Newsies!

[Feathah]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 3:08pm

I'm watching Newsies! YAY! Haven't seen it in awhile but got it on DVD this Xmas. I know this has come up before but figured I'd bring it up again. Anyone know anything about the rights to Newsies and if Disney would ever consider staging it?

[LittleBitRacist]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 3:28pm

i watched that at a cast party and thought it was so cute! It totally bombed in the box office...it wasnt ever made into a stage musical, was it?

[thibodeaux]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 3:29pm

I think they should totally stage it if it hasn't all ready been done (which I don't think it has) and I should be Jack Kelly.

I've loved that musical for ages...I used to make my parents rent it all the time...

...And somehow, they were still shocked when I came out?

[andyf]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 3:33pm

Does anyone actually watch the whole movie?
Because all those scenes where they try to advance the plot ACTUALLY make sense.


The first time I watched it all the way through I was SO surprised...there's actually a story in there, too!

[Fan2]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 3:34pm

FYI - Hugh Jackman's wife Deborra-Lee Furness played "Esther Jacobs" in Newsies. This was before she met Hugh.

[citylights]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 3:36pm

I loooooove Newsies! Some of my friends and I discovered it one summer and were positively obsessive about it, lots of fun.

I heard sometime last year that a school version might be in the works, and that my former drama teacher had signed up to be a "test school" for the show. I've heard of some places producing it but that the rights are quite expensive...don't quote me on any of this though.

I was surprised it was never a stage show, it seems so natural that it would be.

[JBSinger]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 3:39pm

Disney is working with MTI (www.mtishows.com) to develop a youth version of the show. Not my favorite Menken score but I do think it is a charming piece and has some really catchy material.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 4:10pm

Wasnt Aaron Lohr in this movie?

[broadwayalto01]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 4:34pm

Yes he was ! He played Mush.. I love that movie ! It was so well done.. It should be brought to the stage !!! Yey !

[*Beautifully Tragic*]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 4:46pm

That musical is AMAZING!!Does anyone know why it hasn't been brought to stage yet?

Updated On: 1/3/05 at 04:46 PM

[bjivie2]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 9:08pm

The "youth version" being talked about was never really specified as "youth" in all of MTI's announcements, but was being said it would be available for high schools and community theatres. I was actually hoping that the show would be developed a little more... add a song for Sarah, etc. and then have a large regional (or Broadway) production and then be available to professional houses to perform, but whatevah. I'm just happy it's being released sometime soon.

[cturtle]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 9:15pm

i've never seen the movie. putting it in my rental queue now!!

[renthead2005z]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 9:21pm

I love the newsies!

[kim1061]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 9:21pm

i loved newsies! I agree they should definately bring that to broadway. i would love to see that.

[commasplice]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 9:23pm

I LOVE Newsies (I never caught it in the theatre, but I was the one always getting it from Blockbuster...). I think it could do well onstage, because since the DVD has come out, the fandom has become huge. Plus, it's Disney.

Also, bjivie, Sarah had a song in the original draft of the script called "What Will Become of the Boy?", but it was scrapped.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 9:25pm

From wha I heard from an email from MTI they made it sound like they were developing it for community theatre as a full length musical. I then got to know someone who works for MTI via another board who is much higher up in the organization. They are only really doing a junior version according to him. If it were to be a full length stage musical it would be done working with Menken. I think part of the reason it may not hae been touched is because it was Disney's last live action movie-musical. (Another thing we get to thank Eisner for.) I think he wanted to get away from live-action musicals even more strongly than he wanted to get away from the animated musicals. Notice how none of the Disney musicals on Broadway were originally live action? I don't know if it's just coincidence or if they just haven't felt it's worth it to try and stage it. I think it would be a hue financial success especially with the movie's cult status.

[BroadwayBaby21]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 10:13pm

hey I just watched Newsies today as well! lol...
It is my obsession... But i actually haven't watched it in like a few months, but my sister and I were bored, so we put it in...

I so wish there was a stage version of it. Even though there is only 3 girl roles... oh well...

[MusicMan]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 12:32am

Since this seems to be a Newsie fan site, let me ask you all a question:

I'm trying to find out what happens in the movie just before Bale sings Sante Fe. Obviously, he sees a family which cues the song. Does he have any kind of monologue or lines of dialogue leading into the song? I need specific answers, please.

For some reason, both my video store and library do not own copies of the movie so I can't get my hands on it to find out for myself.

Thanks for any info.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 12:33am

The song starts without a preceding monologue.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 12:41am

I completely think that it would be a hit on Broadway. The music is fantastic and it has a built-in fan base. And with a Disney budget, anything is possible. I mean look at Aida...

Commasplice, is Sarah's song available anywhere as a recording? Her character wasn't developed nearly enough in the movie, and a song would have helped.

And can I just say that I absolutely love Jo Ann Harris, who plays Patrick's Mother in the movie and sings, "Patrick, darling, since you left me I am undone..." That moment still gives me shivers. It's too bad she hasn't done much of anything since. "God saaaaaaave my soooooooooooon!"

[QtKt]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 2:20am

I adore Newsies... It was a favorite of mine when I was little..
I'd love to see a stage version of it!
"Santa Fe" is still a favorite of mine..

[jackson992]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 4:55am

I love Newsies. Kind of funny, for one of my auditions in college I did Santa Fe. The music was sure a breeze for me but the dancing took me forever LOL

Posted: 1/4/05 at 5:26am

Don't think you can blame Eisner for not bringing it to the stage, as much as I hate the man. The film was a MASSIVE flop. Disney was hoping for a movie that would brign back family live musical movies the way Mermaid did for cartoons--and failed (And Eisner WAS very much behind the film). It bombed and got terrible reviews (which, although I have a soft spot for the film, I think have some truth to them)

Poor Bale was seen as hollywood poison for a bit havign been in that and Swing Kids practically within a year.

One big prob with the show is Jack Feldman's pedestrian lyrics. Also Disney prob woulda done smarter to do the original live action movie musical they planned on A Little Princess (Menkenand Feldman have a gorgeous song for itTake Care of My Heart that Debbie Shapiro sings on her Menken CD). Trying a musical base don a kid's classic prob woulda been safer at the time.

E

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 6:07am

I stand corrected! Thanks for the info Eric.

Posted: 1/4/05 at 6:12am

This is the only box office info I could find--but it shows how chocking it was:

Budget
$15,000,000 (estimated)

Gross
$2,819,485 (USA)

It did do healthily as a rental and sale video for a LONG time though which is why I think Disney is now showing slight interest in a stage version.

E