Month: February 2017

State of the UG address planned Feb. 28

The State of the Unified Government address is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the Reardon Convention Center, 500 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kan.

Mayor Mark Holland will address the Downtown KCK Rotary Club, which is the host of the meeting, along with residents, neighborhood leaders, members of the business community and UG staff.

Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and the program begins at noon.

Public registration for the lunch will be closed in advance of the event, according to the mayor’s office. Tickets are $25 each. For ticket information, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2843392.

The speech will be shown UGTV, which is carried on Time-Warner and Google TV, and it will be streamed live on Facebook and archived on the UG’s YouTube Channel.

KCKCC women’s home playoff hopes suffer setback in loss at Fort Scott

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College’s hopes for a first-round women’s playoff berth took a major setback at Fort Scott Wednesday.

Scoring early and often in front of a boisterous home crowd, the Lady Greyhounds (4-6) raced to an 85-62 win and pulled within one game of the Blue Devils (5-5) in the battle for fourth place with two games to go. KCKCC closes out regular season play against two nationally ranked powers – at No. 14 Labette Saturday and at home against No. 3 Johnson County next Wednesday. Fort Scott, meanwhile, goes to No. 8 Highland Saturday and then finishes at home against Brown Mackie on Wednesday.

KCKCC took a 62-56 win over Fort Scott at home Jan. 28 but the Lady Blue Devils were never in contention as the Greyhounds built a 44-31 halftime lead and led by as many as 31 points in the second half. The 85 points are the most scored against a Jayhawk Conference team by the Greyhounds, who came into the game averaging 65.6 points a contest.

Control of the rebounding was a major factor in Fort Scott’s 44-31 first half. Not only did the Greyhounds control the boards 25-13 but pulled down nine at the offensive end to only one for the Blue Devils, who were also guilty of 10 turnovers and just 27 percent shooting.

“From the very tip, we did not match their intensity,” said KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry. “It was a great atmosphere for Fort Scott tonight and we simply didn’t come to play.”

Five Blue Devils had eight or more points with Brie Tauai the leader with 15. Brooklyn Wagler added 13 points; Millie Shade 12, all on 3-pointers; Kayla Horn 9 and Whitney Hazlett. At just 5-7, Horn led all rebounders with eight while Tauai added six and Shade and Hazlett five each.

KCKCC was limited to six field goals (27.3 percent) the first half while Fort Scott was 16-of 36 for 44.4 percent before the Greyhounds sizzled in the second half, making 17-of-30 for 56.7 percent. In all 11 players scored for Fort Scott.

Sherlock Holmes comes to the KCKCC stage

by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC

The Kansas City Kansas Community College Theatre Department is returning to the stage to bring to life a classic tale of mystery and intrigue.

“Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery” follows Sherlock and Dr. Watson as they try to solve their greatest case.

Ken Ludwig, who brought to life Broadway’s “Lend Me a Tenor” and “Moon Over Buffalo” transforms Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic “The Hound of the Baskervilles” into a funny adventure where the two detectives work to figure out the murderer’s identity before a family curse dooms its newest heir. It is directed by Charles Leader, director of theater at KCKCC.

The production is at 7:30 p.m. March 2, 3 and 4 at the KCKCC Performing Arts Center and 2:30 p.m. March 5. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens. Admission is free for all KCKCC students, staff and faculty who present valid identification.

“The thing I like best about this production is the collaborative process,” Leader said. “Dialoguing with the designers on the look and function of the various elements is key if our storytelling process is to be successful. We are incorporating new techniques in visualizing scenery through projections while incorporating a surround sound system to reinforce movement to and from the various locales required in the script.”

The cast includes Brett Culbert, KCKCC alum, Sherlock Holmes; Adam Lillich, KCKCC alum, Dr. John Watson; Gary Enrique Bradley-Lopez, Dr. Mortimer, Baron Scarpia, Man with Black Beard, Lucy, Milker, Castilian Desk Clerk, Trap Driver, Barrymore, Stapleton, Dr. McCann, Country Farmer and Sir John Falstaff; Jamel Toliver, Sir Charles Baskerville, Sir Hugo Baskerville, Bradley the Tobacconist, Sir Henry Baskerville, Wilson and Inspector Lestrade and Nicole Brunetti, Mrs. Hudson, Maiden, Shepherdess, Floria Tosca, Cartwright, German Main, Baby, Mrs. Clayton, Mrs. Barrymore, Miss Stapleton, Nurse Malloy, Winnie, Nurse MacKeeble, Laura Lyons and Train Conductor.

“This really is a special production with some of the most talented actors to ever trod the boards on the KCKCC stage, including alumni Brett Culbert and Adam Lillich,” Leader said. “People should come see this production because of the unique manner in which it is told. Five actors creating over 40 different characters while maintaining the integrity and the suspense of a Sherlock Holmes classic. Layer on that all of the visual elements and you will have a truly wonderful evening of theatre fit for the whole family. It is fun, exciting, scary and suspenseful. Classical theatrical storytelling at its best.”

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 913-288-7106.