KC events May 2-8: Anna Quindlen, Madeleine Albright, Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, Jay Phillips

Anna Quindlen made her name as a journalist and columnist for The New York Times, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1992, but she also has written novels and self-help books. Her “A Short Guide to a Happy Life” has sold more than a million copies. She will visit Kansas City to promote her new book, “Nanaville: Adventures in Grandparenting.” 913-384-3126. Tickets are $26 through rainydaybooks.com.

The first female secretary of state and an outspoken critic of our current president likely will have some insightful things to say about the state of affairs in Washington when she is honored with the Harry S. Truman Legacy of Leadership Award at the annual Wild About Harry event. Madeleine Albright held her post from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton and wrote last year’s bestselling “Fascism: A Warning.” 816-400-1214. Tickets are $200 through trumanlibraryinstitute.org.

Since joining the UMKC Conservatory faculty in 1990, Robert Olson has become an institution as its director of orchestras. He will direct the Conservatory Orchestra and Choirs at this concert, which will celebrate Olson’s contributions to UMKC and his 50-year career in music. The University of Missouri-Columbia’s University Singers and Kelli Van Meter, winner of the Chancellor’s Concerto Competition, will perform with the orchestra. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. 816-235-2799. Tickets are $31.50 through kauffmancenter.org.

“Funnyhouse of a Negro,” which is about a young African-American college student who desperately wishes she were white, won the Obie Award for Distinguished Play after opening off-Broadway in 1964. The KC Melting Pot Theatre production of the one-act drama by Adrienne Kennedy will be directed by Nicole Hodges Persley and will feature Jabrelle Herbin in the lead role. Runs through May 18. 816-226-8087. Tickets are $17.25-$27.50 through kcmeltingpot.com.

Host newEar chamber music ensemble and the Lace Chamber Ensemble are among several regional groups and musicians that will perform in a unique concert environment at the Kansas City Contemporary Music Festival. The event will be curated as a gallery experience, with audiences walking through a venue filled with live performances, sound installations and multimedia screenings. newear.org. Free.

Aside from becoming known as a massive New York Mets fan, Jim Breuer has been a bit under the radar since performing as a regular on “Saturday Night Live” from 1995 to 1998 and starring in Dave Chappelle’s “Half Baked” in 1998. But Breuer has remained active for the past 20 years. He has acted in sitcoms and starred in comedy specials for Comedy Central, Epix and Amazon Prime, and his “Jim Breuer Live From Portland” recently became the first recording released by the new Virtual Comedy Network Records. 816-472-7777. Tickets are $30-$145 through voodookc.com.

This First Friday will feature a special exhibition at Buttonwood, where artists will display paintings, photographs, 3D pieces and other works depicting city scenes. Kansas City Parks and Recreation, which is partnering with the gallery for the exhibition, will receive 40% of each art purchase, with the remaining 60% going directly to artists. Runs through June 27. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. 816-285-9040. buttonwoodartspace.com or kcparks.org/event/kansas-city-art-exhibition-first-friday. Free.

With three shows over two nights at two venues, the ninth annual Kansas City Burlesque Festival hosted by Burlesque Downtown Underground will provide a full weekend of fun. “Spectacularly Burlesque” and the steamier “Late Night Stage Strut” will take place Friday at MTH Theater. On Saturday night at the Folly, performers will try to impress a panel of industry and local celebrity judges who will select the best performance and crown the 2019 Queen of the Kansas City Burlesque Festival. Tickets are $20-$87.50 through kcburlesque.com.

A neighborhood tradition that started in 1922, the Guadalupe Centers’ Cinco de Mayo Fiesta is the area’s most authentic annual celebration of the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Performances by mariachis and folkloric dancers will highlight the two-day event, which will also include children’s rides, a petting zoo, vendors, contests and more. guadalupecenters.org/event/cinco-de-mayo-fiesta. Free.

A sign on the desk of President Harry Truman famously said, “The buck stops here,” and to celebrate the 135th birthday of Missouri’s only president, his hometown of Independence will throw a buck-or-less party. Admission to the Truman Library and Museum, Bingham-Waggoner Estate, Vaile Mansion and other attractions will be $1 or free, plus there will be activities celebrating the life and times of Truman on the Independence Square. jchs.org or visitindependence.com/event/truman-day. All attractions free or $1.

If you’re wondering what kind of roles Jay Phillips plays in movies and on television, consider the names of some of the characters he has inhabited: Scootsie Double Day (“Semi-Pro”), Boo-Boo Buster (“Baby Mama”) and Black Jay (“The D.L. Hughley Show”). Phillips has more than two dozen comic acting credits to his name. Meanwhile, he has been popular on the standup circuit, especially since Variety named him among “10 Comics to Watch” in 2008. 816-759-5233. Tickets are $22-$32 through improvkc.com.

It’s still early in the season, but Sporting finds itself in a situation where home losses could be season killers. After battling injuries and a brutally busy schedule, Kansas City is in the lower half of the Major League Soccer Western Conference standings as it plays its second consecutive home match during a stretch with five of six matches at home. That will be followed by four consecutive away matches. 913-387-3400. Tickets are $35-$66 through sportingkc.com.

Beau Bledsoe and Amado Espinoza, May 3, Country Club Christian Church. kansascityguitarsociety.org

Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, “Spanning the Centuries,” May 4, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. kcchamberorchestra.org

Kansas City Civic Orchestra, “Celebrating 60 Years,” May 4, Kauffman Center. kccivic.org

Kansas City Chorale, “The Travels of Marco Polo,” May 5, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception; May 7, Our Lady of Sorrows Church. kcchorale.org

Overland Park Orchestra, Spring Concert, May 5, Knox Presbyterian Church. oporchestra.org

Youth Symphony of Kansas City, “60th Anniversary Finale Concert,” May 5, Kauffman Center. youthsymphonykc.org

New York Philharmonic String Quartet, May 6, Lied Center. lied.ku.edu

“Something Rotten!” May 3, Lied Center. lied.ku.edu

Leonard Ouzts, May 2-4, Comedy Club of Kansas City. thecomedyclubkc.com

Steve Kramer, May 2-4, Clint’s Comedy Stop. clintscomedystop.com

Corey Holcomb, May 3-4, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com

Interpol with Foals, May 2, Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com

Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, “Summer in the City,” May 3, Kauffman Center. kcjazzorchestra.net

Little River Band, May 3, Ameristar. ameristarkansascity.com

Rodney Crowell, May 3, Folly. follytheater.org

Steve Aoki, May 3, KC Live! powerandlightdistrict.com

Campanas De America, May 4, Ameristar. ameristarkansascity.com

Dance Gavin Dance with Don Broco, Hail The Sun, Covet and Thousand Below, May 4, The Truman. thetrumankc.com

Flyover 2019 featuring Cardi B, 21 Savage and more, May 4, Providence Amphitheater. providenceamp.com

Jon Anderson, May 4, CrossroadsKC. crossroadskc.com

Sammy Kershaw, Collin Raye and Aaron Tippin, May 4, Yardley Hall. jccc.edu/theseries

The 1975 with Pale Waves and No Rome, May 6, Providence Amphitheater. providenceamp.com

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, May 7-8, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

New Kids on the Block with Salt-N-Pepa, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany and Naughty by Nature, May 7, Sprint Center. sprintcenter.com

Damien Escobar, May 8, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. arvestbanktheatre.com

Brookside Art Annual, May 3-5, Brookside District. brooksidekc.org/art-annual

Art in the Park, May 5, South Park, Lawrence. lawrenceartguild.org

ShuttleCork, May 2-3, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. nelson-atkins.org

The Color Run, May 4, Arrowhead Stadium. thecolorrun.com/locations/kansas-city

Derby Party, May 4, Kansas City Museum. kcparks.org/event/derbyparty

Polski Day Celebration, May 4, All Saints Parish. polskiday.com

Star Wars Skate, May 4, Line Creek Community Center. kcparks.org/event/star-wars-skate

Wanderfest, May 5, Tower East District. facebook.com/events/67704417272906

Invicta Phoenix Rising Series, May 3, Memorial Hall. invictafc.com

Tour de Hope, May 5, Liberty Memorial. tourdehope.org

Guest Chef Series featuring Vaughn Good. 6 p.m. May 1. $40. Broadmoor Bistro, 6701 W. 83rd, Overland Park. eventbrite.com/event/59540750989

Kansas Food Truck Festival benefiting Just Food. 4-10 p.m. May 4. Downtown Lawrence, 900 block of Pennsylvania. justfoodks.org, 785-856-7030

Brew & Chew. 2-10 p.m. May 4. $20. East Forty Brewing Company, 1201 W. Main, Blue Springs. eventbrite.com/event/58388807495

Cinco de Mayo Party. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. May 5. Jowler Creek Winery, 16905 Jowler Creek Road, Platte City. jowlercreek.com, 816-858-5528

ShuttleCork Winemaker Dinners and Grand Tasting & Auction. May 2-3. $15-$36. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak. nelson-atkins.org/events/shuttlecork-2019

Back to the Land: A Slow Food Kansas City Brunch. Noon May 5. $15-$20. Vox Vineyards, 19310 NW Farley Hampton. squareup.com/store/slow-food-kansas-city

This story was originally published April 30, 2019 at 10:49 AM.