Newsies (musical) at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2026-09-08 to 09-13) review
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Starlight Theatre’s own production of Disney’s Newsies, the Tony Award-winning musical based on the hit movie is now playing through Sunday, starring a large cast of Kansas City performers (including 33 area high school students in the Blue Star Awards teen ensemble), alongside national talent. The result is a special delivery of fun entertainment, as we witnessed, on the run’s opening night.
Based on the 1992 motion picture (and inspired by a real newsboy strike), Newsies features a Tony Award winning score by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein. Disney’s productions usually keep the pacing tight and moving- this was no exception here and it’s generally a good thing to have.
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Set in 1899 NYC, it’s the tale of Jack Kelly, a newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When the newspaper publishers raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies across the city to strike against the unfair conditions.
This basic theme of newspaper boys really has to be a stretch for younger generations to get their arms around- to go back to a time of actual printed media, created on a printing press, manually typeset pages, and hand-delivering the news to patrons (the kids today got it so good, haha!).
Lucas Pastrana leads the company as Jack, bringing energy to his role and leaving it all on the stage, as we saw he and others visibly sweating during the first act. That said, temps were still in the 90s at 8pm (thank goodness for Starlight’s large overhead fans) and we know from experience, those corners nearest to the stage have barely any air circulation, so we can’t fault him.
With a booming voice and an imposing Nick Offerman-like presence, Broadway vet Graham Rowat is famed publisher Joseph Pulitzer, and had memorable solo songs in both Act One and Two, and Aubrey Matalon plays journalist Katherine Plummer- determined to expose the true story, while also falling for Jack along the way, and has her own family secret.
KC native Bryonha Marie returns to her roots as Medda Larkin and manages to bring her Patti LaBelle-esque vocal power to a memorable first act’s “That’s Rich” and Andy Bakun as Davey, and Ryan Jacobs as Crutchie round out the principal roles. Youngest newsboy Les is played on alternating nights by KC students Carson Cornwell and Lucas Gutierrez-Sullenger (who we saw), both making their Starlight professional debut.
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NYC-based David Grindrod leads the production as Director and Choreographer and we’d be remiss not to mention the expert orchestra, led by the esteemed and KC’s own, Anthony Edwards, a veteran of numerous area productions.
The combination of established talent and KC locals seemed to work really well and was a formidable sight in those numbers when the entire ensemble was on stage (such as on the “Seize the Day” versions and the show’s “Finale”). Loud applause ensued, probably led by proud parents and families, but the locals collectively staying in-sync and hitting their marks and cues, was an impressive feat in itself.
The set design was nicely executed, with its main NYC tenement backdrop, newspaper offices, and moving scaffold fire escapes and stairways, and the lighting was dramatic and on point, save for one number when the stage stayed dark a few seconds too long. Be sure to stay out of the aisles during the second act as well, as those groups of ragtag, ragamuffin newsies will be seen running through the theater on several instances, which was a nice gesture of audience connection.
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For anyone that’s seen the 1992 film, there are notable differences between it and the stage version, which keeps the story fresh, vibrant, and more suited as a live musical, and a 2017 Hollywood-filmed version of the stage play, has been made available for viewing on Disney+.
The original production won a Best Choreography- Tony Award and Drama Desk Award in 2012, and that spirit still lives on in the group dance numbers- tumbling and pirouetting, with even a few Benson Boone-like running back-flips done by some talented company dancers.
Newsies isn’t meant to change the Broadway world or revolutionize the musical but it does entertain and often amaze; and the addition of seeing so much KC hometown talent get their turn, makes it a stop-the-presses enjoyable evening out underneath the stars.
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NEWSIES SHOW TIMES
September 8-13 KANSAS CITY, MO- STARLIGHT THEATRE
(official ticket links are embedded for each performance)
Photo Credit: Josh Chaikin (Photos from the Pit) for Starlight Theatre
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National / International act coming through the Midwest / Kansas City area? Please email details to johnc@weheartmusic.com with a good lead time to be considered for Show Preview and Show Coverage consideration.