Date Night

It’s showtime! For a date night this month, why not try some live entertainment?

Comedy

Improv comedy always makes a fun night out, so my husband and I checked out an all-ages, Saturday evening show at Kick Comedy Theater. The talent was good, as were the sketches. We had seen most of the games before, but they did a couple that we hadn’t. Our favorite was the acronym game, in which audience members supplied several acronyms (like FBI and LOL) that the actors later had to use in a scene. The catch was that they had to make up different meanings for the acronyms, like lions of Liverpool! For your enjoyment during the show, Kick Comedy sells alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. The theater is also connected to the Westport Coffee House and Green Room, so food and other drinks are easily accessible. We highly recommend Kick Comedy for a family outing, as it is extremely budget-friendly and the show is only about an hour long. On the other hand, for a date night, we recommend Comedy City, which has a longer show that is also all-ages friendly but is less kid-oriented.

Theater

If comedy isn’t your thing, maybe an outing to the Folly Theater is more up your alley. On a recent Saturday evening, we enjoyed a free Discovery Concert featuring Alyson Cambridge, soprano. The first act was filled with classical arias (opera) sung in Russian, Italian, French and Spanish. The second act showcased musical theater. Over the past four years, we have been to at least five of these Discovery Concerts featuring pianists, violinists, soloists and more, and all have been excellent! This evening was no exception; the talent was superb. Through the Harriman Jewel Series, the Folly offers around four free shows each year. To attend, you must get free tickets online. If you are looking for a little bit of culture, check it out!

Music

Or maybe….you’d like to get in touch with your Kansas City roots. As most locals know, jazz is one of the things for which Kansas City is known. My husband and I recently enjoyed a free Thursday night show at the historic Blue Room at the American Jazz Museum. Featured that evening was the Kansas City Latin Jazz Orchestra, the region’s premier salsa and Latin jazz ensemble. This multigenerational ensemble plays regularly at the Blue Room and includes piano, bass guitar, tambourine, various drums, trombones, a trumpet and a saxophone. Their music was soothing, and often while listening, I felt as if I’d been transported to Havana. The Blue Room provides a small, intimate setting and a speakeasy-ish vibe, a full bar backlit in blue lights and a come-as-you-wish dress code. If you stay late enough, you will find patrons hitting the floor to try out their salsa skills.

Hannah Berry is a freelance writer who lives with her husband in Kansas City. They enjoy regular date nights and love trying new restaurants and activities.