Missouri - Music and Performing Arts

Lyceum Theatre (Arrow Rock)
Celebrating its 45th year, the Lyceum Theatre may look like a little white church on the outside, but it's filled with music and entertainment on the inside. Missouri's oldest professional regional theatre is a National Historic Landmark, in the small town of Arrow Rock. Catch shows from Shakespeare to Rogers and Hammerstein at this year-round playhouse.

Route 66 Drive-In (Carthage)
Drive down to Carthage to see this original Route 66 hotspot. Originally opened in the post-war boom in 1949, the drive-in lost its luster in the 1970s. Reopened in 1997, the screen now shows double features every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from April through September.

Orpheum Theatre (Hannibal)
Now home to the Hannibal Performing Arts Center, this grand theatre was built in 1922. After exchanging many hands, the theatre reopened after renovation and hosted its first production season this year. See the Web site for information about shows, tours and other events taking place.

The Showboat Theatre (Hermann)
Enjoy an entertaining show after a day of fine wines and dining in Hermann. The Showboat offers a variety of productions, including Christmas shows.

Kansas City Ballet (Kansas City)
Since 1957, this 25-member ensemble has performed three seasons per year, along with the perennial favorite, The Nutcracker. Sit back and enjoy the mixture of music, combined with beautiful sets and characters. It's the perfect way to entertain the tiny ballerina in your family.

American Jazz Museum (Kansas City)
Groove to the sounds of the historic 18th and Vine District and visit the American Jazz Museum. Look at rare jazz memorabilia; sit in the Blue Room, a working jazz club; or mix your own sounds in a recording studio. Special events at the Gem Theatre and Blue Room add a twist to this harmonious museum.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City (Kansas City)
Take in a show in a historic Kansas City theater and witness a forgotten art. The Lyric Opera has four shows a season, varying from America operas, to foreign operas in their original languages. Since 1958, this group has been teaching young performers, stagehands and technicians the art of the opera.

Starlight Theater (Kansas City)
This outdoor theatre is in its 55th season, bringing a variety of touring Broadway shows and musical acts to Kansas City's beautiful Swope Park. Families can enjoy shows under the stars during the summer months.

18th & Vine District (Kansas City)
Take a trip to this historic area of Kansas City's golden age, celebrating the heritage and art of African Americans. Once the heart of Kansas City culture, this area features the American Jazz Museum, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the gorgeous Gem Theatre.

Barco Drive-In (Lamar)
In its 55th season, the Barco Drive-In now parks twice as many cars than it did when it opened in 1951. Catch a major motion picture on this single screen every weekend in April through October.

The Walt Disney Hometown Museum (Marceline)
The center for Disney history in Marceline, the Santa Fe Depot, is the beginning point for a guided tour. Walk down Main Street U.S.A. and see Disney's inspiration for a small-town feeling. Guided tours are available for groups of all sizes.

Maple Leaf Room (Sedalia)
Filled with memorabilia of Scott Joplin, the Maple Leaf Room is where Joplin wrote "The Maple Leaf Rag." An old piano, records, pictures and other ragtime treasures including the bar from the original Maple Leaf Bar fill the room.

The Fabulous Fox Theater (St. Louis)
One of the three theaters belonging to the Fox Film fame, this 1929 cinema theater was renovated and reopened in 1981. Now the Fox hosts Broadway musicals, major musical acts and annual performances. A visit is well-spent just to see the lush velvet seats and oriental-style carpets.

The Muny Theater (St. Louis)
Check out the nation's oldest and largest remaining outdoor stage, located in Forest Park. The 1917 theater has held 87 seasons of musicals and plays by local and national performers. The 1,500 free seats in the back fill up quickly, but the tickets for a closer view are best bought in a season set, so you won't miss a single show.

Saint Louis Symphony (St. Louis)
Housed in Powell Symphony Hall, the Saint Louis Symphony's history began in 1968. The theater is located in the Grand Center arts district and is the perfect place for a holiday symphony or pops concert.

Blueberry Hill (University City)
A fantastic restaurant and bar, this famous spot sits in the University City Loop. Live bands and artists perform nearly every night of the week in the Duck Room. Rock 'n' roll legend Chuck Berry plays almost weekly. Be sure to visit all of the rooms in the space, which are filled with memorabilia spanning the decades.