Lemont High School To Present Broadway's 'Newsies' As Spring Musical

LEMONT, IL — Lemont High School will be offering up a Broadway show for its spring musical this month and is giving area senior citizens the chance to see it for free, the school recently announced.

The school production of “Newsies – the Broadway Musical” will debut on May 12 and run through May 14 with three 7 p.m. performances, the school said. The musical will be held in conjunction with the school’s spring art show, which will be held in Gallery 306.

Based on the 1992 motion picture based on a true story, “Newsies” features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein. The show features musical selections such as “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “Santa Fe.”

All performances of “Newsies” will begin at 7 p.m., and tickets are on sale now for each performance, the school said. All tickets are $15, and all seats in the Performing Arts Center - including the balcony and main level - are reserved seats.

Individuals wishing to purchase tickets in advance must do so online and pay with a credit card. In addition to skipping the ticket lines the night of the show, purchasing tickets in advance allows patrons to choose their own seats and print their tickets at home. Tickets may be purchased via the link at the top of the page.

Pending availability, tickets may be purchased at the door each evening via credit card or with cash or check. For more ticket information, call (630) 243-3298.

Area seniors will be able to see a special preview event of the show on May 11 and local residents ages 55 and up can receive a complimentary ticket.

Senior citizens interested in attending the rehearsal should call (630) 243-3254 to RSVP, the school said. Attendees may RSVP for a maximum of four people and will be asked to provide the names of the people in their party. If calling outside normal school hours, attendees should leave a voicemail message with their name and phone number, as well as the names of the people in their party.

Lemont High School encourages senior citizens who are interested in attending to RSVP at their earliest convenience, as reservations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservations will be taken after the limit of 100 guests is reached or May 6, whichever comes first.

“Newsies” will be produced locally by Matt Doherty, directed by Paula Smith and choreographed by Jeni Donahue. Doherty also will head orchestral direction, while Jeremy Landig leads the vocal direction, the school said.

Brett Baleskie will oversee set design and construction and Matt Davis will serve as the backstage technical supervisor. Designers for the production will include Ashley Runnfeldt (lighting), Tom Kieffer (costumes), Bob Kuper (hair and make-up), and Max Thalhammer (sound). Heather Reddout will serve as the accompanist.

Gallery 306 debuted in 2017 and typically hosts multiple shows each year. The spring art show will be open from 5:45-6:45 p.m. nightly from May 12-14, spotlighting a variety of artwork from Lemont High School students.