Review: ‘Newsies’ Makes For The Best Of Times With Young Cast’s Talent
June 1, 2017 at 4:52 a.m.
Review: ‘Newsies’ Makes For The Best Of Times With Young Cast’s Talent
By David [email protected]
She argues with herself a bit, finally settling on writing it up as a “David vs. Goliath” piece with the young boys being David and the newspaper owners being Goliath. I get that argument she has with herself as I often find myself trying to decide how best to write a piece – flipping through ideas in my head – and then questioning myself about my approach as I write it and once it’s done.
So in writing this review about Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts’ production of “Newsies,” I came up with several ideas on where to go with it. Ultimately, however, I came to the conclusion that while I really wanted to talk about the differences between the 1992 film and 2012 stage adaptation, I’ll put the movie aside and focus on the Wednesday night show. I’ll also save my discussion about “bromance vs. romance” for some other night over a cold beer.
The Wagon Wheel is the first regional theater in the country to get to do “Newsies” thanks to Disney, and if anyone from the corporation sees it, I’d imagine they only would have nice things to say about Wagon Wheel’s production. The cast is very young but they appear to be putting their heart and soul into it, which strengthens the overall performance, and Artistic Director and choreographer Scott Michaels definitely put his stamp on the musical.
Since I already name-dropped Cotter, let me return to her and state how great it was to see her again after her performance as Belle in 2016’s “Beauty & The Beast,” also a Disney musical. Like Belle, Katherine in “Newsies” is independent and strong and doesn’t tolerate male chauvinists. Cotter can be dainty if the role requires it of her, but if she wants to rain down fire and brimstone on her oppressors, she will bring it. Cotter is the kind of actress Disney could be snatching away for one of its live action movies because of the fine qualities she brings to the stage.
Cotter also has a great singing voice so that whether she’s singing solo on “Watch What Happens” or in a duet with Britton Hollingsworth as Jack Kelly, it’s worth listening to from start to finish.
Speaking of Hollingsworth, “Newsies” is his debut at the Warsaw theater. Jack is essentially an orphan who lives on the mean streets of New York but dreams of the deserts of Santa Fe. It is 1899, so the young man wants to go west and make a new life for himself. But Jack is also the natural leader among the newspaper boys, all who seem to have similar home problems like Jack.
Hollingsworth has a certain charm about him that would lead you to believe in person he is sweet, kind, gentle, sincere, trustworthy and respectful. With that in mind, there is no question for me that Hollingsworth is the Jack who all the other boys would turn to for help, advice and strength.
There are a lot of supporting boys – and girls playing boys – in “Newsies,” but three in particular stood out.
First, there are the two brothers Davey (Evan Kinnane) and Les (Olliver Pettit). Davey and Les are new to the newspaper delivery business when we first meet them toward the start of the show. Les is the younger of the two, a 10-year-old, and Davey is a smart lad that Jack ends up turning to for information and advice on striking.
While the other newspaper boys wear suspenders and hats, Davey is sporting a bow tie and attire more suited toward an office. Kinnane plays him fairly uptight, but relaxes as the show progresses and Davey somewhat becomes just one of the boys. Davey’s relationship to Jack, as Kinnane plays it, feels more like a partnership than best buddies, but it still carries the story along.
And, of course, Pettit steals the show with every line he gives. He’s just a freaking adorable 9-year-old. There’s so many roles in so many shows a kid like him could steal.
The third newsie I wanted to highlight is Blake Bojewski as Crutchie, the boy with a lame leg. He gave an outstanding performance in his supporting role, making me feel sympathetic toward Crutchie at times and then cheering him on at others. Crutchie and Jack probably go back a number of years in their friendship, but with Bojewski’s performance, I saw a stronger bond – a brotherhood deeper than blood. Bojewski gave Crutchie depth, and when he sang “Letter from the Refuge” in Act II, he had the audience all in for Crutchie.
There was also Matthew Copley as Romeo, who tried to be a romeo; Ben Ahlers and Briley Gargis as the bullish brothers Morris and Oscar Delancey working for the man; and an assortment of young men and ladies who helped bring the show to life.
Of course, what’s a show without a villain to despise? As newspaper owner Joseph Pulitzer, local and longtime Wagon Wheel veteran Mike Yocum played his role with perfection. He was forceful, determined and not going to give in to the whims of the young miscreants who work for him for pennies. Yocum is a very kind, thoughtful and generous individual in person, but in a show like “Newsies,” he can be downright mean if the role calls for it. So props to the professor.
Overall, there were some changes from the film to the stage I wish hadn’t been made, but since no one at the Wagon Wheel wrote it, I’ll leave that be. The cast, with the guidance of Michaels, has started the 2017 summer season on the right foot and audiences are sure to enjoy it. It has romance, a struggle, a fight and chase, lots of group dancing and energetic singing. It doesn’t have any talking fish or a beast who turns into a prince, so this show may not interest any very young kids, but teenagers and adults should be singing its praises afterward.
I’ve still got the song “King of New York” stuck in my head.
My rating of the show (out of four): 3.5.
“Newsies” is at the Wagon Wheel through June 10.
Upcoming shows are: “Footloose,” June 14-24; “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” June 28-July 8; “Young Frankenstein,” July 12-22; “The Crucible,” July 26-Aug. 5; “Into the Woods,” Aug. 9-19; and the encore show is “Next to Normal,” Aug. 29-Sept. 3.
She argues with herself a bit, finally settling on writing it up as a “David vs. Goliath” piece with the young boys being David and the newspaper owners being Goliath. I get that argument she has with herself as I often find myself trying to decide how best to write a piece – flipping through ideas in my head – and then questioning myself about my approach as I write it and once it’s done.
So in writing this review about Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts’ production of “Newsies,” I came up with several ideas on where to go with it. Ultimately, however, I came to the conclusion that while I really wanted to talk about the differences between the 1992 film and 2012 stage adaptation, I’ll put the movie aside and focus on the Wednesday night show. I’ll also save my discussion about “bromance vs. romance” for some other night over a cold beer.
The Wagon Wheel is the first regional theater in the country to get to do “Newsies” thanks to Disney, and if anyone from the corporation sees it, I’d imagine they only would have nice things to say about Wagon Wheel’s production. The cast is very young but they appear to be putting their heart and soul into it, which strengthens the overall performance, and Artistic Director and choreographer Scott Michaels definitely put his stamp on the musical.
Since I already name-dropped Cotter, let me return to her and state how great it was to see her again after her performance as Belle in 2016’s “Beauty & The Beast,” also a Disney musical. Like Belle, Katherine in “Newsies” is independent and strong and doesn’t tolerate male chauvinists. Cotter can be dainty if the role requires it of her, but if she wants to rain down fire and brimstone on her oppressors, she will bring it. Cotter is the kind of actress Disney could be snatching away for one of its live action movies because of the fine qualities she brings to the stage.
Cotter also has a great singing voice so that whether she’s singing solo on “Watch What Happens” or in a duet with Britton Hollingsworth as Jack Kelly, it’s worth listening to from start to finish.
Speaking of Hollingsworth, “Newsies” is his debut at the Warsaw theater. Jack is essentially an orphan who lives on the mean streets of New York but dreams of the deserts of Santa Fe. It is 1899, so the young man wants to go west and make a new life for himself. But Jack is also the natural leader among the newspaper boys, all who seem to have similar home problems like Jack.
Hollingsworth has a certain charm about him that would lead you to believe in person he is sweet, kind, gentle, sincere, trustworthy and respectful. With that in mind, there is no question for me that Hollingsworth is the Jack who all the other boys would turn to for help, advice and strength.
There are a lot of supporting boys – and girls playing boys – in “Newsies,” but three in particular stood out.
First, there are the two brothers Davey (Evan Kinnane) and Les (Olliver Pettit). Davey and Les are new to the newspaper delivery business when we first meet them toward the start of the show. Les is the younger of the two, a 10-year-old, and Davey is a smart lad that Jack ends up turning to for information and advice on striking.
While the other newspaper boys wear suspenders and hats, Davey is sporting a bow tie and attire more suited toward an office. Kinnane plays him fairly uptight, but relaxes as the show progresses and Davey somewhat becomes just one of the boys. Davey’s relationship to Jack, as Kinnane plays it, feels more like a partnership than best buddies, but it still carries the story along.
And, of course, Pettit steals the show with every line he gives. He’s just a freaking adorable 9-year-old. There’s so many roles in so many shows a kid like him could steal.
The third newsie I wanted to highlight is Blake Bojewski as Crutchie, the boy with a lame leg. He gave an outstanding performance in his supporting role, making me feel sympathetic toward Crutchie at times and then cheering him on at others. Crutchie and Jack probably go back a number of years in their friendship, but with Bojewski’s performance, I saw a stronger bond – a brotherhood deeper than blood. Bojewski gave Crutchie depth, and when he sang “Letter from the Refuge” in Act II, he had the audience all in for Crutchie.
There was also Matthew Copley as Romeo, who tried to be a romeo; Ben Ahlers and Briley Gargis as the bullish brothers Morris and Oscar Delancey working for the man; and an assortment of young men and ladies who helped bring the show to life.
Of course, what’s a show without a villain to despise? As newspaper owner Joseph Pulitzer, local and longtime Wagon Wheel veteran Mike Yocum played his role with perfection. He was forceful, determined and not going to give in to the whims of the young miscreants who work for him for pennies. Yocum is a very kind, thoughtful and generous individual in person, but in a show like “Newsies,” he can be downright mean if the role calls for it. So props to the professor.
Overall, there were some changes from the film to the stage I wish hadn’t been made, but since no one at the Wagon Wheel wrote it, I’ll leave that be. The cast, with the guidance of Michaels, has started the 2017 summer season on the right foot and audiences are sure to enjoy it. It has romance, a struggle, a fight and chase, lots of group dancing and energetic singing. It doesn’t have any talking fish or a beast who turns into a prince, so this show may not interest any very young kids, but teenagers and adults should be singing its praises afterward.
I’ve still got the song “King of New York” stuck in my head.
My rating of the show (out of four): 3.5.
“Newsies” is at the Wagon Wheel through June 10.
Upcoming shows are: “Footloose,” June 14-24; “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” June 28-July 8; “Young Frankenstein,” July 12-22; “The Crucible,” July 26-Aug. 5; “Into the Woods,” Aug. 9-19; and the encore show is “Next to Normal,” Aug. 29-Sept. 3.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092