Disney finally gets it right - Newsies Preview — Page 3

Well, if you watch that Gene Kelly clip, you see a character playing with ideas. His dance is a freeform inner monologue evolving out of the story. There is interaction with the environment, with his emotions, with the props (most ingeniously).

It doesn't take high tech or millions of dollars to create something like that.

Just a talented artist with a vision.

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Jeremy Jordan has a lovely voice but he didn't really seem to let it fly on The View. Maybe the accent makes it difficult to do so, I'm not sure.

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" The new Bill Pullman female character
was weak in singing King of New York"


Uh? Female? The song, if I recall in the film, centers on Denton's success on getting "the boys" in the papers. So, now do we have Queen of New York? Then again, with Racetrack's solo during the number, I guess they must have only altered half of the lyrics, right?


Also, "new romance?" Do they delve more into the romance between Jack & Sarah, or does one of the other Newsies fall in love? Sorry, I'm a HUGE fan of the movie, so forgive me for these questions.

"EDIT: This is a generic dance break. There's no storytelling or character development. What is this, 1922? Did we just sleep through the golden age of Broadway and all of its breakthroughs? This "gymnastics routine" could come from any show in any era. You could dress the same dancers in any costumes you want and make them any character you want. Just change the music. It's a series of steps. No ideas or feelings behind them. No communication of a story. Just leaps and turns. Really good ones, too!

I'm impressed with the dancers' skills but there's no artistry here. And it isn't the dancers' faults. This is what they were given to do. I guess audiences are expecting less these days as well. A high kick and triple turn are all they really want. So that's exactly what they're getting. No more, no less. "

I'm so with you on this one "Best". It was shocking to see the "newsboys" doing ballet leaps in the middle of this dance, let alone all the turns, jumps, etc. I can see some acro movement working within context, but this looked like a jazz class straight out of the Broadway Dance Center. Having the guys doing ballet/jazz combinations on the diagonal, like you would in class. Nothing at all character driven, or inspired.

I realize this is one of Gattelli's first musicals where he can actually do some "dancing", but unfortunately, he's taken the amateur route of showing off spectacle and the technical prowess of the dancers. Nothing more, nothing less.

His past work, Sunday In The Park, South Pacific, High Fidelity, etc. were shows that didn't warrant big , dance numbers, and I'm sure he's been waiting for this moment. It's too bad he didn't put much thought to the style and the period. But, today's public wouldn't know the difference anyway.

It's too bad he didn't put much thought to the style and the period. But, today's public wouldn't know the difference anyway.

I think you're right, and that's the depressing part for me, Trish2. Maybe not depressing, but definitely frustrating.

There's a sense of "this will do" and "this is good enough" coming from the creative team. If they truly believe audiences won't know the difference, then why not give them something better to see? Aim higher and work harder. Put more thought into it. More heart into it. Why stop at at the lowest level of basic, physical prowess? Show some artistic vision as well, even if "they wouldn't know the difference?" Because there are some people (and I wish there were more) who DO know the difference. And it makes this all the more painful to watch.

I know I'm picking on Newsies, but I see it happening in many other new shows as well. This isn't an isolated incident. It's more a sign of the times.

And just to clarify, there is nothing wrong with physical prowess (leaps, turns, and kicks). That clip of Gene Kelly shows him doing similar quadruple turns on a piece of newspaper. But he does it within the context of a "story" he's telling through his dance. It's his moods and thoughts and his character that drive the number. It's not a dance class exercise featuring a string of "showy" steps.

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Nice for you Cate, though we never did say it wasn't exciting to watch. There are some talented dancers up there in search of a style. But truthfully, you could watch this generic type of dancing for free on television on So You Think You Can Dance.

I generally agree with what has been said about the choreography of "Santa Fe": it is generic, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL-style nonsense. What happened to the idea of choreography being integrated into the story you're telling in a musical? Where are today's Jerome Robbinses and Michael Bennetts? This isn't even as good as a Rob Ashford number - and that's saying something!

Also - listening to the new "painter" lyrics in "Santa Fe", I am less convinced than ever about this idea of supplanting Jack's obsession with the West with an obsession for art. It feels so contrived and jarring.

NEWSIES on THE VIEW

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Updated On: 9/22/11 at 11:58 PM

I like most of the music for the film (though not Feldman's pedestrian at best lyrics), but the film really is awful. ALL of its fans (and I honestly don't know any exceptions) were people who saw it as kids and have deep nostalgia for it. (And I agree with whoever said that the villains in the film were mainly shown as buffoons and even comic relief)

That said, the stage version looks... so so. The set seems pretty good, and it looks better and more theatrical than some screen to stage adaptations, and I respect that they tried to change and improve a lot--which I can't comment on.

As for the dancing--it's a difficult issue because a large part of what sold Newsies to preteen and teen girls (and some boys) was the guys doing very athletic dancing. The choreography looks better than Ortega's stuff in the movie at any rate--the Gene Kelly steal doesn't really bug me as it at least kinda makes sense for the Newsies (plus Gene was on the set of the film a lot and apparently was "blown away' by the film choreography lol--which makes me think he wouldn't mind the nod). But yeah, it's not exactly dance as storytelling. Then again Newsies isn't all that deep--and like I said I think fans of the movie would be pretty mad if that element was changed, so...

You took the words right out of my mouth...or should i say 'my post" ?

I also saw the show tonight, and had a great time, despite some issues with the book. I did feel that the changes Fierstein made were all for the better, though I think the show starts way too slowly.

Jeremy Jordan, however, was spectacular.

John Dossett...was not. I don't know what show he's performing in, but it certainly isn't Newsies.

^Joseph Pulitzer.

@adamgreer where were u sitting town? i think u might have been next to me

I was in P27 in the orchestra for act 1, then moved to the center somewhere (a little farther back) for act 2.