KC Parks News

National Tour of Camelot Brings Chivalry, Knighthood and Medieval Pageantry to Starlight Theatre on June 9-14

Hear ye! Hear ye! The confines of Starlight Theatre will transform into the kingdom of Camelot next week. One of theatre’s most legendary musicals, Camelot will enchant audiences of all ages when it takes Starlight’s Cohen Community Stage on June 9-14.

This production of Camelot, which launched its national tour last fall, reimagines the classic tale of King Arthur, Guenevere, Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table in a way that is both intimate and fresh, while still preserving the beloved themes of brave knights, troubled romance, passion, betrayal and majesty. The musical’s celebrated score includes the classics “If Ever I Would Leave You,” “The Simple Joys of Maidenhood,” and, of course, the title song.

Through song and narrative, the four-time Tony Award®-winning Camelot transports audiences back to 12th century medieval times. Taught well by Merlin, King Arthur and his beautiful queen Guenevere rule the kingdom of Camelot with new ideals, bringing peace to a troubled land. However, with the arrival of the dashing Sir Lancelot and his addition to the Knights of the Round Table, one of the most fabled love triangles of all time ensues. Finally, Mordred, King Arthur’s illegitimate son, sees a kingdom in chaos and attempts to destroy all that is Camelot.

“The timeless story of Camelot has been preserved in this production, but the show also incorporates updates for our 21st century audience tastes,” Starlight president and CEO Rich Baker said. “As we continue Starlight’s 65th Broadway season, I think all audience members will find something to relate to in Camelot. From the men who dreamed of knights in shining armor and sword fights at a younger age to the women who want to watch a love story unfold, this show offers something for everyone.”

Camelot’s talented touring cast features Adam Grabau as Arthur, Mary McNulty as Guenevere, Tim Rogan as Lancelot, Mark Poppleton as Merlyn/King Pellinore, and Kasidy Devlin as Mordred. Of particular interest to local audiences is the fact that Broadway actress McNulty is a graduate of the University of Kansas’ School of Music. Additional local flavor was added to the show with the casting of three Kansas City area boys – Maddox Carter Banes, age 11, Marek Burns, 9, and Andrew Stout, 13 – to alternate nightly in the role of Tom of Warwick at the conclusion of each night’s performance.

The tour’s creative team includes Michael McFadden, director and artistic producer; Kevin Depinet, scenic design; Paul Tazewell, costume design; Mike Baldassari, lighting design; Craig Cassidy, sound design; Steven M. Bishop, musical supervisor; and Marshall Keating, musical direction.

Based upon the book The Once and Future King, this musical masterpiece of lyricist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe premiered on Broadway in December of 1960 and quickly became one of the most popular musicals of its time. The original production of Camelot ran on Broadway for 873 performances, and it has been revived three times since.

Tickets for Camelot at Starlight Theatre are on sale now for $12 to $91. Tickets are available online at www.kcstarlight.com, by calling 816.363.STAR (7827) or at the Starlight box office at 4600 Starlight Road, Kansas City, MO 64132. All performances begin at 8 p.m.

{NEWS} Flag to be Respectfully Retired by Korean War Veterans for Flag Day Ceremony

What: A Flag Day ceremony in which a flag that has outlived its glory will be appropriately retired by being respectfully burned in a pyre with pomp and circumstance by Korean War veterans from Missouri. It is open to the public and military service veterans will be in attendance.

The ceremony will include three rifle volleys and a rendition of “Taps” by American Legion Post 189. There will also be a flag collection, and all flags collected will be properly retired in a similar manner and interred at the Leavenworth National Cemetery. The American Legion Band will also perform patriotic music.

Why:

• To respect the memory and sacrifices of veterans on Flag Day.
• To educate people on the importance of the emblem of our country and the proper way to dispose of a flag once its colors have faded or it has become tattered.
• To show that flags need to be treated with respect including being replaced on a regular basis and disposed of properly.

Who:

• Rear Admiral (Upper Half) J. Stanton Thompson – Keynote speaker
• Father Jerry Spencer, invocator
• Debra Shultz – speaker and president of the Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial board of directors
• Bob Kalkofen – speaker and first vice president of the Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial board of directors
• Military veterans
• The public at large

Where: Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington Square Park at the northeast corner of Pershing and Main

When: Flag Day, Sunday, June 14 at 1:30 p.m.

Contact: Steve Nichols, MS 913-486-4177 or steve@boswellinc.com

KC Parks Announced as Finalist for the 2015 National Gold Medal Awards in Parks and Recreation

May 27, 2015 – The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce Kansas City, MO Parks and Recreation as a finalist for the 2015 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. This year’s proud sponsor of the Gold Medal Awards program is Musco Lighting LLC.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary with NRPA and founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the U.S. that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Applications are separated into seven classes, with five classes based on population, one class for armed forces recreation and one class for state park systems awarded on odd numbered years.

KC Parks is a finalist in the Class I category and joins three other finalists in the class that will compete for grand honors this year: Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland, OH; Mesa Parks, Recreation and Commercial Facilities, Mesa, AZ; and The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Riverdale, MD.

“We are excited to be among the elite agencies competing for this top honor,” says KC Parks Director Mark L. McHenry. Although a finalist in 2011, KC Parks has never won the Gold Medal Award.

Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials.

A panel of five park and recreation professionals reviews and judges all application materials. Judges are chosen for their considerable experience and knowledge in parks and recreation on both the local and national levels.

This year’s finalists will compete for Grand Plaque Award honors this summer, and the seven Grand Plaque recipients will be announced live during the Opening General Session at the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, NV, Sept. 15-17.

For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit www.nrpa.org/goldmedal or www.aapra.org.

Read KC Parks application

{NEWS} KC Parks Public Pools Opening Delayed

Cool temperatures will prevent Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation from opening public water parks and major pools this weekend. The following facilities will open when the water temperature reaches 70 degrees per Health Department regulations.

The Springs Aquatic Center, 9400 N Congress

The Bay Water Park, 7101 Longview Rd.

Swope Pool, 6700 Lewis Rd.

Budd Park Pool, Budd Park Esplanade &  Denver Ave.

Grove Park Pool, Benton Blvd. & Truman Rd.

Brush Creek Community Center, Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. and Cleveland Ave.

Line Creek Community Center, 5940 NE Waukomis

KC Parks Spraygrounds, with the exception of Longview Tract at The Bay Water Park, will open on Saturday as planned.

Follow @KCMOParks on Twitter and Facebook for updates.

Director McHenry Celebrates 40 Years with KC Parks

Registration Opens for Mayor’s Nights

Mayor’s Nights, the annual summertime slate of youth-focused activities promoted by Mayor Sly James, start next week and promise activities throughout the warm-weather months.

“Registration is open now, and I encourage all young people to sign up and invite their friends to join, too,” James said. “These events are held at our community centers and many other locations, and they provide the opportunity for teens and young adults to play sports, dance, expand artistic horizons and just have fun.”

Registration is open and can be completed by visiting http://kcmayor.org/mayorsnights. On that site, registration can be completed using an online form or by downloading and printing a paper form that can be completed and turned in at any participating community center.

To promote Mayor’s Nights:

• Mayor James, City Council members and other city officials will visit the Country Club Plaza on Saturday, May 16, to distribute flyers about Mayor’s Nights, beginning near the J.C. Nichols Fountain at about 8 p.m. The flyers include a quick guide about curfews that will be in force from May 22 to Sept. 27.

“There are special curfew rules in effect beginning the weekend of Memorial Day through the end of September,” James said. “I and other city officials, including council members, want youth and their parents to understand both the curfew rules and the Mayor’s Nights options available to them.”

• A Mayor’s Nights Kick-Off is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, May 22, at Tony Aguirre Community Center, 2050 W. Pennway.

Mayor’s Nights includes four major initiatives:

Club KC — Youth ages 11-18 can enjoy live DJs, dancing, basketball, swim parties, video games, arts, robotics, digital literacy empowering speakers, guest celebrities, concessions and much more from late May through early August. Partners in 2015 include Arts Tech KC, Atkins Group, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, Guadalupe Center, Kansas City Public Library, KC Hoop, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Swope Park Corridor, and YMCA.

Night Hoops — Night Hoops, founded in 1992 and the longest-running Mayor’s Nights program, is an eight-week evening basketball league for youth and adults that not only focuses on basketball, but also offers youth-enrichment activities, job and professional development training and mentoring. The 2015 partner is Kansas City Keys.

Night Kicks — This eight-week evening soccer program for both youth and adults is modeled after the World Cup Soccer tournament. The 2015 partner is Guadalupe Center.

Night Nets — Night Nets is an eight-week evening volleyball program for both youth and adults. The program also offers educational enrichment on topics such as health and wellness, financial literacy and more. Night Nets is managed by Kansas City Parks & Recreation.

Registration for Hoops, Kicks and Nets closes June 6. Registration for Club KC is open all summer. Registrants will receive a free Mayor’s Nights VIP Card, which is required to participate in Mayor’s Nights events. Holders of a VIP Card from previous years need not register again.

An important objective of Mayor’s Nights is to give youth and young adults a wide variety of beneficial alternative activities during the summer evening months when more stringent youth curfew rules are in effect.

 “I used to love to hanging out with friends when I grew up in Kansas City,” James said. “Mayor’s Nights and Club KC provide a place for teens and young adults to do the same in a safe and fun environment.”

 Kansas City’s more stringent curfew is enforceable from May 22 (the Friday of Memorial Day weekend) to Sept. 27 (the last Sunday in September) and will be supported by an appropriate increased police presence.

 For minors 15 and younger, the curfew is set at 10 p.m. For minors ages 16 and 17, the curfew is set at 11 p.m. in most parts of the City.

 The City’s five entertainment districts — the Plaza, Westport, Downtown/Central Business District, 18th and Vine, and Zona Rosa — have a special curfew during summer months that requires anyone under 18 to be accompanied by a parent or guardian after 9 p.m. during those summer months.