In the heart of Washington, D.C., Arena Stage artistic director Molly Smith relishes the opportunity to make a statement with the work she puts on the stage. But that doesn鈥檛 mean she shies away from gold standard musicals鈥攕he reframes them.
Having directed productions of Anything Goes, Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady, and more, when planning Arena鈥檚 70th anniversary season, Smith wanted a contemporary musical that, like those Golden Age musicals, would stand the test of time. 鈥淚t needs to have melodies that you can carry out of the theatre 鈥� great opportunities for dance and artists,鈥� she says. But most of all 鈥渋t is a story that has meaning.鈥� When her longtime choreographer Parker Esse suggested Newsies, he hit the nail on the head. Their production begins November 1 and runs through December 22 on the Fichandler Stage.
Smith sees Newsies as a show about a children鈥檚 crusade. 鈥淭here are two children鈥檚 crusades going on right now: with the Parkland students around gun control and the climate emergency with Greta Thunberg and the millions of young people around the world marching,鈥� says Smith. 鈥淸Our production] is still set in 1899, but some of the language in some of the songs is completely analogous to the fight today.鈥� Not to mention, the themes of the haves and have-nots.
But more a commonality of hot button issues, Smith also chose to cast the production in order to reflect contemporary values. The titular newsies are a chorus of newsboys and newsgirls. Smith points out that newsgirls did exist in 1899, albeit less commonly than newsboys; her casting is a statement of historical accuracy, representation, but also an exploration of emotional depth.
In this production, Jo Jo, Tommy Boy, and Splasher are played by female performers. 鈥淚n 1899, there were mostly young boys but there were also young girls and people of color working as newsies,鈥� says Smith. 鈥淏y casting a diverse group of actors, we are making an accurate and invigorating picture of New York during the news strike.鈥�
Smith also cast actors of all ages, including five actors 17 and under, in hopes that audiences the capability and passion behind these young faces resonates with audiences on a deeper level. What鈥檚 more, Smith hopes to ignite a fighting spirit in these young actors off the stage. 鈥淔or the actors, I think it will be a seminal experience,鈥� she says. 鈥淏eing a part of a group in this way, learning what it means to speak out for what you believe in. It鈥檚 our first amendment rights and they鈥檙e living it out on stage.鈥�
Cumulatively, Smith鈥檚 perspective, gender-bending, and age-appropriate casting highlight the parallels between 1899 and today. As the director says, 鈥淲hy direct a musical unless it鈥檚 about this moment in time?鈥�
