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| Jack (Joey Barreiro) and Crutchie (Daniel Quadrino) "Santa Fe" |
I was awestruck with the strength of the energetic male focused dancing which augmented the shows powerful theme for social change when I saw Disney's Newsies in 2013 on Broadway. Pittsburgh’s CLO production had the same
energy and forceful movement that I remembered.
One of my blog
inspiration books, “Everything I Need to Know I Learned From a Little Disney Golden Book” reminds
us that, “you [got to] tap into your inner warrior to do what’s right”*. That is just what Newsies is all about-standing against power to right a wrong.
Reflection
Newsies is
based on the real life story of Kid Blink (Jack Kelly in the musical) who in 1899, lead a number of NYC newsboys to take
a stand against the publisher moguls Pulitzer and Hearst by refusing to distribute their
papers after they increased the newsboy’s price per 100
bundle from 50 to 60 cents. In 1899, the delivery boys were also not reimbursed for the unsold papers. This group of newspaper hawkers led the
change in newspaper distribution and paved
the way for child labor laws.
The musical opened with
Jack Kelly (Joey Barreiro ) emotionally singing "Santa Fe" . He tells his friend, Crutchie (Daniel Quadrino), of his dream to leave
the tough NYC street life of a newsboy for Santa Fe. Then a strong vocal and
dancing CLO cast of young men playing the orphaned and homeless boys, prepare for another day of work in an explosive dance
number, “Carrying the Banner”.
Jack soon meets and
agrees to teach his sales skills to Davey (Stephen Michael Langton) and his little brother, Les
(William Sendera) who join the newsboys to support their family when their father
lost his job after a work accident. Together they lead Newsies in rebellion against the powerful publishers in "The World Will Know".
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| Katherine (Beth Stafford Lard) with Newsies |
Like most musicals there is a love connection between
Jack and an aspiring reporter Katherine
(Beth Stafford Laird ) who initially takes on the boys' cause for her personal career aspirations but latter falls in love with Jack. She sings about the importance of covering the strike in the song “Watch What Happens” singing, “Speak up. Take a stand and when
there is someone to write about it, that’s how things get better”.
“Seize the Day” almost brought the audience to their feet. It began with the pure voice of Stephen
Michael Langton as Davey, who rallies together the boys to fight against the
paper distribution price increase. He
sings, “stand down the odds and seize the day..courage is when we face our
fears-tell those in power, safe in their tower –we will not obey..” This song
crescendos with a fantastic tap dance
number that had the strength of ballet with
its jumps and turns, and the rhythm of tap.
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| powerful dancing |
The powerhouse voices and dancing in this CLO production kept up in the second Act. Newsies captures the fight of a “David verses Goliath story" through powerful dance. We enjoy the entertainment as we all root for the Newsies as they take a stand!
(Pittsburgh’s CLO production of Disney’s Newsies runs from Tuesday, July 18 to Sunday, July 23, 2017 at
the Benedum Center)
Spiritual Refection
“Be on guard. Stand
true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)
Other sources
*Little Golden Book “Disney’s Mulan
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust https://pittsburghclo.culturaldistrict.org/production/50699/disneys-newsies
Newsies sound
track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vStbq8CEvTY&list=PLIu85pRcKkmllq-I5A9fC9hwuIRT0qdDC
1899 Newsboys strike https://www.nypl.org/blog/2012/05/25/extra-extra-read-all-about-newsboys-strike-1899