The Delaware Christian School cast of “Newsies: The Broadway Musical” have had to rehearse and prepare in a variety of spaces ahead of the show’s debut at the end of the month at the Willis Auditorium, according to director Janelle Johnson.
Courtesy photo | Janelle Johnson
The cast of “Newsies: The Broadway Musical” hands out flyers at First Friday last week in downtown Delaware.
Courtesy photo | Janelle Johnson
Students at Delaware Christian School will take the stage at Willis auditorium at the end of the month to premiere their production of “Newsies: The Broadway Musical.”
The Delaware Christian Drama Director Janelle Johnson said Wednesday the Drama Department selected the show because it was a favorite of hers and the music director when they were teens, and they enjoyed the broadway version.
“We thought the music and the dancing would be so much fun to work on with the students,” Johnson said. “We also felt while we are a very small school with limited students to draw from that our students were up to the challenge, and they have definitely proved us right.”
Johnson said the students have been rehearsing since January and have had to adapt to various spaces since they don’t have a stage or rehearsal space at their school.
“Connect Church on Belle Avenue has graciously provided us with their church during the week for rehearsals as well as one of the Delaware Christian School’s teachers has allowed us to use their barn to build our set pieces and practice in the barn, so the practice experience has been full of fun challenges,” Johnson said.
The cast will perform the show on April 26 at 6 p.m. and on April 27 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets are available at https://dcstheater.ludus.com/200451174.
Johnson said the cast is excited for the week of the show to be able to rehearse and perform on stage at Willis, and she has enjoyed seeing the cast come together during the show’s rehearsals.
“One thing I think is so great with our shows at Delaware Christian is that they are middle school and high school, and they give a great opportunity for the older students to take the younger ones under their wings and the younger students love having high schoolers that talk to them in the halls at school and care about them,” Johnson said. “Our cast is joyful and kind, and they are so excited to perform at the end of this month. I can’t wait to see it all come together with all the hard work that the students have put in.”
Johnson said despite the school’s size, it has “talented singers and dancers,” and the show’s directors put “everything they have into pulling everything together to give the students and the audience the best experience possible.”
Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903.
