WEDNESDAY. JULY 17,2002
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 23
Broadway-inspired play coming to Kansas
By Todd Smith Kansan staff writer
The greatest moments from Broadway are coming to Kansas in a lullaby.
Performances by Rockette dancers and costumes made by New York City designers can be seen in the musical Lullaby of Broadway: The New Song and Dance Concert Experience.
The musical begins a five-show run at 8 p.m. on July 20 at the Folly Theater at 12th and Central streets in downtown Kansas City, Mo. The other shows at the Folly Theater are: 3 p.m. on July 21 and 8 p.m. on July 25 and 26. The final local show will be at 7:30 p.m. on July 28 at the Topeka Performing Arts Center, 214 S.E. 8th St.
Shane Scheel, production manager for the Lullaby of Broadway, said there were musical numbers from Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Fosse, Stomp and Rent, just to name a few.
New World, which rehearsed in Lawrence before being staged at The Fox Theatre in Hutchinson two years ago.
Scheel, who attended the University of Kansas from 1993 to 1995, said he hoped they would be able to take the play on a national tour following their last performance in Topeka.
Scheel said they had been rehearsing the play in Lawrence at the Dance Academy and at the Eldridge Hotel.
Scheel had done work with the play's producer Don Hite while Hite was a musical director for a production of Songs for a
After their work together on that play, they thought Lawrence would be a fun place to bring actors, actresses and dancers from all over the country to put on a play. Scheel said.
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
"Lawrence provided actors a lot of time to focus since there are not so many distractions that would be found in New York City." Scheel said.
Kristen Altfather, dance captain for Lullaby of Broadway, lives in Los Angeles but performs all over the country. Altfather is a Rockette at Radio City Musical Hall in New York City.
Kirsten Paludan, KU alumna, rehearses "Ain't Nobody's Business" with Bree Bruns. Oskaloosa senior, before the opening of "Lullaby of Broadway" Sunday at the Lied Center.
the University. She said she was learning a lot working on a touring play.
She said she had worked with Hite before and he asked her to choreograph and work as a dance captain.
"It has been a rush and stressful and a great learning experience," she said.
"I am in charge of making sure everyone hits their mark on stage." Alffather said.
Bruns represents what many people think of as quintessential Kansas.
Bree Bruns, Oskaloosa senior, is the only local performer in the act.
She sings a song called Home from the play The Whiz, which is based on The Wizard of Oz.
Bruns worked with Scheel on a play called the The Waltz Project that played at The Fox Theatre in Hutchinson.
Bruns said this was the first time she had worked with a producer not employed by
The Lullaby of Broadway made its
"This is the best way to work on your craft and to improve your performance," Bruns said.
She said she would recommend the experience to other students who aspired to act.
regional debut in Hutchinson on Thursday and Friday before moving to The Lied Center for a show on Sunday night.
Hite said the audience at the Lied Center screamed with pleasure and gave a standing ovation. About 700 people attended.
Contact Smith at tsmith@kansan.com. This story was edited by Mike Gilligan.