Review: NEWSIES at The Henegar Center

Everyone loves to cheer for the underdog, especially when they are standing up for something that needs to change - injustice, cruelty, unfairness, or lack of voice. And in many ways, it is easy to relate to those struggling to be heard - the lone, but loud, voices of reason cutting through the noise, or the brave souls willing to stand up for what's right. These stories have been told throughout time and in countless mediums - but there is something about musical theatre that gives a story like that extra passion, energy, and urgency. So it is with NEWSIES, the opening production of The Henegar Center's 31st season, which brings the classic Disney musical to vivid life in Melbourne with an exciting and highly polished production that shares the story of how a few young men "seized the day" and made a real impact.

Set in turn-of-the century New York City, NEWSIES (with music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Jack Feldman and Book by Harvey Fierstein) tells the tale of Jack Kelly (Anthony Callender) and his motley crew of newsboys (or newsies) who go on strike to protest their unfair treatment, and end up making a positive impact for all the young workers working in the city at the time. NEWSIES is inspired by a real event - the Newsboy Strike of 1899, and explores themes that are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago, including social justice, corporate greed, and unfair labor practices.

Overall, The Henegar Center's production of NEWSIES is vibrant, fresh, fast-paced and extremely well done. Executive Artistic Director, Dominic Del Brocco, does a marvelous job bringing out the human emotion and struggles of the characters on stage while also delivering the high energy, athletic musical numbers that have become a staple of past productions of NEWSIES (including the 1992 film and the 2012 Broadway production). Mr. Del Brocco has found a stellar cast who embody these characters to a T and has crafted a thrilling evening of theatre. Speaking of the musical numbers, I must also point out the amazing choreography by Lyndsay Michalek. From ballet leaps that almost reach the roof to precision tap numbers, Ms. Michalek's dances just take an already strong production over the top (and are delivered by a talented group of dancers).

Speaking of, the actors who bring the newsboys (and their world) to life in NEWSIES, as noted, are excellent in their given roles. With such a large cast, it is hard to call them all out, but will share a few highlights. First, as the titular leader, Jack Kelly, Anthony Callender is wonderful. He finds the perfect balance of tough, street smart guy and sensitive artist who dreams of a better life. His emotional delivery in numbers like "Santa Fe" and "Something to Believe In" (with Torie D'Alessandro's Katherine) are beautiful. As for Katherine, Torie D'Alessandro's performance as the young reporter looking to break the story of the newsboy's strike is equally strong. Her Katherine is determined, vivacious, yet hopeful - the perfect foil to Mr. Callender's Jack. Additional standout performances include Grant Newcombe as Davey and young Austin Ervin as his little brother Les. Mr. Newcombe's Davey is a mix of idealism and realism and is the perfect spark to ignite the action on stage (not to mention some excellent dancing!), and Austin Ervin delivers a great (and super cute) performance as Les. The gaggle of newsies each bring a unique flair whenever in the spotlight, and the "adults" including Brian Chambers as Joseph Pulitzer and the marvelous Melinda Benya as Medda Larkin provide equally noteworthy performances. Simply stated - this is a wonderful cast.

As for the remaining creative team, Cliff Price has designed a beautiful set that captures the mood and feeling of the era via realistic buildings and set pieces while ensuring seamless and creative transitions throughout the show. Chad Erickson's lighting design punctuates the setting perfectly and Marcy Szymanski's costumes and wigs are colorful and capture the time and setting well. Finally, vocal director Karen Monks brings out powerful vocal performances from the cast.

Overall, The Henegar Center's production of NEWSIES is everything one would hope for from a production of this fun and energetic show, but it does so in a particularly moving and relevant way. If you have never seen NEWSIES, this is your perfect introduction to the show, and if you have seen it many times before, you don't want to miss this production. As the first show in The Henegar's season - NEWSIES sets the bar for what looks like an amazing year of theatre to come, and this reviewer simply can't wait.

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NEWSIES is presented at The Henegar Center, 625 E New Haven Ave, Melbourne, FL 32901

and runs through September 5th. Tickets are $25 - $36. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sunday matinees at 2:00pm. Added performance on Saturday September 4th at 2:00pm. For more information, email boxoffice@henegar.org, call 321-723-8698 (Tue-Fri, 10am-3pm), or visit www.HenegarCenter.com

All Photos by Jessica Hendricks.

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