Disney's NEWSIES Casting Announced At Starlight Theatre

Starlight Theatre has announced casting for its production of Disney's Newsies—the Tony Award winning musical based on the hit movie—starring a phenomenal cast of Kansas City performers alongside national talent. Tickets are on sale now and available online at kcstarlight.com, by calling (816) 363-7827, or by visiting the ticket office at 4600 Starlight Road, Kansas City, Mo., 64132.

Carry the banner with Disney's Newsies! Set in turn-of-the century New York City, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged 'newsies.' When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys' expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what's right!

'One of the greatest privileges of producing our own musicals is the opportunity to invest in that local artistic community,' Lindsey Rood-Clifford, Starlight President + C.E.O., said. 'When Kansas City artists work alongside nationally recognized creative teams and performers, the result is something uniquely ours—a production that celebrates a beloved musical while also showcasing the depth, strength, and collaborative spirit of our region's performing arts community.'

Newsies will play September 8–13 as part of the 2026 AdventHealth Broadway Series.

Lucas Pastrana leads the company as Jack Kelly. An up-and-coming talent, Pastrana brings fresh energy and star power to the iconic role of the newsies' fearless leader. Graham Rowat joins as Joseph Pulitzer, a Broadway veteran whose credits include Dear Evan Hansen, Sunset Boulevard, Mamma Mia!, and Guys and Dolls. Aubrey Matalon will take on the role of Katherine Plummer. Matalon previously appeared on Broadway in SIX, bringing Broadway-caliber experience to the Starlight stage. Bryonha Marie stars as Medda Larkin in a homecoming performance, returning to the city where she grew up and got her start. Rounding out the principal cast are Andy Bakun as Davey, and Ryan Jacobs as Crutchie, alongside local Kansas City students Carson Cornwell and Lucas Gutierrez-Sullenger, who will share the role of Les and make their Starlight professional debut.

Joining them is a company built on strong Kansas City ties. Maddox Bane, Jake Bartley, Brooke Cox, Jordan Tremaine DeLeon, Jackson Grove and Nick Nazzaro are all professional actors with local Kansas City connections, joining the production alongside well-established local professionals Amari Lewis, Ken Remmert, Chris McCoy, and Zachary Ford to name a few.

The full ensemble includes Maddox Bane (Oscar Delancey), Jake Bartley (Specs), Tessa Brethowr (Swing), Samuel Colina (Finch), Brooke Cox (Buttons, Bowery Beauty), Jordan Tremaine DeLeon (Albert), Steven Eckloff (Race), Zachary Ford (Nunzio, Snyder), Bryan Fortunato (Morris Delancey), Jackson Grove (Swing), Alex Haquia (Romeo), Matthew Henrickson (Seitz, Roosevelt), Evan Latta (Elmer), Amari Lewis (Hannah, Bowery Beauty), Chris McCoy (Bunsen, Mr. Jacobi), Nick Nazzaro (Mush, Bill), Zac Pritts (Henry, Darcy), Ken Remmert (Wiesel, Mayor), and Michael Rios (Dance Captain, Swing).

Alongside this stellar cast, Starlight's production of Disney's Newsies will also feature 33 area high school students in the Blue Star Awards teen ensemble: Louisa Bartlett, David Bunnell, Deuce Chanos, Bennett DaMetz, Charlea Emison, Corbin Gardner, Joaquín González Layton, Lyla Horwitz, Savion Jackson, Dylan Johnson, Tatum McGinness-Wood, Lainey McManamy, Mae Murray, George Nessigner, Sophia Payton, Ryan Peterson, Gage Pfannenstiel, Jack Polak, Luke Pyron, Jonathan Raymond, Rayna Reed, Wyatt Ricker, Santana Romero, Jared Romney, Dane Schwartz, Liam Smith, Quincy Stribling, Ethan Suen, Izzy Taghizadeh, Charlie Tietjen, Paolo Vitug, Harper Ward, and Keston Wimberly.

About Starlight's Production of Disney's Newsies

Starlight's production of Disney's Newsies is proudly produced by Starlight. Starlight is excited to welcome back David Grindrod who will lead the production as Director and Choreographer. David previously worked as Associate to Tony Award recipient Baayork Lee on Starlight's production of West Side Story. David has set productions around the world as Ms. Lee's Associate. Other credits include directing and choreography work at City Springs Theatre Company, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Weathervane Theatre, and the Sheen Center. David also has an extensive performer resume, including playing Mark in New York City Center's production of A Chorus Line, as well as in the national tour. David is a New York City-based director, choreographer, performer, and educator.

Based on the 1992 motion picture and inspired by a true story, Newsies features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots). Featuring the now classic songs 'Carrying the Banner,' 'Seize the Day,' and 'Santa Fe,' Newsies is packed with non-stop thrills and a timeless message.

This production of Newsies was licensed by Music Theatre International.

How to Purchase Tickets

Tickets to all shows, including Starlight's Production of Disney's Newsies, are on sale now and available online at kcstarlight.com, by calling (816) 363-7827, or by visiting the ticket office at 4600 Starlight Road, Kansas City Mo., 64132. For more information, including show content advisories, please visit kcstarlight.com.

Discount prices for groups of 10 or more are available by contacting Starlight's group sales department at 816-997-1137 or groups@kcstarlight.com. Please note that kcstarlight.com is the only official ticket source for all shows in the 2026 AdventHealth Broadway Series. If you purchase tickets from another website or ticket broker, we cannot guarantee those tickets are legitimate.

Make it a night out by enjoying a sit-down dining experience in the Applause Club or come early and grab a drink on the Encore Deck. Starlight offers a wide variety of concessions, from burgers and nachos to salads and pasta bowls.

About Starlight

Opened as a theatre in 1950 and a nonprofit organization in 1951, Starlight is the largest and oldest performing arts organization in Kansas City, Missouri, and connects our community through live arts experiences that entertain, inspire, and engage audiences of all ages. Offering diverse programming year-round, Starlight presents Broadway musicals, concert events, and extensive community engagement programming, including arts access initiatives, scholarships, school partnerships, and one of the most well-regarded high school musical theatre award programs in the nation. Located on 16 acres in Swope Park, the historic, city-owned venue is the second-largest outdoor producing theatre in the country with almost 8,000 seats.

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