The Muny Announces Full Cast for Disney’s ‘Newsies’

ST. LOUIS — The Muny has announced the full cast for its upcoming production of Disney’s Newsies, including Jack Roden in the principal role of Jack Kelly.

Inspired by a true story and based on the beloved 1992 film, the Tony Award-winning musical runs July 16-22 and is presented by Edward Jones.

“This terrific cast is ready to ‘carry the banner’ for this truly beloved musical,” said Muny Artistic Director & Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “With its exhilarating choreography, powerful songs and engrossing story, Disney’s Newsies is sure to soar on the Muny stage.”

Roden joins previously announced principals Kayla Pecchioni, Bryce Williams, Michael Park, Anastacia McCleskey, Nolan Almeida and Jaron Bentley. Also rounding out the cast are Drew Battles, Arick Brooks, Omarion Burke, Jim Butz, Christian J. Collins, Matt Dean, Michael Di Leo, Zach Doran, Joel Douglas, Kylie Edwards, Johnny Fenton, Michael Halling, Brianna Kim, Jacob Kim, Miles Marmolejo, Joshua Messmore, Adolfo Ortiz-Feder, Evan Owen, Becca Perron, Rich Pisarkiewicz, Kevin Antonio Rodriguez and Jonah D. Winston. Roden replaces the previously announced Casey Likes.

The company will be joined by the Muny Teens Youth Ensemble, as well as the 12 selected Muny Summer Intensive participants

The production is led by Denis Jones (director), Richard J. Hinds (choreographer) and Annbritt duChateau (music director/conductor).

The design team for Disney’s Newsies includes Patrick Garr (associate choreographer); Bart Williams (fight coordinator); Lauren Roth (dialect coach); Tijana Bjelajac (scenic designer); Emily Rebholz (costume designer); Paige Seber (lighting designer); Joshua Hummel (sound designer); Caite Hevner (video designer); Tommy Kurzman (wig designer); Kelsey Tippins (production stage manager); and The Telsey Office/Lindsay Levine, CSA (casting).

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JACK RODEN (Jack Kelly) makes his Muny debut. Jack starred as Frankie Epps in the Tony Award-winning revival tour of Parade, directed by Michael Arden, a role he booked during his senior year of college at CAP21. He starred in the workshops of The Little Big Things (US premiere), directed by Luke Sheppard; 10 Things I Hate About You, written by Carly Rae Jepsen and Lena Dunham and directed by Christopher Wheeldon; and West, directed by Michael Arden. On camera, Jack appears opposite Shira Haas (Unorthodox) in the upcoming indie feature Triumph of the Will. Later this summer, Roden will make his US and UK solo concert debut at 54 Below in NYC and Crazy Coqs in London (Lambert Jackson, producers).

KAYLA PECCHIONI (Katherine Plumber) makes her Muny debut. She is a New York City-based actor currently appearing in Ragtime at Lincoln Center Theater. Broadway: Ragtime (OBRC, u/s Sarah), The Great Gatsby (OBC, u/s Daisy Buchanan), Some Like It Hot (OBC, u/s Sugar), Paradise Square (OBC, u/s Nellie). She also appeared as Nabulungi on the national tour of The Book of Mormon and as Maggie in A Chorus Line at Signature Theatre, featuring original choreography by Denis Jones. Television: The Tony Awards (75th, 76th), the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Good Morning America. Originally from Louisville, Ky., Kayla holds a BFA in musical theatre from Northern Kentucky University.

BRYCE WILLIAMS (Davey) returns to The Muny for his second year. Muny: Randall in Bring It On: The Musical. Pre-Broadway workshops: Bobby in Oh L’Amour, Ensemble in The Turning. Regional: Daniel in Once on This Island (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma), Drifter/Ensemble in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Broadway Rose Theatre Company). Bryce is a rising senior at The University of Oklahoma.

MICHAEL PARK (Joseph Pulitzer) Originally from Canandaigua, NY, Michael Park is a distinguished performer whose versatile career spans Broadway, television and film. After honing his craft at Nazareth College and Rochester’s Blackfriars Theatre, he gained national recognition touring with The Phantom of the Opera. Park is a celebrated fixture of the New York stage, notably originating the role of Larry Murphy in the hit musical Dear Evan Hansen, for which he received both a Grammy and an Emmy Award. His extensive Broadway credits include the Grammy-winning Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Carousel, Tuck Everlasting and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. On television, Park is widely recognized for his 13-year tenure as Jack Snyder on As the World Turns, a performance that earned him two back-to-back Emmy Awards for outstanding lead actor. His screen presence extends to acclaimed series such as Stranger Things, You, Mindhunter and House of Cards. Most recently, he appeared in the La Jolla Playhouse production of The Recipe.

ANASTACIA McCLESKEY (Medda Larkin) is an award-winning actor, singer, writer and speaker and returns to The Muny for the third time. On Broadway, she recently originated Carol Evans in Boop! The Musical and Mary Church Terrell in the Tony-winning Suffs. Other Broadway: Nurse Norma in Waitress (HBO Max); Dottie in the revival of Caroline, or Change; an original Diva in Priscilla Queen of the Desert; Abraham Lincoln in Hair; The Book of Mormon; Violet; Tarzan. West End: Close to You. Regional: Mighty Real, a Fabulous Sylvester Musical (Izora Rhodes/Choreographer); Rent (Joanne) and The Color Purple (Celie, St. Louis Theater Circle Award) at The Muny; Disney’s Hercules (Thalia) at Paper Mill; The Tattooed Ladies (Trixie/Eddie) at PTC; Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Barrington; Afterwords (Jo) at 5th Avenue; Annie Live! (Sophie, Mrs. Greer, Perkins) on NBC. TV/film: New Amsterdam, The Good Fight, Daredevil, Public Morals, Madam Secretary, Release, Sex and the City 2. Nominated for Helen Hayes, Alliance and Audelco awards.

NOLAN ALMEIDA (Crutchie) returns to the role that marked his professional theatre debut at age 15 (5-Star Theatricals, director Richard J. Hinds). Since then, he has led the national tour of Peter Pan (director Lonny Price), in which he performed over 350 shows in more than 35 cities across North America. Most recently, Nolan spent the last year in Austin, Texas, filming the upcoming Apple TV series Brothers, where he appears opposite Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

JARON BENTLEY (Les) makes his professional debut. A St. Louis native, Jaron performed his first season at The Muny in 2025 in the Youth Ensemble for Evita and Disney’s Frozen. His previous credits include Raisin (Travis Younger) with The Black Rep; Finding Nemo (Nemo) and The Color Purple (Young Harpo) with the Center of Creative Arts; Ragtime (Young Coalhouse Jr.) with Union Avenue Opera; and A Christmas Carol (Tiny Tim) with The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Jaron is a COCA Pre-Professional Dancer in two companies: Ballet Eclectica and COCAdance.

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The Telsey Office is the official casting partner of The Muny.

The Muny artistic staff includes Artistic Director & Executive Producer Mike Isaacson, Associate Artistic Director Michael Baxter, Director of Production Tracy Utzmyers, and Music Supervisors Michael Horsley and Evan Roider.

Disney’s Newsies has a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman, with a book by Harvey Fierstein. Based on the Disney film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White.

When New York’s powerful newspaper publishers raise distribution prices, charismatic teen Jack Kelly rallies his fellow newsboys to strike back. The Broadway smash was last seen at The Muny in 2017. Disney’s Newsies delivers an electrifying evening of theatre — empowering anthems, jaw-dropping choreography and a timeless message of standing up for what’s right.

Disney’s Newsies is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International. All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.

Performances of Disney’s Newsies begin at 8:15 p.m. July 16-22. Season 108 at The Muny also includes Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific (July 6-12), Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations (July 27-Aug. 2), Meet Me In St. Louis (Aug. 6-13) and Something Rotten! (Aug. 17-23).

Single-performance tickets start at just $20 and are on sale online at muny.org, by phone at (314) 534-1111 and in person at the Muny Box Office, located at 1 Theatre Drive in Forest Park (9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily).

A 20% group discount is available for parties of 15 or more. To start the free reservation process, visit muny.org/groups or call (314) 595-5708.

Visit muny.org/newsies to read content notes and more about Disney’s Newsies.

Photos, logos and other promotional assets are available in the Muny Press Room.

Now in its 108th season in St. Louis, The Muny — the recipient of the 2025 Regional Theatre Tony Award — is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to producing exceptional musical theatre that is accessible to all, continuing its remarkable tradition in Forest Park. As the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre, The Muny welcomes more than 300,000 patrons each summer for seven world-class productions, each built from the ground up in St. Louis. Learn more at muny.org, and follow along at facebook.com/munytheatre, instagram.com/themuny and youtube.com/themunytv.