WAYNE BRYAN (Producing Artistic Director) is now in his 23rd season guiding Music Theatre of Wichita, having produced 111 full-scale musicals for our main stage, with dozens of directing and acting credits here as well. Raised in southern California, Wayne began his professional career as both actor and director at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre, while Wayne was a Navy officer stationed in Coronado. After that, Wayne performed extensively on Broadway in Good News!, Rodgers and Hart, and Tintypes, and on television in such shows as M*A*S*H (CBS), American History (PBS), and Keystone (A&E). He also directed productions for theatres all across the country before coming to Kansas, but he feels he’s doing his most challenging and rewarding work now. Music Theatre of Wichita audiences may remember his performances in The Will Rogers Follies, Me and My Girl, The Pajama Game, The Music Man, Where’s Charley?, 1776, Sweet Charity, and last summer's season finale The Drowsy Chaperone.
Unlike most musical theatres, all the shows seen at Century II during the summer months are created locally, using a unique mix of Broadway guest artists working hand in hand with talented young Midwesterners. Combining education with professional theatrical production, Music Theatre of Wichita has been internationally praised for its quality. Among many accolades, Wayne has received the 2002 Governor’s Arts Award for his contributions to the local arts scene, as well as the NCCJ Brotherhood / Sisterhood Award for those who fight intolerance and encourage cultural diversity. Wayne is very proud of the fact that almost every Broadway musical running now, and most of the national tours, feature MTWichita alumni onstage or behind the scenes.
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