This production had dual casts, the Senior Cast and the Junior Cast. In the interests of fairness to all, we reviewed both casts. Terry Mountstephen reviewed the Senior Cast and Brian Godfrey reviewed the Junior Cast.
Senior Cast
Set in 1899 New York, Newsies Jr. tells the story of Jack Kelly, a charismatic leader of young newsboys. When publisher Joseph Pulitzer raises their costs, Jack rallies the newsies to strike. With help from reporter Katherine Plumber, they take on New York’s newspaper titans, proving that even small voices can spark change.
Reo Gerhardy as Jack Kelly commanded the stage from start to finish. He brought charisma and exuded leadership in every scene, skilfully showing Jack’s vulnerabilities in quieter moments while energising the audience in rallying songs like “Seize the Day”. Gerhardy’s depiction of Jack made it easy to see why the newsies followed him – his portrayal of Jack was magnetic.
Katherine Plumber, portrayed by Amelia Boys, delivered a strong performance with her solo “Watch What Happens”. The song is a challenging one, but Boys handled it beautifully with clear diction, good breath control, and a dynamic emotional range. Her portrayal effectively captured Katherine’s determination and ambition.
Will Fleming stayed true to his character of Crutchie throughout, keeping the physicality of his limp even during blackouts. His solo, “Letter from the Refuge”, touched the audience. Davey, played by Noah Byrne, impressed with his strong singing and impressive harmonisation alongside Jack. Byrne effectively conveyed Davey’s initial hesitation in joining the strike, and his development into a confident leader by Jack’s side was well executed.
Les, played by Mia Khairul, and Joseph Pulitzer, by Casey Mifsud, both brought personality to their roles, while Kenya Styles as Medda Larkin provided solid support in her role, bringing warmth and presence to her scenes.
The accents were consistently authentic and understandable, helping ground the setting in 1899 New York. The entire ensemble was in character from beginning to end, delivering powerful harmonies and committing fully to the dance routines. The opening saw the newsies running through the audience with gusto, setting the pace for the rest of the show. Numbers like “Carrying the Banner” and “Seize the Day” were highlights, featuring clean movement and palpable camaraderie among the newsies.
The set design made good use of projections and scaffolding, providing a versatile backdrop for the story. Lighting, designed by Jen Frith and operated by Campbell Lawrence and Harrison, enhanced the mood and atmosphere, though there were a couple of moments when actors standing on ‘stacks of papers’ were slightly out of the light. Costumes, also designed by Jen Frith, were crafted by Head Seamstress Kate Rumpff and the costume team and they captured the period well.
Directors Jen Frith and Kylie Green utilised the stage space expertly, particularly with the scaffolding. It was great to see background business happening even when the main action was in the foreground. Scene changes were often masked by choreographed dance routines, which distracted the audience from the movement of set pieces, keeping the momentum flowing seamlessly.
Music Director Ben Francis deserves credit for the beautifully tight harmonies in numbers like “Once and For All” and “Seize the Day”, as well as the overall vocal strength from both ensemble and the leads, adding depth and polish to the performance.
Choreographer Carla Papa’s work was dynamic and exciting, utilising the cast’s talents. The groupings were clever, and the tap routine in “King of New York” added to the festive energy, making it a highlight for both the audience and the cast.
In conclusion, Pelican Productions’ Newsies Jr., by the Senior cast, was a high-energy triumph. From the harmonies to the dynamic choreography, every element came together to create a thoroughly enjoyable production.
Junior Cast
The 55 strong Junior cast of Pelican Productions’ Disney Newsies Jr sparkle in vocals, dance skills, acting and particularly in energy and verve – all the way down to cute, diminutive Hanna Gray as the toughest little big gangster to wear a pinstriped suit.
The dance moves alone from the cast are a wonderous spectacle to behold.
As Jack Kelly, Harrison Thomas proves beyond doubt that great things can indeed come in small packages. One would expect his powerhouse vocals to normally come from someone twice his size – but no! this young man just stuns and amazes the audience with perfectly pitched vocals. Let’s not forget his topnotch dance skills, and his well balanced acting chops. He is totally believable as the natural leader of the New York Newsies. Polio inflicted Crutchie is played with depth and understanding by Eli Horbelt; whilst Edward Sharp is indeed sharp when it comes to playing the role of Davey. His almost baritone voice harmonises perfectly with Harrison’s tenor; and April Sprules is hilariously cute as his brother Les.
Tahlia Sabatino shows maturity beyond her age as reporter Katherine Plumber and tackles one of the hardest numbers in the show, “Watch What Happens”, wonderfully. Gracie Cheung also demonstrates maturity and great vocals in her role as Dance Hall entertainer Medda Larkin. Her Bowery Beauties (Matilda Binetti, Clementine Hasler and Evelyn Stojani) also delight.
In non-singing, non-dancing roles, Sam White as Joseph Pulitzer, Thomas White as Governor Teddy Roosevelt and Harry Marks as Superintendent of the Refuge all display good acting skills. With one appearance Harry proves he would make a great Bond villain.
It is so heartening to see that our future Musical Theatre hopes are alive and well and thriving in Pelican Productions. Keep up the good work kids!!
