As of April 11, the time that I’m writing this, Newsies is about to win BroadwayWorld’s bracket for the best movie musical of all time. BroadwayWorld, one of the leading world theater news organizations, holds these brackets in the spirit of March Madness, with competitions including “Best Movie Musical,” “Best Musical” and “Best Disney Animated Movie” as of recent years. Participating movies/musicals are selected by BroadwayWorld editors and each round is voted on by the public. As it stands, the final round for this year’s “Best Movie Musical” is between Newsies (1992) and Les Misérables (2012), with Newsies so far knocking the latter out of the park in votes roughly three-to-one.
In light of these upcoming results, the 34th anniversary of the film on April 10 and my recent attendance at a friend’s high school performance as leading man Jack Kelly, I thought I’d use the opportunity to give my take on what makes Newsies so good.
When most people sit down to see a show they haven’t seen before — especially those who may not be musical theater aficionados — they are in need of a hook to reel them in before they can build the energy to give thunderous applause. This hook is entirely the burden of the cast to provide — they are tasked with taking the raw material of the show and selling it to the audience. Thus, before the show has been “sold,” the audience tends to be a bit more reserved. One thing that I’ve noticed with regards to Newsies, however, is that it is one of the few shows with raw material so powerful that the cast themselves are able to sell it right off the bat. When Newsies has been performed in my hometown, whether at a school or community venue, the audience walks in, sits down and seems immediately engrossed in its infectious, upbeat energy. By the second number, you would think everyone’s already been through the show’s highest highs judging by their responses. So what can this quality of the show be attributed to? I personally believe the answer is at least twofold.
Firstly, perhaps unsurprisingly, is the ensemble work. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Newsies is the multitude of dancing newsboys taking up space on the stage, cluttering areas ranging from the tops of scaffolding to the alleyways between on-stage buildings. The intense energy of the ensemble seems meticulously designed to infectiously stir up emotions in the audience that truly makes us feel like we’re part of the union. When they strike, we’re striking too, and when they celebrate their victories, we’re invited to the party. This immersive experience is achieved through various strategies, especially excelling in its diverse and impressive choreography. This show typically doesn’t hold back in terms of showing off its dancers' more impressive talents, including acrobatics, ballet and tap — which, in particular, makes for one of the most high-energy moments of the show in King of New York’s tap sequence. Additionally, there are a number of featured ensemble members that have multiple speaking and/or singing lines that add depth to the mass of newsies that would otherwise seem a bit more shallow. Finally, some of the show’s biggest numbers are entirely ensemble-driven rather than featuring a single prominent soloist. Among these numbers are the show’s openers, Carrying the Banner and King of New York. Other major numbers like Seize the Day and Once and for All feature a small number of soloists but are largely powered by unison ensemble vocals, subconsciously manifesting a feeling of community and kinship among the audience.
The second feature that works to reel the audience in early on is the theme of standing up against an oppressive authority. This show is a master of this trope — a band of underprivileged newsies learns the power of collective action through uniting under the valorous yet imperfect protagonist Jack Kelly in order to demand just working conditions from the powerful publishers of New York City, led by Joseph Pulitzer. Through watching this story unfold, the audience feels empowered. Anytime we as a society see examples in entertainment media of harmful institutions overcome through the power of community, we are able to apply this theme to a number of ongoing struggles in the real world, like struggles for human rights both domestic and abroad. If you allow yourself as the viewer to see the universal message of the show, you can’t help but feel empowered and appreciate the obvious call to action in this simplistic yet powerful story.
On top of the cause that unifies the newsies, protagonist Jack Kelly, who spearheads the union’s efforts, experiences his own private yearnings, all of which are relatable to audiences. From his hope to deliver personal justice for the mistreatment of his best friend, Crutchie to his complicated romance with Katherine Plumber — which suffers a blow after his feeling of betrayal resulting from the discovery that she is Joseph Pulitzer’s daughter — it is easy to connect to Kelly’s personal struggles. Audiences can also relate to his unrelenting desire to relocate far away to the majestic city of Santa Fe, where he can lead a life removed from his unforgiving upbringing in New York City. This particular dream of his serves as the subject for the ballad Santa Fe, every tenor’s favorite song. Jokes aside, it’s a beautiful composition.
Newsies is an absolute masterpiece. It’s catchy, it’s energetic, it’s infectious and above all, it’s relatable. Very rarely do you find a show that contains so much power in its raw material, completely separated from the cast that performs it. On account of its trailblazing ensemble work and themes of solidarity and resistance to institutionalized injustice, it truly has cemented itself as one of the greatest musicals of all time.
Jordan White is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a columnist for the Arts & Culture department and can be reached at jiw39@cornell.edu.
