This week in Kansas City: Superhero costume party, classical Beatles, Day of the Dead at the Nelson

Soundtracks laden with contributions from superstars and astounding special effects help sell tickets to modern-day movies, but even the most effective big budget suspense and horror films are seldom creepier than the 1920 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” John Barrymore chews scenery in the title role of the silent film. Dorothy Papadakos will accompany Thursday’s screening of the movie on the Casavant organ in the Kauffman Center’s Helzberg Hall. One of the world’s most renowned practitioners of the instrument, Papadakos was the organist at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine for 14 years.

7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. 816-471-0400. kcsymphony.org. $25-$60.

Unlike many celebrity chefs, “The Pioneer Woman” Ree Drummond possesses a tranquil demeanor and homespun charm. Her succinct summary of the premise of her show — “I live on a ranch in the middle of nowhere and all my recipes have to be approved by cowboys, hungry kids and me” — explains part of the appeal of her uncomplicated style of cooking, which employs liberal amounts of butter and sugar. The food prepared in the Oklahoman’s kitchen may be delicious, but it’s Drummond’s warm personality that will captivate her admirers on Thursday.

7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. Unity Temple on the Plaza. 913-384-3126. rainydaybooks.com. $29.99 plus sales tax, includes an autographed hardcover copy of “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime.” The event is officially sold out; check for availability.

Dedicated thrift-store shoppers know that bargains abound on most types of apparel; clothing is donated to organizations assisting people in need. One item of clothing, however, is out of reach for many people with limited resources. Because underwear isn’t typically recycled, the garments can be hard to come by for the disadvantaged. Project Change’s Superhero Costume Party allows civic-minded revelers to provide funding for an underwear-focused initiative. Attendees dressed in superhero attire at Thursday’s benefit will partake of adult beverages, snacks and live music by Toxic Assets.

6:30-10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. The Arts Asylum, 1000 E. Ninth St. missionunderpants.org/#!about/c1mqb. $60.

Since its formation in 1990, Bach Collegium Japan has built an international reputation as one of the most resolute torchbearers of the faithful re-creation of baroque music with period instrumentation. Among Bach Collegium’s most notable achievements is an expansive 55-volume recording of Bach’s cantatas for a Swedish record label that has received unanimously rapturous reviews. The audience at Yardley Hall on Friday will hear the orchestra and choir celebrate its 25th anniversary with a program of the compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach. Ensemble founder Masaaki Suzuki will conduct readings of selections including the Brandenburg Concerto No. 5.

8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College. 913-469-4445. jccc.edu/performing-arts-series. $30-$40.

Daniela Liebman’s feet barely reach the floor as she sits on the edge of a piano bench in a 2011 video of a recital in her native Mexico. There’s nothing juvenile about the child’s rendition of a Chopin composition. Now 13, the prodigy is in the midst of a North American tour. Liebman is already accustomed to prominent stages. She appeared with the Aguascalientes Symphony Orchestra when she was 8. She has since won a few piano competitions, including a contest sponsored by star pianist Lang Lang. Liebman’s Kansas City debut will include performances of pieces by composers such as Sergei Rachmaninoff and Ludwig van Beethoven in a free concert presented by the prestigious Harriman-Jewell Series.

7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. Folly Theater. 816-474-4444. follytheater.org. Free, patrons encouraged to reserve and print paper tickets.

The magisterial swell of strings that provides a lush bed for Paul McCartney’s vocals on “The Long and Winding Road” makes the chart-topping 1970 song one of the most distinctive selections in the Beatles catalog. Several other Beatles gems employ classical instrumentation. “Yesterday,” for instance, wouldn’t be the same without the contribution of a string quartet. Conducted by Aram Demirjian, the Kansas City Symphony will apply its precise power to familiar material from the repertoires of the Beatles and the solo careers of the Fab Four. “Yesterday,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “Let It Be” are among the selections on the program.

8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. 816-471-0400. kcsymphony.org. $40-$90.

A poorly received cinematic remake of the 1982 film “Poltergeist” played in theaters earlier this year. Some of the critics who panned it implied that the film was unintentionally funny. Kansas City’s Ron Megee, who has a long history of being funny on purpose, has created a parody, “Poultry-geist,” with Jessica Dressler. Megee recently told The Star’s Robert Trussell that “we wanted to make a terrifying, campy Halloween show.” In Megee and Dressler’s retelling of the “Poltergeist” saga, a family’s suburban home was built on the former site of a chicken processing plant. Famous scenes from the original film including Carol Anne’s disturbing encounter with a television screen will be sent up by Megee and the rest of the “Poultry-geist” cast.

8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31, 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. Missie B’s, 805 W. 39th St. 816-235-6222. ​​facebook.com/Late-Night-Theatre-412744685521186/timeline. $23 on Friday and Saturday and $18 on Sunday.

Even the most rational visitors to the Mutual Musicians Foundation would be excused if they admitted to sensing the presence of spirits. Generations of jazz musicians and the people who admire their music have experienced some of the most profound moments of their lives in the historic building. Partly because the hallowed institution has a liquor license that allows parties to roll all night long, ghosts may become increasingly easy to spot as the evening progresses during the HallowSwing costume ball fundraiser for a low-wattage radio station that will honor Kansas City’s jazz legacy. The event will feature a singing competition and a “best-dressed gangsters and gun molls” contest.

9 p.m.-5 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Mutual Musicians Foundation, 1823 Highland Ave. 816-471-5212. mutualmusiciansfoundation.org. $35.

Long before a television reality program annihilated his reputation as a Satanic-minded and recklessly decadent rock star, Ozzy Osbourne bore the unironic nickname of the Prince of Darkness. Since “The Osbournes” aired on MTV, Osbourne has come to be seen as a lovably addled jester. The music he made with Black Sabbath in the 1970s, however, sounds just as sinister as ever. Mistress of Reality, “the world’s only all-female tribute to Black Sabbath,” will re-create that malevolent sound at the VooDoo on Halloween. The California-based group will be joined by Strictly Alice, a band dedicated to re-creating the ghoulish rock of Alice Cooper, and the Mötley Crüe tribute group Looks That Kill.

9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. VooDoo at Harrah’s North Kansas City Hotel and Casino. 816-472-7777. voodookc.com. $19.75-$27.75 in advance.

Although the Bacchus Bash is billed as the latest installment of “13 years of terror at Union Station,” the scariest aspect of the annual benefit is the access it provides to voluminous amounts of alcohol. Ticket-holders have five hours to enjoy complimentary drinks at eight bars. People who opt for VIP tickets are granted an additional hour of drinking that includes two more bars that serve specialty items including shots. Costume contests and music from DJ Architekt will enhance the revelry at the event hosted by the Bacchus Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to “connecting young professionals and granting funds for Kansas City charities.” The money raised at the Halloween blowout benefits the Love Fund for Children.

8 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Union Station. ticketfly.com/purchase/event/960591?utm_medium=bks. $55.VIP tickets are $85.

Few confections are more delectably morbid than sugar skulls. Visitors to the Day of the Dead Festival at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art have an opportunity to decorate sugar skulls, a treat that’s also known as calaveras. The activity is one of many components of the free four-hour event. The installation of an altar opens the proceedings. True to the spirit of the Mexican holiday, people are invited to share their memories of departed ancestors. The Mexican folkloric band Son de Madera will perform two sets. Trio Aztlan and Los Musicos will also entertain visitors. A pair of poetry readings will be conducted by members of the Latino Writers Collective. Mexican tales related by a storyteller will captivate children.

Noon-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. 816-751-1278. nelson-atkins.org. Free.

Sports seem to be a means to an end for Tony Dungy. While his career as an athlete and coach was extremely impressive, Dungy plays down his accomplishments during his speaking engagements. Prior to winning a Super Bowl in 2006 as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Dungy was the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he spent three seasons as a player in the NFL. He’ll be in Kansas City in his capacity as a motivational speaker at an event sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Organizers suggest that Dungy will “inspire coaches in their calling to coach, athletes in their desire to excel (and) the community to fight for the good of others.”

7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2. Municipal Auditorium. 800-289-0909. fcakansascity.com/tonydungykc. $10.

“Same Sex Symbol,” Cameron Esposito’s 2014 comedy album, was released by Kill Rock Stars, a record label that counts a few seminal riot grrrl punk rock albums among its releases. Just as bands like Bikini Kill broke ground for women musicians, Esposito is blazing a trail for female comics. Her inclusive but edgy comedy has been featured on television programs such as “Conan.” These mainstream appearances demonstrate that she’s amusing to comedy lovers of every orientation. Esposito’s routines include jokes about joining her straight male friends on an outing to a strip club, stories recalling her awkward exchanges with celebrities in her base of Los Angeles and accounts of her efforts to dispel myths about the sexual habits of lesbians.

9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. RecordBar. 816-753-5207. therecordbar.com. $15.

David Chancellor spent much of the past decade embedded with trophy hunters in Africa. As a member of expeditions taken by Western tourists, the photographer was able to capture the sort of candid images that became a part of a heated international conversation when an American dentist illegally shot a famous lion in Zimbabwe earlier this year. Chancellor recently told The Guardian that “I expected to take 21st-century portraits of people who would seem like 19th-century figures. But they’re not. They’re the kind of normal people you hear on the news now.” The South African will discuss his striking photographs of people compelled to travel to Africa to kill for sport.

6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. Central Library, 14 W. 10th St. 816-701-3400. kclibrary.org. Free.

Home theater systems may be ideal for watching movies, but they provide an inadequate way to partake of postseason baseball in Kansas City. Pulling for the Royals is a community effort. Locating a World Series watch party won’t be difficult. Almost every television in a public setting will display the games. People who want to see themselves on live cut-ins on national broadcasts will cram into the courtyard of the Power & Light District to watch the games on the LED screen above the KC Live! stage. (Johnny’s Tavern in the Power & Light District hosts the official watch party of the Kansas City Chiefs game in London at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.) Small screens in humble taverns and high-definition televisions in upscale establishments will offer the same thrilling experience of engaging in a sports-based celebration of civic pride.

Through the World Series. KC Live! in the Power & Light District. powerandlightdistrict.com. Free.

This story was originally published October 27, 2015 at 8:26 AM with the headline "This week in Kansas City: Superhero costume party, classical Beatles, Day of the Dead at the Nelson."