Kansas City’s Memorial Day weekend online: WWI Museum events, symphony celebration
This Memorial Day weekend is filled with events, but in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve gone online.
The National WWI Museum and Memorial is planning to reopen, but not until June 1 for members and June 2 for the general public. In the meantime, it has scheduled three events, none open to the public, that will stream May 25 at theworldwar.org/memorialday: a ceremony honoring Americans who died in service to their country at 10 a.m., a bell-tolling at noon and a Walk of Honor brick dedication at 2 p.m.
In a related virtual event, Musical Theater Heritage will stream a five-camera recording of its musical revue “Songs of the Great War.” Originally produced in collaboration with the National WWI Museum, the show will be available May 21-27 for $20 at vimeo.com.
Also, the Kansas City Symphony’s “Best of Bank of America Celebration at the Station” will run on KCPT at 7 p.m. May 24 and 8:30 p.m. May 25 (television is a virtual world, too).
In addition to highlights featuring Bobby Watson, The Elders and others, the broadcast will include symphony musicians accompanying internationally renowned mezzo-soprano and local native Joyce DiDonato performing from her home in Spain. DiDonato had to cancel her May 29 performance at the Folly Theater because of COVID-19 concerns.
Here are 10 more online ways you and your family can spend your coronavirus-induced stay-at-home time:
▪ Truman Library director Kurt Graham and Hoover Presidential Library director Thomas Schwartz will take part in a discussion of “Truman & Hoover: WWII Food Relief,” 6 p.m. May 21 at us02web.zoom.us.
▪ Try out your lyrical creations on a captive audience through the Lenexa Arts Council’s Sunflower Poetry Open Mic, hosted by poet Jen Harris, 6-7 p.m. May 21, via Zoom at us04web.zoom.us/j/837081416.
▪ Author David Sax will join the Kauffman Foundation’s Philip Gaskin to examine the post-coronavirus prospects for entrepreneurs and to discuss his new book, “The Soul of an Entrepreneur: Work and Life Beyond the Startup Myth,” 6:30 p.m. May 21 (RSVP required) at kclibrary.org.
▪ A screening of the documentary “Rigged: The Voter Suppression Playbook,” presented by KKFI, Missouri Jobs With Justice and the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, will be followed by a panel discussion, 7 p.m. May 21 (donations requested) at kkfi.org.
▪ The works of more than 600 student artists and designers will be on display in the Kansas City Art Institute’s End of Semester Virtual Exhibition beginning May 22 at kcai.edu.
▪ A full tour of the 51st Symphony Designers’ Showhouse at 500 E. 36th St. will launch May 25 through Facebook and YouTube. Portions of the tour have been posted at intervals since early May. Go to showhouse.org.
▪ A Virtual Cabaret will support the Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City, 3-9 p.m. May 25 (donations requested) at facebook.com/blackrepkc.
▪ State Historical Society of Missouri senior archivist Katie Seale will discuss “1918 Flu Epidemic in Missouri” via Zoom (free; registration required), 1 p.m. May 26 and 10 a.m. May 27 at shsmo.org/events.
▪ The Kansas City Public Library’s Indie Lens Pop-Up series will offer the film “Eating Up Easter” at 7 p.m. May 26 (free; RSVP required) at eventbrite.com. Virtual film offerings opening May 22 include “Mr. Jones,” “White, White Day” and “Spaceship Earth” at Tivoli at the Nelson Atkins (nelson-atkins.org/tivoli) and “Lucky Grandma” at Screenland Theatres (screenlandonline.com).
▪ Cable Dahmer Arena (formerly Silverstein Eye Centers Arena) will offer a virtual tour starring Kellie Rose Music at 7 p.m. May 26 as well as The Rock at the Arena Concert Series with tribute shows by The Rock Gods at 7 p.m. each Wednesday through June 17, both at facebook.com/cabledahmerarena.
This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
