“Newsies: The Musical” at the Erie Playhouse A Theater Review
Whatever’s “Oldsies” is “Newsies” Again
Disney’s Newsies: The Musical
at Erie Playhouse
A Review
Extra! Extra! Read all about it: “Newsies: The Musical” is at Erie Playhouse!
Only at ErieCulture.Guru! Remember, ETN’s Showcase doesn’t do reviews anymore…
Slam!
Yeah, Thea tells it like it is!
But first, seriously, you gotta credit Disney for resurrecting a 1992 movie that bombed and refashioning it into a successful musical.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again…right?
With music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman and book by Harvey Fierstein, “Newsies” tells the true story (albeit much embellished) of an actual strike by “newsies,” young boys who hustle newspapers on the streets of New York City in 1899.
Say what?
Yes, children, though now dinosaurs treading toward the tar pits, newspapers were once the only source of local, national and international news for people on a daily basis.
Yes, once upon a time before news was delivered via the internet, television, radio, mailbox or newsstands, you’d buy a newspaper off a child peddling them on the street (Or either a really down-on-his-luck adult).
According to the plot, yellow journalism publisher Joseph Pulitzer—of Pulitzer Prize fame—(played by Christopher Harben), decides to raise his profits by sticking it to the ragamuffins peddling his rag. But the kids unite and go on strike, crippling the newspaper industry and other kid-operated gigs within the city.
Oh-oh, trouble’s a’ brewin…
With approximately 20 newsies onstage at one time singing and dancing their woes, finally a spunky female journalist enters to spice up this sausage fest.
“Katherine Plumber,” (Peyton Thiem) wants to get the scoop on their newsies story, so she approaches their leader, Jack Kelly (Anthony Nunez), and–surprise!–sparks fly! But can the newsies win against overwhelming odds? And is “Katherine” too good to be true?
Directed by Ryan Ingram, assistant director Tara Hart-Lewis, choreographed by Leah Johnson and tap choreographer Heidi Sheehan, the show has lots of singing and dancing, but also handstands and actors air flipping, too! For impoverished youths, they sure have a lot of energy!
Live orchestral music was conducted by Patrick Rose with the event featuring several memorable tunes: the wanderlust of “Santa Fe,” the love song, “I Never Planned on You,” and the song beginning the second act, the showstopper, “King of New York,” that left the audience cheering (me included) at the show I attended.
Nunez and Thiem play well together, making their up-and-down relationship watchable and hopefully workable. Jonathan Morey is good as “Davey,” Jack’s aide-de-camp and conscience during the strike’s low point, and his kid brother, Les (Danny Ferrare), is such a cute waif, I just wanted to pinch his cheeks—all the way from my balcony seat.
The upbeat cast sang and hoofed their way to our approval—earning their standing ovation at “Newsies” conclusion.
Ironic when you think about it: That you didn’t read a review about a newspaper and the “newsies” in our local paper, huh?
See you in the balcony, XOXO!
***Thea Tah
Newsies continues through August 11. For more information visit erieplayhouse.org