Night & Day Events

Wednesday, June 8
This is opening night for Carter's Way, the final show of the Kansas City Repertory Theatre's 2004-05 season. (Previews started Friday, and Sunday's performance featured a discussion with the creative team.) It also marks the world premiere of a work by playwright and director Eric Simonson (director and co-author of 2002's Work Song: Three Views of Frank Lloyd Wright), whom the Rep commissioned to write about KC's jazz era. In it, Oriole Carter, a young black musician, becomes involved with a white singer -- a major taboo in 1930s, segregated Kansas City. (Plus she's the nightclub owner's wife ... scandalous!) The play uses ten original jazz compositions -- influenced by Count Basie, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker and others -- to illustrate Carter's musical evolution. It starts at 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus (4949 Cherry); tickets are $33-$39. Call 816-235-2700 or see www.kcrep.com to purchase.