strings Under the Stars

Because the swell of an orchestra makes a moment in nature feel that much more special, the Kansas City Symphony will drag its shiny instruments outside tonight for a free concert at Theatre in the Park at Shawnee Mission Park (7710 Renner Road in Shawnee). Take a lawn chair or a blanket. And the kids. The program is light in the way that free, outdoor concerts should be — it's made up of equal parts patri­otic anthems, vaguely familiar orchestral classics, show tunes and movie songs. Among the latter: "Raiders March" from Raiders of the Lost Ark and orchestral suites from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Star Wars. Also: selections from Guys and Dolls and The Producers. Steven Jarvi, the symphony's brand-spanking-new assistant conductor (left), will direct the performance. Gates open at 5 p.m., and the music starts at 7. For more information, see kcsymphony.org.
Sun., Aug. 31, 5 p.m., 2008