Le monde des musicals

Musical (2012)

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Musique: Alan Menken •
Paroles: Jack Feldman •
Livret: Harvey Fierstein •
Production à la création:

Newsies est un musical créé et produit en 2011 par Disney Theatrical Productions qui reprend la trame du film musical Newsies (1992) réalisé par Kenny Ortega et produit de Walt Disney Pictures. Les deux productions s'inspirent de la grève des livreurs de journaux en 1899 à New York.

C'est l'histoire entraînante d'une bande d'adolescents vendeurs de journaux qui rêvent d'une vie meilleure loin des difficultés de la rue. Après que le magnat de la presse Joseph Pulitzer ait augmenté les prix de ses journaux, Jack Kelly rallie ses collègues vendeurs de journaux pour tenter de protester contre le changement, tombant amoureux de la jeune journaliste Katherine en cours de route. Ces jeunes de toute la ville se rassemblent et se soulèvent contre l'exploitation des riches magnats de l'édition et se battent pour la justice en utilisant le seul pouvoir dont ils disposent: la solidarité.

Acte I
In July 1899, a group of orphaned and homeless newsboys live in a Lower Manhattan lodging house with their informal leader, seventeen-year-old Jack Kelly. In the early hours of the morning, Jack tells his best friend, Crutchie, of his dream to one day leave New York for a better life out West (strong>Santa Fe (Prologue)). As the sun rises, the rest of the newsies awaken and prepare for a day on the job, finding as much joy as they can in their life of poverty (Carrying the Banner). At the circulation gate, Jack meets a new newsboy named Davey and his nine-year-old brother Les. Unlike the other newsies, the brothers have a home and a loving family, and have been pulled out of school only temporarily to support their parents while their father is out of work with an injury. Seeing young Les as an opportunity to sell more papers, Jack offers to be their partner. Meanwhile, the publisher of the New York World, Joseph Pulitzer, expresses his displeasure at his newspaper's declining circulation. To increase his profits, he decides to increase the cost of the papers for the newsies, ignoring his secretary's concerns that "it's going to be awfully rough on those children" (The Bottom Line).
Later, Jack, Davey, and Les are selling their final newspapers of the day when the corrupt Warden Snyder of the Refuge, a juvenile detention center, recognizes Jack as an escapee from his institution. He attempts to chase the boys down, but they find cover in a vaudeville-style theatre owned by Jack's friend Medda Larkin, whom he regularly paints backdrops for. As Medda performs (That's Rich), Jack spots a young female reporter named Katherine Plumber. She rebuffs Jack's attempts to flirt with her, but she is then charmed when he leaves her with a sketch of her portrait (Don’t Come A-Knocking/I Never Planned on You).
The next morning, the newsies discover that the cost of newspapers has been raised to sixty cents per hundred. Outraged, Jack declares the newsies to be a union and organizes a protest (The World Will Know). Katherine decides to cover the strike, seeing it as an opportunity to be taken more seriously as a journalist (Watch What Happens). The next day, the boys have informed the rest of the city's newsies about the strike, but each neighborhood claims that they will only join once Spot Conlon, leader of the Brooklyn newsies, gives the okay. The newsies are discouraged by the lack of support, but Davey convinces them to protest regardless of who shows (Seize the Day). Scabs arrive to take the newsies' jobs, but are persuaded to join the strike by Jack, who delivers an impassioned speech condemning child labor and the city's treatment of the poor. The protest appears to be headed for success, but is soon cut short when Pulitzer's goon squad and the police arrive to break it up by force. During the ensuing fight, Crutchie is apprehended, badly beaten, and taken to the Refuge. A devastated Jack escapes to the lodging house rooftop and, blaming himself for the protest's failure, fantasizes about running away forever (Santa Fe).

Acte II
The next morning, Katherine finds the battered and bruised newsies in Jacobi's Deli, only to learn that no one knows where Jack is as rumors circulate about his whereabouts. She cheers the other newsies up by showing them that her article about the strike made the front page of the New York Sun. Thrilled, the boys rejoice at making the headline and imagine what it would be like to be famous (King of New York). However, Pulitzer has declared a blackout on strike news, meaning Katherine's story will be the only one to run. Meanwhile, Crutchie writes a letter to Jack, describing the filthy and abusive conditions at the Refuge. He asks Jack to make sure the newsies continue to look out for one another, signing the letter, "your brother, Crutchie" (Letter from the Refuge). Later, Davey finds Jack hiding out in the basement of Medda's theatre and informs him of his plan to hold a citywide rally in the theatre. Jack, distraught over Crutchie's arrest, refuses to put the other boys back in danger, but Davey, along with Katherine and Les, convinces him that their fight is too important to quit (Watch What Happens (Reprise)).
Back at the World, an angry Pulitzer plots with Warden Snyder about how to stop Jack. Snyder reveals that Jack was originally sentenced to the Refuge for vagrancy, but has since become a "frequent visitor," with his most recent arrest being for trafficking stolen food and clothing. Jack soon arrives with an invitation for Pulitzer to attend the rally Davey has planned. Pulitzer declines, assuring Jack that no newspaper will violate the blackout order by covering the rally. Pulitzer claims that if it's not in the papers, it never happened. Jack attempts to counter by claiming the newsies already have a reporter on their side, but Pulitzer reveals that Katherine is his daughter and that "Plumber" is only her pen name. He offers Jack a choice: if the strike is called off, Jack will be cleared of all charges and given enough money to leave for Santa Fe, but if not, he and the other newsies will all be arrested and sent to the Refuge (The Bottom Line (Reprise)). Katherine, who has been listening in secret, attempts to apologize to Jack, but he brushes her off as he is detained by Pulitzer's goons and led into the cellar.
The next morning, Spot Conlon and the Brooklyn newsies declare their support of the strike and head to the rally (Brooklyn's Here). Jack, believing there is no way the newsies can win against Pulitzer's money, power, and connections, shows up to the rally to reluctantly suggest the strike be called off. He accepts the Santa Fe money from one of Pulitzer's men as Davey, Spot, and the other newsies watch in disbelief, calling him a traitor and a scab. Jack flees to his rooftop, only to find that Katherine has beaten him there. She has discovered Jack's drawings of the abuse he suffered at the Refuge among his belongings and realizes that he stole to feed and clothe the other boys. They argue about their respective betrayals and the fate of the strike, but the argument is cut short when she impulsively kisses him. Katherine has a new idea: use Jack's drawings and one of her articles to print their own newspaper, calling for every worker under 21 to strike alongside the newsies. Jack agrees, recalling an abandoned printing press in Pulitzer's cellar, but before getting to work, they share a romantic moment, each stating that the other has given them "something to believe in" (Something to Believe In).
The other newsies join Jack and Katherine in printing their own paper, the Newsies Banner, and distribute copies throughout the city (Once and for All). A copy reaches Governor Theodore Roosevelt, who arrives in full support of the newsies' cause. Roosevelt gives Pulitzer an ultimatum, forcing the latter to concede to Jack's demands. Jack proposes that Pulitzer buy back every paper the newsies fail to sell each day. Initially reluctant, Pulitzer agrees when Jack points out he will still ultimately benefit from the increased sales. Jack and Roosevelt inform the newsies that the strike is over and they have won. As the newsies celebrate, Roosevelt informs them that he has shut down the Refuge, citing Jack's drawings as his motivation to do so. Crutchie returns to his friends, and Snyder is arrested. Impressed at the influence Jack's drawings had on the governor, Pulitzer offers him a job as a daily political cartoonist. Jack declines, claiming it is time he leaves for Santa Fe, but Davey, Katherine, and Crutchie remind him that "New York's got us, and we're your family." Ultimately, Jack decides to stay and chooses to remain a newsboy as well as accept the cartoonist job (Finale).

1 Newsies peut-être considéré comme un Top musical

Le film musical Newsies (1992)

Try-Out - Paper Mill Playhouse (2011)
Les premières représentations de Newsies The Musical ont eu lieu au Paper Mill Playhouse à Millburn, dans le New Jersey du 25 septembre au 16 octobre 2011. Mis en scène par Jeff Calhoun et avec des chorégraphies de Christopher Gattelli, ce musical reprend des chansons du film mais y intègre aussi de nouveaux morceaux. À la différence du film, le musical n'est pas centré sur la relation amoureuse de Jack pour Sarah Jacobs, sœur de Davey et Les, ainsi que Brian Denton le journaliste du New York Sun qui a écrit sur les livreurs de journaux. Ils sont remplacés par un personnage composite nommé Katherine Plummer, une journaliste, qui est un nom de plume. Les chansons My Lovey Dovey Baby et High Times Hard Times ainsi que le solo de la mère de Patrick sont absents de l'adaptation.
La production au Paper Mill Playhouse a reçu des critiques favorables…

Création - Broadway (2012–2014)
Suite à la réussite du Try-Out, le 11 février 2012, Disney annonce que le musical va être transféré à Broadway. La série commence à Broadway au Nederlander Theatre pour une série limitée: previews depuis le 15 mars 2012 et une Première officielle le 29 mars 2012. Mais dès le 19 mars 2012, Disney annonce que les représentations ont été prolongées jusqu'au 19 août 2012. Le 16 mai 2012, Disney annonce que le spectacle est désormais "open end", c'est-à-dire que la date de fermeture n'est plus programmée.
La distribution originale comprenait Jeremy Jordan (Jack Kelly), John Dossett (le magnat de la presse Joseph Pulitzer), Kara Lindsay (Katherine Plumber), Capathia Jenkins (Medda Larkin), Ben Fankhauser (Davey), Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Crutchie) ainsi que Lewis Grosso et Matthew Schechter partageant le rôle de Les. Le coût de la production a été estimée à 5 millions de dollars. En sept mois, Newsies a rentabilisé l'investissement initial devenant la plus rapides des musicals de Disney à Broadway à atteindre son seuil de rentabilité!
Le 14 août 2012, les producteurs annoncent que Jeremy Jordan quitte le rôle principal au 4 septembre en raison d'un contrat avec NBC sur la série Smash. Il est remplacé officiellement par Corey Cott le 5 septembre mais Cott avait déjà servi d'understudy durant le mois d'août.
Le 22 juin 2014, Disney annonce la fin des représentations du musical pour le 24 août 2014, au bout de 1.004 représentations.

US-Tour (2014)
Le musical entame en octobre 2014 un US-Tour qui s'étend durant 43 semaines de la saison 2014-2015, s'arrêtant dans de 25 villes.

Londres (2022)
Le 21 février 2022, il a été annoncé que le musical devrait ouvrir cette année-là à Londres. Le 8 mars 2022, il a été annoncé que cette version se ferait dans une nouvelle version où le public entourerait les artiste… Le théâtre choisi est le tout récent Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre avec une ouverture officielle le 8 décembre 2022. La mise en scène et les chorégraphies seront cette fois signées par Matt Cole.

Acte I
Prologue: “Santa Fe” (Jeremy Jordan, Andrew Keenan-Bolger)
“Carrying the Banner” (Jeremy Jordan, Newsies)
“The Bottom Line” (John Dossett, Mark Aldrich, Nick Sullivan, Laurie Veldheer)
“That’s Rich” (Capathia Jenkins)
“I Never Planned on You” and “Don’t Come a-Knocking” (Jeremy Jordan, Bowery Beauties)
“The World Will Know” (Jeremy Jordan, Ben Fankhauser, Lewis Grosso, Newsies)
“The World Will Know” (reprise) (Newsies)
“Watch What Happens” (Kara Lindsay)
“Seize the Day” (Ben Fankhauser, Jeremy Jordan, Newsies)
“Santa Fe” (reprise) (Jeremy Jordan)

Acte II
Entr’acte (Orchestra)
“King of New York” (Ben Fankhauser, Kara Lindsay, Lewis Grosso, Newsies)
“Watch What Happens” (reprise) (Ben Fankhauser, Jeremy Jordan, Kara Lindsay, Lewis Grosso)
“The Bottom Line” (reprise) (John Dossett, Mark Aldrich, John E. Brady)
“Brooklyn’s Here” (Tommy Bracco, Newsies)
“Something to Believe In” (Kara Lindsay, Jeremy Jor- dan)
“Seize the Day” (first reprise) (Newsies)
“Once and for All” (Jeremy Jordan, Ben Fankhauser, Kara Lindsay, Newsies)
“Seize the Day” (second reprise) (Newsies)
Finale (Jeremy Jordan, Newsies)

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