Celebrating Newsies’ 10 Year Anniversary

When the curtain rose on September 25^th, 2011 at the Paper Mill Playhouse, some were whispering “That’s a Disney film? Never heard of it!” while others had flown continents to hear “Santa Fe” and “Seize the day.” Movies could not be streamed, nor were they always available for purchase at the time. Disney was notorious for keeping them “in the vault” once pulled off theaters. One either had to wait for a TV broadcast or a temporary home video release.

Inspired by the 1899 New York newsboys’ strike, this somewhat forgotten movie musical was panned by critics and made just over a million dollars at the box office. It had been nearly 20 years since the rolls had been stored away. This page of history, its songs, and dances could have easily vanished for good. However, a recurring presence on family TV channels and an awaited home video release garnered Newsies a cult following. Much like little girls who grew up singing Annie’s tunes, every boy dancer learned the steps to “King of New York” and “Carrying the Banner.”

By 1992, Alan Menken had earned four Academy Awards and two Grammys for the music he had written for Disney. That year, he received a Razzie for “worst song” on… Newsies! Surprisingly, the composer played a major role in reviving those newsboys. He and Harvey Feinstein, book writer, pitched the show to Disney Theatrical. If Beauty and the Beast had played to packed houses for 15 years and the Lion King’s success kept roaring just as strong, they surely could produce another Broadway hit! The company saw things differently however, the early closings of Tarzan and the Little Mermaid still resonated within their offices’ walls

The show was eventually greenlit and rehearsals started under one condition: this would only be a limited engagement. No bright and shining marquee, no red carpet premiere downtown Manhattan. New Jersey’s Paper Mill would house the defiant and tapping newsboys for four weeks. Four weeks alone. Or so they thought…

A tight ensemble of twenty worked with director Jeff Calhoun and choreographer Christopher Gattelli to revive and improve the musical numbers most had grown up watching in the family’s living room. No one aimed at re-creating the movie on stage, rather bringing back its original magic with surprising twists. Moved audiences clapped along and tapped their feet each and every night. Praised by critics who gave Newsies some of their most glowing reviews of the season, the production exceeded expectations. To these young artists who wouldn’t take the show to Broadway, such a success was bittersweet. This newsboys’ strike was scheduled to end by mic-October after all.

Cut to Thursday, November 24^th, 2011: casts of Broadway musicals highlighted Macy’s annual Thanksgiving day parade. Sister Act, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, How to Succeed in Business without really Trying, and… Newsies! That was an unimaginable encore for a closed show that never had its name on the Big White Way. Not until the following winter when its name was shining at the Nederlander Theatre! Encouraged by the positive critical and audience response, Disney Theatrical had a change of heart and found a home for the united ensemble.

More than half of the show’s cast made their Broadway debut on opening night and this youthful, hopeful energy is no stranger to the show’s success. They knew the material inside out and their connections to it went back to their childhood. They believed in the show and enjoyed every moment of it when it wasn’t meant to last. Their determination to keep it alive was audible in how firmly and precisely their feet hit each choreographed step. What made Newsies special and why many still talk about it ten years later is the ensemble’s contagious enthusiasm. Audiences agreed and filled the Nederlander at such a rapid pace that the production’s stay was quickly extended.

To no one’s surprise, Newsies was one of the most-nominated production at the 2012 Tony awards. In spite of seeing Once taking home the night’s biggest award, Gattelli’s choreography as well as Alan Menken & Jack Feldman’s score earned two non-negligible awards.

The company’s fan base kept on growing as weeks turned into months and the show’s engagement became an open-ended one. “Fansies” had turned the once box office bomb into a potential new classic.

Two years later, the show’s closing notice made the Newsboys front page. The 1004^th performance would be the final one. Down in their orchestra seats, Jeremy Jordan, Tommy Bracco, and several other Newsies alumni were cheering for those who had filled their tap shoes. An electric night with warm ovations would put the show to rest. Or so they thought…

In a Disney first, the company announced that the show would be filmed to preserve its memory and solidify its legacy.  It had already become one of their most popular titles to be put on by high schools and its national tour had enjoyed a successful run of nearly 800 shows in over 60 cities. Newsiesmight have gone dark on Broadway, but its light hadn’t stopped spreading for a second. Several original cast members returned for the pro-shot, including Kara Lindsay who reprised the female lead after touring the US with Wicked.

“It’s really awesome to get back to something, to bring your new self to it, and bring what I had learned playing Glinda. Being able to look at this script with fresh eyes feels like I learned more about who Katherine is. I just felt like I understood her so much more, which was really thrilling.” explained Lindsay.

Very few Broadway musicals had been immortalized on film and Newsies was the first to get a theatrical release. The movie grossed three and a half million dollars and created one powerful buzz among Fansies and moviegoers in three short days. As a result, three additional showings were programmed in the following months. The entire company got to see themselves on the big screen and managed to leave one indelible mark in audiences’ minds as the original 1992 had intended.

In the same way that those newsboys fought for what felt like right to them in 1899, the cast ofNewsies fought for a show and a family they highly believed in. They went into limited engagements with all their passion and perseverance and welcomed each new cast member with open arms. Finally, just like a high school class does 10 years upon graduating, they had a reunion at 54 Below in New York City in April of 2022, celebrating Newsies’ 10^th year anniversary.

Also by Martin Frenette:

The Art of Playwrighting

You Are No Longer the Youngest Face in the Room

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