“Newsies” Springs Into Action on Center Stage
Drama’s take on the iconic, tap-heavy show is now being postponed in response to school closure
By Cat Dayton
Drama’s take on the iconic, tap-heavy show is now being postponed in response to school closure
By Cat Dayton
Based off of the historical Newsboys’ Strike of 1899, the spring musical choice this year is none other than “Newsies,” a show centered around the ideas of perseverance and unity.
The storyline is based off the initially unspoken leader of a band of news-hustling paperboys in New York, Jack Kelly. Kelly meets brothers Davey and Les Jacobs, who work with the outgoing reporter Katherine Pulitzer, under the byline Katherine Plumber, to get fair treatment and wages in a battle against the tyrannical Joseph Pulitzer and his fictional newspaper The World.
“Newsies” in recent years has become an extremely popular show among drama fanatics of all ages, drawing plenty of potential cast members willing to audition. Unlike the Fall play, everyone who auditioned for “Newsies” was given a role in the ensemble. “Newsies” is quite a tap-heavy musical, requiring an extensive amount of practice, and since it’s based around sound, the dancers have to be precise and keep the rhythm. Emily Nguyen,12, plays Race, the cigar-chomping comic relief, and has enjoyed learning the intense choreography of the production while spending time with her fellow cast members, noting how imperative it is to keep up the pace and be in sync with the other dancers.
“In one aspect, in the practicality of it, it is hard and difficult,” said Nguyen. ”But we’ve been practicing it so often that at this point at least for me it feels like you’re having the time of your life with your best friends around you, so it’s not even necessarily work, you’re just having fun at that point.”
Cassie Pinkney, 12, who plays Henry, one of the newsboys, speaks to the musical’s importance and social commentary while also reflecting on her experiences as a part of the drama department.
“I feel a mix of emotions. I’m very happy to be doing this show, there are so many shows that our director Mrs. Coleman could have chosen for us to do this final year, but I feel like ‘Newsies’ really fits our current political climate with young kids stepping up and taking charge of things that they feel passionate about,” said Pinkney. “It also fits our class really well vocally and dancewise. With the number of people, it’s very much an ensemble show and we’re a very big senior class so I’m very happy that it’s this show that I get to go out on.”
While the show was scheduled for March 27, 28 and April 1-4, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department announced on March 13 that all schools will be closed from March 16 to April 3 leading to the performances being postponed until further notice. Despite these unforeseen circumstances, director Ashley Coleman is encouraging the cast to keep a hopeful outlook on performing and to “stay ready.” In the words of the newsies themselves, “nothing can break us, no one can make us quit before we’re done.”
The storyline is based off the initially unspoken leader of a band of news-hustling paperboys in New York, Jack Kelly. Kelly meets brothers Davey and Les Jacobs, who work with the outgoing reporter Katherine Pulitzer, under the byline Katherine Plumber, to get fair treatment and wages in a battle against the tyrannical Joseph Pulitzer and his fictional newspaper The World.
“Newsies” in recent years has become an extremely popular show among drama fanatics of all ages, drawing plenty of potential cast members willing to audition. Unlike the Fall play, everyone who auditioned for “Newsies” was given a role in the ensemble. “Newsies” is quite a tap-heavy musical, requiring an extensive amount of practice, and since it’s based around sound, the dancers have to be precise and keep the rhythm. Emily Nguyen,12, plays Race, the cigar-chomping comic relief, and has enjoyed learning the intense choreography of the production while spending time with her fellow cast members, noting how imperative it is to keep up the pace and be in sync with the other dancers.
“In one aspect, in the practicality of it, it is hard and difficult,” said Nguyen. ”But we’ve been practicing it so often that at this point at least for me it feels like you’re having the time of your life with your best friends around you, so it’s not even necessarily work, you’re just having fun at that point.”
Cassie Pinkney, 12, who plays Henry, one of the newsboys, speaks to the musical’s importance and social commentary while also reflecting on her experiences as a part of the drama department.
“I feel a mix of emotions. I’m very happy to be doing this show, there are so many shows that our director Mrs. Coleman could have chosen for us to do this final year, but I feel like ‘Newsies’ really fits our current political climate with young kids stepping up and taking charge of things that they feel passionate about,” said Pinkney. “It also fits our class really well vocally and dancewise. With the number of people, it’s very much an ensemble show and we’re a very big senior class so I’m very happy that it’s this show that I get to go out on.”
While the show was scheduled for March 27, 28 and April 1-4, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department announced on March 13 that all schools will be closed from March 16 to April 3 leading to the performances being postponed until further notice. Despite these unforeseen circumstances, director Ashley Coleman is encouraging the cast to keep a hopeful outlook on performing and to “stay ready.” In the words of the newsies themselves, “nothing can break us, no one can make us quit before we’re done.”