Photos by Deen van Meer, Disney
The underappreciated, turn-of-the-century newspaper delivery boys who first made headlines with a 1992 movie will seize the day in central Ohio this month.
Disney’s Newsies is coming to town for a limited engagement, and the cast and crew promise a fresh take on the beloved Tony Award-winning musical.
Twenty years before it hit the Broadway stage in 2012, Newsies was released as a feature film. The movie – starring a teenage Christian Bale and also featuring Bill Pullman, Robert Duvall and Ann-Margret, among others – quickly developed a huge cult following.
Among the millions of people the film reached, it sparked something in actor Jacob Kemp, who plays Davey Jacobs – a fellow newsboy and friend of protagonist Jack Kelly – in the touring production that will hit Columbus Jan. 13.
In some ways, he thinks the film is responsible for his career in the arts.
“Newsies was a part of that story,” Kemp says. “It’s definitely a moment I’ll never forget, seeing that film on television that first time.”
Set on the streets of New York City, the show tells the story of a group of teenage newspaper sellers who rise against greedy publishing bigwigs Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. It’s inspired by the Newsboys Strike of 1899, a true event that resulted in a pay increase for newsboys.
The show was originally set for a short stay on Broadway with only 101 performances, but the fan base’s adoration resulted in a run of more than 1,000 performances and 1 million attendees.
Carrying on the legacy of such a popular show doesn’t make Kemp nervous.
“Part of the success of Newsies is the devoted fans,” he says. “I don’t feel pressure working on this show. I feel pure adrenaline.”
He does, however, recognize that he and the rest of the cast and crew have big shoes to fill. During the creation of the touring production, Kemp says, they strived to stay loyal to fans of both the movie and the Broadway show while crafting something that was their own.
“Our entire team was really, really passionate about creating a brand new production,” he says. “We went back to the text and started creating the tour.”
Newsies enthusiasts may be wondering what’s different about the touring show. One addition is a brand new song, “Letter from the Refuge.” The solo, penned by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Jack Feldman, is featured in the second act after Crutchie, played by Zachary Sayle, is sent to a juvenile detention facility.
The popularity and loyalty surrounding the show weren’t the only factors that had to be carefully considered, Kemp says. A new production also meant selecting a new cast.
Kemp followed in the footsteps of Ben Fankhauser, who played Davey for the entirety of the Broadway run, which ended in August. Kemp says he examined Fankhauster’s work, but ultimately wanted to make the role his own.
“One of the most wonderful things about being an actor is that you have the great opportunity to be a part of a lineage of actors who try on a character for size,” Kemp says. “I knew that Ben did such a wonderful thing for the role.”
Kemp says it was important to foster offstage friendships with costars Dan DeLuca and Stephanie Styles – lead newsboy Jack and ambitious news reporter Katherine Plumber, respectively. Every cast is different, he says.
“As an actor, you act authentically,” Kemp says. “I react to what’s given to me.”
A Yale University graduate, Kemp is working on building his resume. While it already boasts appearances on new ABC comedy Black-ish, Newsies is Kemp’s first touring production. He says he draws inspiration from the show’s message to keep himself grounded.
“It’s definitely been a unique transition, when you are living out of a suitcase for a year,” he says. “But whatever is in that suitcase for me, whether it be clothes or books or toiletries, they really don’t matter at the end of the day.”
Traveling to new cities is more of a dream come true than an inconvenience, says Kemp. It’s especially beneficial to young cast members Anthony Rosenthal and Vincent Crocilla, who alternate the role of Davey’s little brother, Les, and are learning on the go.
“They get to visit a ton of historic sites as part of their education,” Kemp says.
And for the older actors, the cities are their oysters.
“Coming into a new city, with each particular place you’re visiting, you’re listening to people and hearing the way they talk. … That’s what we do for a living,” Kemp says. “You inhabit the bodies of these people around the world. Touring this country is one of the greatest tools one could ask for as a young artist.”
Broadway Across America presents Newsies
Jan. 13-18
Ohio Theatre
Tickets start at $28
Hannah Bealer is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
