HELLO! My name is Stephanie Styles and I play “Katherine” in first National Tour of Newsies and I can’t wait to show YOU a little slice of my life here at Newsies Square and in beautiful Chicago!
Stephanie Styles
The Windy City, herself! We had a blast being in Chicago for the holidays! This was my first time here and I fell in love with this beautiful town. So lucky to be there for a whole month!
Stephanie Styles
First things first when it comes to a long sit-down on tour: make yourself at home! This includes getting in the holiday spirit with a sensible Christmas tree…
Stephanie Styles
![And christening your hotel room with a sensible partnering lesson (preferably with a cute Newsie [i.e. our amazing dance captain/swing Andrew Wilson])!](http://assets.playbill.com/editorial/_embeddedGallerySize/a797f479d055818211a0cfd262561b29-stylesfeat04.jpg)
And christening your hotel room with a sensible partnering lesson (preferably with a cute Newsie [i.e. our amazing dance captain/swing Andrew Wilson])!
Stephanie Styles
I was lucky to have my family come to Chicago all the way from TX to spend the holidays with me!
Stephanie Styles
And not only did my awesome family visit, but my dog did too!!! Meet Sally Styles (who is a little camera shy).
Stephanie Styles
After getting settled, it was time to explore. My first stop? THE DISNEY STORE, DUH! Fun Fact 1: Chicago has two Disney stores. Fun Fact 2: Not only am I in a Disney show, but I’m also a charter gold member of D23! A Disney girl living her Disney dream!
Stephanie Styles
Speaking of Disney girls, I happened to meet some new gal pals during my visit. We colored and talked about important things like princesses, and bows, and how it was Hannah’s birthday (hi Hannah!).
Stephanie Styles
We also made sure to see some Chicago essentials! Like visiting the Art Institute of Chicago. Here’s Sky Flaherty (Albert) and Josh Burrage (Jojo/Darcy) perfecting their own version of “American Gothic.”
Stephanie Styles
Jeff Heimbrock (“Elmer/Spot” and the funniest man on Twitter) and I took in the Joffrey Ballet’s production of THE NUTCRACKER and left feeling QUITE inspired.
Stephanie Styles
We even made GINGERBREAD HOUSES!!! A yearly tradition of mine I tried to pass onto the smallest member of our company…
Stephanie Styles
But Wren (Steve Blanchard and Meredith Inglesby’s daughter) decided to do a photoshoot on the bed instead.
Stephanie Styles
Exploring Chicago was incredibly exciting, but it’s still nothing compared to going to work…
Stephanie Styles
At the Oriental Theatre with NEWSIES ON TOUR!!!!!
Stephanie Styles
The walk to the theatre was gorgeous!
Stephanie Styles
A calm stagedoor before the show.
Stephanie Styles
Welcome to my Dressing Room at the Oriental Theatre (and a sneak peek of me in my first Katherine costume!) Here we have a lot of pictures of my friends and family, Disney things, and show essentials. Let’s take a closer look!
Stephanie Styles
The fansies are amazing and some of them bring us beautiful Fan Art! Including these Katherine portraits, a Taylor Swift homage by Joanna, and Thumper as a Newsie by Elyse! It so beyond cool how they take the time to incorporate some of our favorite things with the characters of Newsies!
Stephanie Styles
I also travel with my two favorite Disney princesses Belle (given to me by my Secret Santa) and Anna (given to me by a fansie named Madeline) who recently were joined by this amazing felt doll version of me as Katherine, which was given to me as a gift! Thanks, Roselle and Blair!
Stephanie Styles
I always get to the theatre super early, which allows me to sneak into my Secret Santa’s dressing room and surprise him with donuts before the matinee. Love you, DeMarius! (Hercules note and sour patch kids were also my handiwork).
Stephanie Styles
My dressing room neighbors in Chicago were these two cuties! Meet Vincent Crocilla and Anthony Rosenthal who alternate playing the role of Les!
Stephanie Styles
First order of business? Makeup and hair! This is how I go from blonde to brunette (with the most awesome power bangs in the history of power bangs).
Stephanie Styles
Katherine wouldn’t be half as fabulous as she is without the help of THE Kaylan Paisley who I probably see more during each performance of Newsies than Jack Kelly himself (she keeps my bangs on point, my curls in check, and even sings a song when she puts in my barrettes).
Stephanie Styles
Fun Fact 3: I wear two wigs in the show! One for each Act! We call the Act One wig “Plumber” and the Act Two wig “Kelly”…because…well…<3
Stephanie Styles
It’s usually around this time that I get a visit from “Mush/Bill” himself! Jack Sippel can brighten anyone’s day…I mean, just look at that smile!
Stephanie Styles
Last part of the Katherine transformation is the costume! Both doll Katherine and myself LOVE this bolero jacket and tie combination!
Stephanie Styles
15 minutes to places means it’s time to check on the NEWSIES! They all know how important it is to warm up before the show! (Featuring Jeff Heimbrock, Julian DeGuzman, Andrew Wilson, Jordan Samuels, Stephen Hernandez, Ben Tyler Cook, Mike Ryan, Jon Hacker and Chaz Wolcott).
Stephanie Styles
And here is the sweet and handsome Josh Burrage as Darcy! Darcy and Katherine enjoy morning strolls, tailored suits, and witty comebacks. Fun Fact 4: Josh’s quick change in the show from Darcy to Jojo is only 55 seconds long! Whoa!
Stephanie Styles
I also stop and say hi to this guy before every show. Ladies and Gentleman, the man I fight and fall in love with every day for a living: DAN DeLUCA!
Stephanie Styles
The view behind the towers right before places is called!
Stephanie Styles
We have a pre-show ritual on stage right where we all put our hands in and say a Newsies on Tour chant that changes every performance!
Stephanie Styles
Katherine has a good amount of time off-stage at the top of Act One, so I usually take this time to steam, make to-do lists, or gander at my Newsies on Tour souvenir program. Fun Fact 5: My favorite minor characters in the show are Ron and Robert (Ben Tyler Cook and Sky Flaherty) who appear in the first scene of Medda’s Theatre and are also featured in the program. You don’t want to miss them.
Stephanie Styles
Sometimes I’ll even compare Disney girl notes with my best friend Becky Bereswill who is the star of another Disney tour: Disney on Ice presents FROZEN! Let. It. Go.
Stephanie Styles
However, Steve Blanchard (Pulitzer) wins with the best off-stage activity…serious actor, serious gamer.
Stephanie Styles
Costume change! Here’s my look for “Watch What Happens” and “Seize the Day”!
Stephanie Styles
Fun fact 6: Katherine’s tie has fish on it. THAT’S RIGHT. Angelfish. PINK. ANGELFISH. And Katherine’s Jacobi’s Deli shirt received an additional green stripe on tour that’s never been there before. You’ve been informed.
Stephanie Styles
At Intermission, I swish some mouthwash (hey, “Something to Believe In”) and take a moment to add a mitten to Anna or a swirl of ice to Elsa! Can you find Olaf?
Stephanie Styles
Intermission is also when I stretch and get ready for one of my favorite numbers in the show: “King of New York”! Can’t forget to switch from my regular boots to Katherine’s ultra cool TAPS!
Stephanie Styles
I also get to put on one of my favorite costumes at Intermission! Fun Fact 7: Dan DeLuca and I refer to this as my “Hoop de Doo” look. If you’re a Walt Disney World fan, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Stephanie Styles
Intermission is also a good time to stop in and say hi to everyone’s favorite Oldsies! Say hello to Kevin Carolan, James Judy, Bill Bateman, John E. Brady, and Marc Aldrich!
Stephanie Styles
Even Sniper (Ginna Claire Mason) gets in on the Intermission fun!
Stephanie Styles
I’m on stage for most of Act Two, but leave for a quick moment to change into Katherine’s last look of the show. But, we’ve got to hurry because the shows about to end!
Stephanie Styles
One of my favorite parts of the show is getting to watch these bows dance in the finale. Look at Jon Hacker (Ike/Oscar) go!
Stephanie Styles
A finale shot from the wings!
Stephanie Styles
Nothing moves like NEWSIES!!
Stephanie Styles
And then the show is over! HOWEVER: A lot can be accomplished between shows on a two-show day. I like to watch an episode of one of my favorite TV shows like "Master Chef Jr!"
Stephanie Styles
Dan DeLuca (Jack Kelly) uses this time to sign some autographs for a BC/EFA event!
Stephanie Styles
Anthony and Vincent use this time to teach baby Wren “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.”
Stephanie Styles
Between shows is also a great time to get a peek of the House at the Oriental Theatre!
Stephanie Styles
This is the view of the conductor…minus our awesome conductor/MD James Dodgeson! This is my exact view for all of my music cues in “Watch What Happens”!
Stephanie Styles
Now, take a look at these beauties! Fun Fact 8: Our show travels in 9 trucks. These towers alone take up a truck and a half and take about 4 hours and 20 people to assemble! GOOD WORK TEAM!
Stephanie Styles
In certain houses, set pieces have to be hung in the air to conserve space. Above me hangs the very real and very heavy printing press we use to print the Newsies Banner.
Stephanie Styles
Another picture of our beautiful set. Fun Fact 9: We call the towers Aeyonce, Beyonce, and Ceyonce.
Stephanie Styles
These are probably my two favorite props in the show: Jack’s portrait of Katherine that he sketches in Medda’s Theatre and Katherine’s journal. Every time I fill up a journal and get a new one, I always write Katherine’s byline and the date on the front page.
Stephanie Styles
After every performance of Newsies, it’s always great to talk to everyone at the stagedoor! ESPECIALLY the fansies!
Stephanie Styles
I have been fortunate enough to meet people who have seen Newsies on tour over 20 times! It’s great to recognize fansies’ faces at the stage door like the two ladies I’m talking to in this picture: the lovely Hannah (who is a fantastic writer) and her wonderful sister Gabe!
Stephanie Styles
The fansies give us so many wonderful gifts, that they inspired me to have a little fun with the Christmas season and thus…this happened. Hats, stockings, and, yes, onesies.
Stephanie Styles
It was great getting to experience the holidays in Chicago. We had so many wonderful events like our Secret Santa reveal…
Stephanie Styles
Our on Tour holiday party! Where I struck a pose with Jeff Heimbrock (Elmer/Spot), Angela Grovey (Medda Larkin), and Jacob Kemp (Davey).
Stephanie Styles
And hung out with these cuties: Julian DeGuzman (Finch) and Nico DeJesus (Romeo).
Stephanie Styles
Soon Christmas was over and New Year’s was on the horizon…
Stephanie Styles
And, even though we were dressed for 1899, Davey (Jacob Kemp), Katherine, and Crutchie (Zachary Sayle) were ready for 2015!
Stephanie Styles
I celebrated NYE by having dinner with my family and friends including model Shelby Zimmerman.
Stephanie Styles
Dinner with Jacob, Dan, and my cousin Chloe was delicious, but nothing could prepare us for what awaited next…
Stephanie Styles
THE FAMOUS PENGUIN PIT!
Stephanie Styles
That’s right: a pit filled with penguins…and newsies…and a girlsie or two. Thanks to our fabulous girlsies/swing Melissa Steadman Hart for this wonderful opportunity!
Stephanie Styles
With only four shows left after New Year’s Day, it was time to say goodbye to Chicago and hello to North Carolina! Thanks for checking out my “On the Road” feature! Follow me on Instagram at @bystyles and on Twitter at @stefunnystyles for more!
Stephanie Styles
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During its first year of touring in the 2014-15 season, the production will play 25 cities, over 43 weeks.
The cast is led by Dan DeLuca as Jack Kelly, Steve Blanchard as Joseph Pulitzer, Stephanie Styles as Katherine, Angela Grovey as Medda Larkin, Jacob Kemp as Davey, Zachary Sayle as Crutchie, and Vincent Crocilla and Anthony Rosenthal alternating the role of Les. Rounding out the company are Mark Aldrich, Josh Assor, Evan Autio, Bill Bateman, John E. Brady, Joshua Michael Burrage, Kevin Carolan, DeMarius Copes, Benjamin Cook, Julian DeGuzman, Nico De Jesus, Sky Flaherty, Jon Hacker, Jeff Heimbrock, Stephen Hernandez, James Judy, Meredith Inglesby, Eric Jon Mahlum, Ginna Claire Mason, Michael Ryan, Jordan Samuels, Jack Sippel, Melissa Steadman Hart, Andrew Wilson and Chaz Wolcott.
Newsies features a Tony Award-winning score with music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman and a book by four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein. It is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.
The musical is directed by Tony nominee Jeff Calhoun and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli, who won a 2012 Tony Award for his work. The entire creative team is reuniting to bring the musical to audiences across North America.
Set in New York City at the turn of the century, Newsies, according to press notes, is the "rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a ragged band of teenaged ‘newsies,’ who dreams only of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. But when publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what’s right."
The musical was inspired by the real-life "Newsboy Strike of 1899," when newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaway newsies on a two-week-long action against Pulitzer, Hearst and other powerful newspaper publishers.
For more information, visit NewsiesTheMusical.com/Tour, Facebook.com/Newsies and Twitter.com/Newsies.
