Arena Stage’s production of Newsies, which began performances November 1 in Washington, D.C., has extended its run. The production, originally scheduled through December 22, will now play an additional six performances, ending December 29 at the Mead Center for American Theater.
Artistic Director Molly Smith helms the staging. Smith chose to cast the production in order to reflect contemporary values: The titular newsies are a chorus of newsboys and newsgirls.
READ: How Casting Newsgirls and Younger Paper Boys Puts Newsies in a Whole New Light
Newsies stars Daniel J. Maldonado as Jack Kelly, Erin Weaver as Katherine Plumber, Edward Gero as Joseph Pulitzer, Joe Montoya as Crutchie, Ethan Van Slyke as Davey Jacobs, Thomas Adrian Simpson as Wiesel, Nova Payton as Medda Larkin, and both Josiah Smothers and Hazel Hay as Les Jacobs.
Rounding out the cast are Rory Boyd as Oscar Delancey, Wyn Delano as Snyder the Spider, Michael Hewitt as Morris Delancey, and ensemble members Christian Douglas, Jamie Smithson, and Carole Denise Jones.
Newsies, featuring music by Alan Menken, a book by Harvey Fierstein, and lyrics by Jack Feldman, is based on the 1992 Disney film and tells the tale of newsboy Jack Kelly, who dreams of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. When Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies his army of newsies to strike.
Choreographed by Parker Esse, the production also has scenic design by Ken MacDonald, costume design by Alejo Vietti, lighting design by Kimberly Purtell, sound design by Daniel Erdberg, and music direction by Laura Berquist.
