This week in KC: Planet Comicon, ‘Body Worlds’ at Union Station, ‘Once’ at Starlight

The newest exhibition at the Nelson-Atkins will cover a lot of ground, both geographically and chronologically. Twenty-nine pieces by artists working between 1860 and 1960 have been gathered from the museum’s permanent collection to highlight important moments in the history of American watercolor. Among the subjects is the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, Kan., after the Great Flood of 1951.

Thursday, May 19, through Nov. 20. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. 816-751-1278. nelson-atkins.org. Free.

The AirHogs are coming to town. The team from Grand Prairie, Texas, will provide the competition in the opening series of the T-Bones’ 14th season in Kansas City, Kan. Both teams are members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball and as such are not affiliated with any major-league team, but the players still have big-league dreams.

7:05 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, May 19-21, 1:05 p.m. Sunday, May 22. CommunityAmerica Ballpark. 913-328-5618. tbonesbaseball.com. $6.50-$16.

The centerpiece of the Symphony’s performance will be Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Third Symphony, known as “Polish” because of its culminating dance called a polonaise. In addition, the Symphony will perform the world premiere of a symphony composed by American Jonathan Leshnoff, with baritone Stephen Powell as the soloist, as well as “Hymne à la Justice” by French composer Alberic Magnard.

8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, May 20-21, 2 p.m. Sunday, May 22. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center. 816-471-0400. kcsymphony.org. $23-$76.

In a one-week span, Starlight will feature two musicals that were recent Broadway hits. “Once,” the story of a Dublin street musician and his newfound love, received eight Tony Awards in 2012, including Best Musical. “Matilda,” based on the novel by Roald Dahl, earned four Tony Awards in 2013. It is the story of a young girl with a big imagination.

“Once,” 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday, May 20-22; “Matilda the Musical,” 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, through May 28. Starlight Theatre. 816-363-7827. kcstarlight.com. $12-$110.

Despite its name, the event goes way beyond comics to cover all things sci-fi. Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee will headline, and other celebrities will range from George Takei (“Star Trek”) and Barbara Eden (“I Dream of Jeannie”) to Danielle Panabaker (“The Flash”) and Jenna Coleman (“Doctor Who”). Activities also will include a gaming zone, costume contest and sci-fi speed dating.

Noon-7 p.m. Friday, May 20, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, May 21, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, May 22. Bartle Hall. planetcomicon.com. Single day $22-$45; adult three-day pass $57-$75; youth three-day pass $22-$30.

The human body in all stages of development is the focus of this exhibition featuring real specimens preserved through a process call plastination. Visitors can view bodies, organs and systems in distress, disease and good health.

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday; runs Saturday, May 21, through Oct. 23. Union Station. 816-460-2000. unionstation.org/cycleoflife. $14-$24.95.

This is a car show that is almost like an art show. Owners of some of the most elegant British cars ever made — Jaguars, Austin Healeys, Rolls-Royces and Triumphs — will display their prized vehicles, and awards will be presented in several classifications.

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 21. Crown Center Square. 816-274-8444. crowncenter.com. Free.

The Royals weren’t the only Kansas City professional team to enter a funk after a strong start to the 2016 season. Sporting KC’s struggles mirrored those of the Royals. After opening the season 3-0 and 4-1, the team went more than a month without a victory. The first 10,000 fans entering the stadium will receive free cellphone wallets.

7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 21. Children’s Mercy Park. 913-387-3400. sportingkc.com. Sold out.

If you’ve always wanted to play golf but have an aversion to green grass and open spaces, this is the event for you. Players will hit balls from rooftops, sidewalks and street corners while visiting landmarks, including the City Market and Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Every hole is a short walk from a streetcar stop. And don’t worry — the foam balls won’t break any windows.

1-5 p.m. Saturday, May 21. Downtown Kansas City. thedowntownopen.com. $15.

Billed as “The World’s Only Mindful Triathlon,” the Wanderlust 108 has a core of three events — 5K (run, walk or any other mode of movement), yoga (75 minutes, with DJ) and meditation (30 minutes to clear the mind and relax the body). It also offers hooping, slackline, tribal marking and a picnic lunch.

7:30 a.m. Saturday, May 21. Berkley Riverfront Park. wanderlust.com/108-events/kansascity. $39.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 9:02 AM with the headline "This week in KC: Planet Comicon, ‘Body Worlds’ at Union Station, ‘Once’ at Starlight."