A Message from the Directors
This beloved Broadway musical that ran for over 1,000 performances on Broadway, and thanks to the miracle of streaming services and the persistence of theatre kids everywhere, has since lived on through millions of Disney+ viewings. At least a few hundred of those were ours, starting the day we announced the show back in November.

Set against the backdrop of the real-life Newsboys' strike of 1899, Newsies tells the rousing story of a ragtag band of newsboys in Manhattan and their charismatic leader, Jack Kelley taking down the business titans Joseph Pulitzer and Willam Randolph Hearst. Combing explosive choreography, razor-sharp dialects, a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken... and an ensemble of tough, gritty actors who can backflip off a fire escape while singing in harmony. In our version, we are proud to feature a cast of mostly girls who have proven to be just as gritty, and fearless, but who had presumably never even seen a tap shoe. And yet, as the show wisely commands, “Now is the time to seize the day.” And so we did.

Following last year’s production of Spamalot, which was essentially controlled chaos with British accents, fake mustaches, and a killer rabbit, the bar was set oddly high. We knew we needed something just as engaging, just as bold—and ideally something where nobody had to pretend to gallop on an invisible horse. Newsies was not the obvious choice. In fact, the perfect show doesn’t exist. But perfection was never really the goal. We chose Newsies because it demanded something from us: teamwork, grit, imagination, and yet another go at accents.

This production is significant for many reasons. It is the culmination of what has felt like an endless post-pandemic uphill battle, and for the first time since 2019 offers a chance for some of the cast to perform in a fourth SJCA musical production. If it weren’t for the overwhelming talent and dedication of this cast, specifically the amazing seniors, we would not have had the confidence to take on this project. This production has revealed and empowered a group of genuine and confident “theatre kids;” and while this cast is the largest in program history, the heart of the program, its sense of family, loyalty, and devotion to one another has never been more evident. While Newsies, on paper, was never the perfect show, the story of kids banding together to accomplish something bigger than themselves has turned out to be a perfect representation of this cast.

As always, thank you to all of you, especially our families who are willing to endure months of late rehearsals, distracted conversations, and the same fifteen songs played over and over again - all so we can continue to play make believe.

With Gratitude,

Joe Hergenreder and Chad Walsh

Questions?
We'd love to hear from you! For more information about this production, contact the Saint Joseph's Musical Co-Directors, Mr. Chad Walsh at cwalsh@sjcacademy.org and Mr. Joe Hergenreder at dhergenreder@sjcacademy.org