Jeremy Jordan to reprise 'Newsies' role on Broadway

NEW YORK, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Jeremy Jordan is to lead the cast of "Newsies" when the musical moves from New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse to Broadway in March.

Jordan, who created the role of rebellious newsboy leader Jack Kelly in the Paper Mill production of "Newsies" last fall, will play the role again when the show opens at the Nederlander Theatre in Manhattan March 15.

The show is to play a limited 101-performance engagement.

Jordan recently starred in the short-lived Broadway production of "Bonnie and Clyde." He will also be seen opposite Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton in the movie musical "Joyful Noise," which opens Friday. His other Broadway credits include "Rock of Ages" and "West Side Story."

The musical "Newsies" features a score by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken and Jack Feldman. It has a book by four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein.

"Set in New York City at the turn of the [20th] century, 'Newsies' is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a ragged band of teenaged 'newsies,' who dreams only of a better life far from the hardship of the streets," a synopsis said. "But when publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys' expense, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what's right."

"'Newsies' is inspired by the real-life 'Newsboy Strike of 1899,' when newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaway newsies on a two-week-long action against Pulitzer, Hearst and other powerful newspaper publishers," the synopsis said.