It's Official: Jeremy Jordan to Star in NEWSIES on Broadway

Though you probably read the news exclusively here on BroadwayWorld.com back on January 4, it's now official - Jeremy Jordan, who created the role of rebellious newsboy leader Jack Kelly in Newsies last fall, will play the role when the show moves to Broadway's Nederlander Theatre March 15th for a strictly limited 101 performance engagement. The full Newsies cast will be announced shortly.

Following a series of acclaimed Broadway performances in just a few short years, Jordan is on the cusp on an exceptional career. His breakout performance in Newsies at Paper Mill Playhouse last fall earned him critical praise, prompting New York Magazine to call it 'a star-making turn by the one-man charm armada known as Jeremy Jordan' and the New York Post to declare Jordan 'a star in the making.' While still performing in that run, he began rehearsals for the Broadway production of Bonnie and Clyde, earning praise for his performance as Clyde Barrow. He stars opposite Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton in the anticipated feature musical Joyful Noise in theatres this Friday, January 13th.

He also appeared on Broadway in Rock of Ages and West Side Story and his regional credits include Bonnie and Clyde (Asolo Rep.), Big River (Goodspeed) and The Little Dog Laughed (Hartford Theatreworks; Critics' Circle Nomination). TV credits include an appearance on "Law & Order: SVU." Jordan holds a BFA from Ithaca College.

Newsies, the new American musical, will move to Broadway's Nederlander Theatre (208 W 41st St) for a strictly limited 101 performance run following its critically-hailed stint at Paper Mill Playhouse earlier this fall. The musical, featuring a score by eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by four-time Tony® Award winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy), will play its first Broadway preview on March 15th prior to its March 29th opening night; the final performance is scheduled for June 10th. Newsies, produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, is directed by Tony nominee Jeff Calhoun (Big River revival) and choreographed by Tony nominee Christopher Gattelli (South Pacific revival).

Set in New York City at the turn of the century, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a ragged band of teenaged 'newsies,' who dreams only of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. But when publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys' expense, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what's right.

Newsies is inspired by the real-life 'Newsboy Strike of 1899,' when newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaway newsies on a two-week-long action against Pulitzer, Hearst and other powerful newspaper publishers.

Group tickets are now available and single ticket sales begin January 30, 2012.

Photo: Stephen Sorokoff / BroadwayWorld.com

More Articles by This Author...