Stepinac Among Only Five High Schools in the U.S. to Stage NEWSIES

By: Sep. 21, 2017
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The acclaimed Stepinac Theatre, White Plains, NY, continues to make news as a producer of award-winning musicals. The latest big headline is that Stepinac was one of only five high schools in the U.S (and the only one in New York State!) that was granted permission by Walt Disney Theatricals to produce Newsies, the 2012 Tony-winning musical.

Frank Portanova (Class of '93), Director of the Stepinac Theatre, said: "Stepinac High School is honored and excited to be a part of the Disney Theatrical Licensing Pilot Program! The Pilot Program chooses a select group of schools throughout the country to mount a production of a Disney musical before it is released to general licensing. We are thrilled to be one of the first schools nationwide to produce Newsies."

The cast and stage crew of the renowned all-boys Catholic high school will stage six performances at Stepinac's Major Bowes Auditorium, 950 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains at 7:30 PM, December 1, 2, 8 and 9 and at 2 PM, Dec. 9 and 10. Cost of tickets is $22 for adults and $18 for seniors and children under 12. For information regarding tickets, call (914) 946-4800 Ext. 200.

Appropriate for all ages, Newsies is a Disney Theatrical Productions stage musical based on the very popular 1992 music film inspired by the real-life Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City with music from Westchester native and Tony-Awarding winner, Alan Menken.

The stage adaptation tells the story of Jack Kelly, a rebellious newsboy who dreams of a life as an artist away from the big city. After publishing giant Joseph Pulitzer raises newspaper prices at the newsboys' expense, Kelly and his fellow newsies take action. With help from the beautiful reporter, all of New York City soon recognizes the power of the "the little man."

While on Broadway, Newsies received 23 major theatrical nominations - including eight Tony Award nods - and won Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for music score and choreography.

In 2014, Stepinac's highly respected theatrical troupe was one of only six high schools in the U.S that Disney Theatricals granted permission to stage Disney's Mary Poppins and in the following year it became the only school in the nation that was licensed to produce Elton John's Billy Elliot. Both productions won several Metropolitan High School Theatre (Metro) Award nominations as well as awards in top categories.

This year, Stepinac's regional premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame captured the top Metro accolade for overall production as well as awards in major acting categories among other Metro wins.

As in past Stepinac Theatre productions, Portanova will serve as director for Newsies and Keith Sunderland (Class of '94) will be the producer.

The mission of Archbishop Stepinac High School is to offer young men of the Archdiocese of New York a highly competitive academic and extracurricular program that will prepare them for college and leadership roles. The faculty and staff accomplish these objectives by pursuing excellence and creating a supportive, disciplined atmosphere with a strong sense of camaraderie and Christian values that is unique to the Stepinac experience. For more information, visit www.Stepinac.org.



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