Wireless Mics and Projection for Disney's Newsies JR.

Show guide · JR. · 25 roles plus a newsies ensemble · Reviewed by Stage Gear staff, October 2026

Stage Gear supplies wireless mics, rentals and projection to school and community theatres across the U.S. Our staff work in theatre; this guide is how we'd mic Disney's Newsies JR.

Who gets a mic

We counted every role that sings a solo or has to be heard over music or a crowd: Jack, Davey, Crutchie, Les, Katherine, Medda, Pulitzer, Wiesel, Snyder, Governor Roosevelt, Hannah, Seitz and Bunsen, plus one featured newsie from the ensemble (whoever your director gives the most lines). That is 14 body mics plus 2 spares, for 16 channels, which is a common size for a JR. production.

Borderline roles: Darcy, Bill, Dorothy, Pat and the Delancey brothers speak in short bursts and can usually be covered by area mics if you block them downstage. Hannah, Seitz and Bunsen mostly talk in Pulitzer's office, so on a 12-channel budget they are the first to move to an area or boundary mic. We have not shared packs in this plot: many adults turn up again in the strike and finale scenes, and a missed pack swap is worse than a missing mic. Check your blocking before pairing any two roles.

Bigger budget: add packs for Darcy, Bill and Dorothy (they support Katherine's storyline), Pat, the Delanceys and two or three more featured newsies. That lands around 22–24 channels and needs careful frequency coordination, so talk to us before you go past 16.

Mic plot

Every Bodymic is wired for one transmitter family: Shure, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, AKG, MiPro or Creative Audio. Build your Bodymics to match the packs you own. Cast Pack: every 4 Bodymics of the same style and capsule size earn a 5th free. This plot is a starting point; change any row to suit your cast.

The ensemble

Newsies JR. lives on its ensemble, so plan for it: 3–5 area or choir mics along the stage edge pick up crowd numbers like "Carrying the Banner", "Seize the Day" and "Once and For All". Give a featured newsie a body mic only when they carry solo lines over music; otherwise coach the ensemble to sing out toward the area mics.

Show notes from our team

• Caps on almost every head. Tape the hairline element to hair or skin, never the cap, and route cable under the brim, behind the ear and down the neck. Caps come off in choreography; the mic must stay put.
• "Seize the Day" and newspapers. Newspaper props rustle right next to hairline mics, and dancers sweat hard. Use mic belts, tape elements firmly, and pull faders down between sung lines so paper noise stays out of the mix.
• "King of New York" footwork. Expect a big, rhythmic celebration number. Wear packs in waist belts at the small of the back, check antennas afterward, and keep area mics low so footwork does not swamp the vocals.
• Strike scenes with many talkers. Rally and strike scenes trade lines fast between principals. Label faders by character, build a scene-by-scene cue sheet, and open only the next speaker's mic to limit crowd bleed.

Projection

Newsies JR. moves between city streets, Pulitzer's office, Medda's theatre and the refuge, which suits projected scenery behind a simple scaffold or platform set. Most school auditoriums need 7,000–10,000 lumens with the right lens; smaller black boxes and cafetoriums need less.

Our sister company Broadway Media makes Scenic Projections for Disney's Newsies JR. Not sure which projector? Read Stage Projectors for Digital Scenery.

Rent it for the run, or own it

Buying for a school? U.S. public schools can pay by purchase order. How school ordering works.

Common questions

How many wireless mics does Newsies JR. need?

Plan on about 16 channels: 14 body mics for Jack, Davey, Crutchie, Les, Katherine, Medda, Pulitzer and the other speaking principals, plus 2 spares. A 12-channel budget works if office-scene roles move to area mics.

How do we mic the newsies ensemble?

Use 3–5 area or choir mics along the stage edge for group numbers like "Seize the Day" and "Once and For All". Give a featured newsie a body mic only if they carry solo lines over music.

How do you hide a mic under a newsboy cap?

Use a hairline mic taped at the hairline, with the cable running under the brim, behind the ear and down the neck. Secure it to hair or skin, never to the cap, so it stays put when the cap comes off.

Can we rent mics just for our show week?

Yes. Stage Gear rentals run Monday to Monday around tech week, so you have mics for rehearsals and every performance. Systems arrive tested with return labels included, and school purchase orders are welcome.

Stage Gear is not a show licensor. Disney's Newsies JR. is licensed through Music Theatre International (MTI); production rights come from them. Stage Gear sells and rents the equipment. See you on stage!