Newsies (2017)

Although this is the same stage version of the live-action Disney movie turned Broadway musical that debuted in 2012, I’m labeling this review 2017 because it’s about the recently-filmed recording of the stage show that just aired in theaters for Fathom Events.  I really enjoyed getting a chance to see this musical in action.

As with the movie, Newsies is the story of the 1899 newsboys’ strike in New York City.  When Joseph Pulitzer looks to increase profits by charging the newsies more for the papers they buy to sell on his behalf, the scrappy boys team up to stand against him.  Led by the charismatic Jack and the reasonable Davey, and buoyed by the coverage of sympathetic reporter Kate, the “little guys” take on one of the most powerful men in America, vowing to fight until they get their due.

The show has closed on Broadway and its national tour has wrapped up, but this filmed performance includes cast members from both.  I’m familiar, of course, with the main leads representing the OBC – Jeremy Jordan (who now makes his home on Supergirl,) Kara Lindsay, Ben Fankhauser, and Andrew Keenan-Bolger – but the whole cast is excellent.  The staging is relatively light but effective, making use of a jungle gym of scaffolding to represent New York fire escapes and giving just enough impressions of the setting without getting in the way.

I really appreciate this recording for unlocking Jeremy Jordan’s Jack for me.  Even though he has a sublime voice that’s indisputably better than young Christian Bale’s in the movie (Jordan’s singing was the only thing that kept me from hating the fairly insufferable Jimmy on Smash,) his Jack never really worked for me on the cast recording.  Somewhere between the force of the singing, the thickness of the accent, and the strength of the emotion, it just felt like too much to me.  Listening to Jack’s songs, it always seemed like he was throwing his words at me, and I kept thinking, “Geez, guy, take it easy!”  Seeing the performance that goes with the vocals, however, I get it.  It all clicks.  Jordan is obviously considerably older than the seventeen Jack is supposed to be, but he plays seventeen quite well.  The Act I closer of “Santa Fe” was a particular revelation for me.  Whereas before I heard “overwrought,” I now see a frightened kid in over his head, taking on a giant and weighed down by the knowledge that he’s the one who’s led all his friends into this potentially very-damaging crusade; he wants to run away because he’s terrified and doesn’t know what to do.  I see that now.  Jordan made me feel that.

And the ensemble… Good gracious!  As talented as the leads are, this is a show where the ensemble, working as a unit, is the true star.  They create a powerful sound with their exuberant vocals on Alan Menken's superb numbers like “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “Brooklyn’s Here,” and the dancing is seriously insane.  This is the sort of show where you quickly learn to get excited when all the main characters suddenly take a seat off to the side in the middle of a song, because that means the dancers are about to tear it up; what a treat to see them onscreen.

Warnings

A little swearing, some violence, and thematic elements.