Class Roxy’s returns to Wichita

Opening this month in Wichita, in her old “Cabaret” digs, is Roxy’s Downtown, a theatre with a rich history in the Air Capital city.

A Grand Opening Performance on November 22 of Plaid Tidings will show in the new and improved theatre space.    

Roxy’s CEO and operating manager, John Hammers said that prior to coming back to theatre, he was “still in the tech industry, was working at home and I felt like I didn’t have a life.”

“I wanted to re-think my life and began looking at some things online. There was an announcement [the] morning Christy Moore was thinking about shutting down or selling the theatre. I thought it was God’s sign that I found that because that week I thought, ‘I have to change my life.’”

Hammers said he enjoyed his job and worked for a great company, but was feeling isolated working primarily from home.

Hammers went to high school at Wichita West (drama teacher, Gina Austin/Fresh). With an undergrad from WSU in painting and drawing, he left for California to teach Art & Design at the Art Institute of Orange County.

“The reason I moved back to Wichita is that my mom is going through end of life issues,” added Hammers. “I was thinking I really need to do something where I am completely grounded here so I don’t miss out on the remaining time I have with my mom.”

He had considered freelance staging and set design; that is where he googled “Cabaret.”

And now he has found his home not only back in Wichita, but back in the theatre.

“That is such a great space and I love performing there,” said Brett Young (a.k.a. Kitty Bob Aimes) of Oklahoma City who got his start in performing at Cabaret Oldtown.

“And the rest is history. The theatre will be back as “Roxy’s Downtown” as of November 1st. The theatre will open her first show Plaid Tidings and at the same time we’ll show Santaland Diaries.”

Christine Tasheff, the founder of Cabaret Oldtown, will return as artistic director.

Roxy’s is located at 412 1/2 E. Douglas in Wichita, KS. For information or to purchase tickets, visit www.roxysdowntown.com or call (316) 265-4400.

by Robin Dorner, Editor in Chief

The Gayly – November 10, 2014 @ 6:30am