This past Sunday afternoon, Monsieur and I finally took in a matinee of the hit Broadway musical, "Newsies," which I had been longing to see. I still say it should have won the TONY Award for Best Musical over that abysmal "Once," which, even before you get to "Once," it is more than enough, having heard it!!!!!!!!!
"Newsies," girls, is a real, old-fashioned, 1950s style show--not that "Spring Awakening" crap, thank God!!!!!!! . It follows a tradition of great and not so great shows that dealt with workers and labor relations--"Pins And Needles," "The Pajama Game," "I Can Get It For You Wholesale!" and "RAGS." What these shows had that "Newsies" lacks is a great score. Frankly, my dears, that is the only thing lacking for this show to be in their league.
What is in that league, and is the true star of the show, is choreographer Christoper Gattelli (who deservedly won a TONY Award!!!!!!!) and his ensemble of dancing Newsies. They are the best, and hardest working ensemble on Broadway today, and their pyrotechnics, following in the footsteps of past masters like Jerome Robbins and Gower Champion, ignite the show whenever they are on stage--and wisely, that is quite often!!!!!!! When the boys are off, the show does flounder a little. Simply because the score, which, despite being melodic and sung beautifully, sounds repetitious, with each song seeming to build on the signature tune, "The Kings Of New York." Alan (Menken), honey, can't you vary your musical dynamics???????? Think how this score might have sounded, if Jerry Herman had written it. Even Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane!!!!!!!!!
I think it is for that reason that Monsieur kept falling asleep during the performance. Apparently, he was not as impressed with the show, or even the dancing ensemble, as I was!!!!!!! But, listen, when you sleep through something, how can you judge???????????
"Newsies" evolved from a Disney movie musical of almost twenty years back that went absolutely nowhere. Then, several years ago, someone got the idea to mount a stage version of it at Paper Mill Playhouse, in Milburn, New Jersey. And, unlike other, better, things, which have played there, but did not catch fire, this somehow did, so now you have dancing newsboys being the Ensemble Toast Of The Town. And when I saw them do their stuff on the Thanksgiving Day Parade last year, I just had to see the show.
And those "Newsies" boys are not unlike those "Annie" orphans, in some ways!!!! Which makes me think come this Thanksgiving, some one, if they are bright enough, will get the idea of teaming them up for some kind of number, just like someone, if bright enough, will finally give Jessie Mueller a solo spot of her own !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You know I love my darling Monsieur, girls!!!!!!!!!!! So, I say, let him sleep, and the rest of you make a beeline to the Nederlander Theatre to see "Newsies." You will just LOVE all that testosterone, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And just watching them dance is a workout in itself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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