![]() ![]() Newsies demonstrates that 1890s young adults could accomplish quite a lot when they put their minds to it. The dancing makes this musical history lesson as impressive as it is inspiring.īroadway in Columbus and CAPA will present Newsies through Sunday (Jan. Several numbers fill Tobin Ost’s set with amazing moments of motion. The real stars, though, are choreographer Christopher Gattelli and his spinning, leaping and somersaulting dancers. (Also, he seemed to suffer from subpar amplification at Tuesday’s performance.) But Styles turns Katherine into a lovable heroine, while Blanchard’s Pulitzer is such an effectively loathsome villain that you can almost imagine him twirling his mustache. Working under Jeff Calhoun’s direction, DeLuca makes Jack such a caricature of New York swagger that he’s not as compelling a hero as he might be. It sometimes was hard to pick out the lyrics, particularly in the group numbers. But a worse problem on opening night was a sound system that often failed to elevate the generally fine voices above the large band conducted by James Dodgson. True, a few of the other numbers are either less memorable or less relevant, coming off as mere filler. They include The World Will Know, a defiant anthem that captures the spirit (if not the power) of Les Miz’s Do You Hear the People Sing?, and Watch What Happens, an amusing expression of Katherine’s determination in the face of self-doubt. With music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman, the score has several enjoyable numbers. The touring version makes it clear that these remain the show’s prime strengths. Newsies gained several Tony nominations after opening on Broadway in 2012, but it won only for its musical score and choreography. Backing him up are his best friend, Crutchie (Zachary Sayle), along with newcomer Davey (Jacob Kemp) and his little brother, Les (played at alternate performances by Vincent Crocella and Anthony Rosenthal).įighting the newspapers is a nearly impossible task, but unexpected help comes in the form of Katherine (Stephanie Styles), a society reporter who wants to write about the labor struggle to prove she’s ready to graduate to hard news. Jack persuades Manhattan-based newsies to go on strike, then begins seeking support from their counterparts in other New York boroughs. He doesn’t count on the tenacity of Jack Kelly (Dan DeLuca), the paper pushers’ unofficial leader. Joseph Pulitzer (Steve Blanchard), owner of the New York World, is the first to raise the wholesale price his “newsies” must pay, thinking that’s the easiest way to offset recent losses. ![]() Yes, the little guys do occasionally win out in real life, as they do in Disney musicals.īased on a 1992 movie, which was based on the Newsboys Strike of 1899, Newsies is about what happens when New York City newspapers put the screws to the young lads who eke out a living by selling their products on the street. As a result, it was hard to see it without remembering that a blatantly anti-union law had been passed about four years ago right across the street at the Statehouse-or that the governor who signed the law was re-inaugurated on Monday night.Īll of that might have made it hard to enjoy the musical except that the anti-union law was overwhelmingly repealed thanks to a 2011 referendum. The history-based Disney musical is basically a salute to the power of unions. It was kind of odd watching Newsies Tuesday night at the Ohio Theatre. Natural wood materials mixed with painted paneling and deep upholstery help the spaces clearly defined for relaxation to exist comfortably against the energetic, light filled entertainment spaces creating a design that feels exciting enough for the young user and modern and inviting to the adult user.Stephanie Styles and Dan DeLuca play Katherine and Jack in the touring production of Newsies (photo by Deen van Meer) We used repetition and iconic entertainment symbols to create highly visual but engaging pieces. Wood clad steel columns and interior factory style glazing allows for transparency between spaces while clearly defining each.Ĭolor changing LED lighting fills the entertainment spaces and draws the eye towards the ceiling highlighting various in-house designed art installations. The entry lounge space is laid in natural wood floors, clad in painted wood walls and arranged with modern profile furniture. With careful consideration of the Texas Modern aesthetic, we created a space that bordered modernity but was still inviting and eye-catching for the users which vary largely in age-range. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |