UK Transfer I Hope For

Yes, while I live in the United States, I feel like certain musicals should transfer to the UK. There is one in particular I am actually surprised hasn’t even transferred. We all are around Disney musicals- growing up to adults. So, my question is, why hasn’t Newsies transferred?

For starters, Newsies may be underrated, but still successful. It won a Tony for best choreography. I know that the musical was on tour for two years and on Broadway for two years. I know of the success of this musical: not only has it been on Broadway and on Tour, it also was played at schools, local, and regional theater. I feel like this musical would be perfect in the West End. Look how many Disney musicals were in the West End, but Newsies never was.

Well, I think having Newsies in The West End will be extremely good for actors. Newsies is actually about the Newsboy Strike of 1899. There is a reason why I said actors: Newsies is heavily male-based: so that would be a great opportunity for actors. An actress would be extremely lucky if they end up in this musical especially if they end up as Katherine Plumber. Newsies was not successful at the box office in the movie of 1992, but it became a cult classic, which led to the stage show of Newsies.

Even though I have only been to the West End once, I know the talent is there. I did not see a dance-heavy musical: I saw Les Mis. However, still know that just like the US, there are triple threats: right now specifically referring to males. The dancing is mind-blowing. The musical really has improved since the movie. To me, adding Katherine is giving a male-based musical a strong female voice along with a better love interest for Jack Kelly. Jack Kelly, in my opinion, is more complex in the stage show. My favorite Jack Kelly is Joey Barreiro- who was my first Jack.

Disney Male Romantic Protagonists

Like I said in the previous posts, we all were raised on some Disney- it can be the Pixar films, the musical theatre films, or the typical Disney films. In the musical theatre ones, there is always that romantic male lead and we do know that they will fall in love–but they do more than just fall in love. Who are some of these romantic male leads.

1. Beast
2. Aladdin
3. Simba
4. Jack Kelly

Minor Spoilers

Not only are they are the romantic male lead- they are the actual protagonist (except for the Beast) of the musical itself.

The Beast is a prince in disguise who lives at an enchanted castle, which is home to enchanted objects like Lumiere, Cogsworth, and Chip. He later takes Belle as prisoner when she takes her father’s place. A romance soon is going to happen Beast and Belle, which slowly develops.

Beast and Belle

Aladdin is the clever and caring street-rat who is looking for something more than life on the streets. It is Jasmine he falls in love with, Princess of Agrabah. A lot of people in his town see him as no more than a street-rat, but he is so much more.

Aladdin

Simba is the son of Mufasa and is destined to become King. It follows Simba from the days of him as a cub, but mostly after the death of his father- all the way to when he was a young adult. He and Nala were best friends as cubs and later the two of them fell in love- I think that is part of what makes their love incredible.

Simba

Jack Kelly is leader of the Newsies and best friends to Crutchie. The bond found between Jack and Crutchie is a special and intimate bond. He is a dreamer, who is an artist, and cares a lot about his brothers. He falls in love with Katherine, reporter of the strike.

Jack Kelly

Any other Disney romantic male leads you can think of?

Something to Believe In

We all know the iconic Disney love songs- “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”, “Beauty and the Beast”, and “A Whole New World”. They all have this sense of magic in them. There is something about the couples found in them. You just can’t help but love. What about the contemporary Disney love songs- can they fit the same nature?

Yes, they can. I learned this through “Something to Believe In”- the love song found between Jack and Katherine. You might be puzzled about where is this song and who is Jack and who is Katherine. Well, they come from Newsies, which is about the Newsboys Strike of 1899. Jack is the leader of the Newsies while Katherine ends up being the reporter of the strike.

Jack and Katherine

While not taking place on a magic carpet or through a dance or two animals or something magic, the song defiantly has the same nature. It takes place on the rooftop Jack and Crutchie live. Jack is a dreamer and romantic—yes, he is more mature than the other Newsies, but still has innocence. The song does have an innocent nature packed into it- when you hear the song, you can say this does fit under Disney love songs. What I love about the addition of Katherine in Newsies is that it gives the musical a strong female voice-Katherine is a strong character herself.

Songs Connected to Friendship

As a continuation of yesterday’s post, I decided to make a list of musical theatre songs that are connected to friendship. Friendship is one of the types of love that seems to be overlooked. Even some of the friendships are underrated, in my opinion. Some of them may not seem like they are related to friendship, but in my eyes they are.

1. High Adventure
2. Omar, Babkak, Aladdin, Kassim
3. What is This Feeling
4. Popular
5. One Short Day
6. For Good
7. Red and Black
8. Do You Hear the People Sing
9. Drink With Me
10. A Little Fall of Rain
11. Santa Fe (Prologue)
12. Carrying the Banner
13. The World Will Know
14. Seize the Day
15. King of New York
16. Once and For All
17. La Vie Boheme
18. Goodbye Love
19. Finale B

Songs about Friendship

Surrounding yesterday’s post, I decided to write a post about the musical theatre friendships. They even can include songs before the characters become friends in the first place. SPOILER HEAVY.

What is this Feeling

• Yes, in this song, Elphaba and Glinda literally hate each other in this number. You do not think they will become friends at all. This is where it all begins- as enemies.

Popular

• This is Glinda’s solo. In “Dancing Through Life”, the song previously, Elphaba and Glinda finally bonded through each other. Elphaba literally went to the school dance, and did dance silly, and out of that, Glinda made something magical out of that. “Popular” is when Glinda and Elphaba finally have become friends in the first place.

One Short Day

• This is when Glinda and Elphaba visit Emerald City for the day. They are finally best friends in this number. I still count this a best friend number- even though it mainly is a day out number- still Elphaba and Glinda are together in this number.

For Good

• This song is truly about the importance of friendship. It is about what Elphaba and Glinda mean to each other and how they have changed each others lives for the better. It still is bittersweet because they know it is the last moment they will see each other.

Santa Fe (Prologue)

• This song is a duet between Jack Kelly and Crutchie. It highlights the special and beautiful bond between both of them. They are best friend- out of all the Newsies, Crutchie is the most vulnerable. Jack looks out for him the most. I love the two of them the most out of all the Newsies.

Carrying the Banner: plus all of the group Newsies numbers

• All of the group Newsies number highlight the brotherly love they have for each other. Carrying the Banner, in particular, shows that since it is the first number you see them together. The World Will Know is when they develop their union. Seize the Day is when they begin their strike. Those three are in act I. King of New York is when they are in the newspaper for the first time and Once and For All is when they print their own paper and makes it more public. All of them- shows their brotherly love for each other.

Red and Black

• In many ways, the Friends of the ABC are like the Newsies. Yes, you first meet some of them in Look Down, but you first see them as a whole group in Red and Black. Red and Black is when they start planning the uprising- Enjolras is their leader. You begin to see their brotherly love and passion in this number.

Do You Hear the People Sing

• Yes, back to Enjolras and the students. Now, you defiantly know their passion. It is strongly shown through this number.

Drink With Me

• This shows a more vulnerable side to Enjolras and the students. By this point, they know they most likely will fail and will lose their lives. They wonder if those they love will miss them. It is their last intimate moment they have with each other- the result is all of them do die in the end except for Marius.

A Little Fall of Rain

• I wanted to somehow express the friendship between Eponine and Marius. It is “A Little Fall of Rain” that came to mind. It takes place at the barricade. Eponine sacrificed her life for Marius. She is in the arms of Marius- that is why this scene is bittersweet. She may be dying, but at least she is in the arms of the young man she loves. This in so many ways is the happiest moment of her life. Marius is devastated during this scene, but I am glad he is there. All that mattered to Eponine in this moment is that he was with her.