Review Roundup: NEWSIES at Pioneer Theatre Company

Pioneer Theatre Company has added four performances, including an ASL (American Sign Language) performance, to its traditional performance schedule for NEWSIES. Evening performances (7:00 p.m.) have been added for December 18 through 20.

A matinee performance has been added on Wednesday, December 20 at 2:00 p.m.
PTC also announced today that the Monday, December 18th evening performance will be performed with ASL interpreters for patrons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Special seating has been reserved and those patrons should contact the box office in person, by phone or email to request. As usual, Monday and Tuesday performances are half-price for students K-12.

All performances take place in the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 300 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112. Tickets are $21-$64; $5 more day of performance. Contact the box office at 801-581-6961, email boxoffice@pioneertheatre.org, or go online at www.pioneertheatre.org.

Pioneer Theatre Company's production of the Tony-winning musical adaptation of the Disney hit NEWSIES runs through Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017. 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.

Jonathan Shew plays the charismatic dreamer, Jack Kelly, in his PTC debut. William Parry returns to Utah to play the stern and frugal Joseph Pulitzer. Nadia Vynn returns to PTC as the ambitious reporter, Katherine. Austin Archer, a Utah-native, returns to PTC from New York to play Crutchie. 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. Cicily Daniels plays Medda Larkin. Child actors Maxwell Rimington and Brandon Smith share the role of Les, Davey's fiery little brother. 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.

Let's see what the critics have to say!

Whitney Butters Wilde, Desert News: Jonathan Shew led the cast as Jack Kelly, and he was able to strike a balance between the character's too-cool-for-school attitude and his kind heart. His vocal performance was top-notch - his harmonies with Stephen Michael Langton's Davey in "Seize the Day" were particularly good - and his acting gave an authentic depth to the character - especially during the second performance of "Santa Fe" before intermission. The song follows a scene of ruckus as the newsies fight the newspaper distributors and one of Jack's closest friends is taken into police custody. Instead of "Santa Fe" being just a chance to sing a beautiful song, Shew used the scene to bring a genuinness to his character as he recognizes the gravity of the situation.

Tyler Hinton, BroadwayWorld: Really the entire cast is strong, and the dancing is quite extraordinary. With leaps and turns that defy gravity, every dance number impresses. Director/choreographer Karen Azenberg has created a vocabulary of movement that is something special, especially in the fluid transitions from scene to scene that use staging as a means to further character and plot development. The only quibble is that there is not more full out dancing throughout the show than there is.

Nancy Van Valkenburg, Gephardt Daily: PTC artistic director Karen Azenberg, guest musical director Tom Griffin and choreographer Lenny Daniel worked together to create a memorable show that will make you leave the theater singing and dancing, whether you want to or not. And longtime scenic designer George Maxwell and guest costumer designer David Kay Michelsen bring form and function to the newsies' world, which makes the show possible.

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