Steve Blanchard News

Casting has been announced for the Charlotte engagement of Disney's  NEWSIES.   The Tony® Award-winning production will begin performances at Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, August 9 for a limited engagement through Sunday, August 14. 

Broadway In Chicago is pleased to announce casting for the Chicago engagement of Disney's NEWSIES. The Tony Award-winning production will begin performances at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W Randolph) on Thursday, July 28 for a limited engagement through Sunday, August 7.

The touring cast of Newsies will perform the song 'Santa Fe' live from Santa Fe, NM on Monday, June 20. The event will be streamed to Disney's Facebook page beginning at 1 PM EST and will last approximately 20 minutes, according to Variety.

Everything about the national tour of Disney's NEWSIES, playing this week at the Capitol Theatre (with a rare return engagement scheduled for August due to high demand), is mesmerizing. With a rousing score, striking stage pictures, fluid movement, sympathetic characters, and athletic dancing, there is always something to excite.

Casting has been announced for the Vancouver engagement of Disney's NEWSIES.   The Tony Award-winning production will begin performances at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Tuesday, July 5 for a limited engagement through Sunday, July 10. 

I will admit to the fact that the original 1992 film of "Newsies" is one of my guilty pleasures. So when I heard they were making a stage version of the musical I was dubious but excited. The original already made you overlook much of the schlock, cheese, historical inaccuracies and plot holes. But the stage version, currently at the Paramount Theatre, with its retooled story forces even more of a willing suspension of disbelief almost to the point of brain death. But if you can manage that level of tucking rational thought into some dark corner then you're bound to have a good time as this spectacle is loaded with tons of vibrancy and a bevy of cute "boys" who sure do sing and dance pretty.

Sometimes ever the brightest stars don't get their chance to shine. On March 23rd, the world of theatre lost yet another uprising star. Parker Leikam, an 18 year old senior at South Jefferson High School in Adams, New York, was killed in a head on car collision only two blocks from his home. Police reported that the other driver tried to pass a vehicle in front of him, entering a no passing zone, and crashing into Leikam's minivan.

Casting has been announced for the Orange County engagement of DISNEY'S NEWSIES. The Tony Award®-winning production will begin performances at Segerstrom Center for the Arts on May 17 for a limited engagement through May 29 in Segerstrom Hall.

'Newsies' made the headlines as a flop Disney film back in 1992, but the musical garnered a cult following that led to its 2012 revamp on Broadway. The national tour of that production, now on its final leg, carries the banner to Sacramento this week with its own outstanding effects worthy of above-the-fold, front page attention.

Casting has been announced for the Seattle engagement of Disney's NEWSIES.   The Tony Award-winning production will begin performances at The Paramount Theatre on Tuesday, April 26 for a limited engagement through Sunday, May 1.

The Sacramento premiere of Disney's NEWSIES opens Tuesday, April 12 at 8:00 PM at the Community Center Theater for a limited engagement through Sunday, April 17. In Sacramento, NEWSIES will play Tuesday and Wednesday at 8:00 PM; Thursday at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM; Friday at 8:00 PM; Saturday at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM; and Sunday at 2:00 PM.

Casting has been announced for the San Jose engagement of Disney's NEWSIES. The Tony Award-winning production will begin performances at the Center for the Performing Arts (255 Almaden Blvd.) on Tuesday, May 10 for a limited engagement through Sunday, May 15.

Kansas City, watch what happens when a group of newsboys take on one of the most important journalists of their time.

It's not unusual for movies to be adapted for the stage these days, in fact, it's become rather commonplace. But typically, musicals written for the screen that flop (even though they might have a rather substantial cult following), are usually avoided for obvious reasons. Although, that didn't stop the producers of XANADU from plowing forward, go figure. The Disney film NEWSIES actually seems likes a logical choice to revamp and produce on the stage, and it wound up winning Tony Awards for best score and choreography back in 2012, and becoming quite the hit. So why am I so surprised? I guess because the current touring production, while occasionally dazzling, comes off slightly uninspired and flat. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some really fine performances, an eye catching scenic design, cool effects, and energetic choreography that certainly lives up to expectations. And, like the film, an awful lot of people, both young and old, are guaranteed to truly love this show, as evidenced by the very enthusiastic response from the audience at the performance I attended.

The Milwaukee engagement of Disney's NEWSIES begins performances at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts tonight, January 5 for a limited engagement through Sunday, January 10.

When I was a child, I was a paper boy. I schlepped a stack of 100 papers all around the little town 5 miles from my home; I earned a little bit of money and I still have that savings stash today. It wasn't as if I really needed the money, it was more a lesson about the need to be useful in society. But in New York City, 1899, things were a lot different. At that time, youths sold newspapers in order to survive. This was how orphans and children of unemployed fathers were able to buy food for the day. Many of these kids lived on the streets. Disney's musical NEWSIES tells the plight of these youths. The plot is both a love story and a lesson in capitalism gone sour, bolstered by magnificent dancing and Disney-quality songs. NEWSIES is inspired by the real-life 'Newsboy Strike of 1899,' when newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaway newsies on a two-week-long action against Pulitzer, Hearst and other powerful newspaper publishers. The show won Best Choreography and Best Original Score at the 2012 Tony Awards. Ending this weekend at the Fisher Theatre, NEWSIES is as perfect as a musical can get.

Casting has been announced for the Milwaukee engagement of Disney's NEWSIES. The Tony Award-winning production will begin performances at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, January 5 for a limited engagement through Sunday, January 10.

Casting has been announced for the Detroit engagement of Disney's NEWSIES. The Tony Award-winning production will begin performances at the Detroit Opera House tonight, December 15 for a limited engagement through December 27.

Casting has been announced for the St. Louis engagement of Disney's NEWSIES.   The Tony Award-winning production will begin performances at the Fabulous Fox Theatre on Tuesday, January 19 for a limited engagement through Sunday, January 31. 

There was a moment tonight in the Orpheum's presentation of NEWSIES that I envisioned the entire production as an animated feature -- and why not? There was the infectious music of Alan Menken, who long ago set the 'gold standard' for the resurgence of Disney animation beginning with THE LITTLE MERMAID; there was, too, the 'underdog' hero ('Jack Kelley,' played with panache and charisma by Joey Barreiro), who serves as a point of inspiration for a horde of ragtag 'newsies'; and instead of an 'Ariel' or 'Belle,' there was 'Katherine,' the spirited young 'girl reporter,' who, with her independence and ingenuity, could fall right in line with the other young heroines of Disney films.