (piano). 816-235-6222. Tickets are $27-$35 through kcchamberorchestra.org or follytheater.org.

“For Love of Music: Napoleon and the String Quartet,” Feb. 7, Atkins Auditorium. nelson-atkins.org

Ben Sayevich and Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, Feb. 9, 1900 Building. 1900bldg.com

Kansas City Symphony, Free Symphony Happy Hour Concert: “I Love You Verdi Much,” Feb. 12, Kauffman Center. kcsymphony.org

“Sunday in the Park with George,” Feb. 8-24, Olathe Civic Theatre Association. olathetheatre.org

Shen Yun, Feb. 12, Lied Center. lied.ku.edu

Valentine’s Lovestravaganza Comedy Show, Feb. 9, Buffalo Room. eventbrite.com/event/55056305893

Here Comes the Mummies, Feb. 7, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Kelly Clarkson with Kelsea Ballerini and Brynn Cartelli, Feb. 7, Sprint Center. sprintcenter.com

Born of Osiris with Chelsea Grin, Feb. 8, Aftershock. aftershockshows.com

Dumpstaphunk and George Porter Jr. and the Runnin’ Pardners, Feb. 8, Lied Center. lied.ku.edu Sara Evans, Feb. 8, Ameristar. ameristarkansascity.com

Brewer & Shipley with Bob and Una Walkenhorst, Feb. 9, Liberty Hall. libertyhall.net

Herobust, Feb. 9, Granada. thegranada.com

Key Glock, Mozzy and more, Feb. 9, Uptown. uptowntheater.com

David Wilcox, Feb. 10, Lied Center. lied.ku.edu

Elton John, Feb. 13, 2019, Sprint Center. sprintcenter.com

Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Feb. 13, The Truman. thetrumankc.com

Mid-Winter Art Fair, Feb. 8-10, Ward Parkway Center. facebook.com/events/1666527393446740

KC Remodel + Garden Show, Feb. 8-10, American Royal Center. kcremodelandgardenshow.com

KC Brew Fest, Feb. 9, Union Station. kansascitybrewfest.com

Tom Clavin for “Wild Bill: The True Story of the American Frontier’s First Gunfighter,” Feb. 7, Mid-Continent Public Library-Woodneath Library Center. mymcpl.org or rainydaybooks.com

Kansas City Mavericks (hockey) vs. Allen, Feb. 8; vs. Kalamazoo, Feb. 9. Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. kcmavericks.com

Kansas City Tornadoes vs. Yakima, Feb. 10-11. Hy-Vee Arena. kctornadoes.com

Wine and Cheese Pairing with Green Dirt Farm. 3 p.m. Feb. 10. $50. Amigoni Urban Winery, 1505 Genessee. eventbrite.com/event/54300354823

Galentine’s Day Tea Party. 1:30 p.m. Feb. 9. $15-$35. Artis Events Space, 3016 Cherry. eventbrite.com/event/53125914039

Cheese & Chocolate. 7-9 p.m. Feb. 10. $50; sold out. The Better Cheddar, 604 W. 48th. thebettercheddar.com, 816-561-8204

Beer Pairing Series with chef Anita Moore. 7 p.m. Feb. 12. $40. CallSign Brewing, 1447 Gentry, North Kansas City. callsignbrewing.com or eventbrite.com/event/54715421298

Chocolate High Tea. 1-3 p.m. Feb. 10. $30. Greenwood Country Tearoom, 502 W. Main, Greenwood. greenwoodcountrytearoom.com or eventbrite.com/event/53169863493, 816-537-8434

Bell’s Brewery Beer Dinner. 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12. $30. HopCat, 401 Westport. hopcat.com/kansas-city, 816-656-3439

Winter Rum, Gin and Vodka Tasting. 3:30-6 p.m. Feb. 9. $15-$145. Hush Broadway Speakeasy, 1000 Broadway. eventbrite.com/event/52512177336

Chocolate Walk. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 9. $10. Independence Square, Downtown Independence. theindependencesquare.com/event/chocolate-walk-2019

Valentine’s Wine and Chocolate Tasting. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 9-10 and 16-17. $15. Sweetheart Chocolate Cherry Sangria Sunday. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 10 and 17. Jowler Creek Winery, 16905 Jowler Creek Road, Platte City. jowlercreek.com, 816-858-5528

Brunched. 11:30 a.m. Feb. 9. $18-$43. Madrid Theatre, 3810 Main. bigtickets.com/events/thepitch/brunched

Chateau Montelena Winery Winemaker’s Dinner. 6:30 p.m. Feb. 6. $125. Pierpont’s, Union Station, 30 W. Pershing. pierponts.com, 816-221-5111

Four-Course Wine Dinner with Louis M. Martini wines. 7 p.m. Feb. 8. $60. Pinstripes, 13500 Nall, Overland Park. pinstripes.com/overland-park-kansas, 913-681-2255

“Roll of Attraction: An Aphrodisiac Sushi Rolling Class For Couples.” 8 p.m. Feb. 7. $50. Ra Sushi, 11638 Ash, Leawood. rasushi.com/leawood, 913-850-6260

KC Brew Fest. 2-5 p.m. Feb. 9. $40-$50. Union Station, 30 W. Pershing. kansascitybrewfest.com