I got inspired after reading the Disney and Broadway post.
Why hasn't Newsies been taken to Broadway? It would be perfect!!!
"First up was Max who sang "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" [...] I haven't seen that big of a reaction to a stair descent since Audra left the attic in Ragtime." --Seth Rudetsky
I was just talking about this with my school's musical director a week ago, we both really wanted to know what's keeping this gem off the Great White Way. I mean, come on! They're making a Monty Python film into a musical (for which I am not complaining), but shouldn't they also take something so wonderful and already set up for Broadway into consideration?
You know it and you want it... you just can't believe you've got it.
The cost of child actors is one thing to take into consideration. There are several threads on this already if you do a search. I do have a correction though. I was misinformed by email from MTI that Newsies would be a full length adaptation. It is only going to be a Broadway Junior show. (Found this out from an MTI employee.) I was told if anything were to be done with it as a full length adaptation it would be done with Alan Menken. Which might mean he is saving it perhaps hoping it might make it to the great white way, who knows.
My avatar is a reminder to myself. I need lots of reminders...
I like the concept... but again, I think the fact that producers don't want to deal with an entire cast of children is what's keeping it off of Broadway. Maybe Michael Jackson could fund and produce it-- and while we're at it, he could also do the costume fittings.. I'm sure there would be no problems there...
And if she'll say, "My darling, I'm yours!" I'll throw away my striped tie and my best pressed tweed, all I really need is the girl...
You can get young-loking adults too! But I see what you're saying - most of the cast would have to be kids, and I can only imagine the chaos. But if you get well behaved ones?
Eek - I hate this movie - I call it "New Kids on the Block in Knickers and Caps". I just remember a bunch of 15 year old boys doing really period-inappropriate choreography - wiggling their butts at the camera. The movie was definitely made for 13 year old girls and middle-aged gay men!
I love the movie. I too think it could be done if they really wanted to do it. The newsies were of varying ages and Max Casella was probably 30 in that movie but playing someone approximately 16. There would have to be some young young ones like Les but im sure all the main characters could be guys in their 20s. And the ensemble would probably need to share roles as cops, newsies and various adults with only a few lines - kindve like how they did it in the JCS Tour.
I really don't think they'd need to get children to play most of these roles. Young adults would be fine...maybe 20s. People in their 20s are frequently cast as teens.
I don't think they'd need children either, I mean the youngest character is Les who is...12 I think. So you could get someone in their mid teens to play it if you wanted and the others don't need to be children.
Well if you want to see it on Broadway get ahold of Alan Menken, because like I said he is the one it sounds like has the controls of the shows rights, or at least has the power to pull the right strings.
My avatar is a reminder to myself. I need lots of reminders...
they didnt seem to have trouble having children in broadway shows like annie, king and i, and joseph...but if thats the deal alot young adults could pass for young teenagers