Colonial, NC

The Questionable Identity of Shakespeare
2023-10-30 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Grant Hall Auditorium, 5228 Charlotte St., Kansas City, MO, United States
Monday, October 30, 2023, 10:00-11:15 am CT

The question may be met with chagrin by traditionalists, but to some, the identity of William Shakespeare is not positively decided. Dr. Felicia Hardison Londré, Ph.D, presents a thought-provoking analysis on the Shakespeare authorship question. This free lecture program is at 10:00 am on Monday, October 30, 2023 at Grant Hall Auditorium, 5228 Charlotte St., Kansas City, MO., University of Missouri at Kansas City Campus. Metered parking is immediately south of Grant Hall.

Was it William Shaksper of Stratford-upon-Avon or Edward De Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford or some other playwright of the time? Dr. Londré delves into the sensitive question of authorship in an illustrated presentation.

Dr. Londré, Curators’ Professor of Theatre at UMKC, is the honorary co-founder of the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival and was the founding secretary of the Shakespeare Theatre Association of America. In 1999, she was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Theatre at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Dr. Londré has held visiting professorships at Hosei University in Tokyo and at Marquette University in Milwaukee. She has lectured internationally in cities including Beijing, Nanjing, Tokyo, Osaka, Venice, Rouen, Caen, Paris (Sorbonne), Brussels, Moscow, and a lecture tour of Hungary. She began presenting lectures on the Shakespeare authorship question in 1991 and has since presented this lecture to open-minded intellectuals (and others) to audiences in Hungary, Japan, China, and many American cities.

While the English-Speaking Union does not endorse any particular position on this controversy and remains neutral on the Shakespeare authorship question, it does welcome and encourage debate on this centuries-old topic. Debate promotes critical-thinking skills so educators, students, scholars, and the general public can begin to develop their own opinions on the controversy.

“It’s the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”—Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC)

ESU Annual Conference
2023-10-20 00:00 - 2023-10-22 23:59, 2023-10-20 - 2023-10-22 UTC | Westin Kansas City at Crown Center, 1 East Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO, United States
The English-Speaking Union welcomes its members to Kansas City, Missouri for the 2023 ESU Annual Conference. The conference, under the theme of “Blueprint for Growth: Unity of Purpose,” will cover diverse and enriching approaches for organizational growth in the ESU’s second century of programming. The conference program will include the ESU 2023 Annual General Meeting, social events, including receptions and meals, breakout sessions, panel discussions, and local tours. We invite you to partake in the camaraderie and help us to advance our programs that support teachers, students, and recent immigrants.
Our conference venue will be the Westin Kansas City at Crown Center, 1 East Pershing Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64108. We are pleased to offer cultural activities as part of the conference, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact Deborah Unger: dunger@esuus.org with any questions.

Classical Shindig Book Signing at Nell Hill's
2023-10-19 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | Nell Hill’s, 4101 N Mulberry Dr., Kansas City, MO, 64116, United States
Join us on Thursday, October 19 at 6:00 pm for an evening with two of New Orleans’ most beloved hosts and concert pianists, Michael Harold and Quinn Peeper, who sure do know their shindigs. From seasonal celebrations to iconic book clubs to lavish parties for family, friends, and non-profits, Michael and Quinn have seen, done, and decorated it all.
Nell Hill’s, Kansas City’s premier home décor store, and the English-Speaking Union Kansas City Branch are co-hosting a book signing of Michael’s and Quinn’s newly published book, Classical Shindig, Amateur Artistry: From the Simple to the Sublime.
This gorgeous book is a feast for the senses with pages filled with over 375 delightful photographs, thirty recipes for every occasion, QR codes that link to recorded concertos, and personal stories that take you on a journey from Mississippi County, Arkansas to the streets of New Orleans by way of New York to a Royal Centennial Gala with Princess Anne. There’s nothing these two won’t do to celebrate their love of food, music, and people and they can’t wait to share it all with you!
Space is limited. Please RSVP by filling out this online form or by calling the shop at 816-746-4320.
Purchase your book online in advance to reserve your copy. It will be waiting for you in the register area upon arrival. Only books purchased on Nell Hill’s website will be available at this in-store event. Click here to purchase your copy of the book.

A Candle Against the Dark
2023-10-11 14:30 - 16:30 UTC | Englewood Arts Center, 10901 E Winner Rd, Independence, MO., 10901 E Winner Rd, Independence, MO., Independence, MO, United States
Ben Martin, President of the English-Speaking Union Kansas City Branch, has written a stage play titled, A Candle Against the Dark premiering at the Englewood Arts Center in Independence, Missouri in October.

A Candle Against the Dark tells the true story of one Kansas City family’s experience with polio. In addition, it tells the stories of others who have been affected by the disease. The story follows victims and doctors, parents and nurses. It recalls a time in our history when we were helpless against a seemingly invincible foe and reminds us of all those who worked so hard to achieve near-total elimination of polio from the world.

Carl Chinnery describes his family’s battle against polio. The year was 1942 and Carl was the youngest of five brothers who had all been struck with the disease. Carl reads a letter penned by his mother, describing the family’s experience. That letter was the beginning of a story that Ben Martin turned into this moving and heartfelt stage play.

All ESU members, Friends of ESU, and guests are invited to be part of this special ESU Kansas City Group Event.

When: Sunday, October 15, 2023, 2:30 PM

Where: Englewood Arts Center, 10901 E Winner Rd, Independence, MO.

Tickets: $40 per person. Seats non-reserved. Click below, select October 15 and number of tickets needed.

All proceeds go to fundraising for PolioPlus—A program of Rotary International which established the world’s largest public health initiative: the global eradication of polio.

Test National Event 4
2023-07-01 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Curabitur nec urna mauris. Mauris at neque elementum libero luctus blandit. Donec sodales, dolor ac commodo molestie, tortor urna placerat nibh, nec scelerisque mauris orci at enim. Vivamus sagittis ipsum at interdum lobortis. Maecenas fringilla diam semper eros euismod hendrerit. Morbi pharetra tempor sem non ultrices. Etiam feugiat vestibulum odio, a suscipit ipsum congue id. Vivamus dapibus hendrerit dolor, sed fermentum enim euismod eget. Donec faucibus dolor urna, et consequat elit suscipit sed. Integer eu tincidunt turpis, sed consectetur magna. Vestibulum vitae blandit dolor.

Test NYC Event 3
2023-06-30 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Donec ac feugiat justo. Aliquam auctor eleifend blandit. Praesent nec laoreet mi. Praesent pellentesque enim id dictum ultricies. Morbi scelerisque suscipit pellentesque. Aenean sagittis tellus nec justo tempus pretium. Phasellus scelerisque sem eu felis posuere, vel volutpat nisi pharetra. Maecenas tristique erat at lobortis cursus.

Test National Event 2
2023-06-28 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Duis cursus tortor et hendrerit auctor. Nullam leo nibh, pharetra a dolor in, sagittis convallis lorem. Mauris vel auctor felis. Phasellus pretium lorem vitae purus vestibulum venenatis. Vivamus auctor, neque sed sodales ultrices, diam tellus tincidunt massa, id commodo tortor nisi ac purus. Sed ut vulputate nibh. Nunc dapibus elit velit, et ullamcorper lorem suscipit sit amet. Suspendisse nec dui pellentesque, sollicitudin elit eu, volutpat nisl.

Jeff's Event
2023-06-08 11:00 - 13:00 UTC
Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat.

rutrum lorem imperdiet
rutrum lorem imperdiet
rutrum lorem imperdiet
rutrum lorem imperdiet

Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat.

Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat.

Test National Event 1
2023-05-31 08:00 - 17:00 UTC

Test National Event 3
2023-03-31 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Nunc at risus at orci imperdiet lacinia. Etiam id dictum dui. Fusce aliquet, dolor at molestie feugiat, neque eros aliquet est, in tincidunt ligula velit id nibh. Nullam hendrerit quis arcu non interdum. Quisque venenatis augue ac tristique ultrices. Duis eget mollis massa. Duis euismod finibus velit non ornare.

Test NYC Event 1
2023-03-20 00:00 UTC
