DIRECTOR'S NOTE
Newsies is the 7th musical produced by
Disney Theatrical Productions on Broadway.
Based on the 1992 film, the show’s journey
to the great white way was unexpected and
unorthodox. The original film, which was
loosely based on the New York newsboy’s
strike of 1899, was a box office disaster,
losing twelve million dollars. It was also
nominated for five Golden Raspberry
(Razzie) awards, winning worst song for
“High Times, Hard Times,” which was
mercifully cut in the stage adaptation.
Despite the films flaws, an entire generation
was raised on the film, which played on
repeat on the Disney Channel in the late
1990s and early 2000s. Once Disney
started producing live stage musicals, the
staff at Disney Theatrical Productions were
constantly asked about Newsies. Students
on college campuses all over the United
States wanted to know when the much
maligned but dearly beloved film would
come to the stage.
Because of the overwhelming enthusiasm
of these “fansies,” the team at Disney
Theatrical Productions and the film’s writers,
Noni White and Bob Tzudiker got to work
on an adaptation. However, they couldn’t
figure out a way to make the property
work as a musical. The project was shelved
until Harvey Fierstein asked Alan Menken
(the show’s composer) about the title and
asked for the opportunity to “take a crack
at it.” Fierstein’s experience and outside
perspective was just what Newsies needed
and Disney finally had a viable script.
The plan was never for Newsies to play
on Broadway. The plan was to create
an adaptation that could be immediately
licensed by colleges and high schools,
where “fansies” were clamoring for a
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stage version of the film. However, Disney
Theatrical Productions has stringent
standards for all of its properties whether
or not they are destined for a Broadway
production. For each script, Disney does
a “pilot production” in conjunction with a
professional theatre company to ensure the
quality of the materials before making a title
available for licensing. For Newsies, Disney
partnered with the Papermill Playhouse
in New Jersey. The production was so
successful with not only younger audience
members, but also with the theatre’s older
subscription base. This enthusiasm across a
wide spectrum of theatregoers led Disney to
consider a limited run on Broadway.
There were two other factors that allowed
Newsies to “break the leg” of the
Nederlander Theatre on 41st street. First,
the theatre just happened to be available.
Next, during the development process for
the pilot production, Disney spent extra
money on Tobin Ost’s now iconic, three
tower set with the stipulation that it be
mobile so the production could tour or the
set could be rented to regional theatres
interested producing a production. Because
of the set’s mobility, it could quickly and
cheaply be loaded into the Nederlander
Theatre, making a Broadway outing a
viable option.
Newsies opened on Broadway in March
2012 for what was supposed to be a
limited, 10-week run. That run sold out
quickly and was extended. When the
extension sold out, the team at Disney
Theatrical Productions decided to move
the show to an open run. In 2012 the
show was nominated for eight Tony
Awards winning two, Best Score and
Best Choreography. After two years and
NEWSIES
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