Newsies is a unique musical because it never fails to be timely. Many of the things this musical touches on (i.e. unionization and standing up to top-down abuses of power, women's roles in society and the pushing against glass ceilings, class-based oppression and struggle, etc.) are challenges that are still prevalent in our society today, well over 100 years after the story itself takes place. The face may be different, but the problems remain the same. Being able to bring a story such as this to life with youth is such an incredible thing to witness, as these performers are inevitably the people we will pass the torch to in the task of building a more just society. This production gives them the distinct privilege of honoring and shedding light on our history, in all its complexities and nuance, through their artistry. Our ultimate hope for everyone involved in this production is that, beyond the growth this experience has brought them as emerging artists, that it will also help them to form the necessary connections between the past and the present that are so crucial toward building a better future.
-Amberly Simpson
Theater has the power to inform, transport, and transform. Invariably, my favorite productions to be a part of are ones that have a lasting impact on the cast, crew, and audience alike. Newsies has the potential to do just that. In rehearsal, we encouraged the students to dig below the catchy songs and big dance numbers and seek to understand the position of the characters and what their real-life experience must have been like. The reality is that the real newsies of the time were the age of these students, sometimes younger, and had a life experience far different from most youth of today. This can be a difficult thing for young actors to approach, but as Amberly mentioned the themes are timeless and we are able to draw parallels between the events of 1899 and the present.
Artistcally, we have pushed the students to think at work at a fairly high level. We know they won't all go on to be performing arts professionals, but the skills learned through this process apply to all areas of life. Responsibility, ownership, cooperation, focus (the hardest skill for this age group), and vulnerability are all skills that make better leaders and agents of change. This production isn't going to change the world, but if our students come out of it better artists and better people, then it's a huge success.
-Russell Cooper
