Newsies Making it's way to the Broadway Stage! with a spring reading! — Page 2

This argument is irrelevant, even though both Fossee and Capn make great points, because Disney Theatrics would never consider it.

Again - they're all about the $$ and profit and looking out for themselves. Trust me.

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"Fosse76, I respectably disagree with you. THE LION KING has been on Broadway for over ten years. They opened a sit-down production in Vegas. If they placed a sit-down production in Lake Buena Vista, I bet it would have lasted for a MINIMUM of 5 years. As for other productions (try-outs, POPPINS, etc.) then it's all up to how it turns out plus marketing. "

None of that contradicted anything I said.

"A theater in Downtown Disney could be very profitable and beneficial. Theatrical productions, touring comedians, orchestra concerts for the holidays, bands (can you imagine the Jonas Brothers bringing their tour to this venue?), THE VIEW and ELLEN DEGENERES taping a week of shows there, etc. etc. etc."

And I never said it wouldn't be profitable. I said Disney would not want anything that could not be marketed for years. People plan their Disney vacations several months to a year in advance. Disney won't be able to market a three week run of The Music Man or a Jonas Brothers concert effectively (i.e., as an enticement to visit the resort).

"I also disagree with your view on the audience not being a proper gauge for a try-out. They're not in a "theme park" mindset, they are in a "vacation" mindset."

While that may be true, Disney can deliver the theme park version of Beauty and the Beast (which is laughably bad) and people will think it's fantastic. Bring that show to Broadway and it wouldn't make it past the first preview. The expectations of seeing a show at Disney World are far different than what people should expect to see in a city like Chicago or on Broadway.

"And when they go to New York, they are on vacation, too. Disney fanatics who go to the theme parks go to New York and will see the Disney shows, too. And they would have the same reaction to the show -- whether they see it in New York, Chicago, LA, Las Vegas, Orlando, or their own hometown PAC."

See above. The expectations of the audience at Disney World would be on par with Finding Nemo at BEST (which isn't by any stretch of the imagination Broadway quality). They'll love it. But the expectations from the audience of that same show in New York will be far different.

"A pre-Broadway production of LITTLE WOMEN with Sutton Foster was produced at a theatre venue at Duke University. I don't think of Duke being a theatre school, and since I have lived in the area for 9 years now, I would say that I can accurately state that Durham is not as theatre-savvy as other areas of the state (Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro/Winsten-Salem), nor as strong of a theatre-producing city as Chicago or LA or Seattle or Boston. So why have it in Durham, NC? They could have chosen a "better" try-out city..."

I'm not sure what your point is here. Little Women was a flop.

I'm in the minority, when I say that I think Newsies was a brilliant film. The songs were excellent, the acting was excellent, and it was Kenny Ortega's only film that didn't want to make me shoot myself an hour into it. All that aside, I couldn't say that I'm thrilled that it's coming to the stage. Cuts will be made, which will anger the fans of the film (including myself), and they'll probably force Mr. Menken to write new songs for the play; which will probably include a sappy love duet between Sarah & Jack. *shudders* It's unbearable to think about. What angers me the most, however, is that Disney didn't decide to put this on the stage, when everyone was asking for it seventeen years ago! But we all know that Disney is nothing but a cash cow, now. They're only doing it for $$$. I just hope this doesn't lead to Mary Poppins closing.