DISNEY’S NEWSIES Set For Virginia Theatre Festival With Full Cast Announced

The Virginia Theatre Festival has announced the cast and creative team for its upcoming production of Disney’s Newsies, set to run July 9–19, 2026, at the Culbreth Theatre at the University of Virginia.

The production will be directed and choreographed by Matthew Steffens, a UVA and VTF alum whose previous festival credits include Cabaret and Into the Woods.

CAST

The cast will be led by Ethan Peterson as Jack Kelly and Isabel Leoni as Katherine Plumber. They will be joined by Henry Crater as Davey and Luke Sullivan as Crutchie.

Additional principal cast members include Nyla Watson as Medda Larkin and James Ludwig as Joseph Pulitzer, along with Jack Esplin as Les.

The ensemble will feature Carson Zoch (Race), Trevor Terry (Albert), Isaiah Hastings–Rogers (Specs), Zach “Zoo” Finkelstein (Henry), Kabir Gandhi (Finch), Rayon Lim (Elmer), Solomon Iem (Romeo), Soren Corbett (Mush), Jeremiah Clyburn (JoJo), and Alex Llorca (Buttons/Dance Captain).

Also appearing are Chachi Delgado (Morris Delancey), Julian Rivera Santiago (Oscar Delancey), Cameron Gardner (Bowery Beauty), Karina Yakubisin (Hannah), Joey Wharton (Seitz), Dan Stern (Bunsen), and Jonathan Barnard (Wiesel).

The production will also include a group of young performers appearing as the Brooklyn newsies, in partnership with Charlottesville performing arts academy DMR Adventures.

CREATIVE TEAM

The creative team includes musical director Ian Miller, Costume Designer Grier Coleman, lighting designer Andrew T. Griffin, and sound designer Michael Rasbury.

Additional team members include Christopher Salvaggio (associate director), Alex Llorca (associate choreographer), Colleen Kelly (fights and intimacy coordinator), Andrew Bryce (dialect and vocal coach), Karman Boisset (wigs and makeup designer), and Katja Zarolinski, CSA (casting).

ADDITIONAL SEASON INFORMATION

The Virginia Theatre Festival’s 2026 season will also include Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty, running June 20–28, and Frida…A Self Portrait, scheduled for July 23–26.

TICKETING INFORMATION

Tickets for the 2026 Virginia Theatre Festival season will go on sale April 17 at 12:00 p.m.