The production of the musical “Newsies” has been a hit since 2012, when it first came onto Broadway. Ever since, the chorus of “Seize The Day” has been heard in high school theaters nationwide.  As the cast and crew members work on every little detail until perfection every day, the audience has more and more to anticipate for this show.

Whether it is people who are lifelong fans of “Newsies” or those who have just heard of it, this story is meant for everyone to escape into. The accents and costumes will bring the audience back in time to 1899 Queens, where people will meet lovable characters like Newsies leader Jack Kelly (senior James Bresette), an aspiring reporter Katherine (senior Courtney Rodd), and arguably the heart of the show, little Les (freshman Clara Melin). The intricate set and powerful songs will draw anyone into cheering on the Newsies’ rebellion, which was the largest child-led strike in history.

“‘Newsies’ is certainly to entertain, but it’s also to educate and create some thought-provoking discussion around child labor, and as states begin to roll back these laws, issues that were faced in 1899 are now faced once again by young people today,” director Griff Sadow expressed.  “From back then or today, it doesn’t matter how old you are, where you come from, your social status, or financial level, you can be a leader, you can make change, you can empower yourself and others to make the world better just like the Newsies did.”

“Newsies” is a talent-packed musical with not only singing but energetic choreography as well. It has taken the cast a lot of practice, over a month of rehearsals, to work on performing all these different skills at the same time. People should be all the more excited to see what the cast and crew have been developing over the past few months.

Melin explained how the musical will show how talented students are at Stillwater because cast members are in multiple choirs or dance while also being in theater. Melin added, “There’s a part of the musical for everyone in the audience, just like everyone in the cast is doing something that they are very good at.”

The musical “Newsies” is an example of using humor to present a serious topic to a wide range of audiences. Even though there are some fight scenes, and people yelling to be heard, it is the Newsies’ charm that makes it family-friendly. They blur the line between fighting and dancing or calling out insults and jokes.

Rodd said she has a lot of fun being with the Newsies characters because they get to be the fun side of the show, which is nice because she is in more of the serious parts, but the Newsies definitely bring joy to the show.

As the opening night gets closer and closer, the SAHS theater department is looking forward to showing off the musical production of “Newsies” to as many people as possible. With the promise to be surprised and entertained, this musical will make everyone in awe over nearly every aspect. The tickets for “Newsies” can be found on the Stillwater school’s website or on the Hometown app. Opening night is Friday, April 14.