ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The 2026 Broadway in Wichita season is mere weeks from kicking off, and this year’s opening show will be brand new to Wichita and its audiences.
The Broadway in Wichita season will kick off with "Water For Elephants," which will run from Jan. 12 through 14, 2026, with all performances at 7:30 p.m. at Century II Performing Arts Center at 225 W. Douglas Ave. in Wichita. The show follows Jacob Jankowski, 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.
Cast member Grant Huneycutt, who portrays Wade in the show, said he is excited to be making his national tour debut in the show.
“I actually got to see the show when it was on Broadway, and I remember leaving the theater thinking 'This show will tour really well' and 'I want to play Wade.' Looking back, it's almost like I spoke it into existence,” Huneycutt said with a chuckle. “Because I enjoyed the show so much, I started following it on social media and since I was a senior in college, there were also multiple agencies and casting directors I was following. By the time the announcement for national tour auditions came up, I knew I wanted to audition. I signed with an agent so he could submit me for it, and I then submitted my first set of tapes. Sometime after that, they asked me to come to New York for a callback, which happened to be during my finals week at college, so it ended up being a very busy week for me because I did my callbacks, went straight back to school for my finals, graduated, and then was back in New York. I heard back from the casting people about three weeks later that I'd officially gotten the role, and now here we are on tour.”
And as Huneycutt tells it, he is not the only new aspect of the show.
“Getting to do the show, which is one of my favorites I've seen on Broadway, is huge in itself. And with this being the show's first national tour, that's also huge, and I never thought this would be my first major role. I also thought I would be coming into the show as one of the newbies, but there are actually quite a few of the ensemble cast members who are in the same situation I am who only rather recently graduated and are taking that next step in their careers – in fact, there's one who's still got his senior year of college to go,” Huneycutt said. “We're all pretty fresh in that regard, but I think it helps the show have that type of energy and fun. My favorite aspect I'm experiencing is seeing people react to the show almost the same way I did the first time I saw it on Broadway. It's great being at the stage door and hearing from people how much they enjoyed it, especially those who came to the show completely blind without having read the book or seen the movie.”
Huneycutt added the show is very unique.
“There's the singing and choreography and absolutely gorgeous sets, but we also have acrobats who are constantly flying through the air and doing so many incredible stunts that are almost like nothing to them because they're so used to that,” Huneycutt said. “We also use a lot of puppets for the circus animals, and I actually get to be one of the back legs and tail of the main elephant puppet, Rosie, one of the stars of the show. When I'm doing that part of the show, I can't see the audience and vice versa, but it's great hearing all the oohs and ahhs from the audience as Rosie trumpets out onstage. This show is the first time I've ever done puppetry, especially to that scale, and many of my fellow cast members would say the same thing. We worked on that really, really hard, and part of that training had us watching video after video of elephants just walking and moving, because elephants have a certain cadence and rhythm in how they move, so we had to practice and practice to make sure we got all of that right. There are several of us who are new to that, so it's been really unifying having all of us learn at the same time. Rosie alone takes three people to operate, so it's been quite the challenge to have everyone moving when they should and making sure Rosie moves right. And the Rosie puppet is absolutely beautiful because she blinks and moves and everything else, and she's almost like a cast member in her own right.”
Huneycutt said he and the cast are excited to help kick off the Broadway in Wichita season.
“It's a big honor for us to be able to kick off such a big season. We've gotten to do that a few other times on the tour so far, and those opening night audiences are absolutely amazing. We love nothing more onstage than feeling that energy and hearing all the applause and hearing all of the oohs and ahhs from everyone. We love it when the audience is really into the show, it lets us really feel that connection with them,” Huneycutt said. “The show has something for everyone. We're almost an actual traveling circus in our own right and have a lot of those types of performers, and there are also several beautiful songs and a lot of beautiful choreography throughout. Our leads are also amazingly talented and carry the show so, so well, and it's wonderful watching them every night. The show has moments of drama and comedy throughout, and it's just overall quite a unique experience for everyone who comes out to watch. Even if you are completely unfamiliar with the show and/or source material, if you come to the show, you absolutely won't be disappointed.”
Huneycutt said he is also excited for the rest of the tour.
“Wichita is the second-closest place to where I grew up, and it's the closest place to where I went to college, which was Oklahoma City University. We do get kind of close to my hometown on the tour, and I've already had friends and family tell me 'We got our tickets, we can't wait to see you!' and that makes me feel really good. We'll be going all throughout the country, and I'm excited for our East Coast stops because I'm not as familiar with that area, and I can't wait to bring this story to people who maybe didn't have the chance to see it in New York,” Huneycutt said. “Come to the show and have a good time, because this show has a place for everyone. Just come out and see the show, you will NOT be disappointed!”
