Extra, extra read all about it! ShowKids Invitational Theatre (SKIT) presents Newsies the Musical, January 19-27 at Voorhees High School.
Following a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! production of Mary Poppins last season, which earned an Outstanding Production of a Musical Perry Award nomination from the New Jersey Association of Community Theaters (NJACT), SKIT is proud to present six performances of the Tony Award-winning musical NEWSIES. The talented cast, featuring newsies as young as 8-years-old, will be performing on Saturday, January 19 at 7:30pm and Sunday, January 20 at 2:00pm, as well as four shows the following weekend: Friday, January 25 at 7:30pm, Saturday, January 26 at 2pm and 7:30pm, and Sunday, January 27 at 2pm. All performances will take place at Voorhees High School, 256 County Road 513, Glen Gardner, NJ 08826. Tickets are $13-21, and can be purchased online at www.showkids.org or by calling the SKIT ticket line at (908) 638-5959.
Earning the Outstanding Youth Actor in a Musical Perry Award for his performance as Bert in Mary Poppins, Jonah Lione, of Clinton, leads the cast as Jack Kelly in this toe-tapping, high-energy production.
"Newsies is such an empowering, inspirational story about real children standing together," says Carolyn B. Newman, SKIT producer/director. "Jonah continues to be an inspiration to the entire SKIT cast, and their energy is truly infectious in this production."
Jack and his ragtag team of newsboys make a meager living selling newspapers on the city streets. But when the prices of papers are hiked and the newsies are hung out to dry, there is nothing left to do but open the gates and seize the day! Led by charismatic Jack and independent, young newspaper reporter Katherine Plummer, the Newsies form a union and organize a strike against the greedy publisher of the New York World. Can a group of idealistic newsboys win against a foe as powerful as acclaimed publisher Joseph Pulitzer?
Inspired by the true story of the 1899 Newsboys Strike, Newsies is an ebullient, joyful, and entertaining musical capturing the strength that young people have when they join together and stand up against injustice. With a funny, poignant book by Harvey Fierstein and stunning music by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman -- including the show-stopping Seize the Day, power ballad Santa Fe and lovely songs like Katherines Watch What Happens -- Newsies is a classic with the power to inspire.
About SKIT
SKIT founder, director and producer Carolyn B. Newman is a Hall of Fame member, inducted by the New Jersey Association of Community Theaters (NJACT) in 2015. ShowKids Invitational Theatre has received 15 Perry nominations for best musical and has earned more than 170 total nominations over the last 30 years, more than any other theater company in the state. SKIT won Outstanding Production of a Musical, NJACTs highest honor, in 2014 for Shrek the Musical, and was nominated in 2016 for Me & My Girl and again in 2018 for Mary Poppins, out of over 200 productions reviewed.
SKIT founder, director and producer Carolyn B. Newman is a Hall of Fame member, inducted by NJACT in 2015, and choreographer Maria Mantak was inducted into the Perry Award Hall of Fame in 2017.SKIT is a nonprofit, family community theatre group.
Founded in 1986 to offer the children of Hunterdon County an opportunity to experience the joys of theater and give the community professional quality childrens theater productions, SKIT has since blossomed into an organization that also provides families the opportunity to share quality time while providing an unending amount of wonderful memories. ShowKids Invitational Theatre programs are made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, through the funds administered by the Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission.
Looking to "Seize the Day" in ShowKids Invitational Theatre's inspirational production of Newsies are Jonah Lione, 17, of Clinton and Allisa Conover, 16, of East Amwell Twp. SKIT presents six performances, January 19-27 at Voorhees High School in Glen Gardner, NJ. Tickets on sale now at www.showkids.org. (Photo credit: DABOUR Photography)
Cast and Creative team for Newsies at ShowKids Invitational Theatre
Jonah Lione, a senior at North Hunterdon High School, leads the Newsies cast as Jack Kelly. Lione earned NJACT top acting honors for his charming performance as the lovable chimney sweep Bert in last season’s magical production of Mary Poppins. The third time was the charm for Lione, who had been nominated twice before for this award for his performances in prior SKIT productions: as the hip TV host Corny Collins in Hairspray and the hilarious sidekick Lefou in Beauty and the Beast.
The female lead character, Katherine Plumber, is beautifully portrayed by Allisa Conover, 16, of East Amwell Twp. Conover has been a featured performer in several SKIT productions including appearing as both Rapunzel in Into the Woods Jr. and as the Bird Woman in Mary Poppins last season. Audiences may also remember her as Annie a few years back.
The role of Davey is played by Ryan Apgar, 16, of Clinton Twp.; and the spirited role of Les is shared by Emma Nasto, 12, of Mt. Laurel, and Julia Morrissette, 12, of Clinton Twp. Crutchie/Mush is shared by Aidan Lavigne, 15, of Bethlehem Twp. and Owen Butler, 14, of Asbury. The role of Hannah, Pulitzer’s secretary, is played by Kaylyn Feeley, 17, from Clinton Twp; Seitz, Pulitizer's editor, is played by Hannah Willsey, 16, of Clinton Twp.; and Medda Larken, a burlesque star, is played by Josie Whitmore, 16, of Lebanon Twp.
Additional Newsies:
Race/Max & Scab – Sera Bunca, 17, of Asbury / Katie Gallagher, 17, of Stewartsville
Finch/Snitch & Scab – Imani Smith, 16, of Phillipsburg / Jonatha Berg, 17, of Clinton
Albert -- Sana Sarker, 16, of Clinton Twp.
Romeo – Harrison Fox, 16, of Phillipsburg
Henry – Sabrina Bunca, 14, of Asbury
Buttons – Riley Conaty, 11, of Clinton Twp.
Specs & Spot Conlon – Owen Tabor, 15, of Lebanon Twp.
Elmer – Abby Swan, 16, of Clinton Twp.
Jojo – Alexa Epstein, 15, of Califon
Tommy Boy – Charlotte Ruffine, 15, of Tewksbury Twp.
Splasher – Charlotte Kelly, 15, of Clinton
Ike & Scab – Hannah Willsey, 16, of Clinton Twp.
Mike – Destiny Daniels, 13, of Lopatcong Twp.
Jake & Darcy – Izzy Cappel, 16, of Ringoes
Fritiz – Josie Whitmore, 16, of Lebanon Twp.
Young Newsies – Jack Gallagher, 14, of Stewartsville; Dakota Krouse, 12, of Alexandria Twp.; Maddie Moore, 12, of Clinton; Maddie Nasto, 9, of Mt. Laurel; Andrew Pedri, 8, from Drums, PA; and Aubrey Whitmore, 10, of Lebanon Twp.
Rounding out the Newsies cast are several talented adults, each playing multiple roles. Appearing are Todd Gagnon, of Long Beach Twp.; Joe Krouse, of Alexandria Twp.; Rob Lehnert, of Clinton Twp.; Steven Lione, of Clinton; and Jeff Mehl, of Tewksbury Twp. Also, Tom Newman of High Bridge appears as Joseph Pulitzer; Earle Steeves, of Union Twp. appears as Teddy Roosevelt; and Aaron Wilsey, of Clinton Twp., appears as Mr. Synder.
The female lead character, Katherine Plumber, is beautifully portrayed by Allisa Conover, 16, of East Amwell Twp. Conover has been a featured performer in several SKIT productions including appearing as both Rapunzel in Into the Woods Jr. and as the Bird Woman in Mary Poppins last season. Audiences may also remember her as Annie a few years back.
The role of Davey is played by Ryan Apgar, 16, of Clinton Twp.; and the spirited role of Les is shared by Emma Nasto, 12, of Mt. Laurel, and Julia Morrissette, 12, of Clinton Twp. Crutchie/Mush is shared by Aidan Lavigne, 15, of Bethlehem Twp. and Owen Butler, 14, of Asbury. The role of Hannah, Pulitzer’s secretary, is played by Kaylyn Feeley, 17, from Clinton Twp; Seitz, Pulitizer's editor, is played by Hannah Willsey, 16, of Clinton Twp.; and Medda Larken, a burlesque star, is played by Josie Whitmore, 16, of Lebanon Twp.
Additional Newsies:
Race/Max & Scab – Sera Bunca, 17, of Asbury / Katie Gallagher, 17, of Stewartsville
Finch/Snitch & Scab – Imani Smith, 16, of Phillipsburg / Jonatha Berg, 17, of Clinton
Albert -- Sana Sarker, 16, of Clinton Twp.
Romeo – Harrison Fox, 16, of Phillipsburg
Henry – Sabrina Bunca, 14, of Asbury
Buttons – Riley Conaty, 11, of Clinton Twp.
Specs & Spot Conlon – Owen Tabor, 15, of Lebanon Twp.
Elmer – Abby Swan, 16, of Clinton Twp.
Jojo – Alexa Epstein, 15, of Califon
Tommy Boy – Charlotte Ruffine, 15, of Tewksbury Twp.
Splasher – Charlotte Kelly, 15, of Clinton
Ike & Scab – Hannah Willsey, 16, of Clinton Twp.
Mike – Destiny Daniels, 13, of Lopatcong Twp.
Jake & Darcy – Izzy Cappel, 16, of Ringoes
Fritiz – Josie Whitmore, 16, of Lebanon Twp.
Young Newsies – Jack Gallagher, 14, of Stewartsville; Dakota Krouse, 12, of Alexandria Twp.; Maddie Moore, 12, of Clinton; Maddie Nasto, 9, of Mt. Laurel; Andrew Pedri, 8, from Drums, PA; and Aubrey Whitmore, 10, of Lebanon Twp.
Rounding out the Newsies cast are several talented adults, each playing multiple roles. Appearing are Todd Gagnon, of Long Beach Twp.; Joe Krouse, of Alexandria Twp.; Rob Lehnert, of Clinton Twp.; Steven Lione, of Clinton; and Jeff Mehl, of Tewksbury Twp. Also, Tom Newman of High Bridge appears as Joseph Pulitzer; Earle Steeves, of Union Twp. appears as Teddy Roosevelt; and Aaron Wilsey, of Clinton Twp., appears as Mr. Synder.
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