Review: DISNEY'S NEWSIES THE MUSICAL at Shea's 710 Theatre

The Buffalo theatre season is back in full swing and it's off to a great start, if the fine production of DISNEY'S NEWSIES THE MUSICAL is an indication. Playing at Shea's 710 Theatre alongside co presenter The D'Youville Kavinoky Theatre, the creative talent assembled showcases the best of Western New York's talent.

The past seasons of musicals at Shea's 710 gave us great performances of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND and THE COLOR PURPLE. NEWSIES ranks up there will those well rehearsed, directed and designed productions. 

The show is based on the 1992 musical film revolving around the 1899 Newsboys strike in New York. The score and lyrics by the Disney powerhouse team of Alan Menken and Jack Feldman  is full of rousing anthems for the large chorus of newsboys, often sounding a bit similar, but packing a punch. "Seize the Day" and "King of New York" represent the hits that propel the story of the newsboys who go on strike for better wages, taking on none other than wily  publishing titan  Joseph Pulitzer.  Young Jack Kelly leads his rag tag boys as a united front, establishing a "union" of sorts to take on the big business of newspaper publishing, as well as corrupt boys refuge homes and child labor.

Glen Chitty  as Jack has all the energy and New York city toughness one would expect from  a boy living on the streets.  He develops a big-brotherly friendship with a  lame younger boy, aptly named "crutchie," played beautifully by Matthew Rittler. Chitty commands the stage, dances with lithe confidence,  as sings strongly enough. He embodies the concept of the  street smart kid who longs for a better life, in this case, far away Santa Fe.

Ryan Butler and RJ Creighton plays brothers, Davey and Les, whose father is out of work. The boys take to the streets in an attempt to make some money for the family. Their plight differs from many of the other boys who are homeless. Butler is a great contrast to the rougher boys, trying to find civility in a world of chaos. Butler's lyrical singing voice was used to great effect. Meanwhile young Creighton earns great laughs as the youngest boy whose actions and words are more adult than your typical  9 year old kid.

Each of the newboys brings a massive amount of energy to their roles, and deserve mentioning for the great talents. They need to be classic triple threats in acting, singing and dancing, and none disappoint. Kris Bartolomeo, Jack Catena, Thomas Evans, Connor Hesch, Austin Marshall, Quinn Christopher McGillion, Melanie Kaisen, Immanuel Rodriguez and William Schmidt make for a perfect ensemble.

Heather Casseri is the young woman reporter Katherine Pluber, keen on getting a good story and breaking free of  reporting for the society pages. Along the way she spars with young Jack, but soon a budding romance occurs. Casseri is sassy and sings with a sweet, yet powerful voice. When she and Chitty finally form a team, the two share some electric moments.

Lily Jones gets the juicy role of Medda Larkin, a full figured gal who runs a seedy vaudeville theatre of questionable taste. She befriends Jack and provides a haven for the newsboys. Her number "That's Rich" found her in great voice, strutting and shimmying as any good madam would. Larkin chews up the stage, and is finely complemented by showgirls Anna Fernandez and Timiyah Love.

Buffalo favorite Steve Copps gets the juicy villainous role of Joseph Pulitzer. Copps savors his power and is a true force to be reckoned with. Copps has great, powerful singing voice that would make anyone stand at attention, and his number "The Bottom Line" was a nice contrast to the many newboy's numbers.  Jack Kaczorowski added some comedic gravitas to the evening, as then NY Governor Teddy Roosevelt (who serves as the sole foil for Pulitzer).

The book by Harvey Fierstein finds the right balance of comedy, drama and historical information. Director and Choreographer Eric Deeb Weaver manages to reign in and focus the large forces on stage, which is no easy task given the large chorus of newsboys. His choreography is buoyant and full of youthful athleticism, which perfectly fits this multitalented cast. Even an unexpected tap number was handled with precision without screaming of traditional chorus line  linearity. Adriano Gatto provided excellent fight choreography to the many conflicts.

The unit set by Primo Thomas worked perfectly to be reconfigured for multi levels and staircases. Costume Designer Kari Drozd takes full advantage of the varied styles of the  era, from street boy to upper crust priviledge. The costumes were finely detailed and looked great.

The fine off stage band was led by Music Director  Allan Paglia. The well prepared cast rose to the occasion, as all of the musical elements were handled on a very high level. Rehearsal paid off for all involved, and the opening night audience appreciated the talents that made for such a successful production.

DISNEY'S NEWSIES THE MUSICAL plays at Shea's 710 Theatre through Sept 29,2024. Contact sheas.org for more information.

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