Gridiron 2019 pokes fun at new baseball stadium, drag queen reading event
It’s become an annual tradition for a group of local journalists: report the news by day and write satirical skits and parody musical numbers about news and newsmakers at night.
You can see and likely laugh quite a bit at the results of their after-hours work April 25-27, when area journalists and radio, TV and other personalities take to the historic Orpheum Theatre stage to put on the 51st annual Gridiron show.
While the show pokes fun at local, state and national news and newsmakers, it has a serious cause: raising money for journalism scholarships given to students studying at Kansas colleges and universities.
This year, the Kansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, which puts on the show, was able to award $14,500 in scholarships, said chapter president Molly McMillin.
“That’s higher than it’s been in the last couple of years,” she said.
Over the years, the show has helped fund more than $240,000 in scholarships.
Those involved say this year’s show could be one of the most entertaining Gridirons in recent years – even surpassing last year’s show that revived some classic skits and included several new ones when Gridiron celebrated its 50th anniversary.
“The things happening are so ripe for satire,” said Rick Bumgardner, the artistic director at Roxy’s and the Gridiron producer and director.
“I’ve been involved with the show for more than 25 years and I can’t remember a time when we got together on the first night of reading scripts and laughed harder,” said Eagle editorial and opinion writer Suzanne Perez Tobias, who writes for and performs in the show.
The show’s theme is “Balls to the Walls,” leaving little doubt that President Trump’s border wall will be skewered. Other news stories and newsmakers getting the parody treatment include a mistaken bomb threat at Home Depot, the city’s handling of the new baseball stadium, the public library’s drag queen reading event and county commissioner Michael O’Donnell, Tobias said.
Longtime performer Bonnie Bing will make a cameo appearance in her signature Fairy Tale Princess role.
Video previews and photos of cast rehearsals can be seen on the Wichita Gridiron Facebook page. In one video, you can catch a glimpse of Karla Burns, the Tony Award-nominated actress who is the show’s vocal director.
Each night of the show’s run, a special mystery guest or two makes an appearance. No longer quite so mysterious to Gridiron audiences, Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell will make his fifth straight appearance this year.
Free appetizers are available for show-goers, along with a cash bar. Caterers are the Candle Club on Thursday, Two Brothers BBQ on Friday and The Food Guy on Saturday.
Returning for a second year is a special after-party on Friday, April 26. Held on the Orpheum stage following the show, the Randy Brown Curtain Call raises money specifically for the scholarship named for the former Eagle editorial writer and Gridiron host.
Gridiron 2019
What: A musical and “Saturday Night Live”-type skit show of news and newsmakers put on by local journalists and personalities to raise money for journalism scholarships
When: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, April 25-27; doors open at 7 p.m. Where: Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway
Tickets: $32 for April 25, $38 for April 26 & 27 for all seating levels; $10 student tickets (with an ID) for balcony-only seating. Combo ticket for any evening show and the Friday, April 26, Randy Brown Curtain Call after-party is $75. Buy tickets in advance online at selectaseat.com, or in person at the Intrust Bank Arena ticket office or any Select-A-Seat location, or at the door.
More information: www.wichitagridiron.com
This story was originally published April 19, 2019 at 12:00 AM.