NEWSIES to close Aug. 24- Page 4

[ACL2006]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 9:13pm

It's grosses are still good. Likely making it's weekly nut consistently. I'm guessing Disney wants to save money and use the same set. I'm also guessing than someone wants that theater(Dames At Sea??).

[pat_NYborn]

Posted: 6/24/14 at 12:41pm

@TheatreKid3 I think you are exactly right. This was by all means a huge success given it was suppose to be a limited run back in Summer 2012. It amazes how time flies though. I still remember last summer how hard it was to get tickets for this show and had to enter the Lottery and Thank God I won! Seems to be a very easy rush now. I've heard from friends that it has definitely lost some steam, but still a great show nonetheless. I still remember last summer how the theater was filled with middle school kids who were so into it (always glad to see new generations of kids get into theater). I agree with some post that I can see "Once" following next. From what I have heard they have lost some steam too, but it seems they got new posters out in the city so who knows. So glad I saw this and can definitely see this being a huge success on tour!

[AntV]

Posted: 6/25/14 at 10:07pm

For anyone who is a member of Tix4Students, or who is a student who wants to join, you can currently purchase ANY non-premium seat for the $37 student price on the select days they have available. Maybe it's a glitch but I had no trouble seeing the show today through it.

I went with 7th row orchestra dead center, which was right next to premium seats in the same row. And I have to say for this show the front mezzanine has to be better than the orchestra, even though I've never seen it from the mezzanine. I thought 7th row would be perfect, but you still can't see their feet from there. Especially disappointing when they dance on the newspapers. Any further back then the mezzanine overhang is in the way. So the first few rows of the mezzanine, though I've read on here a black box blocks the first two rows, is probably the best.

As for the show, the cast really isn't that good, with the exception of Ben Fankhauser and the adults. Updated On: 6/25/14 at 10:07 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/25/14 at 10:50pm

Yeah, Newsies is meant to be seen from the mezzanine imo. I saw it from the front row of the mezz, and it was amazing. The cast hasn't been good for awhile, but I'm sure tickets are selling well for the summer because tweens LOVE that sh*t.

[StephanCasey]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 5:59am

I didn't have an issue at all with that comment about being right that it would end. It was well received by me. People are too serious these days

Here's me praying that after the national tour Disney is doing something like taking the Broadway cast to the silver screen with a film remake. Is that too hopeful ^^) Updated On: 6/26/14 at 05:59 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 7:22am

They'd nearly all look WAY to old for screen. Hell, they were all nearly too old looking for stage.

[StephanCasey]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 9:33am

^ Oh gosh that is a good point. They can't play 17 year olds on film :/

[little_sally]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 1:01pm

The first movie is so horrible and I don't even think the show really improves on the horribleness (not to mention the movie is already a musical). Why re-film it?

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 1:26pm

I interviewed Alan Menken about 15 years ago for an article and he expressed his dissatisfaction with the outcome of the Newsies movies' editing in capturing the choreography in the more epic dance numbers so I guess there is a case to redress that. And obviously incorporate the new book and song aspects. You're obviously not a fan little_sally but personally I still prefer the film (with the exception of the Medda songs and Christian Bales' less than lyrical singing voice). Am I alone in thinking the new love story/artist storyline to Jack was a bit trite and the changes to Carrying the Banner were for the worse? Once and For All on stage though WAS awesome.

This IS based on the final PaperMill version though..





Updated On: 6/26/14 at 01:26 PM

[little_sally]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 1:31pm

Yes, I really dislike the new Carrying the Banner lyrics, and not opening the show with that song right away.

The love story was fine but why couldn't Katherine just be a strong female character who is invested in the Newsies' protest? Why does she also have to fall for Jack?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 2:09pm

I thought the film was a better story as well. I MUCH prefer the love interest to be the sister, instead of some already established, working reporter. (Doesn't that alone make her too old for Jack?)

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 4:25pm

Just dug up the relevant part of that interview with Alan Menken, speaking via email in 1998 - prior to Hunchback's Berlin preproduction and back when Newsies on stage was a pipe dream. I'm going to seek permission to post the full interview as his complete and honest answers to my (often impertinent) teenage questions are as fascinatng now as they were then - more so in many cases; covering Disney, Broadway, varied collaborators and work past, present and future.

***
M.J. - What projects have most disappointed you in the past (in terms of output or the commercial success that they received)?

A.M. -"God Bless You Mr. Rosewater", "Newsies", "Weird Romance" and "King David".

M.J.- What would you change, given a reinterpretation?

A.M. - I would have "Rosewater" either made smaller in scale or produced on a Broadway (as opposed to Off Broadway) stage. I would want more resources (number of dancers, camera angles etc.) committed to the musical production in "Newsies", I would search for a more stylized (pastiche) approach to the writing, arranging and staging of musical number in "Weird Romance" and I would scale back the "King David" concert to avoid having it look like a
finished piece of musical theater when, in fact, it was a staged concert of a work-in-progress.

*** Updated On: 6/26/14 at 04:25 PM

[StephanCasey]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 5:15pm

Why the hate for Carrying The Banner. I really like that song. "I don't need the limp to sell papes. I got puysanality."

^btw, all I'm getting from that interview was that the dancing scenes should have been filmed better. Nothing about the actual dancing which I thought was really good when I watched it. I don't recall seeing this kind of dancing really at all in movies. Updated On: 6/26/14 at 05:15 PM

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 6/26/14 at 5:34pm

No hate at all Stephan. I think Carrying the Banner (movie version) is probably Menken's best chorus number and an amazing start to the film. Not speaking on behalf of anyone else but it just seemed to have lost a lot of that impact on stage and is overshadowed by King of New York and Once and For All. For me. (And seemingly not just me...)

And yes, I think that's what he meant too.. But I dug it up in specific reference to little_sally's question about any justification for a new movie Newsies. You were afterall the one who originally brought this up in this thread....





Updated On: 6/26/14 at 05:34 PM

[StephanCasey]

Posted: 6/27/14 at 7:42am

Yeah. I have no issue with the fact that you brought up the interview. I was just saying I don't think there's much to talk about regarding what was said in it. It makes sense that Menken was disappointed with Newsies. The reason being it didn't do well in the box office.

I understand what you meant now about Carrying The Banner. I don't think it's that they particularly made the song worse. I think they just made the other songs you mentioned so strong that it ended up overshadowing this one in the stage version and maybe they could have done a better job. I just never put so much thought into it I suppose.

Fair enough.

but I must also say in the movies defense, though it was by no means perfect, I think the biggest problem was that it was released at the wrong time. Live action musicals couldn't compete with the animated renaissance movies that basically defined the 90s in terms of movie musicals. Newsies will always be a classic in my opinion. I don't think it's fair to say it was a bad movie. (note that these comments are aimed at Little_Sally.)

[little_sally]

Posted: 6/27/14 at 10:08am

I really like "Carrying the Banner" but I agree, it does get lost in the musical. I wish they had just opened the show with it, instead of that scene with Jack and Crutchy. It really is a great song.

[Icey Noah]

Posted: 6/27/14 at 11:13am

I hate to hear that this show is closing! Will be in the city the week of July 14th and hoping to catch it. Even before we heard it was closing, the plan was to rush Newsies. Is rushing is still a viable option or is it more likely to sell out now that it's closing? It will still be a good month before the closing date.

[StephanCasey]

Posted: 7/6/14 at 2:42pm

Is anyone actually sure that there will be a performance on Aug 24. Maybe they just haven't edited the ticket system yet because Newsies is normally dark on Thursdays anyway

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/6/14 at 2:51pm

It was announced and confirmed by many different sources so I'd say yes. August 24th.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/6/14 at 3:27pm

the final show is already sold-out, hence why tickets aren't available. most of the seats went to alumni, the creative team & family members. Disney did the same thing with Mary Poppins.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 7/6/14 at 4:25pm

regarding the refurbishments, the theaters AC unit is totally shot and needs to be completely torn out and reinstalled.

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 7/7/14 at 2:01am

A similar problem Disney had with the New Amsterdam, and we saw how long that refurbishment took. No doubt they will be working to probably upgraded some of the dressing rooms/other facilities in the Nederlander as well. I'd say it will conveniently be ready in time for HUNCHBACK to move in in Fall 2015.

Updated On: 7/7/14 at 02:01 AM