Capathia Jenkins Sets Departure Date from Newsies

Capathia Jenkins will depart Disney’s Tony-nominated production of Newsies on September 9, according to her Twitter page. Jenkins originated the role of vaudeville showgirl Medda Larkin in the show's Broadway mounting. No announcement has been made for a replacement for Jenkins.

Newsies features the 1992 movie's original music, as well as additional songs by Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken and lyricist Jack Feldman, a book by four-time Tony winner Harvey Fierstein and choreography by Christopher Gattelli. Inspired by the real events of the Newsboy Strike of 1899, Newsies follows a young New York City newsboy who leads a group of orphans in a protest against Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst and other powerful newspaper publishers.

Jenkins is the second cast member to leave the show in September. The musical’s Tony-nominated star Jeremy Jordan will be replaced by newcomer Corey Cott on September 5. The current cast of Newsies includes Kara Lindsay, John Dossett, Ben Fankhauser, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Lewis Grosso and Matthew Schechter.