The weather’s cooling down, but the arts scene in Kansas City is heating up. The 2023-2024 season is here, and our world-class arts and cultural destinations have pulled out all the stops this year. Our local talent is the best it’s ever been, and you’re not going to want to miss a minute of it. We’re making it easy to sample everything Kansas City has to offer in arts this fall—here’s your go-to guide to finding it all.
Museums & Exhibits
Johnson County Arts And Heritage Center
A beacon of arts and culture in Johnson County, the Arts and Heritage Center hosts three resident theater companies: Theatre in the Park, The Barn Players, and Spinning Tree Theatre Company, putting on shows like Tick, Tick…Boom! (September 8-17), Little Shop of Horrors (October 6-22), and RAGTIME: In Concert (October 26-29). The museum partners with artists for local installations like Chris Dahlquist’s Cloud Cover, and celebrates Johnson County history with exhibits and presentations on artifacts in the museum and the stories behind them, called Once Upon an Artifact, with Johnson County Community College (September 27). The museum celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with a free event on October 4.
Kansas City Artists Coalition
Borne from the sentiments of the sixties—civil rights, anti-war, student activism, the women’s movement, free love, and the impulse for self-determination, the Kansas City Artists Coalition began with a goal to create a strong voice for the concerns of artists. This season kicks off with sculptor Elaine Buss (August 4-25) and Philo Northrup (August 4-25). For art celebrating cannabis culture, find Fresh Karma’s show starting September 22. The annual Art for All show runs from November 3-24 and focuses on small works priced under $500. Check their website for more information.
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
New York-based artist Sarah Zapata plays with sculptural and textile techniques in her new installation Sarah Zapata: So the roots be known, in part inspired by local lesbian and feminist histories, with allusions and notes of homage to local revolutionaries and writers. Zapata uses sewing, coiling, and weaving techniques to express the intersections of her plural identities, and the installation will be on display from August 17, 2023 to July 27, 2024. Julie Blackmon: A Life in Frame runs from September 14, 2023 to January 6, 2024. The photographic exhibition is tied to Blackmon’s Midwestern cultural heritage. She was inspired by growing up in “a generic town in the middle of the U.S.,” and the work engages broader ideas of family dynamics, social space, and art history. More details on their website.
The National WWI Museum & Memorial
An iconic part of Kansas City culture, the World War I Museum and Memorial was designated as the nation’s official WWI Museum in 2004 and designated a National Historic Landmark on September 20, 2006. The museum’s Night at the Tower event on September 30 celebrates and benefits this historic and cultural landmark. The Main Gallery of the museum holds a permanent exhibit dedicated to seeing the war through the eyes of those who lived it. Another exhibit hall highlights the various ways soldiers entertained themselves and kept up morale, and the Ellis Gallery exhibits unique envelopes and letters in Mail Call. An online exhibit details some African-American wartime experiences, during a time of federal segregation when the national call for “the rights of mankind” rang hollow. Learn more at their website.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
The work of photographer Evelyn Hofer is coming to the Nelson with Eyes on the City, the first major museum exhibition of her photography in the United States in over 50 years. The exhibition features more than 100 vintage prints focusing on European and American cities (September 16). The photography continues with Cities are for People: Street Photography, featuring a selection of candid shots from everyday life (September 30).
Also on display this fall is My Father’s Death from Sonam Dolma Brauen, a sculpture assembled using robes donated by Tibetan monks. The exhibition is paired with Buddhist sculptures from Nepal and Tibet (October 28 – November 11). Visit their website for a full calendar of upcoming exhibitions.
Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art
Since opening in 2007, the Nerman Museum has received national and international acclaim for its exhibitions, architecture, and permanent collection. PhotograpHER runs through November 26, highlighting photographic works by women. The artists employ the female gaze to challenge assumptions, change perspectives, and catch ourselves in the act of looking. Resilience Story by Andrew Mcilvaine explores how art can transcend systemic inequalities. Featuring his relationship with his father, this show “is about redemption through imprisonment and generational movement,” Mcilvaine says. This mixed-media and sound installation runs through October 15. More information can be found on their website.
Performing Arts
City in Motion
A dance school, a performance series, and a professional dance company, but also more than that—City in Motion calls itself a community first. Specializing in fostering the next generation of dance talent, the Youth Dance Theater and Apprentice Company provide opportunities for Kansas City’s children to express themselves through artistry in motion. The 23rd annual Dance in the Park event on September 9 is your chance to catch them this fall at Roanoke Park. Learn more on their website.
The Coterie
Delighting and enriching the lives of young audiences for over 40 years, The Coterie was once described as “a theatre that resolutely refuses to talk down to its audience” by Travel+Leisure magazine. The 2023/2024 season begins with Justice At War, an interactive drama about Mitsuye Endo, the inspiring young woman who challenged her incarceration in the American internment camps during WWII (September 19-October 15). Returning to the stage is Electric Poe, with three newly adapted Poe works (October 19-November 5), and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical is ringing in the holiday season (November 7-December 31). Check out their website for the full schedule.
Folly Theater
Rock and soul singer Bette Smith is bringing her new album, The Good, The Bad, and the Bette, to the Folly as part of the Bridge-Americana Concert Series, a collaboration with Kansas City’s local NPR music station, 90.9 The Bridge (September 30). The Folly Jazz Series calendar invites singing sensation Samara Joy (October 14) and the Alexa Tarantino Quartet (November 11). The Folly Kids Series ends the year with It’s Okay To Be Different—Stories by Todd Parr (November 13), adapted by The Mermaid Theater, and Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System (December 11). View the full schedule on their website.
Friends of Chamber Music
Since Friends of Chamber Music began in 1975, it has evolved from performances in private homes to dozens of annual concerts from musicians all over the world. The 48th season is described simply as “brilliance,” beginning with the Aizuri Quartet, winners of the Cleveland Quartet Award and the M-Prize, making their Kansas City debut (September 23). Also on the schedule are Grammy nominees VOICES8 (October 21), Quartetto di Cremona (October 28), and Master Pianists Sir András Schiff (November 14), and Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung (December 5). The Friends also co-commissioned a program exploring the “new horizons” of chamber music, including a piano trio with composer David Serkin Ludwig (October 7). Find out more on their website.
Harriman-Jewell Series
The 2023/2024 season of the Harriman-Jewell Series is all about “classical performing arts—with a twist.” Since 1965, this performing arts organization is responsible for bringing some of the most respected and recognizable performers to Kansas City. Highlights from this 59th season include Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Featuring Wynton Marsalis (October 20), the Mark Morris Dance Group Performing The Look of Love (November 17), tenor Juan Diego Flórez (November 26), and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (January 23). The Discovery series is free, offering a chance to see exciting new emerging artists like pianist Mahani Teave (September 9) and violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins (November 10). Find the full schedule on their website.
Heartland Men’s Chorus
In 1986, a small group of gay men formed a choral group that quickly became a safe haven for a community looking for respite from prejudice and the devastating AIDS crisis. Holding this history close, the Heartland Men’s Chorus continues to evolve and build community with diverse audiences. Their season begins with an annual holiday concert the first weekend of December, putting a fresh twist on the usual fare. Visit their website to stay updated for the rest of the season.
Kansas City Actors Theatre
Kansas City Actors Theatre (KCAT) is artist-led and artist-driven, defined by its tagline, “Great actors. Smart plays.” Found on City Stage, in the lower level of Union Station, KCAT’s 19th season begins with Grand Horizons, a 2020 Tony Award nominee for Best Play, depicting the amicable downfall of a marriage and the fallout within a family and retirement community (August 16 – September 3). From September 13 to October 1, Skeleton Crew takes you back to the 2008 recession via an auto plant in Detroit. The season ends with the suspenseful thrill ride Gaslight (Angel Street), which depicts a deceitful marriage—and the origins of “gaslighting.” Learn more about each show on their website.
Kansas City Ballet
Promising an exciting and unforgettable experience for all ages, the KC Ballet begins its 66th season this fall. “I am honored to be able to start our 66th season off with a huge bang with the North American premiere of Val Caniparoli’s original telling of the hugely spectacular psychological thriller of the great literary classic Jekyll and Hyde,” says artistic director Devon Carney (October 13-22). The literary tradition continues with Peter Pan next February 16-25, before concluding with Jewels in May. The Nutcracker will also make its annual return to mark the holiday season between December 1-24. Need more ballet? Visit their website.
Kansas City Chorale
Bringing choral music to Kansas City since 1982, Kansas City Chorale performs a wide variety of contemporary and traditional music. Since 1988, Grammy winner Charles Bruffy has led the Chorale to international recognition. Two October performances of Songs of the Heavens (October 1, October 5), begin the fall season before moving into the Chorale’s annual slate of holiday concerts, including Wintersong (November 30, December 19), A Chorale Family Christmas (December 11), and the returning A Christmas Carol (December 8, 10). Spring Song, a free event at the Nelson-Atkins Museum, is also back in March. Check out their website for the full season schedule.
Kansas City Jazz Orchestra
Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is about both performance and education—preserving the traditions and heritage of jazz, while also nurturing its growth. The 2023/2024 season reflects these values and celebrates our city’s jazz history and future with a release party for Eboni Fondren’s In The Key of KC (September 23), The Music of Vince Guaraldi (December 5), and a Conversations event featuring stories and performances with award-winning vocalist Lisa Henry (February 9-10). Find more events on their website.
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
Believe it or not, this year celebrates 60 years of transformative theater with the KCRep. The theater is kicking off the occasion with a sexy take on Cyrano de Bergerac (September 5-24), before moving to What the Constitution Means to Me, an emotional and political work hot off the Broadway presses (October 24-November 12). A KCRep classic, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol makes a return from November 21–December 24. The deeply personal Nina Simone: Four Women takes on the life of one of the 20th century’s most influential singers (February 13-March 3), and the season ends with the one-of-a-kind man-eating plant musical, Little Shop of Horrors (April 30-May 19). Find the full season on their website.
Kansas City Symphony
In his 20 years as music director of the KC Symphony, Michael Stern has grown the Symphony to become one of the top orchestras in the country. He’s pulled out all the stops to mark the upcoming season, which will be his last. “Making music matter in Kansas City has been a joyous mission for 20 years, and becoming part of the Kansas City Symphony family has been my honor. Making this season happen has been both bittersweet and a joyous labor of love,” he says. The symphony is planning 14 classical concert series weekends, five contemporary pop concerts—beginning with Audra McDonald September 15-17—and a family series, with fun and educational performances designed with children in mind. Head to their website for your choice of music vibe this fall.
Kauffman Center Presents
The beginning of this fall season marks 12 years since the grand opening of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and its reputation for bringing internationally recognized artists and performers to Kansas City with Kauffman Center Presents. Gregory Porter, dubbed “America’s Next Great Jazz Singer” by NPR, kicks off the fall season with the uplifting and soulful singing that earned him two Grammy awards (September 10). Herb Alpert and Lani Hall bring their informal performance style to the Kauffman September 21, with an eclectic mix of American standards, Brazilian jazz, some Beatles, and Tijuana brass. Daniel O’Donnell (October 3) continues the season before it finishes up with an irreverent evening of magic inspired and curated by Penn & Teller—though they won’t be in attendance (October 4). Head to their website for the full fall season.
Lyric Opera Kansas City
Infidelity, revenge, Italy—that’s where it all begins for the Lyric Opera this season. With Cavalleria Rusticana /Pagliacci, the play within the play is the play. Can you tell what’s real? September 23-October 1. The Sound of Music, performed in English, tells a story of love, family, and triumph over adversity. Plus, the von Trapps! Running from November 4-November 12. Shakespeare’s most famous play takes the stage reimagined through French opera, as Roméo et Juliette (March 9-17). The season finishes with Journey to Valhalla, an epic musical adventure featuring the KC Symphony and excerpts from Wagner’s famous Ring Cycle (May 3-5). Visit their website to see what else is coming up.
Midwest Trust Center
The Midwest Trust Center at Johnson County Community College presents a diverse range of performances from classical concerts, dance performances, and film screenings. The Opus 76 Quartet opens the season as Midwest Trust’s artists-in-residence, with a performance reminiscent of Jane Austen or, let’s face it, Bridgerton, in Music of Regency on September 9. Other season highlights include Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert on September 22, The Second City’s Comedian Rhapsody September 29-30, Sugar Skull!, a musical celebrating Día de Muertos on October 19, and Million Dollar Quartet Christmas on December 7. Find the full list of performances on their website.
Music Theater Heritage
From a loading dock to Crown Center, Musical Theater Heritage has been producing innovative and imaginative professional musical theater since George Harter founded it in 1997. As the name suggests, MTH is dedicated to the appreciation of American musical theater and spreading historical understanding of its contributions. Catch Ain’t Misbehavin’ October 12-19, a celebration of everything Fats Waller, or ring in the holidays with It’s a Wonderful Life reimagined for the stage as a live radio broadcast—iconic, musical, theater (December 7-23). Learn more on their website.
Owen/Cox Dance Group
The Owen/Cox Dance Group focuses on collaboration with new music and dance routines, presenting contemporary performances accompanied by live music to Kansas City audiences every year. This season begins with New Dance Partners, a performance debuting new choreography alongside other local dance groups as part of the Johnson County Community College Performing Arts Series (September 15-16). She Breathes Fire premieres October 6-8, and the season ends April 12-14 with a performance titled 4 fragments, both at the City Stage Theatre in Union Station. Full details can be found on their website.
Park International Center for Music
Classical music fans take note of the Park International Center, known for training some of the best classical musicians in the world. Performances bring in internationally renowned musicians, and this season continues the tradition, beginning with Russian pianist Mikhail Voskresensky, who left Russia for the United States in 2022 protesting the Russian invasion of Ukraine (September 22). Park ICM’s Fall Concert shows off the center’s collective talent on October 6, with a following String Studio Recital (October 28) and Piano Studio Recital (November 30), before ending the year with the traditional Holiday Concert on December 2. Visit their website to find out which classical musicians are coming to Park ICM this year.
PNC Broadway in Kansas City
The American Theatre Guild brings national Broadway tours right to Kansas City’s doorstep this 2023-2024 season. The season begins from October 24-29 with To Kill a Mockingbird, a classic novel reinvented for the stage by Aaron Sorkin. Then, Tina offers a tribute to the life and music of Tina Turner from December 5-10. Continuing the musical theme is Johnny Cash: The Official Concert Experience on February 10, then Mamma Mia! on March 5-10. Finishing out the season are fan favorites, including Clue, MJ the Musical, and Moulin Rouge. More details are available on their website.
Starlight Theatre
Starlight Theatre is a historical landmark in the heart of Kansas City, this massive outdoor theater brings some of the most beloved concerts, theatrical productions, and performances year-round. Alanis Morisette’s music is brought to life with Jagged Little Pill: The Musical August 1-6. Their fall schedule is full of concerts, including 3 Doors Down on September 6, Fantasia on September 17, and Queens of the Stone Age on September 20. Visit their website for upcoming performances.
UMKC Conservatory
The UMKC Conservatory is an internationally recognized training center for some of the world’s best talent in music, dance, and theatrical performance. This fall, performances across the city highlight their Wind Symphony, Conservatory Orchestra, Jazz Combos, Conservatory Choir, and more. The Cantate Choral Invitational will be held at the Kauffman Center on October 9. and the Conservatory dance students will perform in their fall concert on October 19. For the full fall schedule of events, check out their website.
Unicorn Theatre
A nonprofit organization at the forefront of contemporary theater, The Unicorn is known for tackling social issues in its performances. Each new show is a work that has never before been produced in the region. The 2023-2024 season opens with Native Gardens, a show exploring themes of class, privilege, and entitlement in a comedy about the American dream (September). The rest of the season’s highlights include MacBitches, a play on Macbeth (October), and the world premiere of Journey to the Poles of Inaccessibility. Get all the details for the upcoming season on their website.