It may be one of my Most Underappreciated Disney Films, but it’s no flop on the stage: The Hollywood Reporter reveals that the Broadway version of “Newsies” has already recouped its expenses. For a Broadway show that’s fast; in fact, “Newsies” sets a record for Disney Theatrical Productions as the show that’s made back the money spent to make it in the quickest amount of time.
“Newsies” cost Disney Theatrical Productions $5 million. It made that back in nine months after opening (on Broadway; its pre-Broadway run in New Jersey isn’t being counted here). That’s even faster than Disney Broadway mega-hits like “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast.” The Hollywood Reporter points out that “Newsies” cost a lot less to make than many other Disney shows on Broadway, but it’s also playing in a theater about one-third the size of that used for the other shows. So any way you look at it, “Newsies” has done something impressive.
There was a lot of tentative feeling about the “Newsies” Broadway show. Disney Theatrical Productions had just come off of a couple flops, in “The Little Mermaid” and “Tarzan.” Choosing a film that, if it’s famous for anything, was how expensive of a failure it was for Disney 20 years ago, was a big risk. But it’s one that has clearly paid off.
I’m not at all surprised that “Newsies” has done so well. Although the movie didn’t resonate with audiences in 1992, it’s become a cult favorite since then (I’m proof of that). In some ways I think it always might have been meant more for Broadway than for a children’s musical film, and I’m certainly not surprised it did better on stage than “The Little Mermaid” or “Tarzan.”
Those movies have elaborate settings and fantastical characters, something much harder to pull off on stage than a story about a bunch of teenagers in 1899 New York. Yes, “The Lion King” did it, but it took a visionary director. In many ways, “Newsies” is a much simpler story, at least in terms of setting, but it’s got a message of fighting against inequality and oppression that could resonate with anyone.
I’ve always said that the themes in “Newsies” were a bit too grown-up for kids. Not that they were inappropriate for children; the farthest thing from. I just think it might have been a lot harder for kids to wrap their minds around the concepts of workers going on strike and power struggles. I’ll never regret the fact that a “Newsies” film was made, given that it had such an impact on me as a teenager. It’s found its true home on Broadway, and I couldn’t be happier for it.
*(The above image by Photoportunity is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)