<P> Newsies The Musical premiered at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey from September 25, 2011 through October 16 . The production was directed by Jeff Calhoun with choreography by Christopher Gattelli . This production was later transferred to Broadway with several changes in the music and actors . </P> <P> The musical opened on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre for a limited engagement starting in previews on March 15, 2012, and officially on March 29, 2012 . On May 16, 2012, Disney announced that Newsies was an open - ended engagement . The engagement was extended through August 19, 2012, after the first previews . </P> <P> The original cast of the Broadway production featured Jeremy Jordan as Jack Kelly and John Dossett as newspaper tycoon Joseph Pulitzer . The cast also included Kara Lindsay as Katherine Plumber, Capathia Jenkins as Medda Larkin, Ben Fankhauser as Davey, Andrew Keenan - Bolger as Crutchie, and Lewis Grosso and Matthew Schechter sharing the role of Les . The Broadway production cost about $5 million to stage . Newsies recouped its initial investment of $5 M in 7 months, becoming the fastest of any Disney musical on Broadway to turn a profit . </P> <P> Producers announced on August 14, 2012, due to his commitments with NBC's Smash, leading man Jordan would exit the musical on September 4 . It was also confirmed that newcomer Corey Cott (who became his alternate earlier in the month due to Jordan's production requirements for Smash) would be his replacement beginning September 5 . </P>

Who plays jack kelly in newsies on broadway