Planning Trip - Newsies Question

[Lenexajones]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 5:58pm

We are planning a trip to NYC in August. Wanted to see BOM but will not pay premium pricing. Going to see Once, War Horse and Peter. Thought I'd want to see Newsies, but after the number I saw on the Tonys, I had second thoughts. Does that number fairly well represent the show? Hated most of the other numbers. Suggestions for filling the last slot?

[macnyc]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 6:01pm

What did you hate about the Tonys number? Several posters have commented that the dancing seemed sloppy, and having the newspapers on the floor didn't help matters. Others said that the camera angles were bad. Now, if you didn't like the style of dancing, which is very acrobatic, or the fact that the actors are older than the typical age of a newsie back then, that's a different matter.

Updated On: 6/19/12 at 06:01 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 6:07pm

I didn't love Newsies, but the Tonys didn't do it justice. The above poster is right though....what about it didn't you like?

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 6:49pm

That number really didn't translate well on TV. Don't watch it on the View, it looks even worse. I'm not sure why they decided to do Seize the Day again since it didn't work out the first time.

The choreography is energetic to say the least and the show is packed with uptempo songs, many of which say essentially the same thing. It isn't brilliant or beautiful but I definitely had fun. Newsies wouldn't be at the top of my list but depending on what you enjoy, you may like it.

[JamesBroadwayWiner]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 7:01pm

I loved the number they did on the Tony's, and I think that it does represent the show pretty well. You may want to listen to the complete soundtrack (or, if it was the staging or acting you didn't like, watch other videos of the show on youtube) to get a broader sense of the show. But, it may not be for you if you didn't like their Tony number.

[Finch]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 7:09pm

I saw it two weeks ago, and it was great. A true theatrical event, no -- but then nothing is today. Very entertaining -- and contrary to some of the comments that have been made on various message boards, the dancing is super.
I saw 4 shows, and my order of preference is:
One Man, Two Guvernors
Newsies
Once
Nice Work If You Can Get It

[alwaysfia]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 9:37pm

I have to say that I really enjoyed Newsies when I saw it last month. The Tony number didn't really do the show justice, but it seems as if that is usually the case. The whole cast was energetic and the dancing was tight.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 10:40pm

I found the choreography thrilling and inventive live. I don't think it comes off as well on television.

[sorano916]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 10:48pm

They added the two swings for the Tony performance for the dancing so it was a bit off for that. And then at the beginning with Jeremy, Ben & Kara singing, the orchestra sounded strange and they sounded strange along with it.

I saw the show the following day and it was clean and really well done. It's a better show live.

[bdn223]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 11:17pm

Seen Newsies 3 times....its dancing is fantastic and really the only reason to see the show...the Tony's was an iffy performance due to them adding 2 swings into the number as well as Jermey Jordan who does not dance in the show except for during the finale. Also the transitions between the dancing are much smoother and build in a grand amazing fashion similar to West Side Story's Cool...So yes definitely see NEWSIES!

Also if you are going with kids or anyone with a short attention span...I would skip Once, not that it isn't great, it is actually one of the most beautiful shows i have ever seen, but is very slow building. By slow building I mean watching paint dry...on a Pablo Picasso, but still watching paint dry.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/20/12 at 5:28am

Yup. That's why it won 8 Tony Awards.


Define "kids". I brought 100 HS kids -- they overwhelmingly loved it unlike any other show we've ever seen together. (I'm not saying there weren't a few kids that didn't fall in love with it -- but no one DISLIKED it.) A good 80% of them thought it was far better than Newsies, which they liked -- and yes, some of them loved Newsies.


I don't remember if One Man, Two Guvnors was on your list, its a broad, outlandish comedy, but I found it to be a delight and James Corden's performance is not to be missed.

Updated On: 6/20/12 at 05:28 AM

[Lenexajones]

Posted: 6/20/12 at 10:48am

To me the Tony performance seemed sloppy and very cheesy. My wife was hoping for crisp dancing as she recognized at least two of the dancers from her favorite dance show on TV (SYTYCD). I'm glad to see that many thought the tv performance didn't capture the live version. Not traveling with "kids". Our 21 year old lives in NYC and said he would only see BOM with us. The 18 year old is off to college and will not be with us this trip. Doubtful he would suffer through Once. He did enjoy American Idiot on our last trip as well as mildly enjoyed Spiderman (version 1).

[bdn223]

Posted: 6/20/12 at 1:04pm

I would not compare Once to American Idiot or Spiderman..for it does have a distinguishable plot (not that Idiot didn't have a plot I just considered it more of a high art performance piece rather than a musical)...and you can actually hear your own thoughts. I would compare Once more to a O'Neil drama where the characters are very introspective, though I know dramamamma would disagree with me when I say this Once is more of a play with music than a musical. And it would be more of a talky play in the style of Shaw or O'Neil.
For your choices of shows I would see
Once
Newsies
Peter and the Starcatcher
War Horse
One Man Two Guvnors instead of BOM it is 1000xfunnier and a quarter the price of tickets...

[sorano916]

Posted: 6/20/12 at 5:24pm

bdn223: Jeremy does dance during "Seize the Day." The step dance thing that he starts as well as the newspaper dance. He doesn't do the whole thing but he does dance in it.