Debbie Roberts News

Music Theatre Wichita's 44th Season includes Elton John and Tim Rice's 'Aida,' the professional premiere of Disney's 'My Son Pinocchio,' the area debuts of 'Billy Elliot - The Musical' and 'Big Fish,' and the return of 'Hello, Dolly!' after a 21-year absence.

Casting is announced today for Music Theatre Wichita's 44th Season, which includes Elton John and Tim Rice's "Aida," the professional premiere of Disney's "My Son Pinocchio," the area debuts of "Billy Elliot - The Musical" and "Big Fish," and the return of "Hello, Dolly!" after a 21 year absence.

Casting is announced today for Music Theatre Wichita's 44th Season, which includes Elton John and Tim Rice's 'Aida,' the professional premiere of Disney's 'My Son Pinocchio,' the area debuts of 'Billy Elliot - The Musical' and 'Big Fish,' and the return of 'Hello, Dolly!' after a 21-year absence.

Music Theatre Wichita's 43 summer season finishes this weekend with the closing of "42nd Street," but plans are already underway for next summer, as the 2015 titles have just been announced.

Music Theatre Wichita's 43 summer season comes to a conclusion with "42nd Street," directed and choreographed by original cast member Jon Engstrom, and featuring Damon Kirsche as Julian Marsh, Tracy Lore as Dorothy Brock, Tessa Grady as Peggy Sawyer, and Shonn Wiley as Billy Lawlor. Patty Reeder appears as Maggie Jones, partnered by Robert Ariza as Bert Barry, with Timothy W. Robu as Abner Dillon and Ryan Vasquez as Pat Denning. Tapping their way into several major numbers are Amy Baker Schwiethale as "Anytime" Annie, Jacob Chancellor as dance director Andy Lee, Katie Wesler as Phyllis, Becca Petersen as Lorraine, and Emily Pirtleas Diane.

Music Theatre Wichita opened its 43rd summer season this week with the first of its five large-scale productions, Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific. Check out a video of the cast and crew backstage below!

Music Theatre Wichita opened its 43rd summer season this week with the first of its five large-scale productions, Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific. Check out highlights below!

Music Theatre Wichita opened its 43rd summer season this week with the first of its five large-scale productions, Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific.

The 5th Avenue Awards Honoring High School Musical Theatre celebrates its tenth anniversary by bringing previous recipients back to the stage to present the next generation of musical theater stars with awards and accolades. The acclaimed program, sponsored by Wells Fargo, is a high school version of the Tony Awards, and allows theater students from across Washington to meet, celebrate, and honor the exceptional musical Theater Productions presented during the 2011-12 school year. The 5th Avenue Awards will be held at 7:00 PM, tonight, June 4, at The 5th Avenue Theatre.

The 5th Avenue Awards Honoring High School Musical Theatre will celebrates its tenth anniversary by bringing previous recipients back to the stage to present the next generation of musical theater stars with awards and accolades. The acclaimed program, sponsored by Wells Fargo, is a high school version of the Tony Awards, and allows theater students from across Washington to meet, celebrate, and honor the exceptional musical theater productions presented during the 2011-12 school year. The 5th Avenue Awards will be held at 7:00 PM, Monday, June 4, at The 5th Avenue Theatre.

HGTV designer Vern Yip will introduce the winner of a stunning high rise residence located on the 35th floor of Chicago's Trump International Hotel & Tower(R) during the HGTV Urban Oasis Giveaway 2011 on Thursday, December 29, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Custom-designed by Yip, the 1,000-plus-square-foot, fully-furnished condominium was the centerpiece of the fall 2011 grand-prize package valued at more than $750,000.

HGTV designer Vern Yip will introduce the winner of a stunning high rise residence located on the 35th floor of Chicago's Trump International Hotel & Tower(R) during the HGTV Urban Oasis Giveaway 2011 on Thursday, December 29, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Custom-designed by Yip, the 1,000-plus-square-foot, fully-furnished condominium was the centerpiece of the fall 2011 grand-prize package valued at more than $750,000.

Fresh on the heels of its 18 Ovation Award nominations (the most by any Southern California theatre company), Cabrillo Music Theatre continues the 2008-2009 season with the West Coast Premiere of the new musical sensation, BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO, featuring a book by Erik Jackson and Ben H. Winters, and lyrics by Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield and Cody Philip.

There is a praise-worthy effort afoot at Musical Theatre West, as the Long Beach company is putting on quite a show with the regional premiere of the Off-Broadway smash, Altar Boyz. Gaining the rights to a still running production, not to mention also being on a National Tour, is a feat in its own right, but MTW can also thank the heavens for a miraculous casting job with two former New York alums joining in on the fun...