“Newsies” is based on the beloved film. ...
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Disney’s ‘Newsies’ at the Muny July 16-22
“Newsies” is based on the beloved film.
Back in Forest Park for the first time since 2017
The Muny announced the full cast for Disney’s Newsies, including Jack Roden in the principal role of Jack Kelly. Inspired by a true story and based on the beloved 1992 film, the Tony Award-winning musical runs July 16-22 and is presented by Edward Jones.
“This terrific cast is ready to ‘carry the banner’ for this truly beloved musical,” said Muny Artistic Director & Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “With its exhilarating choreography, powerful songs and engrossing story, Disney’s Newsies is sure to soar on the Muny stage.”
Roden joins previously announced principals Kayla Pecchioni, Bryce Williams, Michael Park, Anastacia McCleskey, Nolan Almeida and Jaron Bentley. Also rounding out the cast are Drew Battles, Arick Brooks, Omarion Burke, Jim Butz, Christian J. Collins, Matt Dean, Michael Di Leo, Zach Doran, Joel Douglas, Kylie Edwards, Johnny Fenton, Michael Halling, Brianna Kim, Jacob Kim, Miles Marmolejo, Joshua Messmore, Adolfo Ortiz-Feder, Evan Owen, Becca Perron, Rich Pisarkiewicz, Kevin Antonio Rodriguez and Jonah D. Winston . Roden replaces the previously announced Casey Likes.
The company will be joined by the Muny Teens Youth Ensemble, as well as the 12 selected Muny Summer Intensive participants The production is led by Denis Jones (director), Richard J. Hinds (choreographer) and Annbritt duChateau (music director/conductor).
The design team for Disney’s Newsies includes Patrick Garr (associate choreographer); Bart Williams (fight coordinator); Lauren Roth (dialect coach); Tijana Bjelajac (scenic designer); Emily Rebholz (costume designer); Paige Seber (lighting designer); Joshua Hummel (sound designer); Caite Hevner (video designer); Tommy Kurzman (wig designer); Kelsey Tippins (production stage manager); and The Telsey Office/Lindsay Levine, CSA (casting).
Principal Cast Bios
JACK RODEN (Jack Kelly) makes his Muny debut. Jack starred as Frankie Epps in the Tony Award-winning revival tour of Parade, directed by Michael Arden, a role he booked during his senior year of college at CAP21. He starred in the workshops of The Little Big Things (US premiere), directed by Luke Sheppard; 10 Things I Hate About You, written by Carly Rae Jepsen and Lena Dunham and directed by Christopher Wheeldon; and West, directed by Michael Arden. On camera, Jack appears opposite Shira Haas (Unorthodox) in the upcoming indie feature Triumph of the Will.
KAYLA PECCHIONI (Katherine Plumber) makes her Muny debut. She is a New York City-based actor currently appearing in Ragtime at Lincoln Center Theater. Broadway: Ragtime (OBRC, u/s Sarah), The Great Gatsby (OBC, u/s Daisy Buchanan), Some Like It Hot (OBC, u/s Sugar), Paradise Square (OBC, u/s Nellie). She also appeared as Nabulungi on the national tour of The Book of Mormon and as Maggie in A Chorus Line at Signature Theatre, featuring original choreography by Denis Jones
BRYCE WILLIAMS (Davey) returns to The Muny for his second year. Muny: Randall in Bring It On: The Musical. Pre-Broadway workshops: Bobby in Oh L’Amour, Ensemble in The Turning. Regional: Daniel in Once on This Island (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma), Drifter/Ensemble in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Broadway Rose Theatre Company). Bryce is a rising senior at The University of Oklahoma.
MICHAEL PARK (Joseph Pulitzer) Originally from Canandaigua, NY, Michael Park is a distinguished performer whose versatile career spans Broadway, television and film. After honing his craft at Nazareth College and Rochester’s Blackfriars Theatre, he gained national recognition touring with The Phantom of the Opera. Park is a celebrated fixture of the New York stage, notably originating the role of Larry Murphy in the hit musical Dear Evan Hansen, for which he received both a Grammy and an Emmy Award.
ANASTACIA McCLESKEY (Medda Larkin) is an award-winning actor, singer, writer and speaker and returns to The Muny for the third time. On Broadway, she recently originated Carol Evans in Boop! The Musical and Mary Church Terrell in the Tony-winning Suffs.
NOLAN ALMEIDA (Crutchie) returns to the role that marked his professional theatre debut at age 15 (5-Star Theatricals, director Richard J. Hinds). Since then, he has led the national tour of Peter Pan (director Lonny Price), in which he performed over 350 shows in more than 35 cities across North America. Most recently, Nolan spent the last year in Austin, Texas, filming the upcoming Apple TV series Brothers, where he appears opposite Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.
For more information, go to muny.org. Watch for Pat Lindsey’s review on Saturday with photo
