“Newsies” reviewed by Frank Meccia

One of the strongest aspects of the production is the music. Alan Menken’s memorable score is beautifully performed under the direction of Music Director Joey Calumet. The four-piece orchestra, tucked beneath the stage in an incredibly small space, sounded excellent throughout the performance. The reduced orchestration fit the intimate venue perfectly without sacrificing the energy or emotion of the score.

The biggest obstacle facing this production isn’t the talent—it’s the venue itself. Newsies is a large-scale musical filled with athletic dance numbers and a sizable cast. Performing it on a small stage with the audience just feet away makes it difficult to fully capture the spectacle the show demands. In my opinion, Surging Films & Theatrics jumped into the deep end by choosing such a massive production as one of its first shows. It’s an admirable risk, but perhaps a smaller musical would have better suited the company’s resources.

The set design, however, exceeded expectations. Billy Surges and Jarod Battisto deserve special recognition for creating a versatile set that worked remarkably well within the limitations of the space. In fact, I’ve seen larger and more established community theatre companies produce Newsies with less effective scenery.

The costume design was a different story. Rose Peters’ costumes often failed to reflect the show’s 1899 setting. Simply putting actors in high-water pants doesn’t create an authentic turn-of-the-century look. A little more historical research and attention to period detail would have gone a long way toward making the production more believable.

As for the cast, there were several standout performances. Declan Durr was a solid Jack Kelly, bringing a strong singing voice and confidence to the role. While some of the higher notes proved challenging, he handled the character well overall. Will Knox delivered good vocals and danced effectively as Davey, although, like Durr, he appeared older than the teenage character he portrayed.

Nikki Holladay was outstanding as Katherine Pulitzer. She combined an excellent singing voice with polished dance skills and brought confidence and credibility to the role. She was one of the production’s highlights.

Among the ensemble, Erol Ibrahimovic stood out as Albert with an energetic and believable performance. Max Trotter was excellent as Crutchie, delivering one of the strongest vocal performances of the evening while bringing genuine heart to the character. Greenlea Oja also impressed as Les with enthusiastic acting, strong dancing, and a delightful singing voice.

Every member of this large cast deserves credit for tackling one of musical theatre’s more demanding shows. While the production isn’t without its flaws, it demonstrates the enthusiasm and determination of a company willing to challenge itself.

I’m looking forward to seeing what Surging Films & Theatrics produces next and watching how the company continues to grow.

Newsies is playing at Theatre Wit through August 2. Theatre Wit is located at 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. For tickets, visit TheatreWit.org or call the box office at 773-975-8150.

Showtimes are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm,

Sundays at 3:00pm.

Parking is available at the lot behind the restaurant.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Newsies”.