NEWSIES
Hi, I was thinking about the Musical and Music page and thought: I NEED A NEWSIES PAGE. I want on this page things about the musical, movie, characters, actors AND the real newsboy strike!! So HI.
SPOILER ALERT
On this page are gonna be many spoilers. so if you haven't watch NEWSIES. GO WATCH IT or go to the Musical and Music page for a no-spoiler review :)
Versions I've seen:
THE NEWSBOY STRIKE
We'll start with the real Newsboy strike.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsboys%27_strike_of_1899 https://web.archive.org/web/20070205023702/http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=166
The newsboy strike took place from 18 July to 2 August 1899. It occurred when Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst increased the price of newspapers from 50 cents to 60 cents per hundred. Circulation of The New York World fell from 360,000 to 125,000 papers sold per day. During the strike, the Newsies attacked boys and men who sold papers, beating them and destroying the papers. They didn't beat girls or women because Kid Blink (more about him later) said, 'A feller can't soak a lady'. On 24 July, there was a rally at Irving Hall. Thousands of newsboys joined the rally, and there were speeches by Kid Blink, Annie Kelly, and Racetrack Higgins, among others. Kid Blink, the face of the strike, said in his speech: ''Friens and feller workers. Dis is a time which tries de hearts of men. Dis is de time when we'se got to stick together like glue.... We know wot we wants and we'll git it even if we is blind." He was the face of the strike until he was accused of betraying it on 26 July. He denied it, but people noticed that he was wearing slightly better clothes than before He stepped down from his leadership position after the accusations. Annie Kelly, one of the newsgirls and the only woman to speak at the rally, said, 'All I can say is stick together and we'll win. That's all I've got to say to you.' Racetrack Higgins, the leader of the Brooklyn union, used humour in his speech to the newsboys. Unfortunately, I can't find his speech – or even part of it. The strike ended on 2 August. The price remained at 60 cents per 100, but from now on, they would buy back the unsold newspapers.
I want to say: Thanks to the sources. I maybe gonna write more about the real strike, but I like it more to write about the musical and movie, tho I do love history. This isn't the whole story. just that you know, I've written about the things that I think are most important. Thank you for reading this. and SEIZE THE DAY.
CHARACTERS
Jack Kelly
This is the main character and I really like the way they maked this character. I like about Jack that he is the leader of the newsies, but that he is also really dreamy and soft. I love the way they created him as someone who actually don't want to live in New York and knows that there is so much more to live for. And I really like that he and Davey are two total different persons, with total different background story's, but still are a really good team and friends for the BROADWAY version: I love the Santa Fe solo and the creative person that he actually is. "Take it easy, It's a bunch of trees''
Davey Jacobs
What I like about this character is that he really changed during the strike and that he is someone who wants to take responsibility. I like the theory of him wearing in act 1 his spencer closed what is like the brave boy vibe and that he worn in act 2 is spencer open what said that he actually got more open as a person. (I can't find the pic I saw on Pinterest) I also like how they maked Davey really a big brother for Les and that he feels really (again) responsible for Les. ''GO AND LOOK IT UP THE POOR GUYS HEAD IS SPINNING" EDIT: I FOUND THE THEORY: https://pin.it/ExZ29pRYF
Crutchie
I love Crutchie. I love the fact that he is always positive even though he has a bum leg. I love him and Jack as brothers; I think that that really was how things went in 1899: the brother's relationship what they got from working seven days a week for years with each other. They added at the NEWSIES tour a solo for Crutchie (Letter From The Refuge) What I think was a very good choose, because it brings emotions and they show also a bit more of the history. I also saw a version without ''Letter From The Refuge.'' And I missed the song directly. "The end, your friend.... Your Best friend.... Your Brother... Crutchie""
RaceTrack Higgins
I also love this character; this is actually one of my Favorite characters. The cigar he has always on him, the jokes ECT. What I also really like is that Race(track Higgins) was a real newsie back in 1899. He was actually the leader of Brooklyn, and he was known for his humor in his speech during the rally (see the Newsies history). I love the King Of New York part this character sings. I saw a theory about Race that literally made me sobbing. (CREDITS TO: https://pin.it/5rfemDuB9) it says that because Race was very young (3 years old) when he came to the lodging house. He liked to comfort young kids who go through the same as him (trying to survive as a little orphan boy) and that Jack and Race found Crutchie and taked care of him. I love this theory actually and I think that this really could be how it go. This was another reason why I really love Race. "The woild is ya erster, Yer fancy clam wit the poyle inside"
Les Jacobs
I like Les. He is (for those who don't know) the little brother of Davey, I like the character because it makes Davey's role more, I think and because he is a little kid who does understand the life of being a Newsies in that time even tho he isn't really a Newsies. I really like about Les is that he is that young that he doesn't really care about life and actually everything. He just says what he thinks. I like that about him. "Yes, He did, and than he... DIED''
Albert DaSilva
Albert isn't a really big character with many lines or something. But he is one of my favorite characters, I really like his lines in 'Carrying The Banner'' and even tho we don't have much about his back story, I found something about the fact that he lived with his father and two brothers and that he started selling papes to support his family after the dead of his mother. (on the trading cards. If someone has trading cards and wants to give me some, thank you :)) I just really like Albert. "I just had the most beautiful dream... my lips are still TIGGELING'' I found the info on: https://aroskywalker.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/the-newsies-trading-card-bios/
'Romeo
Romeo is also not a really big role (we are gonna go into the esembles : )) But I like Romeo. He is close to Jack I think (from what ive seen in the Broadway versions) I would've liked to know more about him too (I know that if we want from every one a backstory we are gonna need a Broadway version of 16 hrs. But there's nothing wrong with that) I found that Romeo was about 13-14 years old during the strike, that he was a newer-newsie and best friends with Race (you see, Race is taking care of the newer one's) and that he can't read. I don't like the scene where he gets hit by that police man. It kills me how long it taked to get up. "Hello, hello beautiful''
Spot Conlon
I think Spot is an amazing character. He is only in the last 30 (?) minutes of the show, what I do like it because you get still a very good picture of him in only 30 minutes. I like the scene during the rally where he says; ''NEWSIES UNITED'' let everyone go crazy, and then makes a silent sign, where everyone listen to. I think that shows the power of Brooklyn and Spot. ''friendliest place on earth. Pay us a visit and see what we means. And when you do, we'll kick you halfway through Queens.''
Finch
I don't really know much about Finch but I think he is a good newsie. I liked that he had catapult in NEWSIES Broadway. I think (and hope) it's a NEWSIES 1992 reference. (Brooklyn who had all catapults) I found that he ran away from home at young age. What is actually so sad. There isn't much other known about Finch but I like him. "I AIN'T SCARED FOR NO TURF, but that Spot Conlon makes my a little twitchy''
Elmer
There is litterally nothing to find about Elmer except the fact he is the youngest of nine Polish children. But I like Elmer. The only line I can remember of him is "The trolley strike? Not again! Three weeks of the same story." What is a good line, right? No I like Elmer but he is like a esemble-esemble so that's it. (he is cute tho.)
Jo Jo (De La Guerra)
I like JoJo (I know Im saying that by every character but it is true) He is raised by nuns and I found somewhere that he was probably the richest newsie (I don't know how, if he is raised by nuns, so without parents or such) But it sounds cool. We need to give JoJo his watch. "A solid gold watch with a chain to twirl it."
I think this are the NEWSIES where I wanted to talk about.
THE ACTORS
I like to talk about the NEWSIES actors. We're gonna start with the NEWSIES live (2017) actors. And later about the NEWSIES Original Broadway Cast and the NEWSIES 1992 cats :)
Jeremy Jordan (Jack Kelly)
I think Jeremy Jordan is an AMAZING actor and singer. I love his voice so much and I think he played Jack Kelly amazing. The first time I saw NEWSIES I saw Jeremy (Jack) and Ben (Davey) standing next to each other. And I remember thinking ''It's funny that the actor of Jack could never play D avey and otherwise.'' And not because of their acting skills. No, because of the faces and way they moved. I think that proves how good Jeremy (and Ben) played their roles. For the JerJor fans: please check out ''here for you'' by Jonathan Reid Gealt AND JerJor. I love that song sooo much. But back to business: The way Jeremy/Jack sings Santa Fe is so good. His voice plus the way he acts is incredible. Gonna write more about JerJor later.
Ben Cook (RaceTrack Higgins)
Should I do bigger roles first? Nah, we're gonna jap about BEN COOK. I love the way Ben plays Race. I think Race suits him really good. I love the accent (I love that bout every NEWSIE but a bit more by Ben) AND the cigar ofcourse. It's amazing how he is dancing with a cigar in his mouth (let that sink in please) I love King Of New York as the bit-of-a-solo for Race. I saw that Ben (Cook!!!) lived for 8 years (!) with Josh Burrage (JoJo) what is so, like, sweet that they have such an amazing friendship (Wish I had a friend I could live with for 8 years...) I think Ben Cook is an amazing (amazing counter: 6) actor.