PTC presents Disney's Hit NEWSIES This December

Pioneer Theatre Company presents the Disney hit Newsies. The Tony-winning musical opens Friday, Dec. 1, and runs through Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017. Newsies occupies the traditional holiday spot. Keeping with what is now a seven-year tradition of collecting donations for local nonprofits, PTC will partner with Granite Education Foundation to collect new books for "Santa Sacks" for children ages K-12.

Inspired by the real-life newsboy strike of 1899, this Disney-movie-turned-hit-Broadway-musical has something for everyone - acrobatic dancing, heartfelt songs and a rousing story of underdogs taking on the establishment - all rolled into a feel-good evening of family entertainment.

"We have a wildly talented cast - veterans of all ages," says Artistic Director Karen Azenberg. "As Jack Kelly, Jonathan Shew leads the cast with strength, charm and a soaring vocal presence; the young men who play our Newsies are among the most talented dancers, singers and actors, in both New York and Utah. The energy just pours off the stage - every day they take my breath away."

Jonathan Shew plays the charismatic dreamer, Jack Kelly, in his PTC debut. Shew recently completed a run in the new Broadway musical, Bandstand, which won the 2017 Tony Award for Best Choreography. Additional credits include the National Tour of Wicked, Radio City's Spring Spectacular, and numerous other New York and regional productions.

William Parry has originated 11 Broadway roles, most recently that of Jensen in Groundhog Day, and returns to Utah to play the stern and frugal Joseph Pulitzer. Previously at PTC, Parry played Senator Higgins in the World Premiere of Alabama Story. Also on Broadway, he appeared in Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George and Passion; Gypsy with Bernadette Peters; Camelot and the original Jesus Christ Superstar.

NADIA VYNN returns to PTC as the ambitious reporter, Katherine, after playing Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof. Vynn most recently appeared in the tours of Bring It On, Legally Blonde, Catch Me If You Can and Shrek.

AUSTIN ARCHER, a Utah-native, returns to PTC from New York to play Crutchie. In New York, he performed in Cheeseburger Deluxe and The Michigan Assassin. Some of his regional credits include the PTC productions of A Few Good Men, Rocky Horror Show and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

STEPHEN Michael Langton played Davey, Jack's unlikely friend, for more than a year with the 1st National Tour of Newsies and reprises the role on the PTC stage. He is a graduate of Pace University's musical theatre program.

Cicily Daniels plays Medda Larkin. Daniels' Broadway credits include Disney's The Little Mermaid, All Shook Up and Rent. She has also appeared in numerous National Tours, on film and television, and in concerts across the country, including A Cole Porter Celebration, for which she was the star soloist.

Child actors MAXWELL RIMINGTON and BRANDON SMITH share the role of Les, Davey's fiery little brother. Both return to PTC after appearing in last season's Oliver!.
Matt Bauman, Jordan Beall, Joe Beauregard, Tade Biesinger, RICHIE CALL, Lenny Daniel, Kilty Reidy and Davis Wayne comprise the remaining Equity cast members.

ISMAEL ARRIETA, LANCE BARKER, PATRICK RYAN CASTLE, David Guy HOLMES, JESSE KLICK, TOMAS JOAQUIN MATOS, John Peterson, RIC STARNES, ROSS THOMPSON, SCOTT WHIPPLE, KATRYNA WILLIAMS, MYLES WOOLSTENHULME and AMANDA WRIGHT complete the ensemble.

Pioneer Theatre Company Artistic Director Karen Azenberg directs and choreographs this production. Azenberg is in her sixth year as Artistic Director and directed the regional premiere of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time to open the 2017-2018 season. Last season, she directed Sting's The Last Ship, Oliver!, Women in Jeopardy! and Chess. Originally from New York, Azenberg's work there includes Lyrics and Lyricists (92nd St. Y), Blocks (a collaboration with Jonathan Larson), Prom Queens Unchained and choreography for Richard Greenberg's The Dazzle (Roundabout).

Tom Griffin returns to PTC as the guest musical director after Oliver! last season. Other recent PTC productions include It Happened One Christmas, Peter and the Starcatcher, Elf-The Musical and A Christmas Carol: The Musical. He also musically directed the west coast and Los Angeles premieres of The Last Five Years, Sweet Charity, Sweeney Todd and The Music Man; the west coast premiere of Spitfire Grill; Annie; West Side Story; The Scarlet Pimpernel and Bye Bye Birdie.

Lenny Daniel is the assistant director and choreographer, and also plays Wiesel. Daniel has assisted Azenberg for years, most recently for PTC's Chess and The Last Ship. He has choreographed for the Utah Shakespeare Festival and Geva Theatre Center. He also directed and choreographed Mid-Life! The Crisis Musical and assisted in the direction and choreography of numerous other productions.

Scenic design is by George Maxwell. He has been the resident scenic designer at Pioneer Theatre Company for over 25 years and has designed over 90 productions for the company. Last season, he designed Oliver! and The Will Rogers Follies.

Guest Costume Designer David Kay MICKELSEN designs his 13th PTC production in the past 21 years. Elsewhere, he has designed for the Guthrie, Berkeley Rep., Cleveland Playhouse, Sundance Theatre Festivals, the Oregon, Colorado, Utah and Illinois Shakespeare Festivals, and others.

Lighting design is by Kirk Bookman. Bookman's New York credits include Charles Busch's The Tribute Artist and The Divine Sister. He most recently designed for The Glass Menagerie and Oliver!.

Hair and makeup design is by PTC Resident Hair and Makeup Designer AMANDA FRENCH; sound design is by PTC Resident Sound Designer KATE WECKER.

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