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CREATED:20260831T192354Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235605Z
UID:10000068-1797019200-1797019200@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Christmas with Zuzu
DESCRIPTION:Join Zuzu’s Petals for the most festive night of the year! Christmas with Zuzu is coming to the historic Folly Theater\, and it’s shaping up to be more than just an evening out — it’s a chance to give a piece of your heart to families who need it most. \nThe magic begins before you ever find your seat. Arrive early for our pre-concert reception\, where the Folly transforms into a glowing Christmas market — twinkling lights\, local vendors\, and the smell of something warm in your hands. Wander over to our North Pole section for a cherished family photo with Santa\, one you’ll treasure long after the season ends. Enjoy festive food and drinks\, and place a bid in our silent auction\, filled with beloved memorabilia from your favorite KC teams — every bid a gift to someone you’ll never meet\, but whose Christmas you’ll help make brighter. \nThen\, as the lights dim\, settle in for a family Christmas concert that will give you chills — the stories of Christmas you grew up loving\, told in a way that will steal your breath and warm your heart all at once. \n  \n \nEvery ticket\, every bid\, every ornament purchased tonight goes toward something bigger than any of us. 100% of proceeds go directly to bringing Christmas to families living below the poverty line in our community — gifts under the tree\, a warm dinner on the table\, decorations to fill their homes with light\, and a precious visit with Santa Claus for children who might otherwise go without. Because every child deserves to believe in the magic of Christmas\, and every family deserves a night that feels like wonder. \nBring the ones you love. Dress Red Carpet Ready . Come ready to laugh\, to cry a little\, and to remember why this season means so much — because tonight\, your joy becomes someone else’s too. \nTickets are limited. Give a little magic this Christmas — for your family\, and for a family who needs it most. \nSenior (65+) and youth (0-15) pricing are available. Use the dropdown menu at the top of the seat selection page to change your selected ticket type to Senior or Child\, then choose the Add to Cart button at the bottom to continue adding tickets of other types to your cart. Once all tickets needed have been added to cart\, choose the Continue button. \nAccess to an exclusive VIP Reception Experience is available as a ticketless upgrade. Note: this add-on is NOT a ticket to the show. A ticket to the show must be purchased to access the VIP Reception Experience. It includes: \n\nFood & drinks\nLive music\nFamily Santa Visit and Photo\nEarly access to the Christmas Market and Auction
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/christmas-with-zuzu/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:Special Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261212T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261212T190000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235607Z
CREATED:20260708T204658Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235607Z
UID:10000040-1797085800-1797102000@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Holiday Harmonies 2026
DESCRIPTION:Join Central Standard and Vocal Standard\, two internationally acclaimed barbershop choruses\, for their annual holiday show on Saturday\, December 12\, 2026\, at the historic Folly Theater in downtown Kansas City. \n\nEnjoy two performances filled with stunning a cappella harmony: Matinee at 2:30 p.m.\, featuring special guest Summit Lakes Middle School.\nEvening Show at 7:00 p.m.\, featuring special guest Olathe East High School.\n\nBoth shows will also feature performances by several chapter quartets. \nAudiences will be treated to a festive mix of secular and sacred holiday music that’s sure to delight the whole family. \nIn the spirit of the season\, we invite you to bring new\, unwrapped toys in their original packaging to support KVC’s Holiday Heroes toy drive and help make a child’s holiday brighter. \nDon’t miss this magical musical tradition in one of Kansas City’s most iconic venues!
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/holiday-harmonies-2026/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:Special Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261213T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261213T130000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235608Z
CREATED:20260923T153611Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235608Z
UID:10000074-1797166800-1797166800@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Preservation Hall Jazz Band
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate the season with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s beloved Creole Christmas concert series. Experience New Orleans classics alongside some of our favorite holiday selections\, all infused with the band’s signature Crescent City spirit and a festive twist. \nAt a moment when musical traditions and cultures are crossing paths with unprecedented frequency\, it’s worth remembering that New Orleans has long been a place where sounds from around the world converge\, mingle\, and reemerge—transformed by the city’s inimitable spirit and joie de vivre. Nowhere is that idea more vividly embodied than in the Preservation Hall Jazz Band\, which has carried the torch of New Orleans music for more than 65 years. Founded to preserve the city’s rich musical heritage\, the band has continually moved that tradition forward\, reminding audiences that this is not simply history preserved\, but a vibrant\, living tradition. \nThe band’s ongoing evolution is reflected in So It Is\, an album that reimagines what New Orleans music can mean today. Drawing on a sonic continuum that reaches back to the city’s Afro-Cuban roots\, connects with the shared ancestry of Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat and the Fire Music of Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane\, and extends toward today’s cutting-edge artists\, the album celebrates the music’s remarkable capacity to evolve. \nOver the years\, Preservation Hall Jazz Band has shared festival stages from Coachella to Newport with artists spanning generations and genres—from legends such as Stevie Wonder\, Elvis Costello\, and the Grateful Dead to contemporary acts including Beck\, Foo Fighters\, My Morning Jacket\, and The Black Keys. \nWith Creole Christmas\, the band brings that same spirit of musical discovery home for the holidays\, blending tradition\, celebration\, and the unmistakable sound of New Orleans. \n  \nAdd a little Louisiana flavor to your Christmas celebration! Swift’s Cajun Cuisine food truck will be parked outside on Central Street\, serving up delicious Cajun favorites before you head inside to celebrate and dance along with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band! \n \n 
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/preservation-hall-jazz-band/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Folly Presents,Jazz
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261215T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261215T190000
DTSTAMP:20260819T161350Z
CREATED:20260817T142515Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260819T161350Z
UID:10000062-1797361200-1797361200@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Bach’s Musical Offering
DESCRIPTION:The Friends presents a fascinating program in collaboration with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. An exceptional cast of seven artists\, including harpsichordist Kenneth Weiss\, one of today’s foremost interpreters of Bach\, offers a rare performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Musical Offering — a work that stands at the summit of contrapuntal art. Written in 1747 on a theme given to Bach by Frederick the Great\, the collection unfolds as a series of ricercars\, canons\, and a trio sonata\, each exploring the expressive and intellectual possibilities of a single musical idea. The program continues with music by Johann Sebastian’s sons — Johann Christian\, Carl Philipp Emanuel\, and Wilhelm Friedemann — revealing how this extraordinary musical legacy evolved from one generation to the next\, and how each son defined himself in relation to their father’s immense example. \nKenneth Weiss\, harpsichord\nBella Hristova\, violin\nSean Lee\, violin\nMatthew Lipman\, viola\nDmitri Atapine\, viola\nSooyun Kim\, flute\nJames Austin Smith\, oboe
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/bachs-musical-offering/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:The Friends Of Chamber Music Kansas City
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261217T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261217T193000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235607Z
CREATED:20260622T205142Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235607Z
UID:10000034-1797535800-1797535800@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:The Unauthorized Hallmark(ish) Parody Musical
DESCRIPTION:THE MUSICAL COMEDY THAT CELEBRATES YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY MOVIES.  \nThe Unauthorized Hallmark(ish) Parody Musical tells the story of Holly\, an overworked Big City executive who returns to her quirky small hometown TO SAVE CHRISTMAS! Along the way\, Holly juggles an old flame\, a looming corporate merger\, a cookie contest conspiracy and a moose on the loose! \nPacked with your favorite holiday movie tropes and original pop songs such as\, “Judge That Cookie” and “It Feels Like Christmas (Because It Is Literally Christmas)\,” the show offers a hilarious twist on the classic holiday movies you already know and love. \nHallmark(ish) is from the creative mind of Tim Drucker (Friends Parody Musical\, Trixie & Katya LIVE)\, with book and lyrics by Tim Drucker and Tony-Award winner Bonnie Milligan (Kimberly Akimbo\, And Just Like That\, Head Over Heels)\, music and lyrics by Joel Waggoner (School of Rock\, Advent Carolndar\, Bounty Hunter)\, and choreography by Brooke and Tiffany Engen (Hairspray\, Beetlejuice\, Rock of Ages). \nTim Drucker\nBook\, Lyrics and Director \nMeet Tim Drucker\, the brilliant comedic mind and creative force behind The Unauthorized Hallmark(ish) Parody Musical. \nTim is a New York–based director\, writer\, and producer with nearly two decades of experience creating bold\, hilarious\, and heartfelt theatre. He has directed national and international tours\, including Trixie and Katya Live! and Love Actually: The Parody Musical\, which sold out major venues like Radio City Music Hall and London’s Wembley Arena. \nHis Off-Broadway credits include Fat Camp\, Perez Hilton Saves the Universe\, Spidermusical\, and the long-running hit Sex Tips for Straight Women. Known for his quick wit and theatrical flair\, Tim brings his signature blend of comedy\, chaos\, and heart to every project — making him the perfect mastermind to turn a Hallmark holiday into a musical spectacular. \n  \nBrooke & Tiffany Engen\nCo-Choreographers \nMeet Brooke and Tiffany Engen\, the dynamic sister duo and creative powerhouses behind the choreography for The Unauthorized Hallmark(ish) Parody Musical. \nThey have built impressive careers as directors and choreographers across theatre\, television\, music videos\, live concerts\, and digital platforms. Their choreography credits include the Off-Broadway and Chicago productions of Love Actually: The Musical Parody\, Mama I’m a Big Girl Now\, and MEG4N: The Unauthorized Musical Parody\, showcasing their versatility and flair for comedy and spectacle. \nThey’ve also lent their talents to commercials like Barefoot Wine\, music videos such as Laura Bell Bundy’s “Two Step” and “Kentucky Dirty\,” and high-profile events like Broadway Bares Las Vegas. Their television work includes popular series like Hart of Dixie on CW\, Marvel’s Runaways on Hulu\, and the Emmy-winning Hairspray Live on NBC\, among others. \nWith extensive experience as associate and assistant choreographers for productions ranging from Punch in Broadway to Kennedy Center Honors and Cirque Holidaze\, Brooke and Tiffany bring a unique blend of athleticism\, humor\, and storytelling to every project. Known for their collaborative spirit and infectious enthusiasm\, they’re the perfect team to turn a festive parody into a lively\, unforgettable musical celebration. \n  \nBonnie Milligan\nBook and Lyrics \nMeet Bonnie Milligan\, Tony Award–winning Broadway powerhouse and co-writer of The Unauthorized Hallmark(ish) Parody Musical! \nBonnie made her Broadway debut in Head Over Heels and went on to win her Tony Award for Kimberly Akimbo\, earning acclaim for her powerhouse vocals\, razor-sharp humor\, and magnetic stage presence. Her theatre credits include Kinky Boots\, Gigantic\, and Titanic (Encores!)\, while her television work spans And Just Like That\, Search Party\, New Amsterdam\, and more. \nSoon\, audiences will also see her starring opposite Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti in A24’s upcoming musical comedy directed by Jesse Eisenberg. With her signature mix of heart\, hilarity\, and Broadway brilliance\, Bonnie brings a festive twist to the classic holiday story you thought you knew. \n\nJoel Waggoner\nMusic and Lyrics \nMeet Joel Waggoner\, the musical mastermind behind The Unauthorized Hallmark(ish) Parody Musical. \nA Broadway composer\, performer\, and comedian\, Joel has appeared in Be More Chill and School of Rock\, and his work has been featured in hit Off-Broadway productions like Southern Comfort and A Man of No Importance. He’s also the co-creator of the viral sensation Advent Carolndar alongside Julia Mattison — bringing his sharp wit and love of absurd holiday cheer to the internet. \nBeyond the stage\, Joel’s arrangements and performances have been featured with Randy Rainbow\, Joe Iconis\, and Alysha Umphress. His music blends humor\, warmth\, and theatrical sparkle — the perfect soundtrack for a musical that turns holiday tropes upside down.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/hallmarkish/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:Folly Presents
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Hallmark-ish-Square-Poster-1-768x768-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261218T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261218T190000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235605Z
CREATED:20261016T150045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235605Z
UID:10000097-1797620400-1797620400@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Chorus Kansas City - The Gifts We Cannot Unwrap
DESCRIPTION:Join Chorus Kansas City and the Kansas City Chamber Singers for The Gifts: Gifts We Cannot Unwrap\, a heartwarming holiday concert.  From beloved Christmas favorites to contemporary choral works\, this inspiring program celebrates the unseen gifts of the season: hope\, peace\, friendship\, and love. Filled with beautiful music and holiday magic\, this evening will leave audiences reflecting on the gifts that matter most.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/chorus-kansas-city-the-gifts-we-cannot-unwrap/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:Special Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/64f34f14-90e9-4920-aea7-fbf1713c20a4.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261219T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261219T210000
DTSTAMP:20260928T210612Z
CREATED:20260928T210612Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260928T210612Z
UID:10000082-1797706800-1797714000@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:The Swingles: Together for the Holidays
DESCRIPTION:American-born Ward Swingle first assembled a group of Parisian session singers to sing through Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier as a vocal exercise in 1962. The resulting album ‘Jazz Sebastian Bach’ (recorded initially for friends and family)\, became a huge hit\, breaking new musical ground and launching The Swingles to fame. The Swingles of today employ a similar technique in their current shows – an immersive layering up of vocals using live-looping technology to record themselves in the moment and have it play back later\, producing mesmeric (and potentially massive) musical textures. \nThe group has released more than 50 albums encompassing a huge range of music in many different styles\, fueled by Ward Swingle’s pioneering spirit and varied musical tastes. Their arrangements tend either to give a little twist to the original or turn it completely on its head. They co-wrote and performed a song for the end credits of Alexander Payne’s film ‘Downsizing’ and have appeared on many film and TV soundtracks\, including ‘Grey’s Anatomy’\, ‘Sex and the City’\, ‘Wedding Crashers’\, ‘The Holdovers’\, ‘The Two Popes’\, and ‘Glee’. The group’s latest album ‘Theatreland’ (a spectacular celebration of some of the greatest musical theatre songs as you’ve never heard them before) was released in 2024. \nThe Swingles are: \nMallika Bhagwat (India/UK)\, Sarah Alison (USA/UK)\, Laura Moisey-Gray (UK)\, James Botcher (UK)\, Owen Butcher (UK)\, Jamie Wright (UK)\, and Tom Hartley (UK). Sound Engineer: Jacques Golding (UK) \n“The vocal and choral world has changed considerably in the last 50 years… But The Swingles have managed to hold onto their distinctive niche and continue to thrive.” – CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/the-swingles-together-for-the-holidays/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:Harriman Jewell Series
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261223T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261223T190000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235607Z
CREATED:20260820T203800Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235607Z
UID:10000065-1798052400-1798052400@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Handel's Messiah by Candlelight
DESCRIPTION:Step back in time this holiday season with a candlelit performance of one of the greatest masterpieces of all time—Handel’s Messiah. Crafted in a mere 24 days\, Messiah has captivated audiences for centuries since its debut. From the jubilant “For Unto Us a Child is Born” to the awe-inspiring “Hallelujah Chorus\,” this masterpiece stands as a crowning achievement of Baroque music. This special period performance features our world-class musicians playing historical instruments\, just as Handel intended. The warm glow of candlelight will transform the Folly Theater into an 18th-century concert hall\, creating an intimate and immersive experience that evokes the wonder and reverence of Messiah’s earliest performances. A beloved tradition reimagined—don’t miss this one unforgettable evening.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/handels-messiah-by-candlelight/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Special Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/09f76b9a-4f65-4fdf-af0f-96fadfb00e49.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270122T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270122T193000
DTSTAMP:20261019T191218Z
CREATED:20261007T175122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T191218Z
UID:10000089-1800646200-1800646200@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Aha! Cabaret: Thanks\, We'll Call You
DESCRIPTION:The roles we’ll never play. The songs we were born to sing. \nA theatrical cabaret built around auditions\, casting\, rejection\, impossible dream roles\, and the songs performers rarely — or never — get the opportunity to sing. The HeartAches claim the material anyway\, regardless of age\, type\, gender\, voice part\, or what a casting table might expect. \n A new speakeasy Folly experience!
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/aha-cabaret-thanks-well-call-you/2027-01-22/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Heartland Men's Chorus
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/TWCY_1920x640.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Heartland Men's Chorus":MAILTO:hmc@hmckc.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270123T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270123T153000
DTSTAMP:20261019T191218Z
CREATED:20261007T175122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T191218Z
UID:10000090-1800718200-1800718200@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Aha! Cabaret: Thanks\, We'll Call You
DESCRIPTION:The roles we’ll never play. The songs we were born to sing. \nA theatrical cabaret built around auditions\, casting\, rejection\, impossible dream roles\, and the songs performers rarely — or never — get the opportunity to sing. The HeartAches claim the material anyway\, regardless of age\, type\, gender\, voice part\, or what a casting table might expect. \n A new speakeasy Folly experience!
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/aha-cabaret-thanks-well-call-you/2027-01-23/1/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Heartland Men's Chorus
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/TWCY_1920x640.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Heartland Men's Chorus":MAILTO:hmc@hmckc.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270123T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270123T193000
DTSTAMP:20261019T191218Z
CREATED:20261007T175122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T191218Z
UID:10000091-1800732600-1800732600@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Aha! Cabaret: Thanks\, We'll Call You
DESCRIPTION:The roles we’ll never play. The songs we were born to sing. \nA theatrical cabaret built around auditions\, casting\, rejection\, impossible dream roles\, and the songs performers rarely — or never — get the opportunity to sing. The HeartAches claim the material anyway\, regardless of age\, type\, gender\, voice part\, or what a casting table might expect. \n A new speakeasy Folly experience!
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/aha-cabaret-thanks-well-call-you/2027-01-23/2/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Heartland Men's Chorus
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/TWCY_1920x640.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Heartland Men's Chorus":MAILTO:hmc@hmckc.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270124T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270124T153000
DTSTAMP:20261019T191218Z
CREATED:20261007T175122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T191218Z
UID:10000092-1800804600-1800804600@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Aha! Cabaret: Thanks\, We'll Call You
DESCRIPTION:The roles we’ll never play. The songs we were born to sing. \nA theatrical cabaret built around auditions\, casting\, rejection\, impossible dream roles\, and the songs performers rarely — or never — get the opportunity to sing. The HeartAches claim the material anyway\, regardless of age\, type\, gender\, voice part\, or what a casting table might expect. \n A new speakeasy Folly experience!
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/aha-cabaret-thanks-well-call-you/2027-01-24/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Heartland Men's Chorus
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/TWCY_1920x640.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Heartland Men's Chorus":MAILTO:hmc@hmckc.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270127T094500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270127T113000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235606Z
CREATED:20260611T205946Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235606Z
UID:10000026-1801043100-1801049400@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Click\, Clack\, Moo
DESCRIPTION:“Cows that type? Hens on strike! Whoever heard of such a thing!” Farmer Brown cries. \nWhen his granddaughter Jenny comes for a visit\, Farmer Brown declares the farm a tech-free zone. He takes her laptop in the cold barn with the shivering cows who use her computer to type messages requesting blankets. \n“No way\,” replies Farmer Brown. “No blankets!” \nSo the cows go on strike and the chickens join them in solidarity. No blankets? No milk! No eggs! \nWill Farmer Brown give in to the animals’ demands? Will Jenny get her computer back? Find out in a hilariously moving musical about negotiation and compromise\, based on the Caldecott Honor Book by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. \nRecommended Ages: Grades K through 4 \n  \nTo order field trip tickets for groups of 20 or more\, please call the box office at 816-474-4444 or complete the Kids’ Series Order Form. \nTitle I schools have an opportunity to have ticket and bus transportation costs covered by supporters of the Folly Theater (subject to fund availability). \nShow Duration: Approximately 60 minutes\, no intermission \nSpecial group rate: $8 each for groups of 20 or more\, plus 1 free adult with each 10 paid student tickets.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/click-clack-moo/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Folly Kids' Series,Folly Presents
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/12_ClickMoo.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270129T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270129T193000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235608Z
CREATED:20260611T205949Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235608Z
UID:10000028-1801251000-1801251000@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Julian Lage
DESCRIPTION:Julian Lage’s vivid\, wondrously textured new album Speak To Me offers a series of dispatches from his ongoing search for narrative beyond words. Intimate in tone and capacious in intention\, the album represents some of the most ambitious music Lage has documented to date. Its originals travel a wide range of American music\, and delight in the deliberate crossing of wires between gospel hymn and rural blues\, California singer-songwriter sunshine and skronky jazz. \nOne piece evokes the motion of a river (“Nothing Happens Here”)\, another finds Lage bringing visceral free-jazz abandon to a tricky corkscrew of a surf-rock theme (“Speak To Me”). The songs may diverge from the orderly verse/chorus exposition of pop\, but their melodies are earworms nonetheless. Each is laced with emotional undercurrents of hope\, restlessness\, doubt; a few of them\, like the pensive “Omission” and incredibly slow “Serenade\,” are notable for dramatic human pauses. Other tunes slide around\, taking sudden fishtail turns. \nSpeak To Me showcases the guitarist and composer in a variety of settings\, including solo acoustic\, duo\, his accustomed trio with bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King\, and a larger ensemble with keyboards (from Kris Davis and Patrick Warren) and woodwinds (Levon Henry). It’s Lage’s fourth effort for Blue Note\, and it’s part of a torrent of creative activity that includes his participation in Charles Lloyd’s Trio of Trios project and records with Terri Lynn Carrington\, John Zorn\, and Cautious Clay. \nSpeak To Me was produced by Joe Henry\, the singer\, songwriter\, and producer responsible for landmark albums by Solomon Burke\, Allen Toussaint\, and many others. When Henry heard Lage’s songs in rough form – many as voice memos from his phone – he says he was immediately captivated by the challenge of the project: “For me it became ‘How can we make a record where Julian is improvising throughout\, as is his gift\, while we’re also attending to the song?’ Everything had to exist in service to the song form.” \nThis\, Lage says\, was what he wanted as well. \n“Throughout my life\, I’ve always responded to music that has a narrative quality to it\,” Lage says\, explaining that he sees his recent compositions as less a departure than an extension of originals from previous albums\, notably his 2021 Blue Note debut Squint. “I believe there is a kind of connective tissue that music has\, and it’s important\, and it’s fun to cultivate.” \nThe songs that make up Speak To Me have this quality in abundance\, along with broadly lyrical melodies that move with serene grace on the acoustic meditations\, or a reckless savagery on rhythm-forward tracks like the shuffling “76.” Lage wrote them during an unexpected torrent of inspiration in the early months of 2023\, writing music at a feverish pace without stopping to think about instrumentation or anything else. \nLage’s writing jag coincided with a long-planned European tour with his trio. The guitarist recalls it as a kind of dream. “I just wrote constantly… Without intending to do it\, I got incredibly into composing. I would write music while waiting for a plane\, then we’d get to a hotel and I’d immediately start editing. Then I’d write more. Every day was like this.” \nLage says that as the tour got underway\, he realized that the performances offered a rare chance to workshop this new material. He allows that some tunes did need it: Though the Speak To Me tunes are straightforward (Lage says they each fit on a single page of manuscript paper)\, many of them rely on intermittent recurring details\, like stop-time hits or sudden shifts in tempo\, that add suspense. Those needed some rehearsal; over time\, the trio’s interplay became an extension of what was written. \n“We’ve always done long sound checks\,” Lage says\, “just to make sure it feels right before a performance. On this tour\, because I was writing so much\, I’d show up and I’d say “OK\, we’ve got 30 songs to go through. And we did it. Dave and Jorge became integral to shaping the songs. We all got into the music beyond the notes\, you know\, ‘what’s the signature of this tune\, what’s it saying?’ That’s one of the things I love about the record. We were at the 10th iteration of most of these tunes by the time we pressed record.” \nSpeak To Me was recorded quickly\, over a few days. Instead of pre-production\, Lage and Henry maintained a steady electronic volley of discussion about tone and temperament and mission for months ahead of the sessions. When Lage was frustrated that a song he’d written didn’t align with the others\, he’d send a demo to Joe. “I’d say\, ‘I’m about to throw this one out. Is it part of the storytelling we’re trying to do with the other pieces?’ Several times I’d tell him I didn’t think a tune belonged. And he’d tell me that they did – he rescued a few tunes that way.” \n“That\,” Lage continues\, “showed me how Joe holds a space for things to happen. Sometimes that means getting everyone out of the way\, or protecting the tune from someone getting in the way. It’s like he had a forcefield around the project.” \nLage pauses to marvel at how Henry managed to shape the vibe of Speak To Me without speaking much at all. “Ever so discreetly\, he would guide things. He helped me to let go and kept my focus on reinforcing the musical qualities of the songs. He stood with the songs.”
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/julian-lage/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Folly Jazz Series,Folly Presents,Jazz
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270130T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270130T190000
DTSTAMP:20260819T163939Z
CREATED:20260817T142735Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260819T163939Z
UID:10000063-1801335600-1801335600@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Art of the Piano: Sir Stephen Hough
DESCRIPTION:Sir Stephen Hough brings to the Art of the Piano a recital built around the idea of the Klavierstück\, the short piano piece in its many forms. From Schubert and Brahms\, where the miniature becomes concentrated lyricism\, to Schoenberg and Stockhausen\, where it turns inward\, compressed\, and experimental\, the program traces how composers used brevity to achieve striking freedom and intensity. At its center stands Beethoven’s Waldstein Sonata\, expanding that same keyboard imagination onto a monumental scale\, while Schumann’s Carnaval transforms the miniature into a sequence of vivid character pieces. The evening closes with Hough’s own arrangement of a Mary Poppins suite\, adding a final note of wit and charm. A MacArthur Fellow as well as a celebrated pianist\, composer\, and writer\, Hough has been praised by The Arts Desk for combining “open-hearted virtuosity” with “a sense of an inner world beyond the notes.”
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/art-of-the-piano-sir-stephen-hough/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:The Friends Of Chamber Music Kansas City
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2701_Hough.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270205T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270205T193000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235608Z
CREATED:20260619T013405Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235608Z
UID:10000033-1801855800-1801855800@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Michael Cavanaugh
DESCRIPTION:Michael Cavanaugh is the new voice of the American Rock & Roll Songbook and a charismatic performer and musician made famous for his piano/lead vocals in the Broadway musical Movin’ Out.  Handpicked by Billy Joel to star in Movin’ Out\, Cavanaugh evokes a style rivaling the Piano Man. He appeared in the show for three years with over 1\,200 performances and received multiple accolades. The show culminated in 2003 with both Grammy and Tony award nominations. \nMichael began playing at age seven\, when his parents bought their first piano.  Encouraged by family and friends\, and inspired by his hero Billy Joel\, Michael formed his first band at age 10 and began playing local functions\, fine-tuning the craft that would become his chosen career. His first full-time gig as a musician was an extended engagement in Orlando\, Florida\, at a piano bar called Blazing Pianos. In January of 1999\, Michael received an offer that would unknowingly change his life: an opportunity to play Las Vegas at the famed New York\, New York Hotel and Casino. It was there that Billy Joel spotted Michael and joined him on stage one fateful night of February 2001.  It only took two songs before Billy was convinced that he had found his new Piano Man: Michael Cavanaugh. Michael closed up shop at New York\, New York and moved to New York City to work alongside Billy Joel and Twyla Tharp to shape the Broadway Musical that would be called Movin’ Out.  In the lead role\, he received both Tony and Grammy nominations. \nWith the close of Movin’ Out at the end of 2005\, Michael began touring in his own right\, creating a show that reinterprets the modern pop/rock songbook. Michael soon became one of the hottest artists in the private events market\, and he continues to perform worldwide for company and charity events as well as sporting events including many PGA tour events\, the SuperBowl\, and the Indy 500.  His interpretation of the modern rock/pop songbook led to Billboard calling him “The New Voice of the American Rock and Roll Songbook\,” and he was recognized by Reuters as Entertainer of the Year for the private events market. \nIt wasn’t long before symphony orchestras discovered Michael’s talents and audience appeal. He accepted his first orchestral booking\, “Michael Cavanaugh – The Songs of Billy Joel and More\,” which debuted in April 2008 with the Indianapolis Symphony and continues to tour today.  In October 2008\, he signed with Warner/ADA to distribute his first CD\, In Color.  In June 2010\, Michael debuted his second symphony show in the Generations of Rock series titled “Michael Cavanaugh: The Songs of Elton John and More” and then debuted his third symphony show\, “Singers and Songwriters: the Music of Paul Simon\, Neil Diamond and James Taylor\,” in 2012.  In 2015\, he debuted his fourth symphony show: “Rockin’ Christmas with the Pops.”  He continues to tour all four symphony productions along with performing with his band in performing arts centers and other public venues. \n“The Way I Hear It”\, his second commercial album\, was released in April 2017\, and it debuted at #17 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. \nRecently\, Michael Cavanaugh reached the POLLSTAR Live75.  The top 75 active touring acts in the country.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/michael-cavanaugh/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:Folly Presents
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270206T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270206T190000
DTSTAMP:20260819T164030Z
CREATED:20260817T143134Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260819T164030Z
UID:10000064-1801940400-1801940400@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Espressivo! Piano Quartet
DESCRIPTION:Espressivo! Piano Quartet unites distinguished chamber musicians from two generations: violinist Jaime Laredo and cellist Sharon Robinson\, long celebrated for their work in the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio\, join pianist Anna Polonsky and violist Milena Pájaro-van de Stadt in a program that moves from Classical poise to contemporary reflection and Brahmsian intensity. Mozart’s Piano Quartet in E-flat major opens the evening with one of the defining works of the genre. At the center stands Nokuthula Ngwenyama’s Joy Steppin’\, a FCMKC co-commission written for the ensemble and shaped around the idea of joy as a sustaining and hard-won human force. Brahms’s Piano Quartet in G minor closes the program with sweeping drama and gypsy abandon.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/espressivo-piano-quartet/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:The Friends Of Chamber Music Kansas City
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2702_Espressivo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270210T094500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270211T113000
DTSTAMP:20261019T184650Z
CREATED:20260611T205958Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T184650Z
UID:10000032-1802252700-1802345400@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Cancelled
DESCRIPTION:Unfortunately\, all 4 performances of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Interactive Show have been cancelled. \nExperience the spellbinding stories and colorful characters of beloved author and artist Eric Carle in a whole new way\, with The Very Hungry Caterpillar Interactive Show! \nCreated by Jonathan Rockefeller\, this innovative stage brings to life four Eric Carle stories\, through 45 magical\, handcrafted puppets\, world-class puppeteering and lively original musical that invites your little one to play along with their favorite stories! \nAlong with The Very Hungry Caterpillar\, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Interactive Show includes three additional Carle classics. Audiences will get up and move with  From Head to Toe; dream and sing with The Very Quiet Cricket; and play along mischievous shapes of Little Cloud. \nWe invite you to take an unforgettable\, hour-long journey full of color\, wit\, imagination – and one VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR. \n  \nTo order field trip tickets for groups of 20 or more\, please call the box office at 816-474-4444 or complete the Kids’ Series Order Form. \nTitle I schools have an opportunity to have ticket and bus transportation costs covered by supporters of the Folly Theater (subject to fund availability). \nShow Duration: Approximately 60 minutes\, no intermission \nSpecial group rate: $8 each for groups of 20 or more\, plus 1 free adult with each 10 paid student tickets.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/the-very-hungry-caterpillar/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:Folly Kids' Series,Folly Presents
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270213T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270213T193000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235604Z
CREATED:20260611T205944Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235604Z
UID:10000023-1802547000-1802547000@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet
DESCRIPTION:Described by NPR Music as “one of the most acclaimed jazz artists of his generation\, a trumpeter of deep expressive resources and a composer of kaleidoscopic vision\,” Ambrose Akinmusire has made a home at the crossroads of different musical forms and languages\, from post-bop and avant-garde jazz to contemporary chamber music and hip-hop to singer-songwriter aesthetics. His 2018 release Origami Harvest features rapper Kool A.D. with the Mivos String Quartet and was named a top album of the year by The New York Times\, The Philadelphia Inquirer\, The Los Angeles Times and more. \nThe Oakland\, California native and Blue Note recording artist has made consistently adventurous\, enduring music with a committed band of dear friends: pianist Sam Harris\, bassist Harish Raghavan and drummer Justin Brown\, whose unforgettable chemistry is captured on the 2017 double album A Rift in Decorum: Live at the Village Vanguard (“amazingly effective” – DownBeat). The quartet reaches new heights with their GRAMMY-nominated 2020 release on the tender spot of every calloused moment\, featuring liner notes by the great Archie Shepp. On these and other releases\, Akinmusire aspires to create richly textured emotional landscapes that tell the stories of the community\, record the time and change the standard. While committed to the lineage of black invention and innovation\, he is able to honor tradition without being stifled by it. \nAkinmusire has received numerous composer commissions: from the Berlin Jazz Festival for “Mae Mae\,” a suite based on Mattie May Thomas’s 1939 field recordings; from the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Liquid Music Commission (for Origami Harvest); from The Kennedy Center for “Untitled\,” featuring MacArthur Fellow Cécile McLorin Salvant and others; from the Hyde Park Jazz Festival Commission for “Banyan\,” a work for 12- piece ensemble that builds on Ambrose’s interest in the role of the griot and mentor in social and jazz history; and the Monterey Jazz Festival Commission for “The Forgotten Places” featuring Salvant\, Theo Bleckmann and quartet plus clarinet\, cello\, harp and guitar. More recently\, Akinmusire has branched out as a composer and has begun creating music for film and television projects including\, most notably\, the new Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal series\, “Blindspotting.” \nFollowing his evocative 2007 debut Prelude… To Cora on the Fresh Sound label\, Akinmusire joined Blue Note in 2011 with when the heart emerges glistening\, produced by Jason Moran and featuring Raghavan and Brown with Gerald Clayton on piano and Walter Smith III on tenor sax. Akinmusire’s lyricism\, distinctive harmonic language and rich sense of dynamic and timbral contrast set him apart. Highly virtuosic in execution\, the music had a pointed social dimension as well: “My Name Is Oscar” initiated what became a theme linking all of Akinmusire’s studio albums\, in which the names of murdered African Americans are recited and remembered with dignity. On the imagined savior is far easier to paint (2014)\, hailed as “a gorgeous\, moving album” in JazzTimes\, “Roll Call for Those Absent” took up the matter of injustice once again\, as did “Free\, White and 21” on Origami Harvest and the stark solo Fender Rhodes finale “Hooded Procession (read the names outloud)” on calloused moment. \nimagined savior found Akinmusire broadening his sonic and stylistic reach as well by incorporating guitarist Charles Altura\, the Osso String Quartet and singers/cowriters Becca Stevens\, Theo Bleckmann and Cold Specks\, each with their own widely diverging vocal sound. (Akinmusire reciprocated\, playing on Cold Specks’ 2014 release Neuroplasticity.) On calloused moment\, vocalist Genevieve Artadi of Knower sings original lyrics on Akinmusire’s “Cynical sideliners\,” in an affecting duet with the leader on Rhodes. Percussionist/vocalist Jesus Diaz also contributes Yoruba vocals on the opening “Tide of Hyacinth.” \nIn 2024\, Akinmusire signed to Nonesuch records and released the Grammy nominated “ Owl Song” featuring guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Herlin Riley. Owl Song is the first of three records Akinmusire will be releasing over the couple of years. Each will spotlight a distinct element of Akinmusire’s musical world and involve different instrumentation and production approaches. He confesses that he’s not one of those artists who breezes through his work; every record in his discography has challenged his thinking in some fundamental way. He focuses on the granular detail of the process\, and only later\, when he looks back\, does he appreciate the entire journey of the project. Akinmusire will be releasing the second record\, honey from a winter stone ( featuring rapper Kokayi\, the Mivos Quartet\, Sam Harris\, Justin Brown and Chiquita Magic) in January 2025. \nAkinmusire has performed as a featured soloist with Archie Shepp’s Attica Blues Big Band as well as AACM multireeds innovator Roscoe Mitchell in an intimate quartet setting at San Francisco’s The Lab (a two-night event documented on the live album Come and See What There Is to See). “Mr. Roscoe (consider the simultaneous)\,” from Famoudou Don Moye and Amina Claudine Myers)\, as well as calloused moment\, finds Akinmusire honoring Mitchell and grappling on his own terms with lessons learned under Mitchell’s wing. \nIn addition to his five Blue Note outings\, Akinmusire has made signal contributions to groundbreaking albums across a wide stylistic and genre-defying spectrum\, including Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl and Brad Mehldau’s Finding Gabriel. He has collaborated with acclaimed pianist Kris Davis in duo and trio settings at the Vision Festival\, the North Sea Jazz Festival and elsewhere. He appears on Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 landmark To Pimp a Butterfly\, on the closing track “Mortal Man.” In 2016 he was a featured soloist and composer with the WDR Big Band in Cologne\, performing alongside pianist/arranger/conductor Orrin Evans. He played on Joni Mitchell’s 2014 release Love Has Many Faces\, and in 2018 accompanied Chaka Khan\, James Taylor and other luminaries honoring Mitchell in a gala concert documented on Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration. Other sideman highlights include recordings by Jack DeJohnette\, Marcus Miller\, Steve Coleman\, and Terri Lyne Carrington. Akinmusire received his 2nd GRAMMY nomination –for “Best Improvised Solo”– on Carrington’s 2022 release\, New Standards Vol 1 \nIn addition to winning the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 2007 and the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition the same year\, Akinmusire has frequently topped the JazzTimes and Downbeat annual critics polls. He has received the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award (2014); Le Grand Prix de l’Académie du Jazz (2014); Germany’s ECHO Jazz Award (Instrumentalist of the Year/Brass); and The Netherlands’ Paul Acket Award. A sought-after educator as well\, Akinmusire has taught at the Dave Brubeck Institute\, Stanford Jazz Workshop\, Musik-Akademie Basel\, Banff Centre\, Berklee College of Music (as Artist-in-Residence)\, Princeton University\, McGill University\, Indiana University\, University of Massachusetts Amherst\, University of Southern California\, Conservatorium van Amsterdam\, New Zealand School of Music\, Vriednden Antwerpen and more. \nA graduate of Manhattan School of Music\, Akinmusire lived for several years in New York before returning to the West Coast to attend the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in Los Angeles while also pursuing a master’s degree at USC’s Thornton School of Music. During another five-year stint in New York he performed with the likes of Vijay Iyer\, Aaron Parks and Esperanza Spalding. He then returned to LA and joined the faculty at Thornton for two years before coming full circle: back to Berkeley\, where he now resides with his family. \nIn 2023\, Akinmusire was named the artistic director of the Herbie Hancock Institute.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/ambrose-akinmusire/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:Folly Jazz Series,Folly Presents,Jazz
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270219T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270219T200000
DTSTAMP:20261019T190022Z
CREATED:20261019T190022Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T190022Z
UID:10000098-1803063600-1803067200@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Pinocchio
DESCRIPTION:Family-Friendly Performances performed by Kansas City Ballet Second Company Dancers\n\nWHEN A WOODEN PUPPET LEARNS TO BE REAL.\n\nPart of Kansas City Ballet’s Family Series\, Bruce Wells’ Pinocchio is an hour-long\, narrated ballet that brings the beloved story to life through captivating dance\, colorful characters\, and imaginative storytelling. Follow the wooden puppet’s extraordinary journey as he dreams of becoming a real boy\, encountering mischievous adventures\, unexpected dangers\, and life-changing lessons along the way. Filled with humor\, heart\, and dazzling choreography\, this enchanting\, family-friendly production celebrates honesty\, courage\, and the power of love—perfect for young audiences and first-time ballet goers.\n\n\nInspired by “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Carlo Collodi.\n\nChoreography\nBruce Wells \nMusic\nNicola Piovani and Amilcare Ponchielli\nCostume Design\nPacific Northwest Ballet Costume Shop\nScenic Design\nEdith Whitsett\n\nRun time is 55 minutes with no intermission.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/pinocchio/2027-02-19/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Dance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/KCB27-Pinocchio-1920x850-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270220T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270220T120000
DTSTAMP:20261019T190022Z
CREATED:20261019T190022Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T190022Z
UID:10000099-1803121200-1803124800@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Pinocchio
DESCRIPTION:Family-Friendly Performances performed by Kansas City Ballet Second Company Dancers\n\nWHEN A WOODEN PUPPET LEARNS TO BE REAL.\n\nPart of Kansas City Ballet’s Family Series\, Bruce Wells’ Pinocchio is an hour-long\, narrated ballet that brings the beloved story to life through captivating dance\, colorful characters\, and imaginative storytelling. Follow the wooden puppet’s extraordinary journey as he dreams of becoming a real boy\, encountering mischievous adventures\, unexpected dangers\, and life-changing lessons along the way. Filled with humor\, heart\, and dazzling choreography\, this enchanting\, family-friendly production celebrates honesty\, courage\, and the power of love—perfect for young audiences and first-time ballet goers.\n\n\nInspired by “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Carlo Collodi.\n\nChoreography\nBruce Wells \nMusic\nNicola Piovani and Amilcare Ponchielli\nCostume Design\nPacific Northwest Ballet Costume Shop\nScenic Design\nEdith Whitsett\n\nRun time is 55 minutes with no intermission.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/pinocchio/2027-02-20/1/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Dance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/KCB27-Pinocchio-1920x850-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270220T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270220T153000
DTSTAMP:20261019T190022Z
CREATED:20261019T190022Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T190022Z
UID:10000100-1803133800-1803137400@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Pinocchio
DESCRIPTION:Family-Friendly Performances performed by Kansas City Ballet Second Company Dancers\n\nWHEN A WOODEN PUPPET LEARNS TO BE REAL.\n\nPart of Kansas City Ballet’s Family Series\, Bruce Wells’ Pinocchio is an hour-long\, narrated ballet that brings the beloved story to life through captivating dance\, colorful characters\, and imaginative storytelling. Follow the wooden puppet’s extraordinary journey as he dreams of becoming a real boy\, encountering mischievous adventures\, unexpected dangers\, and life-changing lessons along the way. Filled with humor\, heart\, and dazzling choreography\, this enchanting\, family-friendly production celebrates honesty\, courage\, and the power of love—perfect for young audiences and first-time ballet goers.\n\n\nInspired by “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Carlo Collodi.\n\nChoreography\nBruce Wells \nMusic\nNicola Piovani and Amilcare Ponchielli\nCostume Design\nPacific Northwest Ballet Costume Shop\nScenic Design\nEdith Whitsett\n\nRun time is 55 minutes with no intermission.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/pinocchio/2027-02-20/2/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Dance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/KCB27-Pinocchio-1920x850-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270220T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270220T190000
DTSTAMP:20261019T190022Z
CREATED:20261019T190022Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T190022Z
UID:10000101-1803146400-1803150000@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Pinocchio
DESCRIPTION:Family-Friendly Performances performed by Kansas City Ballet Second Company Dancers\n\nWHEN A WOODEN PUPPET LEARNS TO BE REAL.\n\nPart of Kansas City Ballet’s Family Series\, Bruce Wells’ Pinocchio is an hour-long\, narrated ballet that brings the beloved story to life through captivating dance\, colorful characters\, and imaginative storytelling. Follow the wooden puppet’s extraordinary journey as he dreams of becoming a real boy\, encountering mischievous adventures\, unexpected dangers\, and life-changing lessons along the way. Filled with humor\, heart\, and dazzling choreography\, this enchanting\, family-friendly production celebrates honesty\, courage\, and the power of love—perfect for young audiences and first-time ballet goers.\n\n\nInspired by “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Carlo Collodi.\n\nChoreography\nBruce Wells \nMusic\nNicola Piovani and Amilcare Ponchielli\nCostume Design\nPacific Northwest Ballet Costume Shop\nScenic Design\nEdith Whitsett\n\nRun time is 55 minutes with no intermission.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/pinocchio/2027-02-20/3/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Dance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/KCB27-Pinocchio-1920x850-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270221T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270221T130000
DTSTAMP:20261019T190022Z
CREATED:20261019T190022Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T190022Z
UID:10000102-1803211200-1803214800@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Pinocchio
DESCRIPTION:Family-Friendly Performances performed by Kansas City Ballet Second Company Dancers\n\nWHEN A WOODEN PUPPET LEARNS TO BE REAL.\n\nPart of Kansas City Ballet’s Family Series\, Bruce Wells’ Pinocchio is an hour-long\, narrated ballet that brings the beloved story to life through captivating dance\, colorful characters\, and imaginative storytelling. Follow the wooden puppet’s extraordinary journey as he dreams of becoming a real boy\, encountering mischievous adventures\, unexpected dangers\, and life-changing lessons along the way. Filled with humor\, heart\, and dazzling choreography\, this enchanting\, family-friendly production celebrates honesty\, courage\, and the power of love—perfect for young audiences and first-time ballet goers.\n\n\nInspired by “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Carlo Collodi.\n\nChoreography\nBruce Wells \nMusic\nNicola Piovani and Amilcare Ponchielli\nCostume Design\nPacific Northwest Ballet Costume Shop\nScenic Design\nEdith Whitsett\n\nRun time is 55 minutes with no intermission.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/pinocchio/2027-02-21/1/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Dance
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270221T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270221T163000
DTSTAMP:20261019T190022Z
CREATED:20261019T190022Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T190022Z
UID:10000103-1803223800-1803227400@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Pinocchio
DESCRIPTION:Family-Friendly Performances performed by Kansas City Ballet Second Company Dancers\n\nWHEN A WOODEN PUPPET LEARNS TO BE REAL.\n\nPart of Kansas City Ballet’s Family Series\, Bruce Wells’ Pinocchio is an hour-long\, narrated ballet that brings the beloved story to life through captivating dance\, colorful characters\, and imaginative storytelling. Follow the wooden puppet’s extraordinary journey as he dreams of becoming a real boy\, encountering mischievous adventures\, unexpected dangers\, and life-changing lessons along the way. Filled with humor\, heart\, and dazzling choreography\, this enchanting\, family-friendly production celebrates honesty\, courage\, and the power of love—perfect for young audiences and first-time ballet goers.\n\n\nInspired by “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Carlo Collodi.\n\nChoreography\nBruce Wells \nMusic\nNicola Piovani and Amilcare Ponchielli\nCostume Design\nPacific Northwest Ballet Costume Shop\nScenic Design\nEdith Whitsett\n\nRun time is 55 minutes with no intermission.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/pinocchio/2027-02-21/2/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Dance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/KCB27-Pinocchio-1920x850-1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270227T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270227T190000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235607Z
CREATED:20260423T090544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235607Z
UID:10000008-1803754800-1803754800@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Grand Kyiv Ballet
DESCRIPTION:Swan Lake: Symphony of Lights” is the landmark new production of the upcoming season.\nTchaikovsky’s iconic score opens the door to an entirely reimagined world: vivid light design\, illuminated costumes\, and world-class dancers from around the globe transform the classic ballet into a mesmerizing visual experience. \nThis is more than a performance — it’s an immersion into a story of love and magic\, told through light\, movement\, and music. Each act unfolds like a living art installation\, where timeless tradition meets bold contemporary design. \nDiscover Swan Lake in a whole new light — a legend reborn with breathtaking imagery and emotional power.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/grand-kyiv-ballet/
LOCATION:MO
CATEGORIES:Special Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270305T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270306T130000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235604Z
CREATED:20261109T204214Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235604Z
UID:10000105-1804275000-1804338000@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Ailey II
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/ailey-ii/
LOCATION:MO
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270307T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270307T183000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235605Z
CREATED:20260611T205945Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235605Z
UID:10000024-1804444200-1804444200@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:Billy Childs Quintet: 70th Birthday Celebration
DESCRIPTION:Billy Childs has emerged as one of the foremost American composers of his era\, successfully marrying the musical products of his heritage with the Western neoclassical traditions of the twentieth century in a powerful symbiosis of style\, range\, and dynamism. \nThus far\, in his career\, Childs has garnered seventeen Grammy nominations and six Grammy awards including two for Best Instrumental Jazz Album (Winds of Change in 2024 and Rebirth in 2018)\, and two for Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist (including New York Tendaberry from Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro\, featuring Renee Fleming and Yo-Yo Ma). In 2006\, Childs was awarded a Chamber Music America composer’s grant\, and in 2009 was the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.  In 2013 he was awarded the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award.  He has also been awarded a composers award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (2015).  In 2018\, Childs was named “Outstanding Alumnus” of the Thornton School of Music (sharing that honor with\, among others\, Morton Lauridsen\, Michael Tilson Thomas\, and Marilyn Horne).  Childs has also served as president of Chamber Music America (2016-2022). \nBorn in Los Angeles\, he entered USC as a composition major\, graduating four years later with a bachelor of music in composition under the tutelage of Robert Linn. Since then Mr. Childs has received a number of orchestral and chamber commissions from\, among others: Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic\, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Slatkin\, the Los Angeles Master Chorale\,  Monterey Jazz Festival\, the Dorian Wind Quintet\, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra\, the American Brass Quintet\, the Ying Quartet\, the Lyris Quartet\, Anne Akiko Meyers\, Rachel Barton Pine\, and Inna Faliks. \nAs a pianist Childs has performed with\, among others\, Freddie Hubbard\, J.J. Johnson\, Yo-Yo Ma\, Sting\, Renee Fleming\, the Los Angeles Philharmonic\, the Detroit Symphony\, Chick Corea\, the Kronos Quartet\, Wynton Marsalis\, Jack DeJohnette\, the Dorian Wind Quintet\, Ying Quartet\, the American Brass Quintet\, and Dave Holland. \nChilds’ solo jazz recording career includes four critically acclaimed albums on the Windham Hill Jazz label and two volumes of Chamber Jazz music (Lyric\, Vol. 1\, 2006 and Autumn: In Moving Pictures\, Vol. 2\, 2010). Childs expanded upon his talent for seamlessly straddling the lines between jazz and classical worlds with a collection of re-imagined Laura Nyro compositions for Sony Masterworks\, released in September 2014.  Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro\, was produced by Larry Klein and features as guest artists\, among others: Renée Fleming\, Yo-Yo Ma\, Wayne Shorter\, Alison Kraus\, Dianne Reeves\, Chris Botti\, Esperanza Spalding\, and Lisa Fischer.  In 2017\, Childs released the first of his four Mack Avenue recordings\, the Grammy Award-winning Rebirth\, which was followed by 2020’s Acceptance and 2023’s Grammy Award-winning The Winds of Change. In Spring 2026 he releases Triumvirate which is his first trio album in 20 years. \nChilds is an in-demand clinician\, whose recent invitations include working with students at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London\, masterclasses at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen\, Germany\, and an educational residency at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/billy-childs/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Folly Jazz Series,Folly Presents,Jazz
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270309T094500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270309T113000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235609Z
CREATED:20260611T205956Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235609Z
UID:10000031-1804585500-1804591800@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:The Stinky Cheese Man
DESCRIPTION:Based on the book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. Poor Jack. He’s got to use his wits to save himself from the terrible Giant\, but a host of familiar fairytale characters keep messing up his plans—and then there’s that annoying Stinky Cheese Man! The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales deconstructs the tradition of the fairy tale. Characters slide in and out of tales; Cinderella rebuffs Rumpelstiltskin\, and Goldilocks meets the Three Elephants. Nothing is quite the same as you remember it. \nRecommended for Ages 6 – 10 years\, Grades 1 – 3 \nCurriculum connections – Language Arts\, Literature\, Vocabulary\, Spelling\, Creative Writing\, Story Telling \n  \nTo order field trip tickets for groups of 20 or more\, please call the box office at 816-474-4444 or complete the Kids’ Series Order Form. \nTitle I schools have an opportunity to have ticket and bus transportation costs covered by supporters of the Folly Theater (subject to fund availability). \nShow Duration: Approximately 60 minutes\, no intermission \nSpecial group rate: $8 each for groups of 20 or more\, plus 1 free adult with each 10 paid student tickets.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/the-stinky-cheese-man/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Folly Kids' Series,Folly Presents
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/0312StinkyCheese01_t653-360x360-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20270327T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20270327T193000
DTSTAMP:20261111T235604Z
CREATED:20260611T205944Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T235604Z
UID:10000022-1806175800-1806175800@follytheater.org
SUMMARY:David Basse with the Dave Stryker Trio and special guest Lisa Henry - A Tribute to Kevin Mahogany
DESCRIPTION:David Basse’s warm inviting voice draws listeners into the world of jazz. With several recordings to his credit\, his productions feature artists who attest to the depth of Basse’s music\, Larry Bunker\, Bill Henderson\, Oleta Adams\, as well as renowned lyricist Arthur Hamilton. \nThe distinctive warmth of his voice helped Basse establish a lasting professional relationship with Mike Melvoin\, former President of NARAS. Melvoin was selected to accompany Basse for the vocalist’s Los Angeles debut\, marking the start of a collaboration that spanned nearly twenty years and yielded several acclaimed recordings\, including two Basse-produced projects featuring Melvoin and saxophonist Phil Woods. Notably\, “It’s Always You” resulted in a Grammy nomination for Melvoin in the jazz solo category in 2004. \n“All performers revere the kind of reception Basse received one recent Saturday night\, but they don’t all seek it as pointedly as he does. “I consider myself an artist\, and the picture I paint is a room full of happy people\,” says Basse. “I want people to be involved. I really strive to have everyone in the room included.” Zan Stewart\, Los Angeles Times \nOn September 10th\, 2001\, renowned saxophonist Bobby Watson was en route to Italy\, he graciously stopped by to record what became the album “Old Friends\, New Point\,” alongside Basse and his fine ensemble at KC’s “New Point Grille.” As the Musical Director of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and with his band Horizon\, Bobby received international recognition\, most notably his tour of China in autumn of 2025. \n“With the soul of a bon vivant and the spirit of a hipster . . . Basse scats with insouciance\, reels you into ballads with a raconteur’s charm.” George Kansler\, Hot House – New York \nSaxophonist Tivon Pennicott & pianist Sullivan Fortner joined forces with Basse for a sold out performance at Kansas City’s Folly Theater during SPOTLIGHT: Charlie Parker in August of 2017. \n“The Voice of Kansas City” John Hughes\, The Kansas City Times \nBasse speaks to the music\, through the music\, with an easy style and a genuine love of the art. He draws deeply from personal experience\, his interviews are often full of mutual respect\, and his genuine abilities to gracefully navigate the listener through recordings of all styles are\, “like the movements of a symphony.” \nDavid Basse is the recipient of the 2018 Bobby Watson Jazz Journalism Scholarship at The University of Missouri\, Kansas City.
URL:https://follytheater.org/event/a-tribute-to-kevin-mahogany/
LOCATION:Folly Theater\, 300 w 12th street\, kansas city\, MO\, 64105\, United States
CATEGORIES:Folly Jazz Series,Folly Presents,Jazz
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://follytheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Untitled-design-12-768x768-1-1.png
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END:VCALENDAR