San Franciscan Kate Abrego makes her musical debut in Newsies as Seitz, an editor on Pulitzer’s staff who advises him but ultimately admires the kids’ newspaper. Kate has developed the fine art of projecting her voice on stage while simultaneously presenting calmness, even while being yelled at by her boss. She fondly remembers participating in various NDV traditions. She especially enjoyed spending time with her classmates on trips to Caritas and Yosemite, and more recently at the beach while everyone awaited high school acceptance letters. Her interests include volleyball, volunteering, English, and math. Kate will attend Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory where she will continue thriving by sticking to her life motto: “Stay positive and keep a good mindset.”

San Francisco native Claire Castelein handles playing multiple roles of a newsie, a corrupt cop, and a stage manager like a pro and describes being on stage as exciting and freeing. She enjoys spending time with her NDV friends, especially traveling together on the Washington, DC trip and bringing the entire Newsies production to life. Although a fan of many sports, Claire’s true passion is competitive swimming. She enjoys shopping and hanging out with friends and has a love for languages, which is why it is not surprising that French is her favorite subject. Claire is definitely living out her life motto: “Set your goals high and don’t stop until you get there.” She will attend The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida.

San Francisco’s Andrew Chen takes the stage as Les, Davey’s cheeky younger brother who is inspired by the freedom of the newsies and loves their independent lifestyle. Andrew enjoys the challenge of portraying his character’s wit, charm, and sense of humor on stage. Despite feeling nervous about his newly acquired tapping skills, he is very excited to dance alongside his classmates. Some of his fondest NDV memories were made on the 7th grade Yosemite trip and 8th grade DC trip. When not on stage, Andrew enjoys spending time with his family and friends, playing piano, reading, skiing and golfing. He moves through life by the wise words of Tiger Woods: “No matter how good you get, you can always get better.” Andrew will attend Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory.

Fifth-generation San Franciscan Blythe Croll is ecstatic to play Katherine Plumber, an ambitious young reporter who works hard to become a legitimate journalist in a time when women aren’t taken seriously. Ever since her 8th grade buddies presented High School Musical, Jr (2017), Blythe has been waiting in eager anticipation for her class’s turn. She has savored every moment of rehearsals and treasures the everlasting bonds she’s made with her classmates. More than any one specific event, she will remember all the laughter they’ve shared over the years. She plans to attend St. Ignatius College Preparatory and continue pursuing her passion for theatre. Blythe enjoys playing volleyball, swimming, surfing, painting, reading, writing, and listening to music. Her guiding quote is by Walt Disney: “Keep moving forward.”

Born in Bangkok, Thailand, Dylan Currie expertly applies the skills he learned from acting classes in conjunction with his naturally energetic personality to accurately portray the newsie Muriel. He enjoys the camaraderie of a large group of people working together and appreciates how everyone feels connected. Dylan is extremely agile both on the basketball court as well as in tap shoes! He looks forward to attending Archbishop Riordan High School and will continue immersing himself in his favorite subjects: math and social studies. He fondly remembers all the great memories with his classmates from participating in school carnivals and retreats to big trips like DC. Dylan makes the most of each moment by living by the motto, “Be where your feet are.”

Hailing from Washington, DC where he recently enjoyed visiting all the monuments with his classmates, Xavier Currier plays Jack Kelly’s best friend Crutchie, a dedicated newsie who’s not diminished by a painful bum leg, but who is essentially the heart of the resistance. Xavier has enjoyed learning how to maneuver around the stage with crutches while dancing and flawlessly delivering his lines. When not on stage, he participates in track and field and cross country events and spends his free time drawing and reading. Xavier will attend Stuart Hall High School. His favorite biblical passage is: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

San Franciscan Brissa Easley will play the quick-witted newsie Race. Brissa has enjoyed all aspects of the production including rehearsing scenes, singing, and dancing and has had the most fun portraying Race because his humor matches her own. Her prior stage experience includes dancing ballet and world dance at Oberlin Dance Collective (ODC) and
most recently being the keyboard player in the rock band, The Redhorse. She fondly remembers dancing at each Father-Daughter Dinner Dance and building the Halloween haunted house. Her hobbies include baseball, piano, skiing, tennis, sailing, and building legos and her favorite subject is math. As spoken by her character Race, “The world is your ‘erster,’” Brissa will continue to live out her theatrical dreams as she attends The International School of San Francisco.

Born just south of Santa Barbara in Thousand Oaks, CA, Lizzie Eschelbach makes her musical debut as Davey, Les’s straight-laced, big sister who grows into leadership by learning to use her voice to uplift others and is the brains behind the resistance. Lizzie has enjoyed mastering the challenging harmonies and loves being on stage so much she plans to pursue musical theatre at Convent of the Sacred Heart High School. She will remember this special time with her classmates along with all the wonderful memories they made on the Washington, DC trip. When not on stage, you can find Lizzie on the volleyball court or reading. The words she lives by: “Never be so kind you forget to be clever. Never be so clever you forget to be kind.”

San Francisco native Evan Frazier takes the stage as Oscar Delancey. Together with his thug stage brother Morris Delancey, the pair take the side of the publishers in the strike and are known to use their fists to make a point. With no prior stage experience, Evan explains that one of his close friends plays his brother which has made rehearsals really fun. Evan enjoys playing soccer and his favorite subjects are music and social studies. Some of his fondest memories include making chalk drawings with his classmates on Earth Day and traveling to Washington, DC. Evan keeps moving forward through life by living his motto: “You are not defeated when you lose. You are defeated when you quit.”

Having a love for acting since Kindergarten, San Franciscan Bella Guibert shines in her multiple roles in Newsies. Her prior stage appearances include Seussical the Musical Junior, playing the Madhatter in Alice in Wonderland, and playing Cecily Cardew in the play The Importance of Being Earnest. The young actress admits that it’s both challenging and fun to learn the energetic dances. She completely immersed herself in her characters with the goal of bringing them to life on stage. Bella enjoys reading and baking, and as a French American, speaks French fluently. She loves traveling and animals, especially her dog Violet. Bella is open to new challenges, stating “If you don’t try you never
fail, but you don’t succeed.” She will attend Mercy High School
in Burlingame.

Guitarist rocker and San Francisco native Thomas Hain commands the stage in the male lead role of Jack Kelly, the charismatic leader of the Manhattan newsies. Having just recently formed the rock band The Redhorse last summer, Thomas has applied those same performance skills into blocking the scenes and rehearsing the songs for Newsies. His favorite quote “A process can not be understood by stopping it” by Herbert Frank echoes his thoughts about how the production has gradually unfolded into an amazing final product. Thomas cherishes the time he’s spent hanging out with his friends, especially on the Washington, DC and Yosemite trips. He enjoys playing sports and appreciates music equally. Thomas plans to pursue opportunities in musical theatre at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory.

San Franciscan Annie Jeong plays the newsie Hazel. She attended a performing arts school in grades K-2nd and was a member of the Young Women’s Choral Projects for several years. She has enjoyed the process of putting together this major production, in particular, learning the blocking and choreography, and admits she feels simultaneously excited and nervous on stage. Friendships are dear to Annie, as evident in the value she places on the family-like bond she’s made with her classmates and her little Kindergarten buddy. Annie enjoys reading, math, and playing for her club basketball team. Her life motto is by Maya Angelou: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Annie will attend Convent of the Sacred Heart High School.

Born in Marin County, Amy Kane plays the newsie Buttons. Her prior experience includes being stage crew for Anything Goes (2023) and singing in NDV’s parish children’s choir Les Anges since Kindergarten. These valuable opportunities taught Amy how to work with many individuals of varying abilities and come together as a team in order to achieve common goals. Amy enjoys the catchy Newsies songs and executing the expertly choreographed numbers with her friends. Among her passions are basketball, music, art, reading, cooking, and science. Amy fondly remembers the overnight field trips and playing all CYO sports, in particular the 8th grade girls’ volleyball championship game because so many friends and teachers came and cheered on the team to win a hard-fought second consecutive championship title.

Student Council Vice President and San Francisco native Rachel Keenan plays the newsie Emmy. The young actress admits that memorizing all the choreography was challenging, but the long hours spent in rehearsals strengthened relationships as the class connected with one another and created incredible memories that will last a lifetime. Off stage, Rachel studies violin, plays club soccer with the Glens, loves volunteering, and occasionally sails. She also thrived in her leadership role on the Academic Decathlon team this year. One of Rachel’s favorite quotes is by Dr. Seuss: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” She will remember this as her nine unforgettable years at NDV come to a close and she moves on to attend Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in the fall.

Adalyn Korta from San Francisco plays Pigtails, one of the newsies. Her prior stage experience includes appearances in James and the Giant Peach and Cats with Musical Theater Works Broadway Bound. Not wanting to be the sole focus in the spotlight, Adalyn enjoys being part of the core group of actors that gives support to the main characters. Her experience with Newsies has uncovered her hidden talent for musical theatre. She plans to explore other performance opportunities at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory. Her fondest memories at NDV revolve around building friendships, especially during the class’s trip to Washington, DC. Adalyn’s interests include French, science, baking, and travel. Her favorite quote is by Theodore Roosevelt: “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”

San Franciscan Finn Krigbaum plays dual roles as Spot Conlon, the proud leader of the Brooklyn newsies, and the newsie Finch. He has enjoyed learning to sing and tap dance, and acknowledges the physical demands of each. Whatever the activity – playing soccer, basketball, lacrosse, or commuting on MUNI – Finn values time with his friends. He feels blessed to be part of such a unique class of strong, individual personalities. His passions include improving his golf game, taking a daily dip in the ocean, researching topics of interest on YouTube, drawing sunsets with oil paints, and running to the pumped up sounds of classic rock. He’s embraced his life motto: “Hard and fair – live and play this way.” Finn will attend St. Ignatius College Preparatory.

San Francisco’s Lorraine Kwan makes her theatrical debut playing multiple roles as Katherine’s reliable photographer Dorothy, part of the ensemble, and a scab. She is excited to perform with her clasmates as they show off their tap dancing skills. Her favorite subject is ELA, although she also really enjoyed doing the egg drop project in science this year. Lorraine is a competitive swimmer and is also dedicated to her club volleyball team, regularly attending practices late into the evening after an already full day, and traveling great distances on the weekends for tournaments. She will attend Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory where she will continue living by her life motto: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

San Franciscan Kristina Leng returns to the theatre as Dorothy, part of the ensemble, and a scab. Being cast in several roles poses no problem for the veteran actress having previously graced the stage in a small play Anansi and as the anteater Annie in Anteater 2. She says the dancing parts are a lot of fun even though they can be quite tiring. With interests in drawing, painting, and photography, Kristina displays great talent and creativity. It’s no surprise some of her fondest memories at NDV are the times spent in Clay Club. She is excited to attend Archbishop Riordan High School where she will continue living her life motto: “Failure is not an option.” Kristina has three cats and a snail.

San Francisco’s Lorcán Magner plays the newsie Albert. He found learning how to tap dance with his friends not only challenging, but fun! The actor beams with pride knowing the end result of their efforts will be amazing. Lorcán loves playing soccer, hanging out with friends, playing piano, skiing, and being out in nature. Taking his class’s group photo in front of the U.S. Capitol and then capturing the “after photo” of all of them running for their coats afterwards is a memory Lorcán will hold on to dearly. His favorite quote is by Lebron James: “I think team first. It allows me to succeed, it allows my team to succeed.” Lorcán will surely continue succeeding at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory.

San Franciscan Natalia Maldonado takes on multiple roles as the Mayor, part of the ensemble, and a scab in Newsies. Natalia likes being in the spotlight all dressed up in her mayor costume, but she equally enjoys blending in with the newsies group where she can spend more time among her friends. Her hobbies include rowing and playing piano, and she excels in French class. Natalia vividly remembers going to the pumpkin patch in Kindergarten with her 8th grade big buddy, particularly taking a group photo and then everyone excitedly jumping off the huge haystack. As she moves on to Lick-Wilmerding High School next year, it’s memories like these that remind Natalia of Winnie the Pooh’s touching words: “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

Hailing from Nuremberg, Germany, Elliott Matschoss makes his theatrical debut playing the newsie Mush. Elliott has had a blast delivering his lines with a thick New York accent, although the actor admits it sometimes comes out sounding more German! He treasures spending time with his classmates, whether at the various CYO sporting events or at the 8th grade back-to-school party when everyone first received their red hoodies, which he artfully designed. Elliott’s interests include water polo, skiing, drawing, and traveling. Before heading to Lick-Wilmerding High School in the fall, he will compete in water polo in Barcelona and Croatia. Elliott lives by the words of Mark Twain and Ted Lasso: “It’s never wrong to do the right thing.”

San Francisco native Vaiva Mattis shines on stage as she brings her life motto “The purpose of life is a life of purpose” to her portrayal of Hannah, Mr. Pulitzer’s secretary. Vaiva’s favorite thing about playing this highly intelligent and compassionate character is delivering her lines in a squeaky high-pitched voice. When not on stage, Vaiva can be found playing volleyball or baking. She is proud to be a Red Cross certified babysitter. Vaiva cherishes the amazing people and friends she’s made at NDV and will remember the class trip to Washington, DC with great fondness. Her favorite quote is: “For every minute you remain angry, you give up 60 seconds of peace of mind.” Vaiva plans to attend George Washington High School.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Eoin Merriman digs deep to play the crooked and sinister warden of The Refuge, a filthy and horrible orphanage. Eoin admits it’s fun to portray such a scary and threatening character, especially since it’s so completely opposite of his own amicable, quiet disposition. He remembers being initially apprehensive about attending the 6th grade retreat at Caritas, but then was happy to have bonded with so many of his new classmates, and one in particular who became one of his closest friends. Eoin’s interests include soccer, volleyball, reading, and science, especially aerospace technology. His favorite quote is by Francis Bacon: “Knowledge is power.” Eoin will attend Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory.

An accomplished violinist and soccer player, San Francisco’s Naomi Mesa plays the newsie Jojo. She admits that although she usually doesn’t like being on stage, she finds herself wanting to perform more as she’s having fun alongside her classmates. Naomi cherishes each and every single moment she’s had with them, especially hiking in Yosemite and crafting antics with her roommates in Washington, DC. Her thirst for knowledge is rounded out by her interest in science and English as well as French. She is grateful for all her teachers who have supported her throughout her NDV journey. Naomi abides by her life motto: “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” She will attend San Francisco University High School.

Making his theatrical debut playing the authoritative Mr. Pulitzer, San Franciscan Alex Pardo shares that it was a profoundly rewarding experience to learn how to balance blocking, delivering lines, and singing. He fondly remembers the camaraderie with his classmates at this year’s Mother-Son Dinner Dance, and he confidently claims that the boys totally beat the moms in the dance-off! Alex has a deep appreciation for history and math and enjoys bringing stories to life through his illustrations. He is proud to represent the Olympic Club in competitive swimming, which is his greatest passion. His favorite quote is: “Success isn’t an accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” Alex will attend Lick-Wilmerding High School.

Born in San Francisco, Owen relishes having a lot of stage time playing multiple roles as Katherine’s friend Bill, Mr. Pulitzer’s barber Nuzio, and the newsie Tommy Boy. He found it both fun and challenging learning all of the choreography and is overall excited for his debut performance. He will remember spending countless hours with his classmates in rehearsals fondly. Seeing the museums and delving into all the history on the class trip to Washington, DC was the highlight of Owen’s time at NDV. He enjoys baseball, volleyball, traveling, camping, being out in nature, and reading. Owen will attend Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory. His favorite quote is by Oscar Wilde: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”

Born in Rome, Italy, Sergio will play Crutchie as well as take part in the ensemble in Newsies. In the former role, Sergio found it challenging to learn how to move and dance fluidly on stage with crutches while remaining in character. He values all the time he’s spent with his classmates over the years, and he especially loved creating memorable moments during their Washington, DC trip and during Newsies rehearsals. Sergio’s passions include soccer and violin, both of which he has willingly and gladly prioritized since he was very young. He will attend Stuart Hall High School where he will continue to live his life motto, “Don’t give up.” Sergio has a younger brother Massimo and a dog named Ziggy.

Born in Santiago, Chile, Olivia Rys Steinsapir bursts on stage as Medda Larkin, the big-voiced saloon singer and star of the Bowery. Her prior theatre experience includes The Music Man, 101 Dalmatians, and playing a baby, the lead role in a minor opera. Olivia relates to her character’s big personality because she, too, is not afraid to be herself and she demonstrates unyielding loyalty to her friends. Laughing with her classmates throughout their years together fostered their close knit school-family which Olivia will always treasure. Her interests include soccer, volleyball, philanthropy, and travel. Olivia predicts she will sob uncontrollably at graduation, but will continue enjoying making people smile when she goes on to attend The International School of San Francisco in the fall.

Born in San Francisco, Student Body President George Theodorides showcases his natural leadership ability in his role as Governor Roosevelt. Also playing the newsie Romeo, George appreciates that both characters freely speak their mind and are very emotional and passionate. His prior theatre experience includes auditioning for Disney and being part of the stage crew for NDV’s production of Aladdin (2024). Among his fondest school memories are playing basketball with his classmates during recess and having gym class with Mr. Tsokas. George’s passions include basketball, computer science, and business. He will attend Junipero Serra High School and his favorite quote is by Michael Jordan: “I failed over and over again in my life, that is why I succeed.”

Hailing from Tucson, Arizona, Roger Valdivia Flores will play the other Delancey brother Morris Delancey. Roger has worked hard perfecting his New York accent to make his portrayal of the bullying brother more authentic. One of his favorite memories is being welcomed by his new classmates when he joined the NDV community in 3rd grade. He appreciates the many opportunities he had to further strengthen his relationships with his classmates on the various field trips. Roger enjoys fishing, basketball, and video games, and has a passion for learning about history and science. He plans to attend Nativity High School in the fall. His resilience is reflected in his life motto: “If you fail, keep trying until you succeed.”

San Francisco native and diehard Dodger fan Zach Vines makes his theatrical debut as Wiesel, Mr. Pulitzer’s disgruntled paper-pusher. Zach likes that he gets to be loud on stage and admits that preparing for this role has given him lots of confidence. Even though he has no plans to pursue theatre, he says rehearsals have been a lot of fun because he’s surrounded by friends. Some of Zach’s fondest NDV memories are the overnight field trips because he simply enjoys spending time with his classmates. His interests include baseball, drawing, and learning about history. Zach strives to make the most of every moment by living his life motto: “Live everyday like it’s your last.” He will attend Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory.

San Francisco’s Sebastian Waki will play the newsie Henry who, according to the young actor, is “just a regular kid trying to survive in a big city.” Shortly after his vocal chops were noticed during ELA class, Sebastian was invited to join Les Anges Children’s Choir where he earned numerous leadership roles and solo singing opportunities. Even though he admits to feeling nervous on stage, he thrives on the excitement of performing with his friends. Off stage, Sebastian enjoys playing basketball and video games and listening to music. He was honored to be elected as Religion Commissioner and serve on the Student Council. Sebastian is thrilled to attend Junipero Serra High School where he plans to continue abiding by his life motto: “Love, live, serve.”

Making her debut performance, native San Franciscan Remi Walters will be playing the newsie Specs. She relishes spending time with her friends whether at rehearsals or on field trips like Caritas Creek and Washington, DC. Even though she confesses that learning to tap dance was challenging, she beams with excitement as the production has come together. Remi enjoys playing volleyball (she has a wicked serve!), bracelet-making, and art. Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory is lucky to welcome her in the fall. Remi’s determination to succeed is embodied in her favorite quote: “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.