‘Newsies’ seize the stage at CYT North Idaho

Seventy-four members of the Christian Youth Theatre in North Idaho are taking to the stage to perform the 2011 Disney musical, “Newsies.”

The production, set in 1899, follows New York children as they struggle to survive in the shadows of the metropolis by selling newspapers. The so-called newsies are victims of a broken and exploitative system.

Jack Kelly serves as the leader of the newsboys, offering a forward-thinking perspective to early-morning conversations in barracks upon which they live. His mind is set on a fair and just society – something he imagines might exist on the West Coast. This revolutionary spirit fuels the widespread activism that ensues.

Though artistic and emotional, the story’s roots are nonfictitious.

More than a century ago, a lack of child labor laws permitted nominal wages and gruesome living conditions for the young and poor boys. Manhattan and Brooklyn bands of them – responsible for the distribution of Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World and William Randolph Hearst’s Evening Journal – organized a strike against unreasonable policies enacted by the wealthy, namesake publishers.

Gaining nationwide attention, the 1899 newsboys strike was a bold and successful attempt to enfranchise a voiceless population.

Director Trigger Weddle believes the musical benefits from a young cast.

“It’s such a powerful show to be performed by kids,” she said.

Bren Altenbach, 17, and Jack Jillson, also 17, play the infamous Kelly and Race, respectively. They both experience that sense of empowerment and appreciate the opportunity to highlight and embody the children who “were working – slaving – away and had no voice,” Altenbach said.

Newsies is Jillson’s first performance with CYT. He said he found a home within the cast.

“Everyone here is welcoming and helping me out, instead of (imposing) judgment,” he said.

This warm sense of community propelled him into his major role, which even features some acrobatic passes.

Fellow lead Ashley Cleveland, 18, said Newsies’ mélange of talent helps communicate the weighty history. From delicate ballet to invigorating tap, viewers can expect a rich array of “Broadway-level” dance, she said.

Aside from the artistic elements, Cleveland and Jillson emphasized the musical’s relevance today.

“There are rights that are being taken away from people,” said Cleveland, who plays investigative journalist Katherine Plumber, said.

“It’s prevalent, and it’s (important) that people watch and realize the severity of things that are happening in our own country.”