Posts Tagged ‘disney’s newsies’

Crowd-Pleasing “Newsies” Seize the Day at the Muny

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on July 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Disney’s Newsies
Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Jack Feldman, Book by Harvey Fierstein
Directed by Denis Jones
Choreographed by Richard J. Hinds
The Muny
July 18, 2026

Cast of Disney’s Newsies
Photo by Phillip Hamer
The Muny

Disney’s Newsies is back at the Muny, having previously played there in 2017. I hailed that previous production as being ideally suited for the Muny’s space, and this latest production is no different. Newsies is a big, energetic show that does well with a larger cast, as well as the Muny’s youth ensembles. This latest edition features great production values and an excellent cast across the board, all fitting well on the Muny’s enormous stage. 

The story, inspired by a real newsboys’ strike in New York City in 1899, follows a group of “newsies” who sell papers to support themselves. When Joseph Pulitzer (Michael Park) raises the prices the newsies pay for papers, newsies’ leader Jack Kelly (Jack Roden) calls for a strike. Joined by newcomer Davey (Bryce Williams), Davey’s little brother Les (Jaron Bentley), Jack’s friend Crutchie (Nolan Almeida) and more, the newsies attract the attention of the city and aspiring reporter Katherine (Kayla Pecchioni), who is attracted to Jack and has a secret of her own. Together, the newsies strive to be heard, gathering allies along the way including Vaudeville entertainer Medda Larkin (Anastacia McCleskey), while Pulitzer does what he can to foil their strike. Meanwhile, a lot of singing and athletic dancing ensues. 

This is a fun show, with likable characters and a clear villain, and lots of dancing–spinning, leaping, tapping, and more. The score is memorable, with lots of “anthem” type songs and a few catchy ballads along the way. The cast the Muny has assembled is excellent, doing justice to the material, and led by Roden in a dynamic, charismatic performance as Jack Kelly. He works especially well with the equally excellent Pecchioni as the persistent Katherine and standout Williams as the earnest, intelligent Davey. There are also memorable performances from young Bentley as Les, McCleskey as the kindly Medda, and Park as the greedy Pulitzer, as well as Almeida in an endearing performance as Crutchie. The leads are supported by an excellent ensemble, including an energetic youth ensemble all displaying the requisite energy and enthusiasm in the show’s many production numbers. The energy is infectious, judging by the crowd reaction at the performance I saw. 

The production values are spectacular, with a fantastic set by Tijana Bjelajac that utilizes the large Muny stage well, as well as all of its features including the turntable. The projection design by Caite Hevner is also excellent, supporting the set design well and contributing much in the way of period atmosphere. There are also eye-catching costumes by Emily Rebholz. The lighting by Paige Seber and sound by Joshua Hummel also work to contribute to the overall energetic vibe of the show. There’s also astounding choreography by Richard J. Hinds, adding much to the overall energy of the show. Special note goes to the superb Muny Orchestra led by music director Annbritt duChateau, which more than does justice to Alan Menken’s excellent and catchy score. 

With productions like this, I can understand why Disney’s Newsies has become so popular. It makes the most of its assets–characters, dancing, period flavor and a first-rate score–and appeals to the audience with style. It’s a splendid addition to the Muny’s 2026 season, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it comes back again in a few years. 

Bryce Williams, Jack Roden, Jaron Bentley, Kayla Pecchioni
Photo by Phillip Hamer
The Muny

The Muny is presenting Disney’s Newsies in Forest Park until July 22, 2026

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Energetic “Newsies” Take the Stage by Storm at STAGES

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 2, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Disney’s Newsies
Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Jack Feldman, Book by Harvey Fierstein
Directed by Steve Bebout
Choreographed by Lindsay Joy Lancaster
STAGES St. Louis
August 1, 2024

Daniel Marconi (center) and Cast
Photo by Phillip Hamer
STAGES St. Louis

STAGES St. Louis is continuing its 2024 season with a vibrant, energetic production of a popular modern musical inspired by a real historical event. Disney’s Newsies began as a movie in 1992, but the stage version that opened on Broadway in 2012 has become a big international hit, and this is the fourth production of the show I have seen. At STAGES, the familiar characters, music, and high-energy dancing are all here, but slightly scaled down for the smaller space, and it works especially well, bringing new attention to aspects of the story and characters, and presenting the story in an approachable and thoroughly entertaining manner. 

The now-familiar story is highly fictionalized from actual events, though it is based on an actual strike of newspaper carriers in New York City in 1899. Here, the hero is Jack Kelly (Daniel Marconi), an orphan and “newsie” who escaped from “the Refuge”, a  rough and abusive home for “troubled” youth.  He tells his friend Crutchie (Matthew Cox) about his dreams of moving out west, but before that can happen, the two and their fellow paper carriers find themselves in the midst of a conflict with Joseph Pulitzer (Christopher Gurr), who suddenly raises the price that the newsies pay for the papers they deliver, making it hard for them to earn enough money to live on. New Newsie Davey (Richard Spitaletta) and his kid brother Les (Davin Wade) help inject some energy into the group as the idea for a strike is brought up, and Davey becomes the “brains” of the operation while Jack is the charismatic “face”. Meanwhile, the newsies’ cause is boosted by aspiring young reporter Katherine (Taylor Quick), who hopes to become a more serious journalist and not be stuck in the “girl reporter” role of writing for the Society page. Jack and Katherine develop an attraction, but Katherine has a secret she’s not sharing that could threaten their relationship. As the newsies fight the establishment, led by Pulitzer and his allies, they are aided by local entertainer Medda Larkin (Anita Michelle Jackson), for whom the talented artist Jack paints backdrops and who lets the newsies use her theatre for a union rally. As the conflict heats up and the tensions rise, the newsies band together for their cause and there’s a lot of energetic singing, athletic dancing, and a persistent quest for hope against difficult odds. 

This show usually features a large cast, and the group here at STAGES is enough to fill their smaller stage, but noticeably not as numerous as other casts I’ve seen. Still, what they lack in numbers, they make up for in sheer enthusiasm, presence, and energy. Marconi is excellent as the charismatic dreamer Jack, who has to fight his own sense of inadequacy and embrace his potential and his found family. Marconi’s got a strong voice and plenty of charisma, and he works well with the also excellent Cox as the mistreated but hopeful Crutchie and Spitaletta as the clever, enterprising Davey. He also has strong chemistry with Quick’s gutsy, strong-voiced Katherine.  The rest of the newsies are also strong, with impressive dance skills for some truly thrilling production numbers featuring Lindsay Joy Lancaster’s spirited choreography. There are also memorable performances from young Wade as the plucky, outspoken Les, Jackson as the sympathetic, kind Medda, John Flack as the creepy Snyder, who runs the Refuge; and especially Gurr ,who manages to provide some depth and ferocity to the role of Pulitzer, who can often come across as something of a cardboard villain. 

The production looks great, as well, with a dynamic set by Anne Beyersdorfer that features many moving pieces including scaffolding, beams, pillars and rails reflecting the late 19th Century city vibe, backed by Saki Kawamura’s memorable projections. There are also colorful, detailed costumes by Brad Musgrove that fit the characters and atmosphere well. There’s also vibrant lighting by Sean M. Savoie and sound design by Mike Tracey that works well for the most part, despite some mixing issues in the first part of Act One that can make the singing harder to hear.

This staging of Disney’s Newsies is a lot of fun! It’s the same story you might already know, but scaled to its space with thoughtful staging a a great deal of energy. It’s a story that can resonate with several generations. STAGES is continuing its season with style, talent, and infectious enthusiasm. 

Cast of Disney’s Newsies
Photo by Phillip Hamer
STAGES St. Louis

STAGES St. Louis is presenting Disney’s Newsies at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center until August 25, 2024

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