VALDOSTA, Ga. — If the Founding Fathers can rap, why couldn’t New York newsboys of the 1890s dance to hip-hop?

The possibilities were one of the reasons Jason Celaya returned to Peach State Summer Theatre to choreograph its production of Disney’s “Newsies.”

Celaya choreographed the PSST! production of “Beauty and the Beast” a couple of years ago. He choreographs regularly for television and film. He has choreographed on “America’s Got Talent” and works with NBA dance teams. He also choreographs commercials. Once “Newsies” opens Friday, he leaves Valdosta to choreograph his next project – a commercial being filmed in Salt Lake and Los Angeles.

For “Newsies,” Celaya and Jacque Wheeler, show director, did not want to base the PSST! choreography on the Broadway production, which relied more on ballet moves.

“Newsies” is based on the 1992 movie “that tells the story of a group of newsboys in New York City who stand up against the publishing giants of Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst,” according to PSST! The show is inspired by the real newsboy strike of 1899.

The musical is about street kids so street music seemed right to the direction team.

“It didn’t feel authentic to have these characters suddenly tap dancing,” Celaya said. “It’s more athletic and grounded in a kind of hip-hop.”

Celaya and Wheeler describe the choreography as being inspired by something between “Hamilton” and “Stomp.” The dances are mostly ensemble pieces, featuring a large number of newsies.

Choreography is one facet of the show. “Newsies” is a popular show that will introduce most audiences to new songs. With exception of possibly “Santa Fe,” the songs by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Jack Feldman are not yet well known, Wheeler said.

“Newsies” is rooted in about a half-dozen songs that are reprised to great effect throughout the production, she said.

The ensemble cast of newsies is comprised of males and females. Wheeler said having girls play newsboys isn’t historically inaccurate. Some girls also sold newspapers on the streets of New York in the late 1800s, she said.

Most of the newsboy characters are aged about 15 to 17 years old. The cast is not that young but it is one of the youngest casts in the long-running seasons of Peach State, Wheeler said. Actors and actresses playing newsboys are in their late teens to early 20s. 

The show also features massive wooden towers transformed to look like the heavy-steel lattice work of big-city bridges. Scenic designer Jason Lee Courson is a Valdosta State University Theatre & Dance graduate. The New York-based designer has worked on Broadway and is the current project designer for the show “Halftime” at the Tony Award-winning Paper Mill Playhouse.

“Newsies” is the second show to open of the PSST! 2018 season. “Million Dollar Quartet” opened two weeks ago. “Hello, Dolly!” is scheduled to open two weeks from now, June 22. Then, all three shows play in rotating repertory through mid July.

“Newsies” opens Friday, June 8.

THE CAST: Andrew Poston, Anastas Varinos, Brandon Chandler, Jake Kessloff, Terrance D. Searcy, Daniel Lennox Jr., Brad Weatherford, Zachary T. Lampe, Will Harden, Jordan Van Dyke, Ursula Trasorras, Rebekah Ward, Meredith Reitz, Megan Foose, Joe Mason, Jeffrey Oakman, Ethan Ray Parker, Quinn Tierney Vaira, Joshua A. Joyce, Kirbi Mason, Kaitlyn Batchelor, Kate Vander Leest, Chance Michael Wall, Jay Mullens, Larren Woodward, Michael R. Bradley, Pat Constant.

DIRECTION, PRODUCTION: Jacque Wheeler, director; Jason Celaya, choreographer; DeAnna T. Keys, stage manager; Zach Cramer, sound designer; Christen Orr, fight choreographer; Joe Mason, vocal director; David Springfield, musical director; Jason Lee Courson, scenic designer; Genny Sutter Muncy, lighting designer; Esther L. Iverson, costume designer; Ruth A. Brandvik, associate scenic designer.

SHOWTIME

Peach State Summer Theatre presents Disney’s “Newsies.”

When: The show opens 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 8, 9, and 2 p.m., June 16; 3 p.m., June 17; with several more performance dates through July 14.

Where: Sawyer Theatre, Valdosta State University Fine Arts Building, corner of Oak and Brookwood.

More information: Call PSST! Box Office, (229) 259-7770; or visit www.valdosta.edu/psst.