The popular show lands in Littleton in a high-octane production
Newsies the Musical is a compelling true story presented as a traditional Broadway show-stopping musical with something for everyone. Originally released in 1992 as a Disney film, a stage version later appeared on Broadway in 2012, running for over 1,000 performances.
Newsies the Musical is a tale of true grit and fortitude. As characterized in the musical, it is the ultimate David versus Goliath story. Young people against the establishment. Set in 1899 New York City, the premise centers around the real-life newsboys’ strike of that year. The title is derived from the common name, “newsies,” bestowed upon the young people who hawked newspapers for extremely low wages.
When the newspaper titans of the era, Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, raise the cost of newspapers purchased by the newsies for resale, the only answer for the newsies was to unionize and strike. Of course, there are multiple subplots surrounding our protagonist, Jack Kelly, and his band of tough-as-nails compatriots.
This production is filled with high-octane energy, notably through strong acting, singing and dancing. Elton J. Tanega as Jack Kelly provides an unstoppable force as the story’s protagonist. Tanega never misses a beat. His strong voice and athleticism move the production from his beautiful opening number “Santa Fe” through multiple lively dance numbers. Tanega is equally at home showing heartfelt emotion as his love interest blossoms with a young, enthusiastic reporter covering the strike for a rival newspaper. As the reporter, Kelly Maur shows several sides of her character, Katherine Plumber. She can be a woman of mystery, but also very much a modern-day woman. Maur shares her strong vocal capabilities in several show-stopping numbers and is a perfect ingenue.
There are many other standouts in this production including Camden Deal as Davey, the new kid on the block, providing a fresh perspective as he joins the newsies to make money to care for his family. He has a powerful presence both physically and vocally. Deal is joined by a delightful Macaelle “Mac” Vasquez (standing in for Elinor Rodgers in the role of Les) as Davey’s little sister brought along to sell papers and provide comic relief throughout. Also notable is Kong Vang as Crutchie, whose second act number “Letter from the Refuge” tugs at the heartstrings.
Other notables in the cast include Rajdulari as Medda Larkin and Eric Fry as Joseph Pulitzer. And the entire ensemble takes on numerous roles as well as the standout newsies who provide a solid foundation for the entire show.
Although this production strives for authenticity throughout, the one area where there was only partial success was the use of a New York dialect among the major speaking roles. Anytime there is an accent to be established it generally takes a seasoned performer to consistently replicate the place and time. In this production, some of the performers were more successful than others.
Award-winning director Steve Wilson has unleashed a wild ride through every nook and cranny of the theater. He has taken a cast of 26 — a large one for Town Hall’s stage — and filled the auditorium with energy that never lets up. With clean, crisp direction, he successfully manages traffic for the entire cast while also also staging more intimate moments. Choreographers Debbie Stark and Ronni Gallup capitalized on the youthful exuberance of the actors and created dance moves that fill the stage with joy and determination. And music director Donna Debreceni has the entire cast in top form vocally.
The scenic design for Newsies gives a gentle essence of turn-of-the-century New York City. Of note was the overall fluidity of the scenery. There was never an awkward moment as one scene shifted to another. The costumes added to the overall look of another period.
There is no disputing the fact that the music by Alan Menken (also known for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast) and lyrics by Jack Feldman create an atmospheric time bomb reaching new heights with every musical number. And Harvey Fierstein’s book offers a powerful and polished story through smart and oftentimes thought-provoking dialogue.
Disney’s Newsies the Musical runs through Dec. 30 as part of Town Hall Arts Center’s 40th anniversary season.
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