Johnson County Community College’s Midwest Trust Center Reveals 2025-2026 Season

 Stacie McDaniel, Executive Director Midwest Trust Center Series, announced the 2025-2026 season offering something for everyone.

McDaniel reflected “Whether it’s a walk down memory lane with a great tribute band, a thought-provoking performance from a contemporary dance company, or a heart-wrenching ballad from a Broadway musical, there’s nothing quite like live performances.  With that in mind, the Midwest Trust Center has crafted a new season full of variety, reflecting an array of artistic excellence in music, theatre, dance, family programming, and beyond.”

Performances include:

Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20-21, New Dance Partners presents a weekend of contemporary and modern dance.  Four choreographers create original works for four local dance companies to perform at the world premieres. This year’s collaborative partners are Caroline Dahm working with the Kansas City Ballet, Caili Quan with Owen/Cox Dance Group, Dolly Sfeir with Störling Dance Theatre and Jessi Stegall with Regina Klenjoski Dance Company.

Thursday, Sept. 11,The Witcher in Concert celebrates 10 years of Geralt’s epic journey.  This cinematic experience combines breathtaking in-game visuals with live music, making it a must-see event for fans of The Witcher and epic orchestral performances alike.

Friday, Oct. 17, Varietopia, hosted by acclaimed comedian Paul F. Tompkins, is a modern variety show featuring the best in contemporary comedy and music.  Guests are always a surprise and surprises are guaranteed.

Saturday, Nov. 8, the Opus 76 Quartet joins forces with violinist Alexander Markov for an afternoon concert featuring works by Paganini, Hayden, Tartini, and Bach.  Internationally celebrated violinist Alexander Markov has been hailed as one of the world’s most captivating and versatile musicians. Whether performing as a soloist with orchestras or at a sports arena in front of 25,000 people, Markov always makes an instant connection with his audience.

Friday, Nov. 14, Collage Dance Collective will present a dynamic program of mixed repertory including Their Eyes Were Watching God, a neoclassical ballet co-choreographed by company cofounder and artistic director Kevin Thomas and Amy Hall Garner, inspired by the Zora Neale Hurston novel of the same name once heralded as "one of the 100 best novels" by TIME magazine.

Thursday, December 11, celebrate the holidays with Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol.  The new musical features songs by Dolly Parton and book by David H. Bell, adapted by Bell, Curt Wollan, and Paul T. Couch.  Dickens’ classic characters and Parton’s one-of-a-kind songwriting expertise are certain to make this a holiday event you’ll want to share with those you love.

Friday, Jan. 30, The Barricade Boys are throwing a Broadway Party!  Direct from London, these dazzling performers are taking the world by storm with their electrifying show.  From the heart-wrenching emotion of Les Misérables to the toe-tapping harmonies of the Jersey Boys, The Barricade Boys will take you on a musical journey like no other.

Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14-15, The Acting Company will perform two plays in repertory, Great Expectations (Feb. 14) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Feb. 15).  The Acting Company has performed for over 4 million people in 48 States, 10 foreign countries, on and Off-Broadway, and at leading resident theaters including the Guthrie, the Kennedy Center and New York City Center.

On March 7-8, the Winterlude Jazz Festival returns with a weekend of performances from favorite Kansas City artists.  The festival will culminate on Sunday evening with a performance from Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble.  The Grammy Award-winning orchestra has enamored international audiences with its creative performances by Latin jazz legends as well as new pieces from some of the most accomplished composers and arrangers in Latin music.

Friday, Mar. 13, spend a deliciously chilling evening with renowned criminologist and serial killer expert, Dr. Scott Bonn, as he takes you inside the minds of the world’s most savage and prolific murderers.  Serial Killers reveals the insatiable, psychological hungers that drive the likes of Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer to kill repeatedly with impunity and no remorse.

Sunday, Apr. 19, Australian Chamber Orchestra celebrates 50 years of transformative music-making with Vaughan Williams’ sublime “The Lark Ascending” and a new work from John Luther Adams.  The concert culminates in an arrangement for strings of Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s “String Quartet in E-flat major,” with the thrilling energy and virtuosity of the ACO on full display.

Friday and Saturday, May 15-16, Kansas City favorite StoneLion Puppet Theatre presents 1,000 Cranes and the Tree of Wishes.  This choose-your-own adventure, featuring intricate puppets, invites each audience to pick which cranes to let fly from the Tree of Wishes. Each performance is funny, touching, poignant, and completely unique.

To post a comment, you must register and login.