When the Spotlight Community Theatre puts on its production of “Disney Newsies JR.: The Broadway Musical” this week, it will be the first show in the newly renovated Contrarian Concert Hall & Theater in Festus, said Courtney Wisely, the community theater group’s founder and executive director.
The troupe will perform the musical at 7 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Contrarian, 125 E. Main St. The renovated building is still known to many as the LaJade theater.
“This is a historical event, the first production in the Contrarian,” Wisely said.
The renovations actually are ongoing, she said, which necessitates four performances instead of three, as originally planned. Tickets, which cost $12, are available online at spotlightjeffco.ludus.com or, possibly, at the box office at show times.
“If we have any tickets left, people may buy them at the door,” Wisely said. “The Contrarian is going to seat 300, but they won’t have the balcony seats in yet, so there will be seating for about 200 for the shows. That’s why we’re having four shows.”
As of July 12, tickets were selling briskly, she said.
Wisely said that while the production is geared toward youngsters, people of all ages should enjoy it.
“It’s a timeless story full of spirit and heart for all ages,” said Wisely’s daughter, Kailynne Brooke, the production’s stage manager.
“Newsies JR.: The Musical” is a 60-minute version of the 2012 Broadway musical based on the 1992 Disney film “Newsies,” Wisely said.
“This is a condensed version of the full production,” she said.
The musical is set around the 1899 New York City newsboy strike.
“Our youth division director, Jaclyn Brown, wanted to do it,” Brooke said. “She’s inspired by its song ‘Seize the Day,’ so she wanted to do ‘Newsies.’”
Brown and Amy M. Smith are co-directing the production.
Brooke said the show contains other memorable tunes.
“There are so many catchy songs,” she said. “There’s ‘Carrying the Banner,’ ‘King of New York,’ ‘Santa Fe’ and others.”
Wisely said the cast consists entirely of performers ages 5-14. The principle cast members are: A.J. Brown, Hillsboro; Eli Evans, Festus; Grady Evans, Festus; Maci Mueller, Festus; Carter Ongesel, De Soto; Audrey Plew, Festus; Jadon Read, Hillsboro; and Trenton Read, Hillsboro.
The rest of the cast includes: Juniper Yackly, Arnold; Ember Stone, Barnhart; O Silva, Crystal City; Ayla Ongesel, June Pinkley and Tyler Potter, all of De Soto; Teuila Adam, Hazel Beck, Lilith Becker, Delaney Bone, Alexa Castillo, Mia Castillo, Harrison Clements, Stella Drury, Hazel James, Emma Patterson, Landon Sanford and Cohen Shaw, all of Festus; Olivia Carroll, Reagan Dolan, Ellie Gaudet, Landon Kley, Clara Kutrip, Millie McLean and Stella Umfleet, all of Hillsboro; Liam Maya, Imperial; Alice Ditto, Oakville; Isabel Somers and Clementine Somers, both of Richwoods.
Steve Tetrault, co-owner of Taytro’s Bar and Bistro and the Petit Paree Restaurant and Lounge, both in Festus, and Patrick Thomson, manager of operations for the restaurants, own and operate the Contrarian.
The building dates back to 1936 and operated from that time forward as the Miller Theatre until the late 1960s. It was vacant for several years until reopening as the LaJade in 1973.
Influence Church took over the building in 2019, selling the building to Tetrault and Thomson at the end of 2023.
Spotlight continues to capture the community’s interest.
Wisely said the organization, which she started two years ago, has a large roster of members contributing not only as actors, but as set builders, costume designers and everyone else needed to stage a performance.
“We’re at about 300 members,” she said. “We’re always accepting more. We love to see new faces.”
After “Newsies,” Spotlight will put on “Oklahoma!” from Aug. 8-11 at the Contrarian. Tickets for “Oklahoma” also are available at spotlightjeffco.ludus.com.
For more info about the organization, visit spotlightjeffco.org or the Spotlight Community Theatre-Jeffco page on Facebook.