Newsies Review: Movie vs. Broadway

  I saw the Newsies for the first time this week and I LOVED it! A few weeks ago I also saw the Broadway version on YouTube so I decided to review both of them at the same time. I'll start with the movie.

  Plot: A musical based on the New York City newsboys strike of 1899. When young newspaper sellers are exploited beyond reason by their bosses, they set out to enact change and are met by the ruthlessness of big business. -IMDb

 The movie stars Christian Bale as Jack Kelly. This was helpful in getting my brothers to watch this movie with me since they love Batman. 

  Who knew Batman sang and danced? I think that's also how we got Harrison to watch Little Women... Batman is a powerful tool. ;D

  The music is very energetic and fun, and the songs will quickly get stuck in your head. It's a lot different than the musicals I'm used to watching. This one was about 98% guys. I think I enjoyed the singing so much mainly because I never get to hear a bunch of guys singing in harmony.

  As for bad stuff, I think there was one bad word, but it was said with a New York accent in the middle of a bunch of people talking, so I could be mistaken. There's also a theater singer named Medda Larson who isn't my favorite character, but at least she isn't too immodest.

  One song I like better in the Movie than the Broadway is Santa Fe. I like it better in the movie because they had to change some of the lyrics in the Broadway version to go along with the way they changed the story and I prefer the original lyrics.

  I enjoyed this movie way more than I was expecting to. If you like musicals and haven't seen this one, I recommend  watching it. It is now one of my favorites. :D

Now for the Broadway....

  First of all, I was greatly disappointed to find that there was language added to most of the songs. Also, Medda Larkson was not *ahem* quite as modest as is the movie. However, there are a lot more songs in the Broadway version, and the singing and music is better quality. 

  One of my favorite songs that they added (that didn't have any language) was "Brooklyn's Here". 

  Though they did add language, it's  a pretty clean show for Broadway, though it still doesn't make me happy that they added it....

"Seize the Day"

  One change in the Broadway version was Jack's love interest. In the movie Jack liked David and Les Jacob's sister, Sarah. I  thought that was sweet since the Jacobs were kind of like brothers to Jack. However Sarah had a really small part.  In the Broadway version, Katherine Plumber (who isn't related to the Jacobs) is the leading lady, and has a much bigger role in the show.  I like that Katherine has a more substantial part, but I was sad she wasn't the Jacobs' sister.

"King of New York"

  Something I really admired in the Broadway production was the set. They had these great three story structures that could be rolled around the stage to make all the different buildings in the musical.

   I love, love, love the music and I wish I could make you all listen to to the whole album or watch you watch the movie, but I suppose that won't do... So instead of posting every song, I found a medley. Even better, it's an a capella medley! (I'm a such a sucker for anything a capella) ;D It doesn't have the same powerful punch as the actual songs, but it's still really fun! :D