The area's professional theatre company, The Hub City Players, has enjoyed success after success
including fully-staged productions from the adult-friendly Rock of Ages to the family-friendly James and the Giant Peach (Winner of the 2018-19 American Prize in Musical Theatre). A sold-out and held-over run of Steel Magnolias (Winner of the 2019 Best of the Pine Belt "Best Local Theatre Production," and the much-lauded musical spectacular, Sister Act (Winner of the 2020 Best of the Pine Belt "Best Local Theatre Production").
Along with the 2022 productions of The Play That Goes Wrong, a jazz cabaret, Sincerely, Stephen Sondheim, the hysterical A Tuna Christmas, and sold-out run of Little Shop of Horrors (2023), they have firmly established them
as a leader in theatrical achievement. With Disney's Beauty and the Beast (2023), they escalated all aspects of production to create a benchmark not only for themselves, but for regional theatre companies.
They have developed a devoted following who have come to expect exceptional performances,
great production value, and a wonderful escape through theatre.
Upcoming
News
The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David (Volosin) Katz, founder and chief judge, announced that in an unprecedented result, the Hub City Players production of James and the Giant Peach and the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera have been named co-winners of the American Prize in Musical Theatre for 2018-19. Read more
FestivalSouth 2024 opens this summer with a sensational Tony and Grammy award winning Broadway smash. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of its debut, “Jersey Boys,” will light up the stage in Hattiesburg. From May 28 to June 1, 2024, the Hub City Players will bring the extraordinary story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons to life at the Mannoni Performing Arts Center, located on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi. Tickets are now on sale now!
The Hub City Players 2019 production of Sister Act was named "Best Local Theatre Production" by FestivalSouth Best of the Pine Belt. Also honored was Hub City Player family member, Joe Van Zandt, as "Best Local Actor." Voted on by over half a million readers of Signature Magazine, the award is the second win in as many years and supports our mission of serving our public well. Thank you for voting for us!
Artistic Team
Press
"The city's most talented and versatile performers all on one stage"
-Signature Magazine
The Hub City Players were formed in 2012 by Mike Lopinto for an original FestivalSouth production of LOL: A Showtune Cabaret. The event was a smashing success and led to the wildly popular LOL 1.5, and WLOL: Festival Variety Show, a spoof of music, TV and even Hattiesburg. The troupe has a cult-like following that has come to expect exceptional performances and a wonderful evening.
With founding member Tammy Mansfield, who also arranges and music directs the shows, they have created a formula that Hattiesburg loves. With some of the area’s best singing actors, the project has become more than just singular events and is expanding to an annual season of performances in venues across the South.
Recent productions include Little Shop of Horrors, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, A Tuna Christmas, The Play That Goes Wrong, Sister Act, Steel Magnolias, Rock of Ages, James and the Giant Peach, Rockin' Holiday and a series of cabarets using the LOL: Comedy Cabaret brand. The Hub City Players creatives are also involved with many other local productions, including those of the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company - Guys and Dolls, Phantom of the Opera, The Drowsy Chaperone, Mary Poppins, Sweeney Todd, and many more.
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