Events

Great Scott! Back to the Future, the beloved, cinematic classic is now a Broadway musical. Winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical, Back to the Future: The Musical is adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and directed by the Tony Award®-winner John Rando with original music by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”), alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel,” and “Back in Time.” When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself… back to the future. When Back to the Future hits 88mph, it’ll change musical theatre history forever. Duration 2hrs, 40 mins with 1 intermission. Recommended For Recommended for ages 6+ with. Children under 4 will not be admitted. Advisory: Back to the Future includes flashing lights, strobe effects, smoke/haze and pyrotechnics throughout.

Presented By Rebekah Taussig Rebekah Taussig lost the use of her legs as a toddler during cancer treatment. Growing up in a wheelchair, she didn’t see herself reflected in TV shows, ads, books, or movies. But what she did see was disability depicted as a frightening deformity, held up as inspiration for those in “typical” bodies, or even as an indicator of some kind of innocence or magical power – and none of that represented her lived experiences. She talks to the Library’s Kaite Stover about the eight essays in her book, Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary, Resilient, Disabled Body, that largely deal with Taussig’s shifts in self-perception and her relationship with the world around her. They also discuss the public consequences of ignoring differences in ability; everyone, she says, lives in a body with limitations, so conversations about accessibility benefit a far larger population than most imagine. The talk is part of Big Read 2025, a free, city-wide reading and public engagement initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with Arts Midwest, that aims to broaden our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Taussig is a lifelong Kansas Citian and author of a forthcoming children’s book, We Are the Scrappy Ones. She’s also an educator and disability advocate with a Ph.D. in English, focused on creative nonfiction and disability studies, from the University of Kansas. She runs the Instagram account @sitting_pretty, writes for her Substack This Too, and co-produces the weekly podcast Scratch That. ASL interpreters at featured presentation  

The aftermath of nuclear war has left the Vegas wasteland unhospitable, and it is time to seek out a new one! Join us on our colony ship as we seek a new home among the stars! Las Vegas Fur Con returns for a third year at the Alexis Park Resort and Serene Boutique in April 17-20, 2025 (Easter weekend).

Join thousands of your fellow fans at the St. Louis region’s largest anime and manga focused, comic con style event!  For almost two decades, fun industry guests, a variety of exhibitors, creative cosplays, and interactive programming has filled our venue to the brim; and we’re looking forward to doing it again in April!  Plan ahead and pre-register in order to save on your admission, and enjoy checking out all the details as we plan for another fun year.

  Presented By David Wayne Reed Shelf Life was a popular show-and-tell storytelling series at The Brick hosted by writer and director David Wayne Reed. Throughout its five-year run, the stories at each event were sparked by an object and followed a theme, such as winning, time, and unwanted gifts. As part of Big Read 2025, a free, city-wide reading and public engagement initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, Shelf Life returns with a focus on soma, or the body, exploring how we live in our bodies, how we relate to our physical selves, and how our bodies carry us through the world. The event features five new stories from Kansas City-based creatives, including Reed, Big Read featured author Rebekah Taussig, musician and amputee advocate Billy Brimblecom, actor, choreographer, and director Vanessa Severo, and visual artist and educator Kathy Liao. There’s a “power of sharing one’s own story on stage,” Reed says, “and the palpable empathy … from the audience.” ASL interpreters at featured presentation.

Furry Weekend Atlanta is a convention that takes place in downtown Atlanta, at the Marriott Marquis. We welcome everyone interested in their furry side; fursuits are not required! Bring your favorite cosplay and add a furry twist by picking up some ears and tails in our Vendor Hall! We have hundreds of hours of programming, dances, enormous video game and board game rooms, an artist alley, fursuit dance competition and lots more surprises in store.

Giraffes strut. Birds swoop. Gazelles leap. The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. More than 100 million people around the world have experienced the awe-inspiring visual artistry, the unforgettable music, and the uniquely theatrical storytelling of this Broadway spectacular – one of the most breathtaking and beloved productions ever to grace the stage. Winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, The Lion King brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway. Tony Award®-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals. The Lion King also features the extraordinary work of Tony Award®-winning choreographer Garth Fagan and some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award®-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice. There is simply nothing else like The Lion King. Duration 2hrs, 30mins with 1 intermission. Recommended For Recommended for ages 6 and up. All guests entering the theater, regardless of age, must have a ticket.

OCTA is a 501c3 organization that began in 1973. Through the strength and dedication of our community and the help of our invaluable volunteers, we continue to share high-quality, thoughtful theatre with Olathe and the greater Kansas City area. The Father is a critically acclaimed play by French playwright Florian Zeller, translated by Christopher Hampton, that explores dementia through the disorienting experience of its protagonist, André, a retired dancer. The play uses a fragmented, non-linear structure, with shifting characters and settings, to mirror André's confusion as he struggles with memory loss and questions his reality, leading to a poignant and heartbreaking look at aging and family dynamics. It premiered in Paris in 2012 and has since been staged internationally, winning numerous awards, and was adapted into a successful 2020 film starring Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman.  Key aspects of the play Plot: An elderly man, André, resists his daughter Anne's help as his memory deteriorates, leading to a confusing reality where people and places change, and he questions who he can trust.  Structure: The play is a "tragic farce" that uses repetition and shifting perspectives to create a sense of disorientation for the audience, making them experience André's confusion firsthand.  Themes: Identity, memory, aging, the parent-child relationship, and the cruelties and complexities of love.  Characters: The roles of Anne and her partner are played by different actors throughout the play, further disorienting both André and the audience.  Impact: It is praised for its powerful and empathetic portrayal of dementia, making the experience accessible and deeply moving for the audience.  Film adaptation Zeller co-wrote and directed the 2020 film adaptation, which won Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins). 

Naka-Kon is an annual three-day convention, celebrating anime, manga, cosplay, music, fashion, gaming, and more! Every year, we bring your favorite voice actors, musicians, cosplayers, artists, designers, and industry experts to the Overland Park Convention Center. Catch guest panels and performances, be part of our cosplay competitions, enter contests, and learn about working in the anime, manga, and music industries.

Dust off your Walkman, tease up that hair, and crank the synthesizer — because we’re going Back to the 80s! March 20th, 2026 7:30p March 21st, 2026 7:30p March 22, 2026 3:30p Celebrate the decade that shaped a generation — and gave rise to HMCKC — with this neon-soaked, nostalgia-packed tribute to the music that made us. From pop anthems and power ballads to guilty pleasures and dance-floor favorites, the full chorus brings big harmonies, big laughs, and even bigger shoulder pads to the Folly stage. It’s a flashback you won’t want to miss — full of retro joy, radical moves, and heart you can’t fake. Totally live. Totally proud. Totally 80s.