Kansas City Entertainment

This week in Kansas City: Symphony’s new director gives sneak preview, plus Bad Bunny

Matthias Pintscher, the Kansas City Symphony’s music director in waiting, will be the symphony’s guest director March 22-24 at the Kauffman Center.
Matthias Pintscher, the Kansas City Symphony’s music director in waiting, will be the symphony’s guest director March 22-24 at the Kauffman Center. Kansas City Symphony

Matthias Pintscher won’t take over as music director of the Kansas City Symphony until next season, but Michael Stern’s replacement will provide a preview this weekend.

The symphony will perform “Matthias Pintscher Conducts Symphonic Dances: ‘West Side Story’ and Rachmaninoff” at 8 p.m. March 22-23 and 2 p.m. March 24 at the Kauffman Center. Tickets ($29) and more information at kcsymphony.org.

Carlos Mencia will bring his comedy to the Comedy Club of Kansas City on March 21-23.
Carlos Mencia will bring his comedy to the Comedy Club of Kansas City on March 21-23. File photo

More entertainment

Carlos Mencia, best known for the Comedy Central show “Mind of Mencia” (2005-08), will come to the Comedy Club of Kansas City, 7 p.m. March 21, 7 and 9:30 p.m. March 22-23 ($25-$35). thecomedyclubkc.com.

The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art will present “New Acquisitions: In Celebration of Thirty Years of Kemper Museum,” March 22-March 2, 2025, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday and Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday (free). kemperart.org.

Australian comedian Jim Jefferies will appear at the Midland, 7 p.m. March 23 ($49.75-$99.75). midlandkc.com.

Carmaletta Williams, CEO of the Black Archives of Mid-America, will discuss “Making History: Kansas City’s Black Suffragists” at the Kansas City Public Library downtown branch as part of Missouri Valley Sundays, 2 p.m. March 24 (free). kclibrary.org.

YouTube prankster/comedian Ed Bassmaster will perform at the Gem, 8 p.m. March 24 ($25-$100). edbassmastertour.com.

Carmaletta Williams of the Black Archives of Mid-America will discuss “Making History: Kansas City’s Black Suffragists” on March 24 at the Kansas City Public Library downtown branch.
Carmaletta Williams of the Black Archives of Mid-America will discuss “Making History: Kansas City’s Black Suffragists” on March 24 at the Kansas City Public Library downtown branch. Black Archives of Mid-America

More classical music and dance

Kansas City Ballet, “New Moves,” 7:30 p.m. March 21-22, 2 and 7:30 p.m. March 23, 2 p.m. March 24, Todd Bolender Center ($50-$75). kcballet.org.

Heartland Men’s Chorus, “Princes of Pop,” 7:30 p.m. March 22-23, 3:30 p.m. March 24, Folly ($30-$55). hmckc.org.

Violinist Shmuel Ashkenasi, 7:30 p.m. March 22, 1900 Building ($10-$30). icm.park.edu.

Juilliard String Quartet, 7:30 p.m. March 25, Lied Center ($14-$40). lied.ku.edu.

More music

Warrant with Lita Ford and more, 6 p.m. March 22, Hy-Vee Arena ($49-$79). hy-veearena.com.

Adam Ant, 8 p.m. March 22, Uptown ($46-$100). uptowntheater.com.

Boogie T, 8 p.m. March 22 ($23-$38), Midland. midlandkc.com.

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, 8 p.m. March 22, Ameristar ($35). knuckleheadskc.com.

Sleater-Kinney, 8 p.m. March 25, The Truman ($35-$70). thetrumankc.com.

Bad Bunny, 8 p.m. March 26, T-Mobile Center ($81.95-$451.95). t-mobilecenter.com.

Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny will perform March 26 at the T-Mobile Center.
Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny will perform March 26 at the T-Mobile Center. File photo

Recently announced

Michael Martin Murphy, April 27, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Greensky Bluegrass, June 6, Grinders KC. grinderskc.com

A Day to Remember, June 9, Azura Amphitheater. azuraamp.com

Lindsey Stirling, July 19, Starlight. kcstarlight.com

Grupo Firme, July 27, T-Mobile Center. t-mobilecenter.com

Pretenders, Aug. 1, Uptown. uptowntheater.com

Paul Thorn, Aug. 23-25, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com

Celtic Thunder, Oct. 2, Kauffman Center. kauffmancenter.org

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Dan Kelly
The Kansas City Star
Dan Kelly has been covering entertainment and arts news at The Star since 2009. He previously worked at the Columbia Daily Tribune, The Miami Herald and The Louisville Courier-Journal. He also was on the University of Missouri School of Journalism faculty for six years, and he has written two books, most recently “The Girl with the Agate Eyes: The Untold Story of Mattie Howard, Kansas City’s Queen of the Underworld.”
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