Interview: Matt Henningsen And Katherine Lindsley of DISNEY'S NEWSIES THE MUSICAL at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre

The 1992 Disney film Newsies tells the story of the New York City Newsboys’ Strike of 1899. It was adapted for the stage in 2011 and made its way to Broadway in 2012. With music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman, and book by Harvey Fierstein, Disney’s Newsies The Musical won a Tony Award for Best Original Score. This inspiring musical takes the stage at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre June 30th through August 5th, starring Matt Henningsen as Jack Kelly and Katherine Lindsley as Katherine Plummer. Henningsen and Lindsley spoke with BroadwayWorld about Disney’s Newsies The Musical.

BWW: Tell us about your very first experience performing?

Henningsen: My first time performing was in a drama club in the 4th grade, where we would make up a show with the director. My first one involved an American Idol in the North Pole, where I played Ryan Seacrest.

Lindsley: In the fourth grade, I sang “All I Want For Christmas is You” by Vince Vance & the Valiants at my winter talent show! This was the first time that my parents heard me sing, and they encouraged me to start focusing on performing.

BWW: What fuels your love of performing?

Henningsen: My love for performing is fueled by the feeling of creating and living in a new world with other artists and the immersive rush of telling the story of that world through song and dance.

Lindsley: Meeting the most incredible people! It’s crazy how much you learn when you are surrounded by a cast of incomparable talents and how quickly you become a family.

BWW: Matt, we spoke a few months ago about your experience playing Tony in Saturday Night Fever. Tell us a little about the similarities and differences between that character and Jack Kelly.

Henningsen: It’s funny, because I’m back portraying another role from an iconic movie. I feel like there was a lot more pressure to pay homage to John Travolta’s performance as Tony Manero than there is for Jack in Newsies. This musical differs more from its movie than Saturday Night Fever does, so I can take more liberty and freedom in creating my own personal connection and identity with Jack.

BWW: What is your favorite role to date, and why?

Henningsen: My favorite role to date, prior to this, would be Roger in RENT. I first played the role in high school when I was, frankly, too young to understand the material. I just played the role again, and I understand far more about the plot, the character’s experiences, and the message of the story. RENT is such an important and heart-wrenching story that needs to be told, and it’s magical getting to sing Jonathon Larson’s music and be a part of that legacy.

Lindsley: My absolute favorite so far has been Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance! I grew up studying classical music and have an immense love for Gilbert & Sullivan so performing in this show was an absolute dream come true! Plus it doesn’t hurt that the costume was stunning.

BWW: How does it feel to be performing in a show that is based on a true story?

Henningsen: Being in a show based on a true story is so interesting to me, because you’re not only building and living in another world, but one in our own history. We get to step back in time for 2 and a half hours. There’s also so much more research you can do to help formulate your character, mannerisms, and environment, which will all inform your choices in the show.

Lindsley: It’s so wonderful because you have tangible research and resources available to attempt to portray these characters accurately and understand the world you’re living in. Although this story does contain many elements of fiction—my character Katherine, for example—it still draws from reality in a lot of ways, and it is important to find a balance between being true to the source material and making your own choices.

BWW: Katherine, you share a first name with your character—would you say you share any other traits with her?

Lindsley: It’s so funny because one of the reasons I’ve always been so drawn to this show and this character is how similar we are. It’s almost as if I’m portraying a version of myself that decided to pursue journalism! I’d like to think that we are both very hard-working, driven, and at times a bit sassy.

BWW: I was a huge fan of the movie, and one of the things I found most mesmerizing (aside from young Christian Bale of course) was the dancing. Talk to us about the choreography for this production.

Henningsen: I love the choreography in Newsies so much! It’s so athletic, energetic, and rebellious—fitting right in with the theme of the show. Ford (our Director/Choreographer) does an excellent job marrying a balletic technique with musical and tap stylizations, while keeping the choreography grounded and gritty.

Lindsley: The choreography is truly the focal point of this show and will never cease to impress me no matter how often I’ve seen it! Ford Haeuser, our director / choreographer, has done a brilliant job using dance to further the plot, and our incredible cast makes the intricate movements look effortless!

BWW: Is your role in Newsies a dream role for you?

Henningsen: Jack has been a dream role for me since high school! I saw the show on Broadway and fell in love with the music, and Jack’s entire character track. I’m over the moon and very blessed to finally step into his shoes!

Lindsley: Absolutely! This show has been a favorite of mine since I was 12 years old, and I would happily play this role for the rest of my life. The number of times I forced my family to listen to the soundtrack in the car is more than I would care to admit, and for this to be my first professional leading role is beyond surreal. I’m still pinching myself!

BWW: Newsies is filled with great music—songs that are fun, inspiring, and emotional. What is your favorite song in the show and why?

Henningsen: This is so basic and predictable, but my favorite song in the show has to be “Santa Fe”. It is a quintessential song in the Tenor MT canon, but getting to sing it in the context of the show is special. The show begins with “Santa Fe (Prologue)”, which paints Jack’s dream and desire to get out of New York to find a better life. As the first act progresses, he reaches a breaking point, and this dream becomes more of a necessity. The daunting truth of what this escape means to him drives this ballad into an emotional catharsis that is the backbone of “Santa Fe”. Having this comparison and growth between the two songs is incredibly interesting to me.

Lindsley: “Once and For All”! I cannot even explain how much I adore this song. It’s one of the few group numbers that I get to be a part of, and I essentially think it is the 11 o’clock number of this show. Between the insane vocals our cast is putting out and the staging, it’s going to blow people away!

BWW: What part of the story do you think audiences will enjoy the most?

Henningsen: I think the audiences are going to go crazy for the big group numbers. “Carrying The Banner”, “Seize The Day”, and “King Of New York” are all energetic dance and vocal extravaganzas that I think will blow the audiences away!

Lindsley: The great thing about this show is that there is something for everyone to enjoy. There are incredible action and stage combat scenes, but there are also elements of comedy and drama. I might be biased, but I am a big fan of the relationship Jack and Katherine form throughout the show, and I know, if you are a hopeless romantic like me, you will feel the same.

BWW: When the movie was first released, it received mixed reviews and did not do well at the box office. It gained a huge cult following when it was released on video, and the stage musical has been widely popular. In your opinion, what is it about Newsies that continues to inspire audiences?

Henningsen: The message behind Newsies is one that will always ring true. You have to fight for yourself and your people against the problematic, abusive, and unjust systems of oppression. This has always been and continues to be a problem that we are dismantling in this country across many industries and socioeconomic and political structures. Shows like Newsies serve as a constant reminder that we cannot back down from an absolutely necessary and motivated fight.

Lindsley: It has such a wonderful underlying message. It is a lesson to every kid and young adult that they have the power to create the change they want to see in the world for the future generations to come. It is a reminder that it is important to stand up for what’s right. Newsies is the quintessential underdog story!

BWW: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Henningsen: I really hope the audiences leave the show feeling inspired, touched, and energized by the show we’ve put together! Lancaster isn’t going to know what hit it with the insane talent of this cast and this incredible world we’ve built together with the awesome production team!

Seize the day and get your tickets for Disney’s Newsies The Musical at Dutch Apple! Visit https://dutchapple.com/shows/disneys-newsies/ for tickets.

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