From left, Nick Landrum, Evan Stanfield, Connor Nevitt and Isabelle Langford perform onstage during the final dress rehearsal for Newsies. Photo by Max LeDoux with Arts Bureau Edge.
In June, a new arts journalism project got underway at the same time performers and crew for the musical “Newsies” by Floyd Central High Schools’ Theatre Arts program were in the last rehearsal weeks for a local run of their show.
That run is intended, in part, to prime the cast and crew for its performance at the Educational Theatre Association’s International Thespian Festival. Over a year ago, Disney asked the theater program to produce “Newsies” as one of the nation’s first high schools to do so and then showcase it at the festival, June 25-30, in Lincoln, Nebraska
This new arts journalism project called #ArtsBureauEdge involved a small team of young arts journalists who learned about musical theater, the history of “Newsies” and this production.
Cara Akin, Aniya Cathey, Angel Cathey, Irena Fletcher and Max LeDoux brainstormed story ideas, interviewed and photographed cast and crew members, and crafted their stories. They also held onto their positive attitudes on June 13 when a fire broke out at The Kentucky Center just before their scheduled tour of Whitney Hall to learn about the workings of the theater.
Although the fire displaced “Newsies” from its Whitney Hall venue, Floyd Central Theater Arts returned to its high school theater for June 21, 22 and 23 performances. Granted, this made it more difficult for the young journalists to get to rehearsals to photograph or observe. But they got their shots and interviews. Here are the results.
By Cara Akin | Floyd Central High School, Class of 2022
By Angel Cathey | DuPont Manual High School, Class of 2021
By Irena Fletcher | duPont Manual High School, Class of 2022
Arts Bureau Edge photographers with work in gallery.
• Aniya Cathey | Male High School, Class 2021
• MaxLeDoux | Louisville Collegiate School
NEWSIES PHOTO GALLERY