Meet the Dynamic Duo behind ICTRep’s JUKEBOX
We know you want to come see A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN. And if you are new to Wichita Repertory Theater (ICTRep), you’ll be interested to meet Stan and Julie Longhofer, longtime Wichitans who took the helm of the company in 2023. (For our beginnings in 2017, click here.)
Artistic Director Dr. Julie Longhofer grew up in Omaha NE but had Wichita roots – with a mother who graduated from Wichita East High School in 1961 and extended family in the city. Fate landed her at Wichita State University for an undergraduate degree where she learned her craft under Dick Welsbacher, Joyce Cavarozzi and Audrey Needles. She earned her MA/PhD in dramatic literature & theater history from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1995. For almost 40 years, she has served as stage director, costume designer, actor, and dramaturg (literary analyst). Julie has taught hundreds of teenagers and college students how to be stronger theater artists, at John Carroll University (Cleveland OH), Wichita State University (2000-2003; 2019-2024), and Trinity Academy (Wichita, 2007-2019).
In 2023, Julie took on the role of Artistic Director for Wichita Repertory Theater (ICTRep). Her vision is for a regional theater company which (1) finds the best comedies, serious plays and thrillers of literary merit, (2) uses regional talent to produce the highest quality plays in terms of acting and production values, and (3) connects deeply with Wichita audience members from all walks of life.
This is her philosophical approach in all she does:
- Live theater is a love letter from The Playwright to The Actors for The Audience.
- Live theater should be a cohesive and thought-provoking experience for its community.
- “Dramatically Good” is more than just a tagline for us. Our creative teams are doing their best work while challenging themselves to a new level of artistic excellence so that our audiences are emotionally moved in a memorable way.
The other half of the ICTRep dynamic duo is Managing Director Stan Longhofer, pictured here with Julie at Wichita Downtown Rotary and Epidaurus, Greece.
As Managing Director, Stan oversees all of ICTRep’s business operations. He is also the company’s resident technical director and frequent lighting and scenic designer. By day, Dr. Longhofer is a professor of real estate and finance at WSU. He was Director of the WSU Center for Real Estate for 25 years. On weekends and evenings, he has variously served as psychotherapist and cheerleader on dozens of Julie’s productions.
In 2023, Stan finally convinced his wife to take a leap of faith into running a theater company. “We took the reins at ICTRep because we saw a need in Wichita for great plays produced at the highest levels of excellence. Several amateur theaters are well established here, as are other semi-professional companies focused on musicals. But there was a professional void when it came to plays.” As a lifelong lover and participant in the Wichita theatre scene, Stan “trod the boards” at the Crown Uptown Dinner Theatre, Wichita Children’s Theatre and Music Theatre Wichita, and has vibrant memories of roles in Oliver!, Bye, Bye, Birdie, Shenandoah, and The Sound of Music among others . He met his wife in Wilner Auditorium while a Theater major at WSU, asking her out when they crossed paths at an experimental Samuel Beckett play. (She said no. He didn’t give up. The rest is history.)