(COVINGTON, La.) — Disney’s “Newsies,” performed by the Marian Players, opens March 14 at St. Paul’s School. The play, directed by theater teacher Gordon Carmadelle, is set in New York City during the Gilded Age, a time when the gap between the rich and poor was wide from the 1860s to around the early 20th century. The Newsboy Strike of 1899 targeted Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, owners of The Evening World and The New York Evening Journal. During the Spanish American War, yellow journalism generated an increased interest in the press and the publishers raised the prices.

The strike ignited after the war when the decreased demand for papers coupled with higher prices made life even harder for the newsboys, who were young and desperately poor.  The strike lasted for two weeks and killed newspaper circulation, forcing Pulitzer to agree to buy back unsold papers.

Newsies stars Freshman Gabe Simpson, Junior Trey Harkins, Freshman Zach Van Zandt, Freshman Bennett Hayes, and SSA Senior Abbey Hayes.

The supporting cast includes: Abbey Aldridge, Jacob Eilers, Justin McCleskey, Brady Meibaum, Eli Simpson, Brendan McNeil, Dylan Martin, Trevor Achee, Quinn Cooney, Ethan King, Christian Kramer, Emily Songy, Samantha Harkins, Elise Falkenstein, Cameron Holmes, Katie Allison, Caleb Frost, Briggs Cooper, Ryan Daly, Clayton Cockfield, and Colin Cottrell.

Showtime are 7 p.m. March 14-16, 20-19 & 22-23 and 2 p.m. March 16 & 23. Ticket sales are to be determined, but they can be purchased at Braswell Drugs, SPS Bookstore or Administration Office. Tickets can now be bought from the St. Paul’s website. Be sure to check twitter for ticket updates.