The Providence Performing Arts Center and Disney are teaming up to offer middle and high school students in grades six through 12 in several Rhode Island school districts free access to a pre-recorded streaming performance of Disney’s “Newsies: The Broadway Musical.”

The districts involved include Providence, Central Falls, Pawtucket, Chariho, Cranston, Foster-Glocester, Johnston, Middletown, Block Island, Tiverton and Woonsocket.

Streaming access will be available to these classrooms from April 1-30; registration is required. PPAC is distributing registration information to eligible classrooms. Educators in the listed school districts may contact Dana Brazil, PPAC’s outreach and engagement director, at 401-574-3121 or dbrazil@ppacri.org with questions.

With the impact of the pandemic on theaters and schools, Disney is committed to innovating new ways for students to remain engaged with the performing arts. By providing this “Newsies” virtual field trip, Disney is investing in the next generation of storytellers and inspiring them to create the futures they imagine. March is Theater in Our Schools Month, and now more than ever, students and teachers will benefit from the connection and engagement offered by events like this.

“Throughout this season, PPAC has been committed to providing Rhode Island students with access to the performing arts; we have been able to accomplish this mission by sharing the arts in a virtual format,” Brazil said. “This virtual fieldtrip to PPAC to watch ‘Newsies: The Broadway Musical’ is a fantastic opportunity for students to feel inspired and to ‘seize the day.’”

“Since the onset of the pandemic, we have been working to find creative and accessible ways to provide our content free to students and educators,” said Lisa Mitchell, Disney Theatrical Group’s director of education and audience engagement. “Earlier this year, we offered a virtually accessible version of ‘The Lion King Experience,’ a unique holistic arts education program that provides students and educators an immersive introduction to theater-making through the lens of the Broadway production of ‘The Lion King.’ We are now thrilled to offer ‘Newsies: The Broadway Musical’ as a virtual field trip to 20 markets across the country in partnership with nonprofit performing arts centers, including PPAC. They have an excellent reputation for delivering quality education programs, and we are excited to have them introduce this energetic and inspirational production to their students.”