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Academics
Academic Pathways Program
NEWSIES: Theater Under the Stars
The Don Bosco Prep Theater Department Presents Disney's NEWSIES: Theater Under the Stars.
The Don Bosco Prep Theater Department and the cast and crew of NEWSIES presents a remounted production live and in-person at the heart of the DBP campus (the center quad) on Saturday, July 25th at 7:30PM. (The rain date is Sunday, July 26th at 7:30PM). This announcement came after many months of school closings due to COVID-19. Theater Director Brooke DeBettignies, working with the Production Team, have redesigned and reimagined the production to be compliant with Local, State, and Federal government safety regulations. “We couldn’t be happier that our students will be able to bring to fruition the hard work and dedication they have put into Newsies. And, while the pandemic has forced us to re-create our musical, we know it will be a great show,” says DeBettignies. Cast and crew include Hayden Moses, John Pakalnietis, Dominic Romero, Luke Mark, Juan Matos, Stephanie Contreras, Anthony Gibbons, Jonathan Cocca, Thomas Lane, Will Rosen, Giovanni Russo, Gianluca Tredici, Abby Auty, Erin Gallagher, Judianne Meredith, Natalia Antaki, Sara Ferrigno, Ceili Fitzpatrick, Kate Nixon, Sarina Neal, Catherine Menten, Ryan Moclair, Alex Soto, Gabe Maysonet, Margot Kapusinski, Anna Gehres, Sam Rotolo, Jorge Benson, Ben Wojnarowski, Cole Hamon, and Julian Matos. Alumni Will Hinck (DBP ’19) and Quentin Mariano (DBP ‘10), who is a professional Broadway electrician, have come to help with technical aspects of the production. Professional Broadway actor Joe Barbara (The Bronx Tale), whose sons attend Don Bosco Prep, is coaching the student actors. And, members of the original Broadway cast of Newsies, Jess LeProtto and Josh Burrage, are also visiting with Don Bosco Prep Theater students to give advice and cheer them on.
Inspired by the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899 in New York City, Newsies tells the tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a ragged band of teenaged newsies. When powerful newspaper publishers raise distribution prices at the news boys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what is right. The music for Newsies was written by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman, and the book is by Harvey Fierstein, based on film's screenplay by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White. The musical premiered at the Paper Mill Playhouse in 2011 and made its Broadway debut in 2012, where it played for more than 1,000 performances before touring.
“This is no small undertaking. I commend Ms. DeBettignies for her tenacity and determination in making this possible for our students. Now more than ever, we realize the pivotal role that the arts can play in helping us manage a new ‘normal’ and in bringing people together,” says Theater Arts Supervisor Toni Bilotti Cecere.
Tickets for Disney’s Newsies, The Musical, are $15 and may be purchased at https://m.bpt.me/event/4629335. Attendees are asked to bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair, to practice social distancing at all times throughout their visit on campus, and to arrive 30 minutes early. All state mandated COVID-19 precautions will be taken including but not limited to: temperature checks, use of face coverings, social distancing, sanitation stations, etc. Guests are asked to refrain from attendance if experiencing any symptoms consistent with COVID-19 such as fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, body aches, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, etc.
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