With only about 350 tickets available, space for the free Evening in the Park event on Aug. 15 at Theatre in the Park will undoubtedly go fast. Reservations will be available beginning 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 3, via a link at
theatreinthepark.org.
Conceived as a “party in the park,” this 1980s themed event will feature popular tribute band the M80s beginning at 6 p.m., followed by a showing of the iconic 80s movie,
“Field of Dreams.” Concessions, including food, wine, and beer, will be available, but no food trucks will be on hand at this year’s event. Participants are invited to bring blankets, chairs, a ball/Frisbee, and enjoy time with family and friends.
“Our goal is to thank our community for their ongoing support and engagement,” said Superintendent of Culture Susan Mong. “While many JCPRD programs had to be suspended earlier this year, our parks served as an essential space for physical and mental health during the pandemic. Social distancing and safety are top of mind. We are fortunate to have the Theatre in the Park bowl which provides a large space to enjoy the outdoors, 80s style!”
To help mitigate exposure in this age of COVID-19, The theater bowl will be marked with circles for family groups to gather in while practicing physical distancing.
“We will use grass paint to establish some large circles for families/friends coming together that are six feet apart,” Mong said. “This will reduce our overall capacity of those that can attend, but will follow all the guidelines recommended by Johnson County Health and Environment and the CDC. We are committed to preparing the space to be safe and comfortable for our guests.”
The social distancing circles in the theater bowl have already been successfully tested during recent and continuing Movies in the Park programs (see details below).
“Evening in the Park” was originally planned for late September 2019.
“This event was interrupted in 2019 with some stormy weather,” Mong said. “We decided to take all those great plans from 2019 and make Aug. 15, 2020, our rain date. We are sticking with the 80s theme. This event is truly meant to be a gift. Just plan to bring money for concessions which will include food, beverages, wine and beer.”
Speaking of events at the Theatre in the Park, five more Movies in the Park presentations are planned from late July and through Aug. 14. Through this program, movies are shown on a 40-foot screen on the theater stage most Friday and Saturday evenings, and admission is only $1 per person. Tickets can be purchased online at
theatreinthepark.org or onsite on movie nights at the theater box office, but keep in mind that several previous films have filled to the capacity that can be accommodated safely with the painted social distancing circles.
Upcoming films will include a Yeti Weekend featuring
“Abominable” on Friday, July 31, and
“Missing Link” on Saturday, Aug. 1; an Adventure Weekend featuring
“Hook” on Friday, Aug. 7, and
“Moana” on Saturday, Aug. 8; and
“The Mighty Ducks” on Friday, Aug. 14. All of these films are rated PG.
The Theatre in the Park’s outdoor location is north of the main entrance to Shawnee Mission Park with a separate entrance at 7710 Renner Road in Shawnee.