The newsies rehearse for 'Newsies' at Jamestown Community College. Submitted photo

They have stopped delivering newspapers — and for good reason.

The newsies or newsboys don’t want to be taken advantage of, so they are throwin’ down their papers, so the newspapers they work for are kept honest.

Set in New York City in 1899, Newsies focuses on Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When newspaper publishers raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to go on strike. Newsies is based on a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman, and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein.

As the opportunity to perform Newsies had been made available, Director Julie Costantini was ecstatic to bring the Disney musical to the Scharmann Theatre stage at Jamestown Community College.

“There is a following with Newsies so I think a lot of people are going to come out to see it,” she said of the upcoming Uncommoners production.

In all there are 42 people in the cast with 20-25 newsies. The rest are adult roles.

“It’s tough to do at a high school level because you never know if you are going to have enough boys. You have to have really strong singers that can dance, so I thought it was perfect for the college level. I knew it was popular,” the director said. “Half of the cast goes to JCC. A lot of the boys on stage are freshmen at JCC. Seven newsies come from Falconer Central School, Southwestern Central School, and Maple Grove Middle/Senior High School. “A few of them are my students — I recruited them.”

Outside of her JCC directing duties, she teaches music at Maple Grove.

“I teach high school, and as soon as I say we are going to sing a song from Newsies everyone gets excited. They all know it. They have all seen it, so I think this generation of youth are really in love with it (Newsies). For the older generation she adds that with the high-energy dancing, people will like the show. It’s better than I thought it would be, and I thought it would be great, but they’re (the cast members) are doing an awesome job.

Costantini said she loves challenge of directing a musical, and the energy of the project and seeing all of the parts come together as one.

“I love piecing it together, and getting everything to run smoothly, and in the end watching people audition for a role and trying to see something in them that they don’t see in themselves. You can picture that when you do put them in that role and watch them blossom into something — that’s really magical to see on stage,” she said.

She was quick to give accolades to the crew because she said they are always there to help. “Everyone that’s on the crew has been doing this so long. It’s relaxing and easy for me because everyone wants the job to be so great.” Constantini said that Mary Ann Harp who conducts the orchestra and Jan Brager, who is in charge of the costumes have also been wonderful to work with.

Producer Steve Gustafson echoed Constantini’s sentiments. “We’ve always had a really good orchestra. We are really lucky that way. There are talented people in town that are willing to come down and work for us,” he said.

As for the show, she said the audience will like Skylar Schapp, from Randolph, who has the lead role, Jack Kelly. “He just blew me away during audtion. People are going to be in awe of his acting and his voice.”

Newsies Cast

Newsies

Jack: Skyler Schapp*

Davey: Titus Miller*

Les: Isaac Sinatra

Crutchie: Chase Smallbeck*

Race: Michael Correy*

Albert: Josh Pike*

Buttons: Dylan Sorenson*

Elmer: Max Hagel

Finch: Justin Blakesslee

Henry: Brandon Milanowski

Jo Jo: Chris Johnson*

Mush: Caleb Foley

Specs: Andrew Delcamp*

Romeo: Jacob Sears

Mike: Drake Weatherly

Tommy Boy: Tristan May*

Spot Conlon: Jordan Spencer

Bean/Scab 2: Caleb Roller

Red/ Scab 3: Tristan Spillane

Squirrel: Anthony Zampogna

Stix/ Scab 1: Malachi Livermore

Hunter: Ethan Sawyer*

Gumdrop: Hayden Couldertlobbs

Bucket: Jonah Foley

Thread: Holly Isaacson

Snaps: Claire Pumford

Cupcake: Kayla Walker*

Pulitzer: Jim Foley

Katherine Plummer: Marisa Skinner*

Medda Larkin: Raelyn Robinson*

Wiesel: Adam Owens*

Bunsen: Steve Wendel

Hannah: Alivia Roehrig*

Seitz: Skip Anderson*

Woman: Emily Hanson*

Oscar Delancey: Scott Costantini

Morris Delancey: Don Hill

Mr. Jacobi: Steve Gustafson

Meda’s Stage Manager: Malachi Livermore

Mayor: Derek DeVlieger*

Snyder: John Pickett

Nunzio: Vince Joy

Roosevelt: Vince Joy

Darcy: Malachi Livermore

Bill: Ethan Sawyer*

Nuns:

Alivia Roehrig*

Sam Elleman*

Jessica Mack*

Amber Grey*

Meda’s Bowery Beauties:

Kathleen Michalski*

Emily Hanson*

Goons/Police:

Victor Ferandez*

Robbie Martiny*

Hayden Coulderlobbs

Ethan Sawyer*

Malachi Livermore*

*current and former JCC students

SHOWTIMES

¯ Nov. 1-3, 8-10: 7:30 p.m.

¯ Nov. 4, 11: 2 p.m.