Photo Flash: Music Theatre Wichita presents HAIRSPRAY

Music Theatre Wichita continues its 2017 Season, "Hollywood to Broadway: A Summer Festival of Musical Theatre" by welcoming patrons to the 60s with a new version of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray, which runs July 12-16 in the Century II Concert Hall in downtown Wichita, KS. The third of five locally produced Broadway-scale productions, Hairspray is part of the organization's 46th season, which is also the 30th season for producing artistic director Wayne Bryan.

The production stars Broadway veterans Sam Zeller (Peter Pan) as Edna Turnblad, Larry Raben (The Producers) as Wilbur Turnblad, Adam Kaplan (Newsies) as Link Larkin, Gaelen Gilliland (Kinky Boots) as Velma Von Tussle, and introduces New York-based Claire Manship as the intrepid Tracy Turnblad. Featuring Steve Hitchcock as Corny Collins, Altamiecé Cooper as Motormouth Maybelle, Karen L. Robu as Prudy, and Timothy L. Robu as Spritzer, the production incorporates a large resident company of professional singer/actor/dancers from fifteen university programs across the United States, including Commodore C. Primous, III as Seaweed, Lily Kaufmann as Penny, Taylor Sherry as Amber, and Lena Owens as Little Inez.

Hairspray is directed by Mark Madama, with all-new choreography by Al Blackstone ("So You Think You Can Dance," The View Upstairs Off-Broadway) and his associate Katie Drablos. Other members of the artistic team include hair and makeup designer Danae Jimenez, costume coordinator Jacob B. Locke (original designs by Tiia E. Torchia), lighting designer David Neville, and sound designer Ryan Morrow. Set design is by J Branson. Maestro Thomas W. Douglas conducts.

Music Theatre Wichita has earned a reputation as one of the foremost summer opportunities for young upcoming talents. This year's Broadway season features nearly forty MTWichita alumni, including cast members of Hello, Dolly!, Come from Away, Bandstand, Anastasia, Miss Saigon, A Bronx Tale, Sunset Boulevard, Cats, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and many more. Founded in 1972, MTWichita has produced the world premiere of the revised Good News!, the U.S. premiere of Betty Blue Eyes, and the regional premieres of such Disney titles as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and High School Musical. MTWichita has also created cast albums for Honk! and Good News!

Tickets are on sale now for all performances, either online at mtwichita.org, or by calling 316.265.3107. More information, including biographies, histories, and videos, can be found at www.MTWichita.org, and on social media sites Facebook (Music Theatre Wichita), Twitter (@MTWichita) and Instagram (MTWichita).

Photo credits Christopher Clark.

"You Can't Stop the Beat" features the whole cast of HAIRSPRAY