Newsies hit musical plays at the Elgin Opera House

Published 9:56 am Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Newsies — Smash-hit Musical!

The Elgin Opera House’s production of Newsies, the smash-hit musical, will play at the Elgin Opera House from September 13th to October 5th. The musical features a score by eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by four-time Tony Award® winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy).

For information on tickets, visit ElginOperaHouse.com.

“We’ve put together a phenomenal cast and a show loaded with spectacular choreography, a brilliant set, and extraordinary music!” said Newsies director Terry Hale. Newsies showcases a cast of Opera House veteran actors, including Liam Bloodgood, Brixtin Walker, Madison Ribich, Caitlin Marshall and Brian Monger and rounded off with an ensemble of over 30 talented and energetic young actors who fill the roles of NYC Newsies.

Set in New York City at the turn of the century, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy, and leader of a ragged band of teenaged “newsies,” who dreams only of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. But when publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what’s right.

Newsies is inspired by the real-life ‘Newsboy Strike of 1899,’ when newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaway newsies on a two-week-long action against Pulitzer, Hearst and other powerful newspaper publishers.

The stage version introduces eight brand-new songs by the original team of Menken and Feldman, including a song written specifically for the national tour called “Letter from the Refuge,” while keeping many of the beloved songs from the film, including “Carrying the Banner,” ”Seize the Day,” “King of New York” and “Santa Fe.”

Since the film’s 1992 theatrical release and subsequent DVD releases, Newsies has grown into a cult phenomenon, and for years was the single most requested title of all the Disney musical films not yet adapted for the stage.

Newsies runs Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 PM with a Saturday matinee at 2:30 PM, September 13th – October 5th. For tickets and information visit ElginOperaHouse.com, Facebook.com/operahouse or call 541-663-6324.