Review: NEWSIES Tour in Minneapolis

Dancing newsboys! Underdogs win! Read all about it!

I was clearly in the minority at the opening night performance of Disney's NEWSIES at Minneapolis' Orpheum Theatre. I am pretty sure I was the only person in the room aside from my husband who had never seen the movie. Fans who filled the plush red velvet seats of the historic theatre were obviously more than familiar with the story, the songs and the high energy dancing on stage.

That dancing was the highlight of the production, a first in Minneapolis. The majority of the 33 cast members were men with some serious ballet cred. The newsboys spent much of the show in constant motion - leaping, flipping, pirouetting, tapping in sync to Christopher Gattelli's Tony award-winning choreography. In all, there were 31 back flips alone and one mean spin that had a newsboy going around at dizzying speed to the whoops and hollers of the delighted crowd.

Based on true events, NEWSIES tells the story of a band of underdogs who become unlikely heroes when they stand up to the most powerful men in New York, the publishers who hiked the price they pay for the privilege of selling papers to earn a living for themselves (many are orphans) or their unemployed families. They fight for what they feel is right, which is a fair price for the "papes" they schlep across the Big Apple's circa 1899 streets. The feel-good message is about staying true to who you are, no matter what the cost.

There's also a boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, girl disappoints boy, boy leaves everyone behind when he disappoints them (in his mind), girl helps boy, boy returns to save the day story line between bursts of dance. The story line is not likely what drove the crowd's enthusiasm as much as the dozens of good looking young men who can leap and twirl like no one's business. It felt very typical overall. The revelation moment (which you know if you watched that movie, too) did give me a moment of surprise but otherwise it was very rote storytelling. No, the real star of the show is the dancing boys, lead by ringleader Jack Kelly, played by Joey Barriero. Even "Crutchie" (Zachary Sayle) had some solid moves.

Noticeably, the show is very heavily male dominated. There are apparently five women in the cast, though only two have substantial roles, a point that is disappointing in a show created in the 21st century. At least the two females, Morgan Keene (Katherine) and Aisha De Haas (Medda Larkin), who had the lead parts were strong, career women who clearly took charge.

NEWSIES is all about the nostalgia of Disney film fans and solid mass choreography, and its upbeat, underdog takes the world message is one that most anyone can get behind.

Photo: Original company, North American Tour of NEWSIES. ©Disney

Photo by: Deen van Meer

More information:

Tickets are available for shows now through Feb. 14, 2016, online at: http://www.hennepintheatretrust.org/events/newsies-broadway-tickets-orpheum-theatre-minneapolis-mn

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