Things To Do

This week in KC: Heidi Gardner of ‘SNL’ emcees teen SuperStar singers. Also: Festivals

Heidi Gardner, who attended Notre Dame De Sion High School, will host the KC SuperStar Finals where high school singers will compete for scholarships Aug. 27 at Yardley Hall.
Heidi Gardner, who attended Notre Dame De Sion High School, will host the KC SuperStar Finals where high school singers will compete for scholarships Aug. 27 at Yardley Hall. File photo

Kansas City native Heidi Gardner of “Saturday Night Live” will serve as host and will perform at the KC SuperStar Finals as 10 of the area’s top high school singers compete for a $10,000 scholarship.

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City’s annual fundraising event will begin at 7 p.m. Aug. 27 at Johnson County Community College’s Yardley Hall. A limited number of tickets ($25-$40) are available at thejkc.org/kcss.

Former talk-show host Craig Ferguson will bring his stand-up tour to the Uptown on Aug. 24.
Former talk-show host Craig Ferguson will bring his stand-up tour to the Uptown on Aug. 24. File photo

More entertainment

Comedian Craig Ferguson, best known for hosting “The Late Late Show” for 10 years on CBS, will bring his Fancy Rascal Tour to the Uptown, 8 p.m. Aug. 24 ($39.50-$79.50). uptowntheater.com.

“In This Moment,” a musical presentation of original compositions, will run at Quality Hill Playhouse, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25-26, 3 p.m. Aug. 27 ($37-$40). qualityhillplayhouse.com.

The Kansas City Ballet School will play host to KC Dance Day, offering more than 20 dance and movement classes as well as performances at the Todd Bolender Center, 9 a.m. Aug. 26 (free). kcballet.org.

Booklover’s Burlesque, billed as the world’s sexiest literary salon, will come to the MTH Theater at Crown Center’s Ruby Room, 8 p.m. Aug. 26 ($20-$35; livestream $10). bookloversburlesque.com.

Former professional wrestler The Undertaker (Mark William Calaway) will share stories and answer questions in his “1 DeadMan Show” at the Uptown, 8 p.m. Aug. 26 ($28-$353). uptowntheater.com.

Nathan Darrow, the Kansas City actor (“House of Cards,” “Gotham,” “Billions”) who is starring in “A Chorus Line” at Music Theater Heritage, will perform all the dialogue from the opening 45 minutes of the movie “The Godfather” at the MTH Theater at Crown Center’s Ruby Room, 8 p.m. Aug. 27 (free; reservations required). eventbrite.com.

Nathan Darrow, who also is starring in “A Chorus Line” at Music Theater Heritage, will present a still-in-development one-man show Aug. 27 at the MTH Theater’s Ruby Room.
Nathan Darrow, who also is starring in “A Chorus Line” at Music Theater Heritage, will present a still-in-development one-man show Aug. 27 at the MTH Theater’s Ruby Room. Cory Weaver Music Theater Heritage

Festivals

Tiblow Days, 5 p.m. Aug. 24-25, 9:30 a.m. Aug. 26, Bonner Springs (free, except for carnival). bsedwchamber.org.

Roots Festival, noon Aug. 25-26, Paola ($20-$35). rootsfestival.org.

KidFest, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 26, Science City ($16). unionstation.org.

Kemper Museum Block Party, 6-10:30 p.m. Aug. 26, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (free; registration required). kemperart.org.

The Chicks, from left, Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire, will perform Aug. 29 at the T-Mobile Center.
The Chicks, from left, Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire, will perform Aug. 29 at the T-Mobile Center. File photo

Music

Kaw River Roots Festival, 5:30 p.m. Aug. 25, 3 p.m. Aug. 26, Downtown Lawrence ($35-$95). kawriverroots.com.

The Black Keys, 8 p.m. Aug. 25, Starlight ($35-$199.50). kcstarlight.com.

KKFI Crossroads Music Fest, noon Aug. 26, West Bottoms (noon-5 p.m. free, 5 p.m.-1 a.m. $25-$75). cmfkc.com.

The Floozies, 5 p.m. Aug. 26, Grinders KC ($30-$75). grinderskc.com.

Turnpike Troubadours with The Avett Brothers, Old 97’s and Kaitlin Butts, 6 p.m. Aug. 26, Azura Amphitheater ($39.50-$191). azuraamp.com.

Jelly Roll with Ashley McBryde, Struggle Jennings and Josh Adam Meyers, 7 p.m. Aug. 26, T-Mobile Center ($25-$119.75). t-mobilecenter.com.

Tia Fuller, 8 p.m. Aug. 26, Folly ($43-$93). follytheater.org.

French Organ Music Festival, 2 p.m. Aug. 27, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (donation). kcago.com.

Goo Goo Dolls and O.A.R., 7 p.m. Aug. 27, Starlight ($29.50-$169.50). kcstarlight.com.

The Chicks with Ben Harper, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 29, T-Mobile Center ($39.50-$139.50). t-mobilecenter.com.

Gojira and Mastodon with Lorna Shore, 7 p.m. Aug. 30, Azura Amphitheater ($49.50). azuraamp.com.

Zach Bryan with Trampled by Turtles and J.R. Carroll, 8 p.m. Aug. 30, T-Mobile Center (sold out). t-mobilecenter.com.

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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