In business for more than 25 years, Overland Park's New Theatre Restaurant has become a mainstay to catch a musical, a celebrity guest appearance and a tasty meal. The Theatre is a place to see live performance but also to see visual art: it's full of sculptures and artwork designed to get the viewer engaged before the show even begins. Many of the artworks are in the adjoining New Theatre Restaurant, which serves meals before all the shows. Art deco lighting adorns the theater space itself, and video monitors in the lobby display trivia that has to do with the current show. Theater and music-centric acts are at the heart of the New Theatre's schedule, which varies by season, and celebrity performers often decorate the playbill. The New Theatre restaurant focuses on seasonal eating, and the baked goods are made on site, fresh each day. The restaurant has a different menu for matinee performances, weekend performances and evening meals. Often, the menus are tailored to the show and the items are only served during a show's run, making it a culinary adventure for repeat guests.
New Theatre Restaurant
9229 Foster
Overland Park, KS 66212
913-649-7469
www.newtheatre.com
Downtown Kansas City's Mystery Train embraces the popular murder mystery themed dinner but with a singular twist: the murder mysteries are based on Kansas City's actual history. Professional actors play host to diners who get introduced to their role during a four-course meal. The mystery is solved by the end of the meal and new capers are regularly introduced each season. The Kansas City Mystery Train takes place in one of the city's most notable steakhouses, the Prime Rib Grill. The actors can also relocate for special events or at the request of a party. Events at the Prime Rib Grill are accompanied by a classic steakhouse menu, and items like prime rib, chicken with mushroom demi-glaze and and blackened tilapia are staples. Diners purchase a prix fixe menu with their ticket that includes four courses, with a salad, dessert and beverage.
The Mystery Train
5403 Northwest Edgewood Trail
Kansas City, MO 64151-3393
816-813-9654
www.kcmysterytrain.com
Home to both traveling Broadway shows and a variety of live music, the Starlight Theatre is an outdoor venue and a staple of Kansas City's live, performing arts scene. Menus vary widely with each production, and visitors can choose to eat concessions or purchase a VIP package that includes indoor sit-down dining with a menu themed to match the event taking place that evening. Past examples include a Kansas City-BBQ menu with a production of "Dreamgirls," an Italian meal with a production of "The Producers" and steak night during "Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles." Lighter fare like sandwiches and salads are available for purchase during concerts.
Starlight Theatre
4600 Starlight Road
Kansas City, Missouri 64132
800-776-1730
http://www.kcstarlight.com