Music Theatre West director Lindsey Kelstrom (center) halts a rehearsal of the ‘Newsies’ to give her cast notes. The Disney Musical is slated for production Feb. 24 to Mar. 4 at the Ellen Eccles Theatre (Image courtesy of Facebook).
LOGAN – The Music Theatre West production of the Disney musical Newsies will debut on Friday, Feb. 24 in the Ellen Eccles Theatre in downtown Logan.
Newsies was something of a departure for the theater-mill at Disney Studios, since it was based on a 1992 live action film rather than an animated one.
Moreover, Newsies is loosely based on a historical event – the Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City.
With music by Alan Menken and a script by Harvey Fierstein, the show debuted on Broadway in 2012 and played for 1,000 performances before being launched on a national tour.
The MTW production of Newsies is being directed by the multi-talented Lindsey Kelstrom.
Sara Marshall will appear as fledgling reporter Katherine Plumber in the production. She is a familiar face to local audiences after playing Elle Woods in the recent Cache Theatre Company production of Legally Blonde.
In addition to singing and acting chores, Marshall will also lead the show’s ensembles in rousing dance production numbers.
As usual, this production will feature a huge cast of MTW veterans and newcomers to the stage.
Nathan Scott will appear as Jack Kelly, the leader a gang of orphaned newsboys involved in a pitch-battle with newspaper magnate Joseph Pulitzer, played by Stanton Allen.
Kelly’s gang includes Garren Huckaby, Isaac Larsen, Soren Pedersen, Andrew Withers, Alec Foote, Aaron Lacey, Alex Lambert, Nalani Mathias, Mason Blanchard, Bradley Mickelson, JD Needham, Elmer Andreasen, Spencer Needham, Logan O’Donnell, Ethan Thomas, Josh Myers, Ben Hall, Chelsi Pulley and Sara Bast.
Other leading roles include Megan Nelsen as vaudeville thrush Medda Larkin, Ben Snow as the corrupt Warden Synder, Benjamin Pederson as Mr. Jocobi, Randy Jensen as Nunzio, Dallin Patton as the Mayor Robert Van Wyck and Blake Webster as Gov. Theodore Roosevelt.
Also in the cast are Keetch Mecham and Daniel Fuhriman.
Featured as Bowery beauties are Chrissy Webster, Kate Neeley, Jamie Younker, Rachel Fillingim, Emma Roseland and Sonya Whitted.
As the Newsies ensemble are Devin Taylor, J.S. Peterson, Elliot Willmore, Ethan Bybee, Jonah Lewis, Andreson Gonzales, Nick Wood, Isaiah Dunham, Christopher Rosenlund, Elizabeth Needham, Amber Freestone, Chloe Allen, Brindy Ashcraft and Morgan Horsburgh.
Finally, the children’s ensemble includes Cadence Pulley, Tessa Maughan, Pearson Needham, Jack Sadler, Jacob Snow, Mason Bast, Court Needham and Trace Needham.
Newsies will be presented at 7:30 p.m. in the Ellen Eccles Theatre on Feb. 24, Feb. 25, Feb. 27 and Mar. 2, 3 and 4.
Matinee performances are also slated for Feb. 25 and Mar. 4 at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets can be obtained online at www.cachearts.org or by calling the Eccles box office at 435-752-0026.
The Ellen Eccles Theatre is located at 43 South Main Street in downtown Logan.