Seize the Day: Take a Sneak Peek at the Newsies Musical

Screen shot 2011-09-16 at 12.02.12 AM.pngOscar-winning composer Alan Menken felt so strongly about the idea of his Newsies readapted Broadway stage show that he decided to compose the show himself. You can't blame the guy -- who doesn't love the Burbank-y New York of Newsies, the '92 Disney flop about an old-timey newsboy strike? In footage from the new show, we hear from Menken, the show's writer Harvey Fierstein, and the actors hawkin' papes.

The good news is that Newsies is more fit for the live stage than the big screen: The songs are anthemic, the acting is broad, and name of the game is "effervescence." Smile, newsies! Wave! Dance! Make journalism jive out there!

Hopefully this adaptation will avoid the major mistake in the movie version, which is sheer over-length. Since we don't get Christian Bale again, we'll have to settle for this small triumph. Couldn't Menken and Fierstein smack each other around and fight for the title of 'the king of New York'? Please?

'Newsies' [YouTube]



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