Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Cast of Newsies takes the stage in a show of solidarity, dedication, and grit. 

Priory students are prepared for opening night after nearly three months of dancing, acting, and singing rehearsals. The premise of this year’s musical, Newsies, is based on the true historical events of the Newsboys’ Strike of 1899. A group of kids selling newspapers instigated a strike to demand better treatment from their employers and found a family in the process. For members of the Priory cast, this made remaining true to the heart of the story all the more important. 

After auditions and casting in mid-November, the cast met for rehearsals beginning in December. While staging the group numbers, the cast quickly learned the challenge of dancing in a crowded space. Every person had to be attuned to the movement of those around them while focusing on individual choreography. It requires a group mentality, where every person plays an integral role, but it is only meaningful in the context of a unified whole.

The cast also had the honor to meet with Ms. Aisha DeHaas in late January. DeHaas starred in the 2017 professional recording of Disney’s Newsies as Medda Larkin. DeHass talked to the cast about her career and her acting journey leading up to Newsies. 

“I had fun as a sophomore in Camelot and I wanted to do it again because the community here is so welcoming” -Tabitha Lee

“I’m thinking I’m thinking. I would say learning from fellow students and classmates how to sing well. Getting to see. I’m inspired by my fellow actors and actresses and we have an iron-sharpen-iron effect on eachother.” -Jack Nowak

“This show has certainly been something!” -Gareth Schuster

“Screaming at my lights every day” -Christina Faucher

“My favorite part of the show is getting to know people from different schools all over the St. Louis community!” -Emma Scott

“Friendship and bonding” -Natalie Lovell

Look for “The part where they touch noses and look into each other’s eyes” -Anonymous