SYRACUSE — Since 2011 UTBA has been reviewing the summer production of the Syracuse City Arts Council. This summer, director Amy Turner is bringing the ever-popular Disney’s Newsies. Out of curiosity I went and counted and if my numbers are correct, this will make it the 19th time we have reviewed Newsies in the state of Utah. What makes this show such a hit among our audiences, and did Syracuse City do a fine job seizing their day in the spotlight?
I was a teenager in the 90s, so I am no stranger to the story of 1899 when the streets of NYC echoed with the voices of Newsies selling the news for 10 cents a “pape” because that is when the movie came out and my teenage heart fell in love with singing boys. The musical, based on the movie with a book by Harvey Fierstien and music by Alan Menken, and lyrics by Jack Feldman, debuted on Broadway in 2012. The story follows Jack Kelly, played by Porter Beesley, a young man trying to make a living selling newspapers, and his rough gang of Newsies who get taken advantage of by the rich Pulizter, played by Andrew Stone, who decides to raise the prices of the papers for the Newsies. It is the classic underdog story of learning to fight for what you believe in while figuring out who your family really is.
The biggest change from the movie to the musical is the role of the reporter from a male to the young Katherine, played in Syracuse by Ellie Stephenson. Stephenson embodies the role well, and she does a good job with the characterization of her popular song “Watch What Happens”. Her interactions with the Newsies were the best parts of the show, embracing her humanity and showing that she was not just rooting for the underdog but connecting as well.
Newsies is a dancing show, and choreography is important. Syracuse City does not disappoint in this realm. Choreographers Kayley Turner and Kelsey Turner, who also had roles in the ensemble, have really outdone themselves. From the opening of Carrying the Banner to the crowd-pleasing “Seize the Day”, the choreography did not miss. From strong leaps and flips to having the whole cast moving in perfect synchrony, it is clear that the Turners know how to create a great dance scene. This was also shown in the Act Two opener “King of New York”, which is a tap scene. In many of the past Newsies productions in the state, I have seen a few key players tapping, but this ensemble had the full cast tapping which was marvelous.
As is sadly the case with much of the Utah Arts Council productions, there were some sound issues and mics going out. However, I must commend Crystl Naylor as Medda, because while her mic was not working during her song “That’s Rich”, her ability to project to my seat at the back of the midsection of the auditorium was lovely.
The lighting design by Alice Remley was quite impressive. This was quite noticeable along with the choreography during the song “Once and For All”. As a critic, I love seeing when moments like this come together, where the technical elements of a show truly shine. The Newsies are in a dark cellar, the genius choice of props also handled by director Amy Turner with the newspapers being on harder boards for this scene, the boards being lit in a stronger hue than everything else on stage, and at a key moment in the music having them slam down as part of the choreography is what makes musical theatre a genre I return to time and time again.
A final note about last night’s performance and community theatre in general. One of the things I love about seeing ensembles is watching for stars in the making. Many years ago I saw a show on Broadway that was not very successful, but I returned to it several times because of one performer in particular who had caught my eye. It was clear she had gotten so into her role that there was a backstory to her character and she had embodied the role completely. She taught me to love seeing all the stories on stage, not just the main one. Stage dooring was not what it is now, and I was able to converse with this actress and talk to her about how I was sure she would be a star. She was so gracious and thankful because this was her Broadway debut and could not believe anyone would notice her in her small role when others were so much more prominent. I have adored being able to do this with so many productions here in Utah, and watching the performers that grace the stages here and are destined for greatness either in Utah or beyond, like El Patterson who played Finch in Newsies at Syracuse. I am certain that if I had a chance to talk to them, they would be able to tell me all of Finch’s back story and motivation for getting up in the morning. I was mesmerized by them from the time they walked on stage, impressed with every move, and found myself longing for a sequel to Newsies called Finch. So who knows, maybe Patterson, like that actress I met so many years ago, will eventually also win a Tony.
