Summer Place Theatre takes a page out of history with 'Newsies,' opening July 21
It's time to carry the banner for the Summer Place Theatre's production of Disney's "Newsies." The Tony Award-winning musical opens Friday, July 21, and runs until Aug. 6.
Set in turn-of-the century New York City, "Newsies" is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged "newsies."
When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys' expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what's right!
The musical is based on the 1992 motion picture, which was inspired by the real-life story when a newsboy strike took place in New York City on July 18 to Aug. 2, 1899. The newsboys' strike of 1899 was a U.S. youth-led campaign to facilitate change in the way that Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst's newspapers compensated their force of newsboys or newspaper hawkers. The strikers demonstrated across New York City for several days, effectively stopping circulation of the two papers, along with the news distribution for many New England cities. The strike lasted two weeks, causing Pulitzer's New York World to decrease its circulation from 360,000 papers sold per day to 125,000.
The 2012 Broadway musical features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken ("Little Shop of Horrors," 'Sister Act") and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein ("Kinky Boots").
Featuring the now classic songs "Carrying the Banner," "Seize the Day," and "Santa Fe," "Newsies" is packed with nonstop thrills and a timeless message, perfect for the whole family and every audience.
Jack Kelly will be portrayed by Salem Channell, who is studying theater performance at the University of Colorado Boulder and has performed as Peter in "Company," Mandrew in "The Performers," and Fairy Godmother in "Cinderella.
John B. Boss (as Joseph Pulitzer) makes his debut with Summer Place. Suburban audiences may remember him as Man in Chair in "The Drowsy Chaperone" at Cutting Hall and Theatre on the Hill, Sylvia in "Ruthless" at Steel Beam, and Uncle Max in "The Sound of Music" at Brightside Theatre. He has appeared nationally, in Canada and the U.K. in touring productions of "Persuasion" and Mel Brooks' "The Producers" as well as Barnaby in "Babes in Toyland" and Genie in "Aladdin."
Courtney San Pedro is playing the young reporter Katherine Plummer. Recently, you may have seen Courtney in "Rent" as Mimi Marquez, "Little Women" as Amy March, "The SpongeBob Musical" as Sandy Cheeks, and "The Addams Family" as Morticia Addams.
Preetish Chakraborthy is making his Summer Place debut as Davey, a fellow newsboy. His credits include: John Bechdel in "Fun Home" (Victory Gardens Theater), Olaf in "Frozen" (Center Stage Players), Mr. Green in "Clue: On Stage" (Metea Valley High School).
Also making her Summer Place Theatre debut will be Julie Nelson playing Medda, Jack's friend. She has previously played nuns (Maria in "The Sound of Music" and Sister Amnesia in "Nunsense") as well as chorines (Miss Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls" and Sally Bowles in "Cabaret").
Justin Davis plays Crutchie, Jack's best friend. His recent credits include Benny in "In the Heights," Eddie in "Sister Act," and Dennis in "All Shook Up!"
The role of Davey's younger brother Les will be played by two actors on alternate dates. Luke Hafkey, an incoming freshman at Wheaton North High School, has played Sebastian in "The Little Mermaid Jr.," Michael Banks in "Mary Poppins Jr." (Carol Stream Park District), and Ensembles in both "Beauty and the Beast" and "A Christmas Carol the Musical" (Wheaton Drama). Charlie Long, making his Summer Place Theatre debut, recently could be seen on the Paramount Theatre stage in "The Sound of Music" (Kurt) and "School of Rock" (Ensemble, Billy understudy).
Michael Vasilevich will play Race. His previous credits include "A Chorus Line" (Mark), "Pippin" (Ensemble), and "On the Town" (Ensemble).
Other cast members include: Nicholas Baumgartner (Mike); Gabriel Bell (Ike); John Benischek (Wiesel/Ensemble); Henry Cartaya (Henry); Miranda Colin (Mush); Claire Correll (Hannah/Ensemble); Jill Danklefsen (Specs); Joey Fatigante (Albert); Courtney Gaither (Buttons); Joe Gomez (Tommy Boy/Spot Conlon); Devin Koshay (Morris Delancey); Justin Lessentine (Elmer); Sean Lynch (Snyder); Jordan McCully (Finch); Lia Mulcahy (Splasher); Colin Nacion (Romeo); Marcelo Nylund (Oscar Delancey, Jack understudy); Katie Paulsen (Bunsen/Ensemble); Reed Pence (Nunzio/Ensemble, Pulitzer understudy); Amanda Rissman (Jo Jo, Katherine understudy); Maddie Shelton (Bowery Beauty/Ensemble); and CeCi Wynne (Seitz/Ensemble).
The director is Mike Frale with Kitty Karn as music director; Jeanne O'Connell as choreographer; and Ali Kordelewski as vocal director.
Performances will be 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays, July 21 to Aug. 6, in the Naperville Central High School auditorium, 440 Aurora Ave. Use Door 24. Doors open 30 minutes prior to show.
For tickets and information, visit summerplacetheatre.org/Tickets.
General admission tickets are $20 or $15 for ages 65 or older or 18 or younger. It is $3 more at the door.