King of New York

I was going to have Lion King as the next musical. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that I like it almost entirely for the music. It has a decent story and characters and all that. But without the African music that they added specially for Broadway, I would never have thought of it. So honorable mention goes to Lion King. And also to The Music Man and My Fair Lady which didn't make this list for similar reasons.

I'm breaking a rule. I said I wasn't going to add any off stage musicals. Musicals are best enjoyed live but now and then there are movie musicals that would be incredible live but no one has ever managed it. I don't know if anyone has produced Newsies professionally but if they haven't, they should.

Newsies is the ultimate kid power movie and it's based on a true story. It stars a bunch of orphan or impoverished boys who hawk news papers for a living. When the newspaper owner (Mr. Pulitzer) decide to raise the price the Newsies pay for their papers, two boys rally the Newsies and other child laborers from all over New York together and go on strike. Can a bunch of kids stand up to the most powerful men in New York? Can they win?

The cast of characters is incredible. Many times in musicals there are a few main character and a chorus of townspeople or whatever. If chorus members are going to have any character of their own it's up to the actors to put them in cause the writers could care less. Not so with Newsies. Each boy in the Newsie chorus has a name and a character and the writers support them even if they don't have time to develop them fully. There are still some main Newsies that you get to know better than the others but if you watch carefully you can get to know about lots of the others. This adds a brilliant bit of depth to all the chorus songs cause when a boy gets a solo line it always fits with his character. The chorus numbers are jewels in this show. The dancing and singing has a very 'boy' feel to it. It's rowdy, wild, teasing, rough housing, riotous fun had by all with some fist fighting mixed in. With all the action (Warning: there are some pretty violent scenes) if it wasn't a musical it would have to be classified as an adventure movie. And they all talk like New Yorkers of course and this makes it even better.

Jack: You only took 20 papes; why?
David: It's a bad headline.
Jack: Well, dat's da foist thing ya gotta learn - headlines don't sell papes. Newsies sell papes.

We meet our main Newsie pretty early in the opening number. "Carrying the Banner" doubles as character development, exposition of the setting, and comic relief as the Newsies are getting ready to go out and peddle the papes. Musically it's challenging cause, though it starts out very simple, the writer kept adding more counter melodies weaving in and out. The Newsies are a harmony singing mob! But back to our main character. His name is Jack Kelly (or so he says. He has a habit of "improving the truth") and he wants out of New York more than anything else. He wants to go west to Santa Fe where he can escape crowds and the police of New York. He has all the other Newsies calling him Cowboy. What Jack's crime is I don't remember so it must not be important but there is a very nasty, cheating, crooked juvenile delinquent officer after him and we have every reason to hope that he is not caught. He is a natural leader and the Newsies look to him like a big brother. He is sure he doesn't need anyone but he sure likes being needed. His only real loyalty is to himself and his dream: "Santa Fe." There's another 'something more' song for you.
The other Newsie leader is David. David is only a Newsie temporarily while his father recovers from an injury that cost him his job. David is under confident and mild mannered. His little brother Less is better at selling the papers than David is due to Less' big little-boy eyes. Originally, Jack sees Less as a potential business partner. Jack's street smarts and Less' irresistible face will make the two of them highly successful Newsies. But David wont put up with such an arrangement and argues his way into the deal.
The friendship between David and Jack challenges both of them to learn from each other. Jack has to learn some loyalty and David has to learn some courage. This process of growth involves some painful wounds on both sides. But they come through alright. In that way you could say that Newsies is a coming of age story.

When the Newspaper owners hike the price of papers for the Newsies it is David's idea to form their own union and fight back. But it is Jack who takes the initiative and has the courage to act on it. They convince the other Newsies to fight back in "The World Will Know" So the partnership is formed: David's brains and Jack's charisma. A third vital member is added to this team when a news reporter named Denton stumbles onto the scene of the Newsies strike. Denton sees the potential and the larger issue at stake in this David and Goliath story. He writes it up for his paper and the Newsies make the headline. Now their unstoppable. As Racetrack says

"You get your picture in the papes, you're famous. You're famous, you get anything you want. That's what's so great about New York."

Here follows my favorite song: "King of New York" which includes dancing on table and spinning while hanging from ceiling fans. YES!!
The strike spreads to all the other New York papers as Pulitzer's Newsies prove that they aren't going to loose heart. Characteristically, David encourages the rough Newsies with a hymn-like song "Seize the Day" which they immediately take and add tin can drums to and make into rousing rally song. Their courage and conviction attracts other Newsies groups from all over New York. Even the famous Spot Conlon and his gang from Brooklyn. (Spot is a big favorite of mine.)

Jack: So, what about Brooklyn? Who wants Brooklyn? C'mon, Spot Conlon's territory.
[the newsies look at each other]
Jack: Whats'a matta, you scared of Brooklyn?
Boots: Hey, we ain't scared of Brooklyn!
[pauses]
Boots: Spot Conlon makes us a little nervous.

"David: I've never been to Brooklyn - have you guys?
Boots: Spent a month there one night. "

Then things get ugly. Pulitzer hires thugs to beat the Newsies into submission. Newsies are arrested during a rally.

(Spot Conlon: Your honor, I object.
Judge Monahan: On what grounds?
Spot Conlon: On the grounds of Brooklyn, your honor. )

There is bribery and black mail and Jack is forced to turn scab for a chance to make his Santa Fe dream come true. Denton can't write for the Newsies anymore cause no one will print it. Pulitzer, leading all the other papers in town, has adopted the tactic: If it's not in the papers, it didn't happen. If no one knows about the Newsies strike and the brute force that is being used to deter them, no one can support them. But there is one more story to be written and there is an old press in Pulitzers basement where they are keeping Jack prisoner. Jack, David, Denton and David's sister Sarah (cause they had to have a token girl and a love interest for Jack) sing "Once and for All" as they publish their story with mounting intensity. The ragged army of Newises join in as they spread their story to all the voiceless kids in New York. Pulizter can't ignore or silence them anymore. It's not just about the Newsies, it's about the child labor force of all New York! That's the power of the press.

"When you got a million voices singing, who can hear a lousy whistle blow?"