Since October, the Newsies cast has been rehearsing to deliver a wide variety of dance styles, including tap, ballet, vaudeville, acrobatics and stunts. Newsies requires the cast members to sing, act and perform choreography all at the same time. Since the musical has constant movement, the cast focuses on making each run rewarding despite the physical challenges. 

“I love the energy, and how everybody hypes each other up,” sophomore Selah Treiber said. “It’s fun exploring those genres of dance.”

One of the obstacles of Newsies compared to past shows is the intensity of its choreography. Freshman Annabelle Smiley said that unlike past middle school productions that relied more on simple dancing and hand gestures, Newsies has more constant, energetic dancing.

“[The choreography is] a lot harder, but it makes the musical a lot better,” Smiley said. “It’s actual choreography that is intense, and it makes the show look really cool.”

Actors take extra time outside of rehearsals to perfect their craft, doing things like running or jogging to increase stamina. Each rehearsal also begins with physical exercises like planks and push ups to help build the cast’s strength.

“I like to go for runs while humming the songs on my own,” Smiley said. “I practice the dances at home and once I have them memorized, it gets locked in and I can act more.”

Once the steps are memorized, cast members are able to focus more on their acting and storytelling through their movements. This helps make sure that the actors’ performances feel expressive and real rather than fake and robot-like.

“You have a character in Newsies, and you have to portray them in your face and what you’re doing on stage,” Treiber said. “Whereas on Royals, you don’t really have a character. You are more just trying to please the crowd and hype them up.”