Gabby Cummings
Extra Extra! Under the talented director, Mrs. Stewart, the theater students of Laurel Highlands are putting blood, sweat, and tears into their performance of the Disney Broadway musical Newsies, which will be performed March 8-10. Inspired by the real-life newsboy strike of 1899 in New York City, this influential story is about the mischievous newsboy Jack Kelly (Emile Glad), who has big dreams of moving out of the city and becoming an artist. Young reporter, Katherine Plummer (Isabella Leonardo), and her brave team of newsboys come together as unlikely heroes after newspaper prices have spiked up at the sacrifice of the newsboys. Now all they have to do is “open the gates and seize the day!” to win against the powerful publisher Joseph Pulitzer. This energetic and entertaining show will have you ready to dance right out of your seat!
From hours of practice, choreography, singing, set design, and even costume making, our fellow students are putting in loads of hard work to make this show truly a great one. In preparation for the show, theater students are working diligently on wigs, costumes, newspapers, dances, songs, and props. Here’s what our lead roles have to say about the show.
Are you more nervous or excited to be performing such a big role?
Emile Glad (Jack Kelly): “I’m a little bit of both. This is my first lead role in something. It’s kinda spooky to know the whole show depends on whether I get my lines right or not.”
Isabella Leonardo (Katherine Plummer): “A little of both, but I’m more excited than anything. I’ve been doing theatre my entire life and performing as Katherine is one of the most exciting opportunities I’ve had so far”.
What makes all this hard work worth it?
Emile Glad: “Probably just having fun. Some say it’s for the applause but, I do it for fun.”
Isabella Leonardo: “Being able to share something I’m so passionate about with
hundreds of people and hearing the audience break out into a deafening applause makes every bruise, every line, and every practice worth it.”
Why should people come see the show?
Emile Glad: “It’s definitely something we’ve worked very hard on for several months. It’s a fantastic show and it’s a hundred percent worth coming to see.”
Isabella Leonardo: “Newsies is an incredibly revolutionary and relevant musical. Everyone involved, staff and students, have worked incredibly hard for months and it definitely shows.”
Come see our amazing and dedicated students perform the show March 8-10!