NEWSIES on BROADWAY (Dream Cast and Crew)

Disney Theatricals
presents

NEWSIES

Book by DOUG WRIGHT
Music by ALAN MENKEN
Lyrics by JACK FELDMAN

Based on the 1992 Walt Disney Pictures film
Screenplay by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White
Directed by Kenny Ortega

Cast:
Jason Celaya as Jack Kelly
Jonathan Groff as David Jacobs
Adam Wylie as Racetrack Higgins
Tom Deckman as Spot Conlon
Eamon Foley as Crutchy
Robin DeJesus as Mush
Daniel Manche as Kid Blink
Jesse Zeidman (just a friend of mine, she's not a professional actress yet, if she were, she'd be making her Broadway debut here) as Sarah Jacobs
with
Daniel Jenkins as Bryan Denton
Rachelle Rak as Medda Larkson
Terrence Mann as Joseph Pulitzer
Rob Bartlett as Weasel
Michael X. Martin as Roosevelt and Monahan

Scenic Design by DAVID GALLO
Costume Design by MARTIN PAKLEDINAZ
Lighting Design by DONALD HOLDER

Musical Direction and Vocal and Incidental Arrangements by MICHAEL KOSARIN
Orchestrations by DOUG BESTERMAN and DANNY TROOB
Dance Arrangements by DAVID CHASE
Conducted by FRED LASSEN

Directed and Choreographed by KATHLEEN MARSHALL

Comments are welcome on this dream team. Could this work?

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(1) Way too much bold.

(2) Good score but bland screenplay. They need to do a lot of work to it, first of all.

(3) Like munk, I haven't heard of most of the people on that list. But I reckon they all look a lot older than their characters. That just wouldn't work for this. It is specifically about kids (and lots of kids) taking on the man.

(4) To answer your question: No.

Odd choices. There is something wonderful in Newsies, a story that wants to be told, and a score that needs to be heard, but it's so covered up with lots of muck at the moment I'm not sure it will ever be revealed.

The story needs SUBSTANTIAL alteration, and the songs need to be re-examined, and who sings when and where needs to be re-assessed as well. I'd say bring in Steven Schwartz or Tim Rice, the two of them seem to work really well with Alan. Maybe you could bring someone incredibly qualified to work on re-writing the story as well.

But, my question is why bother working on Newsies when you could work on Der Glockner or King David if you were looking for an excuse to get a Disney/Menken colaboration on Broadway... I'm not even sure Broadway is the appropriate venue for KIng David (I would much rather see it shown in churches as a straight oratorio based on the score), but at least you're sitting on something that doesn't need constant reworking.

and let's face it, the fans of King David are probably just as few-and-far-between as fans of Newsies.

1) I second the Adam Wylie comment - No Thank You. Some days in the ITW revival, they just left out "Giants in the Sky." If NEWSIES is ever on stage, I'd like to hear the whole score.

2) I also think the NEWSIES fans are under-estimated. It's a big favorite among many of my high school and college friends--and not just the theatre kids at all. Two guys busted out "King of New York" for a variety show at school, and I can't count the number of high school groups I've seen perform "Seize the Day." I think this show has an pretty large following actually.

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Thanks to daspazoo for the info. Maybe I should replace him with someone else...

But anyway, you're right, I can't remember the last time I saw a high school theater group do SEIZE THE DAY. I say it could WORK.

Here's how I see it, the show would have three main curtains for when the show starts, breaks, then ends. The first one comes before the start of Act I: A big newspaper with the headline reading: "TROLLEY STRIKE DRAGS ON FOR THIRD WEEK". Then when Act I ends and breaks for intermission, another curtain comes down with a new headline reading "CHILDREN'S CRUSADE: NEWSIES STOP 'THE WORLD'". When the show ends, the curtain has a new newspaper headline stating in enormous black lettering: "NEWSIES," bordered with stars.

Seize the Day would make the perfect Act One finale with the trash can drum corps routine (the electronic drum pads in the orchestra pit could help hugely). And then the battle begins, and the kids do their thing, and once they take the picture for the SUN once they get the strike up and running, on that last flash bulb, the first act will end and the "Children's Crusade" curtain can come down. Of course, the way I see it, "King of New York" would be the perfect opener to Act Two.

Hold up, maybe I should be the director... hmmmmm...

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re: "Hold up, maybe I should be the director... hmmmmm... "

zzzzzzz...

I don't think it would take more time, energy, etc. than any other big musical. And I think there are tons of talented young guys who can pull it off.

There's a clip on youtube of a fraternity talent show thing where they do Newsies. They're actually REALLY good for amateurs, and one gets an inkling of how well these songs work on stage. (I can't get youtube here at work, so no link, sorry...it's in 2 parts, I think.)

>>Never mind that Newsies was a critical and box office failure and that it sank quickly and quietly. Who outside a few nutcases like ourselves even remember that it happened at all?<<

And yet, Xanadu is now playing on Broadway.
The Producers, despite its Oscar and some positive press, was a flop at the box office.

I remember liking the musical numbers and the costumes, but the acting of the kids left a lot to be desired, and the screenplay was dull and predictable (ok, even if based on a real event, it still needed more suspense). I have the DVD, but haven't watched it to confirm or displace my memory.

LoringsGuy - yes, Adam Wylie was not always up to it vocally.

I recall his voice cracking on one of the high notes when I saw it. He seemed to do his best ever on the cast recording, but even there it sounds a little strained.

A charming performance though, and a thoroughly friendly young man. Sondheim was just not his strongest suit.

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Why not just adapt it for the stage to be liscensed? I KNOW this would be perenially popular with schools and community theatres across the country.

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I have a lot of affection for this piece but have to agree with most here--I know there was some talk of bringing it to stage but there's just no way it would work IMHO--I think, unless completely rewritten, it would actually come off even worse live than as a movie.

But *who* ever decided Menken should work with Jack Feldman? HIDEOUS lyrics (though I have a soft spot for the song they did together for the planned live action musical of A Little Princess--I have no idea why Disney agreed to make this movie instead of that one, since they were up against each other, unless it was for the "teenaged girls like to watch lots of teenaged boys dancing" factor)

E

Glenn Slater is very talented. Just listen to his lyrics for HOME ON THE RANGE. It was a pretty lame movie, but the music was wonderful (particularly the Bonnie Raitt ballad "Will the Sun Ever Shine Again").

I have a feeling Schwartz would rather work alone.
Broadway Blog: 50 Amazing Broadway Performers in 50 Weekdays

Ortega undeniably has talent--some of his dancing in Xanadyu which he co choreographed is ahead of its time (pity the director didn't film it in an interestign way) and some numbers in Newsies come off well and the dancing is great although IMHO largely a bit too MTV 1990s for the subject matter... But like H School musical I think he shoudl remain a choreographer--for my tastes the guy does not know how to position a camera to show off the dances he worked hard to make

I think Menken kinda worked with whoever wanted to work with him--I have demos for some of his 80s shows like Duddy Kravitz and Dream on Royale Street and I'm not sure who did the lyrics(David Spencer I think did one of them) but he always was working with a variety of people even when Ashman was alive and obviously the best lyricist for him.
*edit* you just said that in yoru above post I realize *blush* *

(I love LOVE Weird Romance but it's particularly let down by its lyrics). But Jack Feldman I think is his worst partner (was he a pop lyricist? the only other thing I know his lyrics from is the songs for the animated film Thumbelina by Bary manilow lol)

I like Slater's lyrics for the new Mermaid songs--for the most part but admit I never listened or saw Home on the Range--doubel bad for me as an animation and Menken fan. I guess like most audiences it just held no appeal to me

Bale was the major crush of nearly every girl I knew (I think Iw as 12-13 when it came out) and of course some guys lol Aroudn the same time he did the in some ways similar film Swing Kids which had even mroe of a cult following among the girls I knew despite its flop status

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Updated On: 7/17/07 at 10:00 PM