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Award-winning musical Newsies wraps up national tour in Austin

The last tour stop for Newsies is Austin.

Photo by Deen van Meer

The cast of musical Newsies definitely saved the best for last. The Tony Award-winning show will put its two-year tour to bed with a six-day engagement at Austin’s Bass Concert Hall, September 27-October 2.

Andy Richardson is especially pumped that the final tour stop will bring him back to his home state. “I could not be more excited that we’re going to Austin … getting to close it out with family and friends is just going to be the best,” says Richardson, who grew up just down the road in San Antonio. He has been with Newsies for several years, originating in the role of Romeo on Broadway and now playing Crutchie.

The Disney production ditches its usual fairytale structure and instead presents a heartfelt depiction based on real events. Inspired by the New York City newsboys strike of 1899, Newsies tells the story of how Jack Kelly — the leader of a band of charismatic orphans — leads the fight against two publishing giants.

Richardson is as enthusiastic now about being part of this high-energy show as he was when he was first cast in the world-premier production in 2011. “Even though it’s been running for such a long time, it’s still fresh every show. The choreography is ridiculous ... it’s just such an energetic show that has something for everyone.”

On this tour, Richardson doesn’t get to execute the choreography (for which Christopher Gattelli won a 2012 Tony Award), but he says he’s still inspired each night, playing a boy who doesn’t let his physical limitations dampen his spirit. “I love Crutchie so much as a character. He’s just so charming and effortlessly optimistic … it’s something I try to keep with me when the show ends.”

Richardson says the Newsies cast contains some of the highest caliber dancers around (including the 2014 winner of So You Think You Can Dance Australia) and that the choreography is tailored to the actors’ strengths and tricks, which include a number of elaborate tumbling passes. “It is a thrilling show to watch,” says Richardson. “And amid the amazing dancing and singing it’s a very moving story.”

It’s a story that will have been told through more than 780 performances in 65 cities when the tour plays its final performance in Austin on October 2. Richardson says it’s a tale that has touched audiences night after night and inspired them to dream. “It leaves a lasting impact and just hits you in your heart.”

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Newsies plays Austin September 27-October 2. Tickets are on sale here.

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Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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