Newsies' Capathia Jenkins on Being a 'Mama' to Her Young Co-Stars

As Medda Larkin in Disney’s hit musical Newsies, Capathia Jenkins is is both a glamorous vaudeville star and friend to the newsboys, especially their outlaw leader, Jack Kelly (Jeremy Jordan). During a recent chat with Broadway.com, the talented actress couldn’t help but gush about her maternal role at the Nederlander Theatre.

“I have an absolute blast doing Newsies every night,” Jenkins said. “I love the story, I love Jeremy [Jordan] and the boys! I love my role in the show—it really feels like an extension of who I am backstage. It’s such a young company, I get to sort of be a mama—kind of like a nurturer—but I also have a really good time with them, and that’s what I feel like on stage, too.”

Newsies, based on the 1992 Disney film of the same name, is based on the true story of the Newsboy Strike of 1899. The musical follows Jack Kelly (Jordan), a young newsboy in New York City who leads a strike against powerful newspaper publishers, including William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. Jenkins plays Medda, a vaudeville star and friend to the newsboys.

Jenkins made her Broadway debut in The Civil War, and has appeared in The Look of Love, Caroline, or Change and Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me.