National Flag Day and Flag Retirement Ceremony
9:30 a.m. Thursday, June 14, at Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial
Patriotic music by the American Legion Band will kick off the National Flag Day ceremony, which will feature a keynote address by Navy Capt. Jamie A. Fraser-Loria, division chief for the Strategic Threats Division, Directorate of Intelligence, NORAD and USNORTHCOM. Other highlights will be military vehicles on display and music by the Korean Choir of Greater Kansas City. Washington Square Park. mokoreanwarmemorial.org/flag_day_2018. Free.
Neal Brennan
7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 14, at The Truman
With a resume that includes writing, directing and producing as well as stand-up, Neal Brennan is a comic for all seasons. He was co-creator of the Comedy Central series “Chappelle’s Show” and now is a writer and on-air correspondent on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” with Trevor Noah. His current Here We Go tour will take him from Chicago and Milwaukee to Seattle and Portland. 816-205-8560. Tickets are $27.50-$35 through thetrumankc.com.
“The Unsinkable Molly Brown”
Opens 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 14, at Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre
Molly Brown was a real person, born Margaret Tobin in Hannibal, Mo., in 1867, and she really moved to Leadville, Colo., married a poor man who became a wealthy mine owner and survived the sinking of the Titanic. The rest of the rousing musical “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” is fictionalized fun, with music and lyrics by Meredith Willson of “The Music Man” fame. Runs through June 24. 816-569-3226. Tickets are $20-$54 through metkc.org.
Kansas City Baroque Consortium
7:30 p.m., Friday, June 15, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
The area’s only period music ensemble will open its three-concert summer season, “Verona, Vienna, and Versailles,” with “Shakespeare Goes HIP-OP” (historically informed performance meets original pronunciation). The Kansas City Baroque Consortium, performing songs, sonnets and soliloquies with period instruments, will take the audience back a few centuries. Tickets are $18-$30 through kcbaroque.org.
Royals vs. Houston
7:15 p.m. Friday, June 15, and 1:15 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, June 16-17, at Kauffman Stadium
In case you have forgotten, the Houston Astros are the world champions of baseball, having beaten the Los Angeles Dodgers in last year’s World Series. They are battling the Seattle Mariners for first place in the American League’s West Division. Meanwhile, the Royals are in a dogfight with the Chicago White Sox to avoid last place in the Central Division. The weekend series will feature fireworks after Friday’s game and free barbecue tongs on Sunday for male fans on Father’s Day. Also, vs. Texas, Monday-Wednesday, June 18-20. 800-676-9257. Tickets are $19-$274 through mlb.com/royals.
Kansas City Symphony, Mendelssohn’s “Italian” and Haydn
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, June 15-16, and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 17, at Helzberg Hall
Violinist Augustin Hadelich, born in Italy to German parents and trained at Julliard, will be the soloist for Haydn’s First Violin Concerto and “Concentric Paths” by contemporary composer Thomas Adès. The Symphony, under the direction of Michael Stern, also will perform Mendelssohn’s Fourth Symphony (aka “Italian”), one of his most popular works. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. 816-471-0400. Tickets are $25-$82 through kcsymphony.org.
Tony Woods
8 and 9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, June 15-16, at Stanford and Son’s Comedy Club
You might not have heard of Tony Woods because much of his success has come in Europe and Australia, but he’s been in the comic spotlight since being an original cast member on Russell Simmons’ “Def Comedy Jam” on HBO in the 1990s. He has appeared on “Last Comic Standing,” “Comedy Central Presents” and “Showtime at the Apollo,” as well as on late-night talk shows. 816-569-2671. Tickets are $10-$20 through stanfordscomedyclub.com.
Kansas City Dirty Duo
8 a.m. Saturday, June 16, at Unity Village
Those with an aversion to mud — or to running — will want to avoid this event. But with 1K and 5K courses, it will be good, not-so-clean fun for everybody else on the scenic trails of Unity Village. The course will have mystery obstacles, and the day’s activities will also involve vendor demonstrations, live entertainment, food and a mud-pit party at the end of the race. Proceeds will benefit TNC Community, which provides support and care to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 816-373-5060. Registration is $45 through kcdirtyduo.com.
Crown Center Antique Festival
9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, June 16, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, June 17, at Crown Center Square
In search of home-decorating items or perhaps new additions to a collection of vintage teacups? The 18th annual Crown Center Antique Festival will be worth checking out for its more than 40 vendors and more than 100 displays of items ranging from furniture, linens, glassware and jewelry to pottery, china, books, toys and collectibles. 816-274-8444. crowncenter.com/event-list/antique-festival. Free.
Bach Aria Soloists and Kansas City Chorale
7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Two of Kansas City’s classical music treasures will combine forces for a concert featuring choral works by Benjamin Britten and Ralph Vaughan Williams, plus Bach cantatas. The Bach Aria Soloists consist of violinist Elizabeth Suh Lane, soprano Sarah Tannehill Anderson, harpsichordist, organist and pianist Elisa Williams Bickers and guitarist Beau Bledsoe. The Kansas City Chorale and artistic director Charles Bruffy have won multiple Grammy Awards. Tickets are $17-$35 through bachariasoloists.com.
“Peter Pan”
Opens 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 19, at H&R Block City Stage
Theatre for Young America will present the classic adventure tale of the three Darling children who learn to fly and follow Peter Pan and Tinkerbell to Neverland, where children never grow up. Adventures with the Lost Boys, Tiger Lily and the villainous Captain Hook follow before the Darlings decide there is no place like home. Runs through July 7. 816-460-2020 or 816-460-2083. Tickets are $11 through unionstation.org or tya.org.
“Goosebumps the Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium”
Opens 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 20, at Coterie
This spooky mystery musical based on the series by author R.L. Stine will bring out the audience’s inner sleuth and keep everyone in suspense until the final curtain. When Brooke and Zeke are cast as the leads in a school production of an old play about a phantom, mysterious events befall the theater, and no one can be sure whether it’s just coincidence or the work of the phantom. Runs through Aug. 5. 816-474-6552. Tickets are $12-$17 through thecoterie.org.
Also this week
Theater
“Next to Normal,” Summit Theatre Group, June 15-24. MCC-Longview Cultural Arts Center. summittheatre.org
Comedy
Damon Williams, June 14-17, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
Doug Benson, June 19, Kansas City Improv. improvkc.com
Music (rock, pop, jazz)
Ledisi with Melanie Fiona and Tweet, June 10, Uptown. uptowntheater.com
Glenn Miller Orchestra, June 14, Kauffman Center. kauffmancenter.org
Buddy Guy with Quinn Sullivan, John Mayall and Carolyn Wonderland, June 15, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com
Dr. Dog, June 15, The Truman. thetrumankc.com
Mike Finnigan and Phantom Blues Band, June 15, Liberty Hall. libertyhall.net
Primus and Mastodon, June 15, Providence Amphitheater. providenceamp.com
Tank and Lyfe Jennings, June 15, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com
The Blasters with Clownvis Presley, June 16, Knuckleheads. knuckleheadskc.com
Diana Krall, June 16, Kauffman Center. kauffmancenter.org
Home Free, June 16, Kearney Amphitheater. kearneyamphitheater.com
Russ, June 16, Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. silversteineyecentersarena.com
Dance Gavin Dance, June 17, The Truman. thetrumankc.com
Everclear, Marcy Playground and Local H, June 17, Crossroads KC. crossroadskc.com
Dirty Heads with Iration, The Movement and Pacific Dub, June 18, Crossroads KC. crossroadskc.com
Brandi Carlile, June 20, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. midlandkc.com
Visual arts
“Red! Renaissance Italian and Spanish Textiles,” June 20-Feb. 16, Nelson-Atkins Museum. nelson-atkins.org
Events/festivals/etc.
Boulevardia, June 15-16, Stockyards District. boulevardia.com
Taps at the Tower, June 17-23, National World War I Museum and Memorial. theworldwar.org
Sports/recreation
Lakeside Speedway: Malvern Bank Super Late Models, June 15. lakesidespeedway.net