Extra, Extra, Read All About It: Newsies Sweeps The Hough Community

April 19, 2026- Rachel Griffith (11)

Photography - Jonathan Aguallo

As the Hough auditorium lights began to dim at two o’clock on March 29th, the excitement of the audience was palpable. It was Hough Theatre’s last performance of Newsies, ending a hugely successful four-day run of the show. Students and community members had been flooding through the doors of the auditorium since Thursday of that week to watch our talented Hough Theatre members put on the Tony-winning musical. Newsies follows a group of newsboys and their rebellion against newspaper giants in turn-of-the-century New York City. Newsies centers on newsboy Jack Kelly (played by Cole Knight), who dreams of a better life in Santa Fe. Jack is thrust into the position of union organizer when newspaper magnate Joseph Pulitzer raises the price of newspapers. With the help of fellow newsboy Davey (played by Brylan Rodgers), journalist Katherine Plumber (portrayed by Mal Hixon), and his ensemble of newsboy friends, Jack unites the Newsies in a strike against the newspapers. During the roughly two-hour runtime of the show, the Newsies captivate as they jump, tap, and slide across the stage, all while singing the anthemic songs that characterize the Newsies soundtrack.

Cole Knight (11) portraying Jack Kelly

Hough Theatre does a fabulous job of bringing justice to this timeless story, putting on a production full of the spirit and sense of fun that made Newsies a Broadway hit. Cole Knight’s performance was outstanding, delivering Jack Kelly’s lines with a charisma that radiated off the stage, capturing not only the heart of the character but also flawlessly executing Jack’s New York accent. Knight’s acting talent was matched by co-star Mal Hixon’s portrayal of Katherine Plumber, as Hixon brought the moxie and wit of Katherine to life onstage. The performance of the leads was considerably strengthened by the vocal prowess demonstrated by the ensemble, especially during numbers like “Once and For All” and “Seize The Day”. However, the backbone of the production rested in the hands of the tech crew and band, which provided spectacular support for the cast. The execution of sets and costuming can be seen in the lavish outfits donned by the Bowery Beauties, or in the dance numbers where set elements whirled around the stage. The musical backing provided by the band was an invaluable backdrop upon which the cast could tell the story of the Newsies. As the actors brought to life the Newsies of New York, the musical backing created the world in which the story exists, and Newsies would not have been the same show without it.

More than anything, Newsies united the Hough community, providing all of us with a chance to escape into the world of Newsies and “papes”. It also provided an invaluable experience for many cast, crew, and band members. Speaking about his time working on Newsies, Cole Knight (11) says, “Newsies was one of the most fun and impactful times of my life…I learned so much and made so many great memories.” He cites the joy he derived from collaborating with all of those who made the show possible. Noah Zabek (11), who played Race, shares similar sentiments, saying that the bonds formed while working on Newsies felt “comparable to a family”. Julianne Stallings (10), who played JoJo, emphasized the welcoming and kind nature of the Hough Theatre community, reinforcing the impactful nature of the performance. Newsies provided a safe and welcoming space for Hough students to immerse themselves in the performing arts, and also a place for the community to lose themselves in the creative talents of our actors, musicians, and tech crew. The importance of that role cannot be overstated. For just a few nights, the Hough community could feel that the world truly was their “erster”, in the words of Crutchie.

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