Roselle Park Theater Camp 'Seizes the Day' with Newsies Jr.

ROSELLE PARK, NJ — Have you heard the news? The Roselle Park Theater Camp will be staging the cult-classic musical Newsies Jr. on July 31 and Aug. 1 at the Roselle Park High School Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.

The musical tells the story of a real life newsboy strike in 1899. It is a condensed version of the original Newsies, clocking in at just under an hour. While the performers are incredibly young (ages seven to 15), it helps that the historical subjects of their show are just as fresh-faced. The historical background of the show is also something that attracted co-directors Anthony Delaney and Kelly Bulger, who were both campers themselves during their adolescence.

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“We talked on the first day about history and the importance of this story,” explained Delaney. “My favorite musicals are all about things that have actually happened, and I think that is something that has really resonated with them.”

The show is an incredibly challenging one to stage — not only are the performers incredibly young, but the directors also only have six weeks to put everything together. Despite that, Bulger says that their neophyte performers have been more than up to the challenge.

“They transform once they are in costume,” added Bulger. “They focus, they start remembering their lines. You can feel how excited they are to learn the material.”

You do not have to feel how excited the young performers are when you can just ask them — they are all bubbling with anticipation for the show next week. 7-year-old Malachi Daniels, who plays Buttons, said his favorite number is “Brooklyn’s Here.” Why? “Because I get to do this!” He then started blowing raspberries. Meanwhile, 11-year-old Brandon Avivi steps into the Christian Bale-sized shoes of “Jack”, the show’s lead. Despite several solos and a ton of stage time, his favorite part of the show is when he gets to climb on the elaborate set’s scaffolding platforms. “The choreography is really fun,” he said with a sheepish grin.

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To purchase tickets, call 908-220-9606 or email skds705@aol.com.

Read more Arts & Entertainment news from around Roselle Park here:

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• Union County Connects Unveils Brand New Mural in Roselle Park
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