Up To Date

The construction of the U.S. Capitol began with a building plan adopted in 1793.  Its history of being built, burnt, rebuilt & extended meant its completion came at the most crucial point in our nation’s development: the Civil War.

On December 4, 1956, a twist of fate brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley together.

Sam Phillips, the “Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll” who was responsible for launching the careers of each icon, brought the four legendary musicians together at the Sun Records storefront studio in Memphis for the first and only time. The resulting evening became known as one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll jam sessions in history.  It’s the story of the Broadway musical, "Million Dollar Quartet", on stage at the Kauffman Center through Sunday.

Prairie Village native Joyce DiDonato just won a Grammy for best classical vocal solo and travels the world performing in opera houses far and wide as one of this planet's best-loved mezzo sopranos.

In office for just about a year, Kansas City Mayor Sly James delivered his first State of the City address on Monday.

If you don’t recognize his name, you’ll likely know his work. Photographer Greg Gorman has documented some of the world’s most familiar faces.

In 1970, a young black man was senselessly beaten and murdered by a group of white store owners in Oxford, North Carolina.

Looking for something to do this weekend? Up to Date's Brian McTavish offers up a few options in his Weekend To-Do List for March 16-18, 2012.

There's a line of work where the risks include toxic layers of hydrogen sulfide and maze-like passageways.  (No, we're not talking the halls of Congress.) It's the exploration of underwater caves and blue holes. Many consider survival to be is the mark of a successful dive ... so, are the risks worth it?

Philosopher Alain de Botton says it’s time for those who believe in religion and those who don’t to stop denigrating each other and find common ground on art, community and morality.

Last week Apple unveiled its 3rd generation iPad, the aptly-named "the new iPad." (a.k.a. "iPad 3.") Is it worth the upgrade?

Around the same time Google Fiber applied for permission to sell TV services in the Kansas City area; is this a sign that they'll offer up TV services to its Google Fiber customers - in direct competition with providers Time Warner, SureWest,  and AT&T? And will Google know what you want to watch before you've even turned on the TV? 

Probably.

Car companies that destroyed their electric cars in 2006 are now scrambling to be the best producer of the vehicles. A young woman coming of age as an African-American lesbian living in Brooklyn. Two single people who take a different route to parenthood from their married friends.

These are just some of the latest topics being addressed by independent, foreign and documentary films.  Friday on Up to Date, critics Cynthia Haines, Steve Walker, and Bob Butler tell us how well these films do in shedding light on their subjects.