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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260701T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260701T223000
DTSTAMP:20260819T102835
CREATED:20260301T191613Z
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UID:1630-1782936000-1782945000@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:ESU Festival Group Night
DESCRIPTION:Macbeth is a Shakespearian tragedy play that tells the story of a brave Scottish general named Macbeth who receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife\, Macbeth murders the King Duncan and soon becomes a tyrannical ruler marked by guilt\, paranoia\, and further bloodshed before his eventual downfall and death\, restoring order to Scotland. The play is filled with riddles\, prophecies\, and nightmare visions. Macbeth is so powerful that an old superstition says its name should never be uttered in a theatre. This is a must-see production by the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival and directed by Sidonie Garrett. ESU members and friends are invited to this special evening on Wednesday\, July 1\, 2026. We will have reserved seats near the stage at a special ESU discount price. We hope you can join our ESU Group.  \n\n\n\nThis promises to be a spectacular production with lavish stage sets\, colorful costumes\, and featuring an all-star cast. Southmoreland Park is the perfect outdoor setting to bring Macbeth to life and share a beautiful evening in the park with friends and family. \n\n\n\nWhen: Wednesday\, July 1\, Curtain is 8:00 pm \n\n\n\nWhere: Southmoreland Park\, just west of the Nelson-Atkins Museum. \n\n\n\nTickets: Tickets: We have arranged a group discount price of $22.00 per seat. To purchase your tickets\, simply phone the Festival’s office at (816) 531-7728. Tell them you are ordering a reserved seat(s) for the “ESU Group” so you will get the discount price. You can pay over the phone by credit or debit card. When you arrive at the Park\, just tell the staff at the entrance you are part of the ESU Group and have a reserved seat. \n\n\n\n6:00 PM—Gates open. \n\n\n\n6:30 and 7:15 PM—Pre-Show Parody: The Festival’s teen apprentice troupe called Team Shakespeare presents a hilarious parody of the Festival play. The parody will amuse both children and adults while helping them understand the plot of Macbeth. You will find the performance between the Festival Gate and the seating area. Two performances: 6:30 or 7:15 PM. \n\n\n\n7:00 PM–Show Talk:  “Show Talk\,” gives audiences an entertaining and educational preview of the play. Show Talk begins at 7:00 pm located near Festival entrance. \n\n\n\n8:00 PM—This production runs approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes\, including a 15-minute intermission.  \n\n\n\nFood Options— \n\n\n\n        A. You may bring your own picnic basket with food and drink items of your choice.  \n\n\n\n        B. You may purchase food and beverages from the various vendors at the park. \n\n\n\n        C. Other snacks are available too…funnel cakes\, kettle corn\, soft drinks\, bottled water and more! \n\n\n\nParking: Allow yourself plenty of time to park and walk to the Festival’s entrance.  \n\n\n\nCarpooling:  If anyone wants to use their car to carpool to reduce the number of cars\, let us  know and we will pass along information so members can contact the carpool drivers to make pick up arrangements. \n\n\n\n Weather:  It’s usually very pleasant in the park by showtime. Watch forecasts and plan accordingly. \n\n\n\nFriends of ESU and Guests:  If you have friends or relatives who would like to join our group at the discounted price\, please feel free to invite them.  \n\n\n\nQuestions?: Call Jeff Schnabel at (816) 878-1239. We hope to see you on July 1st at Southmoreland Park!
URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/esu-festival-group-night-2/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260712T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260716T170000
DTSTAMP:20260819T102835
CREATED:20260525T163822Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260525T163823Z
UID:1690-1783843200-1784221200@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:ESU 2026 Founder's Award Gala & National Patron Tour "Ovid & Shakespeare's Metamorphoses
DESCRIPTION:Dear Friends\, \n\n\n\nThank you again for being part of the truly special week in New York City this past April — a week that brought together the Annual General Conference\, the National Shakespeare Competition\, and\, as its highlight\, the Celebrate Legacy – Inspire the Future reception marking the 25th anniversary of the ESU House and honoring the leadership donors to the first-ever ESU Capacity Building Campaign. We appreciated the support\, enthusiasm and generosity you brought to the evening. Your presence made the event truly memorable\, and we are deeply grateful for your continued commitment to the ESU. \n\n\n\nI am delighted to reiterate the wonderful news I announced that evening: in just one year\, the ESU Capacity Building Campaign has raised over $900\,000\, more than 90% of our $1 million goal\, thanks to you\, our most generous leadership donors. With one year remaining in the Campaign\, we will soon open this effort to the broader ESU community. I have every confidence that they will follow your example and help us exceed our goal. \n\n\n\nWe are profoundly grateful for the generous contributions of so many of you in attendance. Among our leadership supporters is Mr. Donald Best\, who will be the honoree of the 2026 Founder’s Award Gala in London on July 14 at the Oxford–Cambridge Club. \n\n\n\nMr. Donald Best is a distinguished Board member\, devoted steward of our mission\, passionate internationalist and one of the ESU’s most generous donors. His commitment to the ESU of the United States has extended far beyond our national borders: for many years he has championed ESUs around the world and enthusiastically promoted the global fellowship at the heart of our mission. \n\n\n\nHis recognition will be a highlight of an extraordinary week of activities surrounding the Gala. \n\n\n\nUnder the theme of Metamorphoses and guided by Dr. Catherine Loomis\, our program in and around London will feature a series of specially arranged visits to palaces and cultural institutions\, offering behind-the-scenes access and opportunities to meet members of historic families\, distinguished scholars and individuals whose work and insights illuminate the week’s theme. These exceptional experiences\, together with intimate receptions and shared moments with the international ESU community\, will culminate on Tuesday evening\, July 14\, with the Founder’s Award Gala at the Oxford and Cambridge Club honoring our dear friend Donald Best. \n\n\n\nIt promises to be a remarkable week of celebrations\, and I very much hope some of you will join us. Space is limited to 16 participants\, so I encourage you to reserve your place soon by following the link provided. \n\n\n\nREGISTER HERE  \n\n\n\nThank you once again for your support\, your friendship\, and your belief in the ESU’s mission. I look forward to seeing you in London. \n\n\n\nWith warm regards\,Dr. Quinn PeeperChairman\, The English-Speaking Union
URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/esu-2026-founders-award-gala-national-patron-tour-ovid-shakespeares-metamorphoses/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260714T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260714T193000
DTSTAMP:20260819T102835
CREATED:20260630T160840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260630T160841Z
UID:1726-1784052000-1784057400@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:IRC Summer of Global Goals
DESCRIPTION:Every four years\, the World Cup brings together fans from around the globe to celebrate the most widely popular sport in the world: football (or soccer\, if you’re American). This year’s tournament broke a number of records\, including the most teams ever competing (48) and the first time three countries have co-hosted the event (Mexico\, Canada\, and the United States). Not only does the major sporting event have a rich and complicated history\, but this year’s historic nature introduces brand new impacts for Kansas City as a first-time host city. After six games\, guests in the hundreds of thousands\, and complicated shifts in politics and infrastructure\, Kansas City will end the summer much differently than it was at the start. \n\n\n\nThis program showcases four UMKC professors of various disciplines to discuss the history\, cultural shifts\, and environmental impacts of the World Cup on Kansas City. ESU members and Friends of ESU are invited to join IRC members for this free program. Registration is required. \n\n\n\nWhen: Tuesday\, July 14\, 2026\, 6:00 PMWhere: Strange Days Brewing Co.\, 316 Oak St.\, KCMO
URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/irc-summer-of-global-goals/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260715T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260715T170000
DTSTAMP:20260819T102835
CREATED:20260525T164246Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260709T162723Z
UID:1692-1784131200-1784134800@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Halifax Resolves
DESCRIPTION:During the 250th Anniversary of the birth of our nation\, many focus on the colonial activities centering around New England. A little-known event occurred in North Carolina in the little village of Halifax that helped turn the tide and create our nation. The Halifax Resolves and the three North Carolina Delegates that attended the Second Congressional Congress were the catalysts that brought us to the founding of the United States of America. \n\n\n\nWe invite all ESU members and guests to be part of ESU’s continuing celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary with this Happy Hour. Brian Burns will describe a historic event that was the first official action for independence from any of the thirteen British colonies in continental North America. \n\n\n\nThis ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Sandhills Pinehurst\, N.C. Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link.  \n\n\n\nREGISTER HERE \n\n\n\nAbout Brian Burns \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nBrian Burns is a retired Army Officer living in Pinehurst\, NC. He is the President of the Sandhills Pinehurst\, N.C. Branch of the ESU. He is also on the ESU Happy Hour Committee\, and a member of the ESUUS National Board of Directors. An avid military historian\, Brian earned his degrees in US Military History from Purdue University and the University of Arkansas. With many of the battlefields of the American Revolution and the Civil War within driving distance\, Brian has traveled and visited most up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Although not known for the most famous actions in the American Revolution\, as we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the United States\, he will show how North Carolina played a significant role in the formation of our nation. \n\n\n\nCocktail: \n\n\n\nColonial Rum Punch \n\n\n\nMake ahead: Oleo Saccharum (the colonial secret weapon) Peel strips of lemon zest and toss with ½ cup of sugar and let rest for 30 minutes. The oils from the peel dissolve into the sugar\, creating a fragrant\, silky syrup. \n\n\n\nPrepare: Combine one shot of rum\, ½ cup of citrus juice and one tablespoon of oleo saccharum. Add cold water (or cooled black tea for extra depth – a popular colonial trick). Add a large ice cube and enjoy.
URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-halifax-resolves/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260716T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260716T190000
DTSTAMP:20260819T102835
CREATED:20260622T155447Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260622T155529Z
UID:1714-1784224800-1784228400@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:Think and Drink: Crash Course for Kansas and Missouri Voters
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a special nonpartisan community discussion designed to help voters better understand the upcoming August primary elections in Kansas and Missouri before heading to the polls. We will not be endorsing any particular candidate or telling anyone how to vote\, just explaining the ballot questions. \n\n\n\nThis moderated panel will break down the major races\, ballot questions\, and policy debates shaping the Kansas City metro and beyond. State and local elections shape people’s daily lives far more directly than many realize\, especially when it comes to public schools\, constitutional rights\, taxes\, courts\, and local government. \n\n\n\nIn a metro area split between Kansas and Missouri\, voters are not just choosing candidates; they are deciding who holds power\, how schools are governed\, how courts interpret rights\, and how much influence citizens themselves will have over the political process. \n\n\n\nThe larger goal of the event is to help people feel more informed\, less overwhelmed\, and more confident walking into the voting booth. Rather than telling people what to think\, the discussion aims to explain how these systems work\, why these races and amendments matter\, and how political\, educational\, and constitutional debates in Kansas and Missouri are increasingly shaping the future of the Kansas City region. \n\n\n\nThis free Think & Drink lecture is open to all ESU members and the public\, but RSVP is required. You will also receive at least one reminder email about the event when you RSVP. \n\n\n\nWhen: Thursday\, July 16\, 2026\, 6:00 pm \n\n\n\nLocation: Casual Animal Brewing\, 1725 McGee Street Kansas City\, MO \n\n\n\nTickets: Free admission but RSVP is required. Click here and scroll down to July 16 to RSVP. \n\n\n\nAbout Think & Drink Lecture Series: \n\n\n\nThink & Drink is an exciting new kind of event that combines educational topics with social gatherings. This one-hour lecture program was launched in July of 2025 by Casual Animal Brewing Company\, a microbrewery in the East Crossroads area\, south of downtown Kansas City. The lectures are held on the first and third Thursday of every month and bring together experts\, academics\, and curious minds for evening talks on topics that generate fresh perspectives\, ideas\, and discussion. No topic is off the table. 
URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/think-and-drink/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260729T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260729T170000
DTSTAMP:20260819T102835
CREATED:20260630T161204Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260723T185112Z
UID:1729-1785340800-1785344400@www.esuus.org
SUMMARY:Happy Hour: The Loyalist and the Patriot
DESCRIPTION:Step into a gripping dialogue with acclaimed prize-winning historical biographer Flora Fraser and Doug Bradburn\, President and CEO of George Washington’s Mount Vernon\, as they reexamine the American Revolution through a provocative lens. This conversation challenges the familiar narrative of unity and independence. It reveals a nation divided—neighbors\, friends\, even families torn apart by opposing allegiances. Was this truly a revolution\, or America’s first civil war? Through vivid storytelling and historical insight\, Fraser and Bradburn explore the deeply personal conflicts between those who risked everything for independence and those who remained steadfastly loyal to the British Crown.ESU continues celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary with this intriguing Happy Hour. Expect a thought-provoking journey into the complexities of loyalty\, identity\, and the true cost of freedom. \n\n\n\nThis Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU New York City Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link.  \n\n\n\nRegister Here \n\n\n\nAbout Flora Fraser \n\n\n\nFlora Fraser is a historical biographer\, based in London\, specializing in archival research on women of the eighteenth century in Europe and in America. Her books include Beloved Emma: The Life of Emma\, Lady Hamilton\, The Unruly Queen: The Life of Queen Caroline\, Princesses: The Daughters of George III\, and Venus of Empire: The Life of Pauline Bonaparte. \n\n\n\nHer recent book\, The Washingtons: George and Martha\, won the 2016 George Washington Book Prize. Her new life of Scottish heroine\, Flora Macdonald is available in the UK as Flora Macdonald ‘Pretty Young Rebel’ (Bloomsbury) and in the US as Flora Macdonald: “Pretty Young Rebel”: Her Life and Story (Knopf).About Douglas Bradburn\, PhD \n\n\n\nDouglas Bradburn is the President and CEO of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Bradburn joined Mount Vernon in 2013 and was the Founding Director of The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. He became the 11th Director of George Washington’s Mount Vernon in 2018. He is an award-winning author and well-known scholar of early American history. Bradburn is the author of The Citizenship Revolution: Politics and the Creation of the American Union\, 1774-1804\, and three anthologies\, including Early Modern Virginia: Reconsidering the Old Dominion. He is the co-founder and editor of the award-winning book series\, Early American Histories\, at the University of Virginia Press\, and the winner of numerous awards\, grants\, and fellowships\, including the yearlong Gilder Lehrman Research Fellowship at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello.Exclusive Patron Membership OfferFor a limited time\, we invite you to enjoy a special benefit available only through this ESU Happy Hour event. Members who upgrade to a National Patron Membership\, and new supporters who join at the National Patron level\, will receive an autographed copy of Flora Fraser’s acclaimed book\, Flora Macdonald: Pretty Young Rebel her life and story\,” a unique keepsake from this exceptional presentation featuring Flora Fraser and Doug Bradburn.Patron Members play a vital role in sustaining the English-Speaking Union’s mission to educate\, inspire\, and connect people through the power of the English language and its rich cultural heritage. Signed copies are limited and will be available while supplies last. We hope you will take this opportunity to become a National Patron Member and help ensure the continued strength and impact of the ESU for years to come.Colonial Rum Punch“One of sour\, two of sweet\, three of strong\, four of weak.”Ingredients:1 part fresh lime juice (the “sour”)2 parts sugar or simple syrup (the “sweet”)3 parts dark rum (the “strong”)4 parts water or weak tea (the “weak”)Optional: grated nutmeg on top (very traditional!)Instructions:Stir the lime juice and sugar together until the sugar dissolves.Add the rum and mix well.Pour in the water or tea and stir again.Taste and adjust—colonial recipes were flexible.Serve over ice (or without if you want to stay historically accurate).
URL:https://www.esuus.org/kansascity/event/happy-hour-the-loyalist-and-the-patriot/
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