CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – For director Matthew Steffens and artistic director Jenny Wales, the Virginia Theatre Festival’s (VTF) performance of Disney’s “Newsies” felt like a homecoming. The University of Virginia alumni are producing the largest show the festival has seen in its 52-year run, with 37 cast members in the company and many hailing from UVA and Charlottesville.

In a special preview offered to members of the media, Steffens outlined the significance of the show for VTF and for the community alongside three numbers performed by the cast.

“It’s about family, it’s about struggle, and it’s about coming together,” Steffens said. “I can’t think of a better time in history as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country.”

The musical tells the story of a group of “newsies” — newspaper boys in New York City — who go on strike at the turn of the 20th century to protest exploitation by newspaper tycoons.

During the preview, the cast performed the numbers “Carrying the Banner,” “Sante Fe,” and “Once and for All,” with rehearsal having started on Tuesday. The company comes from near and far, with actors coming in from Waynesboro, Staunton and Richmond as well as New York and abroad.

For casting, VTF put out an open call but also partnered with DMR Adventures, a local performing arts academy, to find 13 young artists to cast in the production.

“They’ve been wonderful partners,” Wales said.

Steffens — who directed VTF’s production of “Into the Woods” and “Cabaret” in 2025 and 2024 respectively — highlighted that the show not only has exciting music and dance numbers, but that the message feels particularly resonant in Charlottesville and is a story he believes will stick with viewers.

“It has banger after banger, and they all make you want to tap your feet,” Steffens said. “But as I dug more and more, I found that it really has a great heart and it’s really a story about… wanting to leave something better for the next generation.”

Cast member Henry Crater, who plays lead role Jack Kelly, expressed excitement at being back in Charlottesville, as his parents met at UVA and his brother is a current student.

“I think the first time I saw the (casting call) I was like ‘Oh my God’, this would be the dream job to book,” Crater said. “The music and lyrics are so powerful, but they remain very universal.”

Wales also emphasized the full-circle feeling of bringing a big production to Charlottesville, especially as she continues working with a longtime collaborator and friend in a meaningful place.

“UVA is where we started to really figure out who we were as artists,” Wales said. “It’s hard to put into words what it actually means to the both of us… it’s special for us to be back here.”

The show will run from July 9 to July 19 at the Culbreth Theatre, the festival’s second show as the season opens June 20 with “Moriarty”. Tickets are available online at the 2026 Virginia Theatre Festival website.