“A Veritable Nonstop Delight” – Newsies Guest Reviewer

After a whirlwind opening weekend of Newsies, we’re back on The Front Row today with a special guest reviewer, Mealy Cronin. Please enjoy this “theatre by kids for kids” review…by kids!

Running July 19th-28th at the Kenmore Middle School Theater, you don’t want to miss Encore Stage & Studio’s production of the Walt Disney film musical adaptation, Newsies. Encore is a theatre group “by kids for kids,” full of amazingly talented children and teens; each cast member provides professional level acting, singing, and dancing for your summer entertainment enjoyment!

Now, it’s hard to imagine a time before 24-hour news coverage, but at the turn of the 20th century, this was not the case. Newspaper hawkers, known as “newsies,” were the key to knowing all the happenings in one’s city, state, and world. Newsies, a musical-comedy drama with music by Alan Menken and based on the Walt Disney film, tells the tale of the New York City Newsboys Strike of 1899.

Caught up in the power struggle between two publishing powerhouses, William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, the newsies are forced to pay higher prices for the newspapers they buy from the distribution centers, resulting in a lower return per paper sold. To combat this, Jack Kelly and his rag-tag band of newsies go on strike and, aided by a sympathetic reporter, end up taking on the New York City publishing establishment and, ultimately, exposing the mistreatment of child workers.

Through rousing, motivating, and enthusiastic song and dance numbers like “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “King of New York,” the hardscrabble newsies convey all the youthful exuberance and heartache of the era. The young performers kept the audience – adults and children alike – captivated and thoroughly engaged throughout. They truly transport you back to a time before cell phones, television, and computers – where kids had to literally fight to be noticed and heard, let alone taken seriously.

Special applause goes to the incredible performances by Nasim Abdul Khaaliq (Les), Emma Kiely-Hampson (Katherine Plumber), and Kyle Dalsimer (Jack Kelly). Though the acting, singing, and dancing of the cast was extraordinary, these three conveyed the full range of sorrow, hardship, fun, and hope in a manner which belied their youthful ages.

Encore’s production of Newsies is perfect for the whole family and is certainly a show that hits all the right notes! From tap ensembles to truly professional dancing, choreography, singing, and acting, this is an experience that offers a lasting message of unity, courage, and optimism – a veritable nonstop delight!

The show’s run-time is 2 hours and 30 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Remaining performances run Thursday to Sunday at Kenmore Middle School Theater (202 S Carlin Springs Rd, Arlington, VA 22204). Tickets are $15 for Adults, and $12 for Children, Students, Military, and Seniors and are available online at www.encorestage.org or by calling the box office at (703) 548-1154.

So take a break from the summer heat, put on your tap shoes and treat yourself to Newsies!

Meet the Reviewer:
Mealy Cronin is a recent graduate of the Westminster School in Annandale, Virginia. A child-performer herself, Mealy is an enthusiastic fan of the theater, especially musical theater! Though headed off to high school at a Connecticut boarding school in the fall, Mealy hopes to come back and have the opportunity to view and review many more of these great Encore Stage and Studio shows upon her return!

Photos by Cindy Kane Photography. Blog contribution by guest reviewer Mealy Cronin. Edited by Shannon McCarthy.