Post-coronavirus, when will live theater return in Kansas City? July or August, maybe
Area performing arts theaters have been dark for more than a month because of the COVID-19 crisis, but there is a stage light at the end of the tunnel.
Some theater companies are selling tickets for performances in late April and early May, although the likelihood of those shows actually being staged is iffy at best.
Many venues have canceled or postponed events well into the summer.
The Unicorn Theatre, which had canceled the final two weeks of “American Son” in March, has rescheduled “The Lifespan of a Fact” to July 8-26 and has moved “Admissions” to its 2020-21 season.
MTH Theater at Crown Center rescheduled Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” to Aug. 27-Sept. 20 and was mulling whether “Chicago” can possibly keep its run date of June 4-28.
Kansas City Actors Theatre had announced in late February that its 2020-21 season would open May 20 at City Stage Theatre with “The Cake.” But the theater recently decided to postpone the start of its 16th season, which now is tentatively scheduled to open in August with “The Cake,” “The Dresser” or “Betrayal.” The revamped 2020-21 schedule will be announced at a later date.
Most companies’ 2020-21 seasons will begin after Labor Day, assuming there has been a return to normalcy. Among them are the Kansas City Broadway Series (“Mean Girls,” Oct. 27-Nov. 1) and the Kansas City Repertory Theatre (“The Old Man and the Old Moon,” Sept. 11-Oct. 4), both of which announced their seasons earlier this year.
Here are the schedules for other companies that have released their 2020-21 seasons. (In the meantime, theater companies are asking patrons for donations so they can stay afloat until they can resume operations.)
Unicorn Theatre
“Tony Stone,” Sept. 9-27
“Admissions,” Oct. 21-Nov. 8
“Dance Nation,” Dec. 2-27
“Refuge,” Jan. 20-Feb. 7
TBA, March 3-28
“The Inheritance Part 1 & 2,” May 12-June 20
Quality Hill Playhouse
“Classy Crooners – Tony, Doris, Frank,” Sept. 11-Oct. 11
“Christmas in Song,” Nov. 27-Dec. 24
“Soul Sisters – Aretha, Billie, Ella,” Jan. 22-Feb. 21
“Broadway Broads – Ethel, Bernadette, Patti,” March 5-April 3
“Radio Royalty – Barry, Karen, Elton,” April 23-May 23
“Dazzling Divas – Judy, Barbra, Liza,” June 11-July 11
Spinning Tree Theatre
Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center
“Miss You Like Hell,” Aug. 14-30
“Mothers and Sons,” Nov. 6-22
“Marie and Rosetta,” Feb. 12-28
“Disenchanted!” May 14-30
KC MeltingPot Theatre
Just Off Broadway Theatre
“The America Play,” September
“The Amen Corner,” November
“God of Carnage,” February
“Begetters,” May
Chestnut Fine Arts Center
“Men on Broadway,” Sept. 17-Oct. 25
“The Satin Dolls,” Nov. 5-Dec. 20
Dickens Carolers in Concert, Dec. 21-22
“Memories Are Made of This: A Tribute to Dean Martin,” Dec 27-31
“The Savannah Sipping Society,” March 4-April 18
“Is There Life After High School?” May 13-June 20
“This is My Country,” July 15-Aug 29
