Moorestown Premiere Of 'Newsies' Opened Wedesday

MOORESTOWN, NJ — William Allen Middle School students hoping to perform in the school’s production of “Newsies” during the upcoming school year can get their first look at the show this weekend. The rest of Moorestown will also get their first look, as it is the first time the show will be performed in the township.

The Moorestown premiere of “Newsies” hit the stage starting Wednesday night, Aug. 15, at Hope Community Church, 235 West Main Street. The 45-member all-teen cast will include five students who plan to perform in the middle school show, according to Moorestown Theater Company (MTC) Artistic Director Mark Morgan, who is directing this MTC production.

It also includes many performers who are typically the leads in their school shows. This is the seventh-consecutive summer MTC is performing a teen show, and it looks to be among the most challenging yet.

“Newsies” just became available to perform in the last year, and it isn’t a “junior” production, which is a shorter version of the show. This is the full-length adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical. It’s close to two hours, and it is an exciting show, Morgan says.

The musical is based on the 1992 Disney movie inspired by the real-life paper boy strike of 1899 in New York City. It features such great songs as “Carrying The Banner,” “Watch What Happens,” “Seize The Day,” and “King Of New York.”

“The singing and dancing is the strength of the show,” Morgan said. “There’s a lot of hard singing and a lot of tough harmonies.”

MTC’s most experienced staff members are handling the production, including Broadway dancer Jennifer Morris Grasso as the choreographer and Carol Ann Murray as the vocal director. As choreographer, Grasso kept a lot of the traditional aspects of the show, but she added in her own stuff as well, Morgan said.

The show is double-cast, with six performances scheduled for three days, all at Hope Church. (Get a sneak peek with the video below). Show times are as follows:

• Thursday, Aug. 16: 10 a.m. (featuring a preview of next week’s MTC show, “Broadway Kids IV” at intermission)
• Thursday, Aug. 16: 2 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 16: 7 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 17: 10 a.m. (featuring a preview of next week’s MTC show, “Broadway Kids IV” at intermission)
• Friday, Aug. 17: 2 p.m.

Tickets for all five musicals are reserved, and can be bought online at moorestowntheatercompany.org, or in the lobby 60 minutes before curtain time. The theater will open 30 minutes before curtain time. Call MTC at 856-778-8357 with any questions or to get group rates.

The attached logo was provided by the Moorestown Theater Company