Strike, strike, strike! The Newsies are taking a stand and singing about it, and you can watch it all go down on stage at the Al Green Theatre starting tonight.
The Ryerson Musical Theatre Company (RMTC) is running five shows of Disney’s Newsies this week. Newsies is based on a true story set in New York City in 1899 and follows a group of newsboys who strike against their boss after he raises the price of newspapers.
In the final dress rehearsal on March 12, third-year journalism student Mark McKelvie gave an excellent performance in the lead role of orphaned newsboy Jack Kelly. This is his first performance in a Ryerson production, but he has previously worked on community shows in Sarnia, Ont.
Olivia DeRoche, a second-year creative industries student, plays Katherine. Her character is a reporter with a conscience who goes against newspaper boss Pulitzer, played by first-year creative industries student Daniel Goldman. Sport media student Colin Darling also plays a likeable Crutchie, a character who isn’t afraid to make fun of himself throughout the show.
Songs like “The World Will Know” and “Seize the Day” are sure to be crowd favourites thanks to the cast’s explosive energy and impressive choreography. Heartfelt ballads like “Santa Fe” and “Something to Believe In” are performed with passion and are bound to take spectators on an emotional journey.
This is the RMTC’s fourth annual performance since being founded in 2014. The group allows Ryerson students from all programs to volunteer for the production. This year, over 100 students joined the team’s cast, orchestra and production team.
“Disney’s Newsies is all about a group of kids coming together to reach toward a common goal and that lies very close to the heart of RMTC because that is what we strive for each year,” said RMTC’s president Tara Snider.
“Not only do we want to put on an amazing show, but we want to create a positive space for people who love musical theatre,” she added.
Tickets have already sold out for the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday shows but you can still buy tickets for Saturday’s matinee and evening performances. Tickets are $12 for Ryerson students and $15 for the public.
