Will Newsies be a hit?

[massofmen]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 12:55am

I know the theater community loves the movie but it made all of 3 million at the box office. I reckon that the majority of the country has no clue about it or the movie and I wonder if it will take a while for it to start selling well, and by then their "limited run" would be over.

just wonder if its an insular product aimed at the theater masses..and will it translate to families. ..

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 1:00am

The movie has become a cult classic, and is LOVED by many people. The amount of non-theatre friendly people I've heard say "DID YOU HEAR NEWSIES IS ON BROADWAY!?" would astound you.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 1:55am

The "cult" is teen age boys who want to dance or like to see other boys dance.
DISNEY is playing safe and smart with this. A critical hit at Paper Mill (where it did not sell out or extend) does not equal Broadway Hit.
The show is fun and energetic and the Nederlander is a good choice of Theatre, it could do well there, you can jump off the bus at Port Authority, grab a Hot Dog at Schitzners, Stage Door and be home in time for dinner.

Updated On: 2/15/12 at 01:55 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 4:54am

It's not as well known as Idina seems to think. I also don't know if it's creating all that much buzz. It's been said often that Disney is doing this on the cheap -- heck, they aren't even producing the album. Doesn't sound like they even have much faith in it.


Are they advertising in NY? Anyone?

[binau]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 5:16am

It appears to be selling very well though. Assuming they have released all of the tickets on ticketmaster (which they very well may not have, because FOLLIES didn't start releasing all the tickets for the entire run until performances started). I will call hit though.

Updated On: 2/15/12 at 05:16 AM

[chewy5000]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 7:19am

I'd never even heard of it. But then again, I was deprived of Disney as a child. Heck, I haven't even seen The Lion King.

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 8:27am

It could be, if Disney has its way and the musicals this season continue to be mediocre or worse. But when this show opened at Paper Mill Playhouse several months ago, Variety, which knows a thing or two about theatre, advised the producers to keep doing this in regional theatre, and not try to move it to Broadway, at which point the Times sort of anointed the show and it was immediately announced for the spring.

With LYSISTRATA JONES, BONNIE AND CLYDE and ON A CLEAR DAY coming in DOA, I understand why Disney would decide to move ahead, and somehow hope to get the family trade, and maybe a Tony award for best musical. But it just doesn't sound like this was the right decision.

[tazber]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 8:30am

I have consulted the tea leaves and they tell me that it will be a hit garnering 11 Tony nominations, 7 wins, and extending for 17 years.

Trust the leaves.

Updated On: 2/15/12 at 08:30 AM

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 8:36am

So if it was nominated for Tony Awards and won Best Musical (if nominated) would Disney extend it? It closes the night of the Tony Awards and if they did win and make a showing at the ceremony, don't you think they would do that?

Posted: 2/15/12 at 8:46am

I really disliked the King of New York number at the Macy's thanksgiving Parade. I also didn't like the movie.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 12:05pm

I hope so. I think so... It's gotten some very positive buzz.

But we shall see.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 2:26pm

While in no way wishing any bad luck to Newsies -- I haven't seen it and don't really know much about it -- I can remember several occasions where a show did fabulously in its initial readings or out-of-town performances, rushed to Broadway and died (Seussical the Musical comes to mind). I forget whether Brantley or Isherwood reviewed Newsies when it was at the Paper Mill but I doubt that the NYT would not have the original reviewer cover the Broadway opening. Just this season, Lysistrata got raves when it was Off-Broadway but even a rave from Brantley for the opening couldn't save it. It all ends up being a crap shoot.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 2:28pm

>I forget whether Brantley or Isherwood reviewed Newsies when it was at the Paper Mill<

Neither of them did. It was reviewed by David Rooney.

[newintown]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 4:22pm

"I know the theater community loves the movie..."

You do? It does?

That's news to me - the theatre community I know ridicules it as a trivial piece of mindless plastic saccharine.

Maybe there's another community across the tracks, or over in Jersey...

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 4:45pm

"That's news to me - the theatre community I know ridicules it as a trivial piece of mindless plastic saccharine."

Well, the theater community I know loves it. Sure as hell would rather be in THAT community.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 4:47pm

The theatre community--assuming the OP means people who work in theatre--aren't really the people who determine whether a musical is going to be a hit or not. They're not the ones buying the tickets.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 5:01pm

I don't think this will be a Wicked/Book of Mormon sized hit by any means. This show, unlike some of the other Disney shows, doesn't have that "Disney" feel to it. It doesn't have huge set pieces and big effects that would justify spending all that money. It's not a show that will probably be entertaining for the adults and the children like Beauty and the Beast or Lion King might be.

[booth0882]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 6:43pm

I would imagine that the show will sell reasonably well, but not good enough, or look promising enough to extended, much less run open endedly. It isn't creating all that much buzz. No more than your average show coming to Broadway, as there is always some excitement.

That being said, the production is so low budget with no big names that will require big salaries. So it will be a cost effective show to keep open presuming of course that ticket sales are happening.

Lets not forget two of Disney's last Broadway commercial failures: The Little Mermaid and Tarzan. And of course the Newsies movie was a box office failure.

One thing going for Newsies is a lack of new musicals this spring, so there will be less competition.

The big thing is increasing the value of future licensing deals. And even a three month run would help this. So even if they don't make their small investment back, they likely may still make it back in licensing going forward.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 7:51pm

Have the people who are claiming there's no buzz or that it's going to flop tried searching for tickets? Good seats are difficult to come by (I check on a daily basis for a number of dates I'd potentially like to see the show), and there's not been a discount code released yet.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 8:17pm

I think, looking back, all Disney shows have started out with a healthy advance.

[booth0882]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 9:35pm

Have they even released Center Orch Tickets yet? If they haven't released premium tickets yet (which some shows hold off on those till they open) then that would shoot a big hole through the "it is selling well" argument. Just doing a search of 4-5 dates, I haven't found one Orch center ticket, or one person checked in through facebook to any orch center seat.

[booth0882]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 9:42pm

And also the OP said a "hit." and only running for 12 weeks without an extension, even with selling out every performance, is not a "hit."

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 10:07pm

They have released at least some centre orchestra tickets - when I was looking in late January or early February I found options in both April and May in the centre orchestra section.

[booth0882]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 10:11pm

Yea I kept looking for dates and there are a few on some dates. But it is really looking like they have yet to release some seats, as well as what they will set aside for their rush lottery.

[binau]

Posted: 2/15/12 at 10:24pm

For the dates I checked premium seats were available but they only had a few single seats left. I think the show is selling well.