Article by Greg Jaklewicz
Photos Courtesy of Holmes Sweet Home Photography
A Star is Born
The role of Les Jacobs in “Newsies” is a show-stealer.
A Wylie West Junior High sixth-grader was guilty of thievery last weekend.
The Wylie High theater department presented four performances of the popular musical based on the 1992 Disney movie. The musical is inspired by the 1899 real-life newsboy strike in New York City that forced the public to reconsider widespread child labor.
While high school students comprised the cast, “Newsies” calls for one younger actor—age 10 to 12, male.
Enter 11-year-old Avyn Kershner. His brother, senior Ashtyn Kershner, won the role of strike leader Jack Kelly.
Does his family have anything against the letter “i”?
Adyn laughed.
“No,” he said. “It’s unique.”
Family Ties
(Avyn shaking brother Ashtyn's hand on stage)
Despite his youth, Avyn already has quite the theater résumé.
“I think this is my sixth musical,” he said.
He started waaaaay back when he was in second grade—or four years ago. Like many youngsters, including his brother, he first learned the craft at Mrs. Z’s Performing Arts Studio.
“I did three with her and Wylie for the rest,” he said. He credits his older brother for inspiring him.
“I think it was because Ashtyn had started with Mrs. Z, so I saw it was a really cool experience,” he said. “I wanted to try doing it.”
Dad Ashley Kershner was in theater back in his day, Avyn said.
“A unique guy name, also,” Avyn added with a grin.
The Right Choice
For the most part, he has been a kid on stage. He was Charlie in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
“But I did do a butler once,” he said. “That was pretty much out of my standards.”
How did he get the “Newsies” role? Brother have pull with the director?
“They were casting for people in the high school but the fit wasn’t right, so they needed someone little. I was at my friend’s house, actually, and I got a call from my mom. She was like, ‘Yeah, they are inviting you to come to the Wylie High School musical,’” he explained.
“So, I was super excited.”
He went to the auditions and “ran over some lines.” You know, to make it official.
You’re hired, kid.
“A lot of kids were confused at first when they saw me there. A sixth-grader,” he said, still proud to have caused such confusion.
Was it fun?
“Oh, I had a blast,” he said. “I was really sad the night after. But I’ve gotten over myself.”
The good thing about acting is that there’s always another show.
“I can’t wait until I can do just plays,” he said.
Les Was More
Being one of the youngest on stage was nothing new for Avyn.
Even in previous Wylie performances, he “never has been the oldest one there. But I’ve been able to work with eighth-graders.”
Surely, the WHS theater students taught him a thing or two.
“Honestly, I had to have a lot of energy for this specific show. I had to keep that up to the end,” he said.
The character of Les Jacobs is not central to the story but makes the show even better. Les is outgoing and full of one-liners, the kind that draw laughs from the audience.
The newsboys’ strike gets them publicity—and even little Les benefits.
Once, he says, “I’ve been swatting skirts away all morning.”
That drew a roar from the crowd.
Does the actor enjoy those moments?
“Yeah!” he said.
Is that the way it is, too, at Wylie West?
“Noooo,” he said, laughing. “But I do have confidence.”
He paused.
“For a while, I’ve been able to do stuff without being embarrassed,” he said.
His brother said his favorite scene in “Newsies” was opening the show with his real-life pal Ryan Trahan, who played the part of Crutchie. Avyn did not have a favorite.
“Really, just the role in general because I was just a little boy who is the good guy at the end,” Avyn said.
What’s Next?
Wylie West this week announced open auditions for “Annie,” a show that could be as girl-heavy as “Newsies” relied on a large number of boys. And Avyn already has been in “Annie” with Mrs. Z.
“I think I’m going to go for the bad guy, which is going to be out of my standard,” he said. Rooster, a greedy con artist, is the villain in this show.
“I’ve never done a bad guy before … actually, that’s not true. In ‘The Little Mermaid,’ I was an eel,” he said.
Avyn is not all theater.
He played flag football last year, he said, and did hip-hop dance at his church, Beltway Park, across from the WWJH campus. His dad is the worship and south campus groups pastor.
His best subject, Avyn said, is math.
“Sometimes I get this feeling, ‘Man, I love this,’” he said.
How many sixth-grade boys say that? Avyn doesn’t appear to be acting, either.
“Also, I really enjoy social studies because I think it’s fun to learn. But not the geography part, but the history,” he said.
Asked about his favorite food, Avyn boiled it down to one word: “Spicy.”
“I really like spicy,” he said.
After watching Avyn Kershner knock out some spicy lines on stage, does that surprise anyone?