Mon River Arts to present ‘Newsies Jr.’

Young actors will showcase their singing and dancing skills with three weekend performances.

Mon River Arts has been preparing all summer for the opening night of “Newsies Jr.,” and they guarantee an incredible show.

Director Emily Palma said the cast and crew have put in a lot of work to prepare for the show and they’re excited for their opening night. Palma is amazed by the performances of everyone in the cast.

“The kids having fun, I think, would make anyone want to come see the show,” Palma said. “I sit here and smile the whole time because I’m the proud director, but also as an audience member, you can see that they’re having fun. And I think that’s what makes a good theater experience, is when the cast and the actors are having fun, then the audience is having fun.”

The story follows a group of newsboys (newsies) in New York City who go on strike against major newspaper publishers in hopes of gaining fairer treatment. The musical is based on the Disney movie “Newsies” from 1992 and the real-life newsboys’ strike of 1899 in New York City. The story has inspired its own production on Broadway and others across the country.

Palma said the audience can expect the dancing that the Newsies musical is known for. Some of the cast members were known for ar- riving early or staying late after rehearsals so they could practice more with one another.

“It shows that these kids went home and they practiced and practiced and practiced,” she said. “We have kids that have never tap danced before, and now they’re tap dancing, not only because they have to, but because they want to.”

The show has 32 cast members, with some of them playing multiple parts. Auditions for the show started in June, and they have been preparing ever since.

Palma is also proud of the authentic costumes, which make the audience feel like they’ve been teleported back to 1899 in New York City.

“We have an awesome team, an awesome production staff,” Palma said. “So our costumer, Sam, and our prop master, as I like to call them, Gayle, they worked day and night to make sure that the costumes and props not only looked really good, but were comfortable for the kids, and you can see that in the show as we go.”

Assistant director Dylan Pal said the cast has greatly improved over the summer, and he has enjoyed watching them grow over time.

“My favorite part, I have to say, is watching the kids learn that they can do a new skill,” Pal said. “I think it’s really cool to watch, like an older teen, or like a young actor, as I call, start to find their niche and find hidden talents that maybe no one else had seen before.”

Palma reiterated something similar, saying the relationships between cast members have grown greatly throughout the summer.

“I think my favorite part is kind of seeing them really grow into these awesome performers, but also grow into becoming best friends,” Palma said. “Some of them were friends prior to being in this show, but others, they started sitting by themselves, and now they’re sitting with a group of people, and I think that’s the best part for me.

“Obviously, I love watching them perform, and I love the rehearsal process, but it’s not just the end result of the show and taking the bows, but it’s the friendships that will continue on.”

“Newsies” is one of Pal’s favorite musicals, which has made this production special for him.

“It’s a great show to do with kids, because it teaches them about camaraderie, like at the end of the day, ‘Newsies’ is really built upon the fraternity of the cast all the way through every single one of our ensemble members,” he said, “as opposed to the typical storyline of a young kids show, which is, you know, the prince rescuing the princess, or whatever that may be.”

The shows will be presented at Grand Theatre on 207 S. Second Ave. in Elizabeth. Opening night will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, followed by a matinee at 2 p.m. Saturday and an evening show at 6 p.m. the same day.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at monriverarts. org or by calling 412-4058425.

Cast list: Xavier Wolf (Jack Kelly); Bella Maroney (Crutchie); Alessa Cavalancia (Race); Michael Schildkamp (Albert); Reagan Sedar (Muriel); Sophia Rodriquez (Nancy); Mathilda MacInnis (Specs and Mat); Abigale Withers (Pigtales); Briana Pologruto (Hazel and Ethel); Josie Manculich (Buttons); Louie Hrvatin (Tommy Boy); Emma Hawkins (Romeo); Sophia Segner (Jo Jo); Hannah Damiani (Katherine); Zoey Steligo (Darcy); Victoria Lucas (Oscar Delancey); Nelle Parquette (Morris Delancey); Ben Waugaman (Wiesel); Craig Hermosillo (Les); Ryan Priano (Davey); Dominic Sager (Joseph Pulitzer); Owen Manz (Bunsen); Evie Lyons (Seitz); Lily Mull (Hannah); Emma Hawkins (Woman); Morgan Kaufman (Snyder); Clara Oblak, Riley Lowmiller (Police officers); Abigail Ross (Medda Larkin); Sage Dasta (Ada); Julia Griesheimer (Olive); Owen Manz, Evie Lyons, Lily Mull (Scabs); Wayne Lucas (Police Chief); Bryce Leachman (Spot Conlon); Zoey Steligo (Dorothy); Ben Waugaman (Bill); Wayne Lucas (Gov. Theodore Roosevelt).

The ensemble cast for newsies includes Sage Dasta, Julia Griesheimer, Morgan Kaufman, Bryce Leachman, Riley Lowmiller, Victoria Lucas, Clara Oblak, Nelle Parquette, Abbi Ross, and Zoey Steligo. Citizens of New York are Emma Hawkins and Bryce Leachman. The Bowery Brigade is played by Sage Dasta, Julia Griesheimer, and Briana Pologruto.

The working children are played by Emma Hawkins, Craig Hermosillo, Louis Hrvatin, Riley Lowmiller, Bella Maroney, Nelle Parquette, and Michael Schildkamp.