ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Those looking to make some good weekend plans for next year will soon have that opportunity thanks to Broadway in Wichita.
Tickets for all of the shows in the 2025-26 season are now officially on sale to the general public, and the season will begin with "Water for Elephants," which will run from Jan. 12 through 14, 2026 (with all performances at 7:30 p.m.), followed by a season add-on, "Stomp," which will be at 7:30 p.m. March 4, 2026. The season will continue with "Hadestown," which will run March 20 through 22, 2026, followed by "The Music Man," which will run April 24 through 26, and the season will conclude with the play "Clue," which will run May 15 through 17. "Hadestown," "The Music Man," and "Clue" will each play four performances: Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. All performances will be at Century II Performing Arts Center at 225 W. Douglas Avenue in Wichita.
The season is one Broadway in Wichita Senior Director of Programming Craig Aikman said he is really excited about for patrons, and planning began multiple years ago.
“To give a bit of context, we're already working on the 2026-27 season right now, and there are a lot of factors that always come into play, especially in terms of what shows we can get and what shows are actually going on tour,” Aikman said. “If we're able to secure a large blockbuster show, that could take a few years. With this season, we've been working on everything for about the past 18 months, meaning we started in late 2023 and/or early 2024 and finalized everything in late 2024. The goal is always to bring in something for everyone and include some revivals, shows people will recognize, new Broadway shows just hitting the road, and some tried-and-true stories that will bring people to the theatre and get them excited.”
And this season should do just that. Aikman said.
"’Water for Elephants’ is our premiere, and we're actually getting on the tour's first run, which is rare for Wichita, and that show follows a young man who, after tragically losing his parents, jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life and love beyond his wildest dreams,” Aikman said. “Then with ‘Stomp,’ there's a reason that show has stood the test of time for the past 30 years, and they're able to tell a full story without actually uttering a word. Then we've got ‘Hadestown,’ which intertwines the story of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice and that of Hades and his wife Persephone, and it's just an absolutely beautiful show and has a special place in my heart. I consider ‘The Music Man’ basically a perfect musical because not only are there multiple showtune standards in that show, but it's also about a woman who's standing up for herself and her community and ultimately ends up saving the leading man at the end – I know some people might consider the show rather dated, but it's truly a show everyone should see at least once in their life. Then we're rounding out everything with ‘Clue,’ and it has all the funny moments from the 1985 film and the original board game, and it should have everyone howling in their seats with laughter. It's a season I'm definitely excited about.”
Aikman added there was a lot of positivity felt after the season was officially set.
“Everyone was just really excited, because we always try to bring a variety of shows to Wichita. We pay attention to what our season members say and what our single-ticket purchasers say, and we send a programming survey out every year to gauge people's thoughts about what they would like to see,” Aikman said. “We use all of that to craft a season that has a little something for everyone, and that makes us really excited. With this season, the underlying theme of all the shows is stories and discovering who you are and your place in the world. Even "Clue," as funny as it is, has that underlying theme, and I love how we were able to do that for this coming season. It's almost like stepping back and looking at a painting after it's completed because we get to see all the pieces come together so well. And I hope our audiences are just as excited as we are!”
Aikman also talked about the success seen with the 2024-25 season, which recently wrapped up with “The Cher Show.”
“This past season was absolutely fantastic, and the feedback we got from patrons was super positive. They loved the shows we were able to bring, and they loved how it was a good mix in terms of stories and music and everything else,” Aikman said. “We want to keep building on that and bring the absolute best we can to Century II as time goes on. We've got meetings coming up over the coming weeks about the 2026-27 season, so we're excited to get that framework in place and get those cool, eclectic titles and piece together another amazing season for patrons to enjoy.”
The upcoming season should be perfect for people looking to make a weekend getaway or two, Aikman said.
“There is so much to do in Wichita anyway, and it's just a nice escape to plan a weekend away without necessarily going a long distance. All of the shows are amazing, and we're so proud to get a national tour first run with our season premiere, which doesn't happen in Wichita,” Aikman said. “It's a strong, super artistic season that should have something for everyone, so think about planning a solo trip (or maybe multiple) out of town. Or maybe a pair of parents come to see one show and bring their children along for the next show and take in a few other attractions in Wichita, there's no limit. It's a great way to take in great live theatre without having to shlep all the way to Chicago or New York.”
Aikman added it is hard to choose which show he is most excited for.
“They're all such good shows. However, anytime I get to see a production of 'The Music Man' is great, and I actually just participated in a production in Kansas City not too long ago, so it's a show I absolutely love and want to see again and again,” Aikman said. “'Hadestown' is just an absolutely gorgeous show, and there are multiple absolutely amazing moments throughout, including near the end when there's a chance you'll almost be on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. The story and music are absolutely amazing, and that's another one I've come to love even though it's rather new. And like I said earlier, 'Clue' is just an absolute blast, and there are times when theatre should be about having fun and escaping the real world.”
Aikman said plans are under way for future seasons, and he hopes people will have a good time with this upcoming season.
“If you are interested in these shows, a good way to be able to catch all of them is to become a season member. It doesn't matter if you're in Wichita or out there in Liberal, becoming a season member is a great way to make sure these shows are on your calendar so you can make any necessary plans and you know you'll be able to come,” Aikman said. “Individual tickets will go on sale closer to the start of the season, and we'll be releasing that information soon if that's what people are more interested in. And we highly encourage people to take our survey, because we want to know what shows people want to see so we can do our best to make that happen.”
