Newsies the musical is making headlines in Milwaukee. Skylight Music Theater has done it again in creating a hit show that’s perfect for family holiday viewing. The musical is based on a 1992 Disney film that is drawn from a real New York newsboy’s strike in 1899. In the film/musical version, a charismatic newsboy named Jack Kelly organizes a strike after newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer decides to raise the price of newspapers that are sold to the newsboys (and news girls). The children must purchase the “papes” in advance before selling them on street corners around New York. A young reporter, Katherine Plumber, rallies ‘round the boys and her newspaper gives front page coverage to the strike. Conflicts arise when the men in power (Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst) step in to squash the strike. However, the newsboys strike eventually leads to a broader effort to give children “a seat at the table” when decisions are made, and marks the improvement of child labor laws. Jack’s dream of escaping to the fresh-air spaces of Santa Fe temporarily muddles his allegiance. He musters the courage to fight the newspaper titans to benefit the unfortunate newsboys who count on him. Some of the show’s strong points include tuneful songs by Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors) and Jack Feldman, high-energy dance numbers, an appealing cast and an uplifting story by Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots).
The act-two opening number is a tap-dancing showstopper. “King of New York” features cast members tap dancing on tabletops and across a row of wooden chairs. It is worth the price of admission alone, and choreographers Molly Rhode (who also directs) and David Roman really pull out all the stops. The youthful cast bursts with enthusiasm in these production numbers and, in general, the show really soars whenever the entire ensemble is onstage. It should be noted that the young actors, who all behave like professionals, are middle-school and high-school aged. They more closely represent the show’s characters than to cast adults as the newsboys. They are all dressed in a mix of ragtag clothes that mix contemporary touches with the vintage looks of the 1890s (courtesy of Jason Orlenko). A flexible, moveable, multi-tiered set reinforces the rise of the industrial age. Some of the show’s smaller moments are captured on balconies and fire escapes, such as the romantic ones between Jack (Marco Tzunux) and Katherine (Rachael Zientek). The chemistry between them isn’t very strong, but their romance is only a minor part of a larger story that centers around the newsboys’ plight. The front-and-center emphasis throughout the production is on the homeless, orphaned newsboys who need their income to survive.
Another major character worth noting is the disabled Crutchie (Jordan Arrasmith), who is practically a brother to Jack. Arrasmith proves to be an excellent actor as he limps throughout the show, production numbers and all. At one point he is carted off to an orphanage run by a corrupt administrator, Snyder (Chase Stoeger).
Among the other fine performances are Nicholas Parrott as Davey, and both Abram Nelson and Edward Owczarski, who alternate as Les. Lee Palmer is the tough-as-nails Joseph Pulitzer, and Natalie Harris triumphs as a vaudeville house owner with a heart of gold. A last-minute arrival by Christopher Elst as Teddy Roosevelt completes the scene.
Many other holiday-themed shows beckon around town these days, but for something completely different—and appealing to children of any age—Newsies deserves attention as well.
