Big dance numbers, a classic Disney love story and a deep hidden meaning are all things that “Newsies” promises audiences next week, director Trent Soyster said.
The Rising Stars, a Midland Center for the Arts program for youth interested in theater, will perform the production at 8 p.m. each night from June 26 to June 29 on the Center for the Arts outdoor stage.
Soyster said this is his fifth production of “Newsies,” but the first time that he is directing it and working with Rising Stars.
“Theater really is my whole life,” he said. “Theater really does change people and it changes people’s minds. And it makes people look at things in a different way. ... When you sit down in a theater to watch a production, where people are really laying their heart and soul out on the stage, there's something that’s really palpable.”
Behind the scenes with Rising Stars
Soyster is a freelance director, choreographer and actor based in New York, and he is enjoying his time in Midland.
“It has been such a lovely experience to get to know and work with the students and adults,” he said.
Rising Stars is a Midland Center for the Arts educational program in its fourth year, in which high school students from the Great Lakes Bay Region can get professional theater experience. It usually lasts four weeks in the summer.
The cast got a chance to experience a real-life rehearsal process, which lasted from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. six days a week for three weeks, Soyster said.
Ryan Sytsema, a lead actor in “Newsies,” said he joined the program because it looked like a fun thing to do in summer.
“We've learned the whole show in two weeks, which is pretty insane,” Sytsema said. “I think seeing the cast rise to that challenge and take full blast and be like, ‘Okay, let’s do this,’ has been really cool to experience.”
Soyster advises those who want to make theater their career to be “in as many rooms as possible where theater is happening,” and get involved in community theater, theater camps or similar activities.
How is “Newsies” special?
Sytsema also said that "Newsies" is special for him because it was the first theater performance that he saw when he was little.
“It’s a story about young people sticking up for what they believe in,” Sytsema said. “And I think throughout history ... that continues to happen. It’s young people who see something that they ... disagree with, and (they are) paving the way for change. It’s very inspiring. And I think that’s why ‘Newsies’ keeps popping up.”
“Newsies” is based on a real-life strike of 1899, when young boys formed a union and went on strike to demand higher pay from big newspapers, Soyster said.
“They really were relying on selling these newspapers to feed themselves,” Soyster said. “And it is one of the earliest examples in American history of forming a union.”
The show is also based on a 1992 Disney movie of the same name.
Sytsema said his favorite scene is "The King of New York," which opens Act Two. He said the Newsies make the front-page headline for their strike, which was a success, and sing their celebratory song.
“I just almost get chills because it’s so powerful telling the story as a young person about young people,” Sytsema said.
Sytsema said people will feel a connection with his character, Jack Kelly, because even though he’s a leader, he remains a human being.
“That’s just really important ... to realize ... although these Newsies are singing and dancing, and jumping on tables, and tap dancing, the humanity of each Newsies is still so clear, and so powerful, because these are real people,” Sytsema said.
For Soyster, the story is important as well, he said, because it shows that young people can bond together and stand up for their rights.
“I was super excited to be brought on to this project,” he said. “It’s been lovely. We’ve had such a great time. I’m looking forward to next Wednesday.”
Editor's note: Midland Center for the Arts is a sponsor of WCMU. We report on them as we do with any other organization.
