How is Newsies choreography handled in an amateur production?

The other Newsies thread reminded me of a question I had after seeing the show last week. I know that Disney commissioned the stage version just to have something to license for stock, amateur and school productions, which had been making up their own thing based on the movie. But how could anyone perform the Gattelli choreography? I imagine it must be hard for professionals even. Do licensees even get the right to perform the Gattelli dancing, or does that cost extra? Are there different versions of the choreography that are easier?

Updated On: 7/3/12 at 09:37 AM

There has not been a licensed amateur production of Newsies as of yet. The reason that Disney created this stage version was so that it could be licensed to the amateur market. With its recent success on Broadway (a step that it never intended to take) and its impending national tour, it will be still be a while before amateur groups are allowed to perform it.

When the show IS finally licensed to amateur groups, it will NOT include the right to Gattelli's choreography; only the right to perform the music and dialogue in front of a live audience. If a group were to wish to use Gattelli's choreography, it would have to go through his agent and obtain a separate license. Generally speaking, productions (both amateur and professional) hire a choreographer to interpret the music and come up with original choreography for their versions of the show. It is actually a violation of copyright law to use original designs (choreography, scenic, etc) without permission of the individual creators.

Cast gymnaists.

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I would think they would use more appropriate choreography than is used in the overblown Broadway production. The choreography stands out on Broadway --and I don't mean in a good way. It does not connect with the characters or plot and ends up looking completely out of place. It is simply HORRENDOUS!

I kind of agree mikey2573... I still don't know how it won the Tony over Rob Ashford's amazing choreography in Evita.

because Evita was a boring mess of theater

I never understood the craze over the EVITA choreo. Sure, it's good, but it isn't at all spectacular except for Elena Roger's tango & featured dance moment in "Buenos Aires,' and doesn't hold a candle to Gatelli's work. I love Ashford's work, but his H2$ was much better and absolutely show stopping. Gattelli wholeheartedly deserved that Tony. And to say that his chroeo doesn't serve the story is BS. Most of you saying that must not even be familiar with NEWSIES material. The dancing always stood out from everything, so for it not to in the musical would be blasphemy - the dancing has and always should be one of the main stars of NEWSIES. The best thing about the NEWSIES film was the choreo and music, and Gattelli took Ortega's iconic work (which many choreographers would have just emulated or added to/enhance) and threw it out the window, all the while creating incredible movement and dance that surpassed Ortega's in every category.

And to call his work a horrendous mess in laughable and just plain ignorant. You might not like it compared to others, but there is no denying it is spectacular choreography (regardless of how you think it serves the story). The fact those boys can sing while doing that, and do it all 8 times a week, is incredible.

Now to answer the thread: Because the choreo has received such acclaim and has gained so much notoriety, I would say a guide will be created to be licensed out with the show, much like (as another poster pointed out), is done with shows like WEST SIDE STORY and A CHORUS LINE.

And to call his work a horrendous mess in laughable and just plain ignorant. You might not like it compared to others, but there is no denying it is spectacular choreography (regardless of how you think it serves the story). The fact those boys can sing while doing that, and do it all 8 times a week, is incredible.

Just because I do not find the Newsies choreography as spectacular as others does not mean I am plain ignorant, it means I have a different opinion. And honestly, I do think it is a bad mess in that it is nonstop over the top gymnastics moves. That just does not appeal to me. Having a different opinion is not ignorance.

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That's just like asking 'How is Oklahoma! choreography handles in an amateur production' (or in fact any other musical)... I mean when Oklahoma! first opened, Agnes de Mille's choreography was the talk of the town. I'm sure back then, no one could ever have imagined a community theater group attempting to recreate her staging(s). But look at us now...

In all honesty, if the choreography was a spectacle or the stand out it is now, people on here would be complaining about it. I just don't get why people think the choreo does not serve the story? It services the material just as it did in the movie (and was one of the best parts of the movie), in fact it does so even more. I can understand a little gripe about the competition-esque runs across the stage to allow space for running flips, etc., but it doesn't take away from the piece.

Gattelli's choreo is filled with tons of moves/positions/moves etc. that help convey the Newsies' angst and emotions and helps showcase the overall tone of revolution, uprising and change. I don't understand why it is so difficult to understand. And if you think some of the NEWSIES choreo seems out of place, I don't see how you can't say the same thing for some of Ashford's choreo is "Buenos Aires," specifically.

Updated On: 7/4/12 at 10:58 PM

I understand your reasoning. I, also, happen to really like Ashford's work it EVITA, and am a big fan of the revival and Elena Roger - who I think is an incredible Eva. The authenticity she brings to the role makes all the difference. I actually find her, overall more satisfying and authentic as Eva than anyone else I have heard. I happen to find Patti LuPone's rendition of "Buenos Aires" a slurred mess that is lazily sung, all the while trying to let everyone know "Guys, I'm so awesome."

But I respect your opinions of NEWSIES, even though we happen to disagree!

That gangs or orphans can do such things though, and it flow with the story, is part of the magic of theatre that brings the unbelievable to life. If you portrayed those pieces with hyper-realistically (you know what I mean), or many/most pieces of musical theatre for that matter, they would be rather dull.

I'm going to jump in on the side of those who feel that the Newsies choreography actually serves the story and characters perfectly. To object to it because striking orphans wouldn't really be doing pirouettes is exactly like objecting to musicals as an art form in general because people wouldn't be communicating with each other in rhyming couplets set to music.

What the choreography perfectly conveys, as has been mentioned here already, is a sense of defiance and empowerment in the songs where they are deciding to strike, and to keep fighting against the newspaper owners, and joy and exuberance in King of New York as they experience for the first time a feeling of being noticed/appreciated for what they are doing. It does not mean that one should assume the orphans would literally be wearing boots with metal taps on their feet, but rather, the emotion of their first feeling of inclusion/appreciation results in an exuberant outburst of joy, perfectly conveyed through the choreography.

Like songs in a musical, the dancing can convey heightened emotions, and is not necessarily meant to be taken as a literal act that the characters would be doing, just as they would not literally be bursting into song.

Updated On: 7/4/12 at 11:53 PM