Movie And Musical Adaptation Of “Newsies”
It's 1899, and the Newsies of New York City are fighting for the pay they deserve. For these boys, the small amount of money they receive from selling newspapers is vital to their way of life: living on the streets and getting food from charity. The story of these brave youths, told by Director Kenny Ortega and Michael Finnell in 1992, has been retold in a gripping and action-filled musical that follows the actions of Jack Kelly – the leader of the Newsies – and tells the story of love, war, and of boys turning into men. Both versions follow the footsteps of Jack Kelly: the seventeen-year-old unanimously agreed upon leader of the Newsies. They tell the story of the struggles of the Newsies as the prices of the “papes” they sell go up due to the editor – Joe Pulitzer – feeling the need to make more money than he needs. In his desperation and need to keep his Newsies alive, Jack Kelly organizes a strike to let Pulitzer know that “the world don't know, but they're gonna pay” for depriving the Newsies of their pay and making them suffer. By coming together and showing Pulitzer that they mean business, the Newsies of New York prove that they deserve fair wages, and that just because someone has multitudes of money doesn't mean that he or she is more important than 'the Little Guy'.
This heart wrenching story is generally similar in both adaptations. However, there are some major differences in songs and characters. One such difference is the character Katherine Plumber (Kara Lindsay). Fans of the 1992 adaptation don't know the plucky, amateur reporter who aids the Newsies in their strike and ultimately falls in love with Jack Kelly. The character didn't exist in the movie, and was added into the musical to take the place of Sarah Jacobs (Ele Keats) – the sister of Jack's fellow Newsies and friend, Davey Jacobs – to give the movie a stronger female lead and to add some much-needed romance to the story.
Both versions of this beloved classic based on the true events of an epic strike to promote equality have their own strengths, but when it comes to relatability and style, the musical rises above the movie by far. With better set, style, music, and characters, the musical adaptation of ‘Newsies’ takes the cake as better version, and will ensure that the Newsies of New York live on in history, all we need to do is “watch what happens”!
