Maverick Hiu, a Kansas City area native, is coming back to his hometown this week and bringing an entire Broadway troupe with him.
Hiu, who was born in Overland Park and lived there most of his childhood, landed roles in the ensemble and as an understudy for the two-time Tony award-winning musical Tootsie. Hiu says the experience so far has been great “for the heart and soul.”
“It’s been really great, especially after having been out of live theater and shows for about eighteen months with COVID,” Hiu says. ”It’s been really nice to get back to performing in front of everyone.”
Tootsie, a rom-com musical based on the book by Robert Horn and the wildly successful 1982 Dustin Hoffman movie of the same name, is coming to Kansas as part of the Kansas City Broadway series.
“It’s such a strong show; it’s so well written and it’s hilarious,” Hiu says. “It’s really nice to be a part of a piece where the audience is just roaring with laughter.”
While Hiu didn’t get his start in acting in Kansas, he’s never forgotten his roots and has found that home is never too far away, even while being a traveling actor.
“The more and more my career is progressing, the more I’m meeting people from the Overland Park area,” Hiu says. “I’ve met at least five or six people from the area and it always surprises me.”
Hiu says he’s excited to come back to Kansas City when Tootsie comes to the Municipal Auditorium Music Hall this month.
“The show is great, it’s really hilarious, and I encourage everyone to watch it,” Hiu says. “You will be laughing the entire time. It’s a very good watch.”
You can catch Maverick and the rest of the crew in Tootsie at one of their eight performances at the Kansas City Music Hall from November 23-28. Tickets are available here.