The Missing Piece Theatre, a wonderful community theatre organization, will present its sixth production and the second of its second season this July. The Missing Piece Theatre will present the Disney musical, Newsies.
All shows will take place at the Gem Theater, located at 118 NW 1st Ave. in Mulberry. Tickets are between $16-$30. Newsies will be presented on Friday, July 19 and 26, at 7:30 p.m. Matinees at 2 p.m. will be on Saturday, July 20 and 27, and Sunday, July 21 and 28.
Set in turn-of-the-century New York City, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged newsies. When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right.
These Newsies performances are being directed by The Missing Piece Theatre artistic director April Golombek. Newsies started out as a movie starring Christian Bale in 1992. It was made into a musical by Disney in 2012.
Golombek said, “Newsies has been loved by actors, dancers and audience members alike. … Our cast is full of talented dancers, singers and actors aged 8-67. This show is so big we are adding over 200 square feet to our stage just to fit in all of the amazing dancing, singing and story from this amazing musical. This is one you definitely will not want to miss.”
Golombek added, “We are thrilled to have actors from Riverview to Winter Haven. We have about a half a dozen students that attend classes with Tampa Bay HEAT and another half a dozen students that are currently attending Harrison School for the Arts. We are also thrilled to have so many familial connections in this show. This includes three sets of siblings, a married couple and a mom and son [who] are spending their summer with us making lasting memories.”
The cast includes Daxton Chapell, who was cast as Jack Kelly, and Brynley Lavayen (age 8), who was cast in the Newsies tap dance ensemble. Both Chapell and Lavayen are from FishHawk.
To get tickets to Newsies, please visit www.themissingpiecetheatre.org.
