In the Newsies behind the scenes book, there's an article discussing how the Broadway set was half a million over budget before opening. It goes on to read that an extra 300 grand was spent to make the deck and everything on top tourable. Pretty interesting. Updated On: 11/18/13 at 10:01 PM
IF and only if this was a show that was tanking in the box office could I see them closing and using the Broadway set for the tour. But, whatever financial woes the show may have had in the beginning, they are clearly not an issue now since the show has recouped and then some. Furthermore, if they were planning to close the show and take the Broadway set on the road, then I could see them leaving the deck in place rather than replacing it. Replacing the deck is a sign to me that they see longevity in the Broadway run.
"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear"
Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll
Yes, but if they thought that the show wasn't doing well and the deck needed to be replaced, why not close the show now and use the set for the tour and give the new deck to the touring production? This show isn't on the chopping block, at least its numbers seem to say that. Just because the original intention was to tour, why would they not change their plans?
"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear"
Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll
If the broadway production was closing, wouldn't they have announced the tour along with a closing notice? I honestly believe the tour is just an expansion to the broadway production. The set was designed to tour, but I am sure they will directly replicate it.
I'm just in awe at the intricate choreography...not to mention the energy level of the male dancers (courtesy of videos). I almost get tired watching them. I may see the show in Dallas, depending on the date.
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
With the Broadway production closing next Sunday, has anyone heard anything about the cast for the tour? Several of the current cast have mentioned that none of them are going out on the road...
Seeing it in San Francisco right now. The music is really great, and the book is well constructed. It's let down by some really awful actors who are playing the news boys. The man who plays Jack Kelly is really not good at all. The two main women are great and inspire magic when they are on stage. The problem is that they highered dancers who could sing and ignored their acting abilities. I actually think the dancing is a little ridiculous and very excessive. The set is very ugly and almost painful to look at. I will report back after the second act.
Got out of the second act. The second act is much better once they stop dancing. The problem was that they set out to make a dancing show when they shouldn't have. The book is clearly written by someone who knows how to write a musical (Harvey Fierstein) and I still love the music, but the director and every single cast member was miscast. The two women were still good in the second act, but I think I only liked them because they were the only two good actors on stage. If they had set out to make just a musical instead of a dancing show, they could have struck gold, but they didn't so as it stands it's only serviceable entertainment. I still have no idea how Once could have beaten this show at the Tony awards.
I saw it twice in Pittsburgh and was definitely underwhelmed. The two girls were great. But something was lacking in Dan Deluca. I felt like he held back. Ben Cook who was in the ensemble as Race was a definite standout dancing and acting wise!
Hm. I saw the Newsies tour back in December and it was WAY better than I'd expected. I did see it on Broadway, but the tour blew me away all over again--so much so that I'm going to see it again twice more this year. One man's trash is another man's treasure, I suppose.
I saw the tour opening night in SF, after having seen the OBC in previews and the closing broadway cast in NY last summer.
This is a curious musical
It has a number of very catchy songs that are anthems- seize the day, For once and for all, King of new york, etc. that are fun to listen to but you probably wont be singing along at home
It has incredible dancing-you have 14-16 very talented dancers on stage performing for much of the show, literally dancing on every surface the stage and three level set provides.
You have a story not many people will personally and emotionally relate to (unless you are a hard core union advocate), which is mostly homeless kids in 1900 new york who are newsboys who strike, and a not very credible love interest between a newsboy and a newpaper heiress. From those who were just ok on this show or didnt like it, I think the lack of relating to the story was a major issue.
Harvey Fierstein did i think a good job with adapating the book from the movie to stage
The songs (alan mencken with a zillion academy awards) and dancing were enough for me to go again, and I enjoyed the show enough to recommend it.
I thought the tour cast was solid overall, and the woman playing the heiress and the actor playing the newspaper publisher were big time standouts. I thought the lead that played Jack was fine, though not anywhere near jeremy jordan for presence, singing and acting...
If you havent seen it and like musicals, you will probably like this tour production.
I saw the tour a few weeks ago and I really didn't care for it. The music was boring, the dancing was overblown, and the acting was laughable. It received a standing ovation multiple times throughout the show, but i wasn't moved in the slightest. I was expecting more from Fierstein and Menken.