From the Director,
Thank you for joining us for our production of Disney’s Newsies! I am one of many millennials who grew up singing and dancing along with the movie and I remember wishing so badly that I could have been on screen with Jack, Crutchie, and their gang of dancing newsboys. The chance to direct a pilot production of the show means the world to me and I have felt my childhood coming full circle as I have had the chance to share my love for Newsies with my students. Besides the catchy melodies, fun lyrics, and energized dances, I believe there is something uniquely catchy about the positivity and determination that the “rag tag” group of newsboys has in the face of working and living conditions that are unimaginable to modern American youth. In a time when we are surrounded by disunity, technological isolation, and a constant barrage of gloom and doom from every possible media outlet, Newsies reminds us to be hopeful in the face of adversity and to never forget the importance of community. If Theatre teaches our students one thing, I hope it is that together we can do far greater things than any one of us could ever do on our own.
All of us at Floyd Central are extremely grateful to Disney Theatrical Group and Music Theatre International for choosing us to pilot Newsies. The opportunity to work on this inspiring and challenging show has been the chance of a lifetime for our students. They began training for the rigorous choreography back in June 2017 with daily yoga and strength training sessions. After spending their summer preparing physically, they jumped into rehearsals in September and have stepped up to the challenges Newsies presents with the same sense of fun and positivity the endearing characters in the show possess.
Watching our students take on this monumental production with such dedication has been beyond inspiring for me. From our performers to our technicians, every student involved has demonstrated that teenagers are capable of incredible things when they are surrounded by a community that sets the bar high and believes in them. I am grateful to our local community as well as the broader theatre community, including EDTA, Disney and MTI, for recognizing the capabilities of our students. Thank you for giving our students “something to believe in.”
Robbie Steiner
Director of Theatre Arts
Floyd Central Theatre Arts
Mission Statement
"Our mission is to provide a college preparatory Theatre Arts program for the students of Floyd Central that provides educational and inclusive opportunities that cater to those students who will pursue higher education and a career in theatre as well as those who can transfer theatre skills to other areas of study and lines of work."
