NewArts to Present 'Disney's Newsies: The Musical'

Disney’s NEWSIES: The Musical
Come join the talented students of NewArts and “Seize the Day!”

NewArts presents Newsies, the Tony Award-winning Broadway phenomenon, August 3 –12 at Masuk High School in Monroe, CT. The musical is based on the historical newsboy strike of 1899 that shook the ivory towers of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. The history lesson leaps onto the stage with soul-stirring music, amazing heart, and stunning choreography and features over 120 area youth onstage, backstage and in the orchestra.

Newsies features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken (Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots). Featuring the now classic songs “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “Santa Fe,” Newsies is packed with non-stop thrills and a timeless message, perfect for the whole family and every audience.

This production of Newsies is directed by NewArts Producing Artistic Director, Michael Unger and features choreography adapted from Tony Award-winner, Christopher Gattelli’s Broadway production.

Performances will take place at Masuk High School – 1014 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe, CT 06468 Friday August 3rd at 7PM, Saturday August 4th at 2PM and 7PM, Sunday August 5th at 2PM, Friday August 10th at 7PM, Saturday August 11th at 2PM and 7PM, and Sunday August 12th at 2PM. The show is double-cast to involve more children in the program – please check our website for more details (www.newarts.org).

All NewArts productions take cast members on a journey beyond the shows themselves. Interwoven within the rehearsal schedule is a custom-built, character development curriculum designed by volunteers from the Yale School of Management and the University of Pennsylvania Masters of Applied Positive Psychology department. This challenging character development curriculum equips the cast and technical crew members with essential life skills such as grit, resilience, and post-traumatic growth which extend well beyond the stage into everyday life to help these young artists flourish as individuals and members of their community.

The NewArts experience is unique from any other performing arts program. Michael Baroody, MD, founder of the 12.14 Foundation explains, “the participating children will be entertaining the community with a Broadway-quality performance, but more important, throughout the rehearsal process, they are learning how to overcome obstacles, work as a team and realize the best versions of themselves.”

Whether performing onstage or helping behind the scenes, the NewArts mastery experience in combination with the 1214 Foundation’s flagship character development curriculum ARC (Aspire, Reach, Confidence) guides students through the pathways of self-efficacy, self-regulation and self-awareness to improve students’ overall well-being.

The 12.14 Foundation was formed in 2013 in Newtown, CT by a local parent named Dr. Michael Baroody who had a mission: To equip students with life tools to flourish in a challenging world through a custom-designed character development curriculum enhanced by a mastery experience in the performing arts. Dr. Baroody is the Founder of the 12.14 Foundation and Executive Producer of NewArts. He is a plastic surgeon and lives in Newtown, CT, with his wife and two young daughters. Dr. Baroody makes time to lead the foundation’s empowering ARC Character Development sessions twice a week.

MICHAEL UNGER, NewArts Producing Artistic Director, has directed ten large-scale musicals for the 1214 Foundation’s NewArts program over the past five years. He is also the Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education for Off Broadway’s York Theatre Company in New York City where he has directed Big: The Musical, Milk and Honey and You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. Other directing credits include A Christmas Carol (McCarter Theatre – 1998-2015), Two Point Oh (Off-Broadway – NY Times Critics Pick), The Happy Time, The Rink, My Sister in this House, Grease, Crimes of the Heart, Pippin and over a dozen operas, two of which are available on DVD. World premieres include: Caligula, A ROCKIN’ Midsummer Night’s Dream (for NewArts), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Retribution (Off-Broadway). www.ungerdirect.com

For more information regarding the 1214 Foundation’s programs, how to support the longevity of our programs through donation and to purchase tickets for Newsies, please visit www.newarts.org.