Disney's Newsies
Musical in 2 acts based on the 1992 film of the same name. Lyrics: Jack Feldman; Music: Alan Menken; Book: Harvey Fierstein
Nederlander Theatre, Broadway - 29th March, 2012 (Previews: 16) : Performances: 291 as at 9th December, 2012
Synopsis
Based on the 1992 Disney film, Newsies is the tale of newsboy Jack Kelly, who dreams of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. When Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies his army of newsies to strike.
Story (based on the film)
Newsies is loosely based on the true story of Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City. Thousands of homeless and orphaned children who were selling newspapers to make money to buy food are living in newsboys' lodging houses, including 17-year old Manhattan newsboy Jack "Cowboy" Kelly , who is a regular newsboy selling newspapers for Joseph Pulitzer and his paper, the New York World. The newsboys wake up and get ready to sell papers. Jack meets David Jacobs, who leaves school temporarily and joins the Newsies along with his little brother Les to help his family while his father is out of work with a broken arm. The injury was work-related, but because he lacked the protection of a union he was fired with no severance. Les looks up to Jack. Jack, seeing this as an opportunity to make money by using Les because he is younger and cute, teaches Les how to trick people into buying a paper by pretending to be sick and making up headlines. The three of them duck into Irving Hall to escape being chased by a cop. Jack introduces Les and David to Medda "Swedish Meadowlark" Larkson, a vaudeville star who performs at Irving Hall . After they witness a violent part of the trolley strike, David invites Jack to meet his family including his sister Sarah. After declining to spend the night, Jack confesses his desire to escape to Santa Fe. Soon, Jack and David became best friends. Shortly afterward, the price of newspapers for purchase by the newsboys is raised by ten cents, a decision made by the newspaper titans, Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst.
Feeling they will be unable to bear the added cost, Jack organizes a strike with the aid of David. As the protagonist, Jack struggles with his past as he forms an important friendship with David and his family. Between his dream of one day going to Santa Fe and currently wanting to help his friends, he faces many difficult decisions involving money and loyalty. Along the way, the boys are aided by newspaper reporter Bryan Denton and Medda, as well as being hindered by Snyder, warden of "The Refuge" juvenile detention facility. Jack and the Newsies gain the cooperation of rival newsboy groups from New York and Brooklyn to team up and strike against the big-shot newspapermen. They eventually win their hard-fought demands after self-publishing and distributing a sympathetic newspaper flier and gaining the support of other non-union child workers around the city. Jack and David force Pulitzer to admit defeat, resulting with the Newsies winning the strike and Snyder being arrested. Denton tells Jack that Governor Theodore Roosevelt was grateful Jack brought the strike to his attention and Roosevelt is offering to give him a ride anywhere, and Jack requests to be taken to the train station to catch a train to Santa Fe. His friends are disappointed to see him leave, but Roosevelt convinces Jack to stay with his friends in New York City. Sarah catches up to Jack and the two kiss together with all Newsies dancing.
Musical Numbers
- Overture
- Santa Fe (Prologue)
- Carrying The Banner
- The Bottom Line
- That's Rich
- I Never Planned On You/Don't Come A-Knocking
- The World Will Know
- Watch What Happens
- Seize The Day
- Santa Fe
- King Of New York
- Watch What Happens (Reprise)
- The Bottom Line (Reprise)
- Brooklyn's Here
- Something To Believe In
- Once And For All
- Finale
Cast
|
|
|
Orchestration
Bass; Drums ; Guitar; Keyboards I & II; Percussion; Trombone; Trumpet/Flugel; Violin; Woodwinds I & II