Auburn Riverside Theater presents Disney’s ‘Newsies Jr.’ July 24-26
Published 1:37 pm Thursday, July 23, 2026
The one-act, high-energy “Newsie’s Jr.” is coming to Auburn Riverside Theater at 501 Oravetz Road SE this weekend.
The show is based on the Tony-award winning 2012 Broadway musical “Newsies” which was adapted by Disney’s 1992 film of the same name. The musical is directed by Kathryn Stahl, assistant professor of performance at Central Washington University in Ellensburg.
“Newsies Jr.” will be performed by the youth theater program run by the City of Auburn through its Auburn Community Players program.
The program is designed for residents of the community ages 7 to 15 and is a summer camp that results in a full-scale production.
The musical follows newsboys in turn-of-the-century New York, explained Auburn’s website about the production.
Jim Kleinbeck. Auburn’s Arts Program coordinator, expressed his pride in the students he has been working with since the beginning of July.
“I’m excited to see our 54 campers show off everything they’ve learned. They have worked so hard over the last few weeks, and it’s amazing to see how much they’ve grown,” he said.
The camp has run for three weeks with the performance being the culmination of the young actors’ hard work.
“My favorite part is watching the kids grow. Some come in shy or nervous, and by the end of camp they’re smiling, making friends, and performing on stage with confidence,” Kleinbeck said. “Seeing them have fun, believe in themselves, and leave with great memories is the best part of the job.”
The production demonstrates Auburn’s continued commitment to supporting the arts throughout their community.
“The arts bring people together. Theater…builds confidence, teaches teamwork, and gives young people skills they can use for the rest of their lives. It’s something our whole community can be proud of,” said Kleinbeck.
Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday, July 24; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 25; and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 26.
All tickets are $15 and can be purchased on Auburn’s theater and performance website.
