Surprised Newsies hasn't extended — Page 2

^^yes, a national tour is also expected. likely starting in the Summer/Fall 2013.

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While I wouldn't be completely surprised to see the show transfer overseas (especially if it wins Best Musical), I think Disney's marketing campaign for the show thus far has been geared toward promoting the show's 'Americanism" or appeal to the current state of U.S., specifically in terms of economics. I feel like Disney is trying to brand NEWSIES as the Disney American Musical. So, with that in mind, they might just focus the property within the United States, especially where they can take advantage of the financial parallels. Although, Disney rarely (never) passes up the opportunity to make money so, if they felt it would make it, NEWSIES will probably transfer overseas.


Also, this just struck me. If the show does become a long-term tenant of the Nederlander, I think it would be likely that Disney will try to get a new, bigger marquee installed outside the theatre to further promote the show. It seems like the one currently in use isn't very big nor does it stand out like many others (though I feel the Gershwin has the worst marquee on Broadway - especially for the tenant it has). While I like it, it seems like a likely idea.

Updated On: 5/16/12 at 11:58 PM

They may have to do some stunt casting in order to get a foothold in the UK, and after that, they could rely on positive reviews and word of mouth. Jack Kelly is a terrific role for a hot young actor to show his stuff, but it's also a very difficult role to cast. I don't know if there is an obvious Jeremy Jordan equivalent in the UK, but that is what it will take for the show to succeed. And I don't think the show is too "American" for the UK. Just look how popular Legally Blonde was over there.

I wasn't meaning that the show was "too American," I just meant that Disney was focusing its marketing of the show on, and for it to appeal to, American audiences at the moment (vastly pushing an American nationalist identity for the show, which it didn't have to do for shows like Beauty, Lion King, Tarzan, Poppins and Mermaid because they are world-renowned classics). Disney is really wanting to highlight NEWSIES' parallels to the current economic hardships of the country to further increase the property's relevancy in the present, thus hopefully generating more interests and a more diverse audience as opposed to the typical Disney audience.

Updated On: 5/16/12 at 12:55 AM

^ That's why the movie was SO successful... oh, wait, it wasn't. It was one of the studio's biggest bombs of all time. An embarrassment.

Newsies doing well on Broadway is one of the biggest flukes ever. I'm sure Michael Eisner is sitting somewhere scratching his head shouting "really?!" over and over again.

You can call it a fluke if you'd like, but I think Disney's marketing of Newsies has been nothing short of genius, particularly with their use of social media, backstage videos, The Disney Channel, and capitalizing off the cult status of the original film. There has been some luck involved (Jeremy Jordan's availability is an example), but the biggest reason the Disney has had success with Newsies is that they are an entertainment company that knows what they are doing. I won't make any judgement on the show because I have not seen it, but I am fascinated with the marketing aspect, and how well they have executed their plan.

I did catch that ridiculous Nightline feature on Newsies (Nightline of course being ABC which is Disney owned) which said it would be a behind the scenes feature, but instead was all about how Newsies was so timely and just like the Occupy movement, bla bla.

Newsies the movie was a massive bomb, but I had alwasy heard it did modestly better overseas... Who knows why, though in many countries old time Americana, especially when mythologized, sells (when I lived in Dublin for a year in the late 90s they were going through a ridiculous "wild west" phase it seemed, judging by various pop groups' novelty numbers, etc).

It tanked at the time, but it later gained a huge following from home video and DVD sales. Also, Disney has stated that it is one of the most requested titles to license, which is the reason for finally turning it into a stage musical. Since you could say the show was brought about due to popular demand, and only transferred to Broadway because everyone loved it at Paper Mill, I don't think anyone is that shocked or stunned at the success.

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Best 12:
I think in the 1950s the Shuberts had to divest themselves of many theatres under an anti-trust order from the US Dept of Justice. They operated under this anti-trust order until the early 1980s. Any new theatres they acquired during this time had to have an individual okay from the DOJ. The two that I know they gained were the Shubert in LA (now defunct) and the long term lease on the National in DC.

This also explains why there were non-Shubert-owned Shubert Theatres in New Haven, Philly (now the Merriam) and DC (torn down). The Shuberts also sold or gave up the leases on the Shubert (now Lasalle I think) and Blackstone in Chicago and the Shubert in Cincinnati was torn down and the land sold.

The Shuberts in NY were limited to the 17 1/2 theatres (now 19 with buying the other half of the Music Box + the Little Shubert) they own now.

There is a biography of the Shubert brothers and their company called "The Boys From Syracuse" that will tell you all this and more.

This ruling was lifted in maybe 83 or 84 and the Shuberts were thought to have the inside track to get what is now the Marquis. For some reason they passed.

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