Newsies is an underdog story if there ever was one. From the moment I saw it (only last year) I thought to myself, "What an amazing show, and so great for kids!" Like most other times at LCA, I never dreamed of having OUR kids do it. The acrobatics? The dancing? All those power tenors? Nooo. But I do love it when kids feel passionately about a show. In the fall, when the kids started to propose it seriously, and I realized that the rights were newly available (we just might be the first high school in New Hampshire to do this show!), I took the leap of faith and got in over my head as usual-- with plenty of room for the kids to step up and for God to step in with a miracle or two!
Boy am I glad we did! This has been one of the most enjoyable shows I've ever been a part of. I am continually shocked by what kids can do. I can't wait to watch you "Watch What Happens" next. In a very different way, we too are the underdogs, with a school of just under 100 kids, and a cast of 55 here at this beautiful professional theater. Glory be to God!
If you don't pay attention, this show can seem like a bunch of "children singing endlessly" (as Roosevelt puts it in Act II), but the thing we've all come to love most about this story is that it is about kids who dare to care about something. They're willing to take risks when it comes to standing up for what is right, and in a time when the world (many times wrongly) paints teenagers as apathetic and unengaged, this show is something quite special. The characters you see tonight are not perfect, but they remain loyal to one another, make hard decisions, and in the end, stand up for the weak and oppressed against terrifying odds. I hope that you'll agree that it puts forth a message worth cheering for!
As we started to dive into the history of the real Newsboys strike of 1899, I began talking with older students in the cast about which issues today might parallel the plight of these kids over 100 years ago. When the 11th and 12th graders took a service trip to Rwanda in April, they saw that today many poverty-stricken children and orphans are unable to go to school in Rwanda. The kids wanted to do something about it, so they decided that 10% of the profits from this show would be donated to the Rwanda Children's Education Fund (RCEF). This organization helps poor Rwandan girls and boys aquire food and clothing so that they can successfully pursue an education. If you would like to make an additional donation to RCEF, you can get in touch with a member of the cast or the production team.
In the meantime, get ready to enjoy a show that we are all so proud to share. Enjoy the show and God bless you!
Jen Bleiler
Director
