The “I want” song in “Newsies”—where the protagonist expresses what they’re after—is called “Santa Fe,” and in it, Jack Kelly sings about his desire to leave the grimy streets of New York to move to the “new” city of clay out west.
In the theatrical world, this lets the audience in on the inner life of the main character (who often ends up realizing—through the events of the story—that what they really need is something else entirely). It was performed with impressive tenacity and tenderness, during last Friday night’s Scotts Valley Performing Arts show.
“Newsies” was originally produced by Disney Theatrical Productions on Broadway in September 2011, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman. It’s based on a book by Harvey Firestein as well as the Disney film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White.
“This high-energy story is rooted in the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899, capturing the pivotal moment when young people realize the world isn’t fair and decide they have the power to change it,” director Mikaela Reed wrote for the program. “It serves as a vital reminder that we all have the ability to speak out against injustice, especially in a time when it is so easy to feel small.”
When Fierstein added a female reporter to the original film version, which featured Christian Bale, Bill Pullman and Robert Duvall, he rounded it out with an exciting new element—the love story. And the Scotts Valley edition did a great job of making the burgeoning relationship between the nepo baby writer and strike leader Jack Kelly feel convincing.
One of the coolest parts of the show was how they used the space to full-effect. At one point, kids (agitating news-hawkers) can be heard behind you, as if from down on a street below. And at other moments, the singers line the aisles to make their perspectives known with gusto.
It was thoroughly enjoyable to get an imagined—yet all too real—glimpse into the mind of Joseph Pulitzer, played with gravitas by Gage Herendeen, as he takes suggestions for improving the financial health of his newspaper. “What if we cut back personnel?” suggests one adviser. “How about a few salary trims?” offers another. “It’s the simplest solutions that bolster the bottom line,” Herendeen sings while getting a shave. (“The razor should float,” is how Pulitzer describes the art of making cuts in the print biz, comparing it to the work of a good barber.)
Herendeen drew on his experience as William Shakespeare in MCT’s mounting of “Something Rotten,” and Larry the Lobster in Cabrillo College’s “The SpongeBob Musical.” Actually, he was supposed to play Pulitzer in Scotts Valley High School’s version of “Newsies,” until the coronavirus showed up in town.
Pulitzer decides to raise the price of newspapers by 10 cents, setting the stage for the distributors’ strike.
Someone else who’s had her mind on her money is Medda Larkin (but no luck in the relationship department), played by Nanni Westgate, the woman who runs the establishment where the newsies like to hang out. Westgate’s powerful voice filled the Landing with controlled vibrato, as she ended her song with “That’s rich!”
Some roles were played by the same person the entire run. And while there was a “Sun” cast and a “World” cast, according to one of the parents in the audience, a fever had taken out a few actors, meaning on Friday the casts were more mixed-together than normal.
But the energy of the production is what was really contagious. The young performers (of a wide range of ages) were having such a blast as they belted out: “And the World will know! And the Journal, too! Mr. Hearst and Pulitzer, have we got news for you!”
The tale (only based partially on reality) being told through movement and song felt extremely relevant, not just because of the parallels with the issues currently being faced by America’s proletariat, under the Trump administration’s immigration agenda. But given that a local friend was recently included in a Pulitzer-winning article, and I was at the time making plans to drive by Hearst Castle, I couldn’t help but ponder how this chapter of history echoes to this very day.
“Newsies” runs through March 1. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7pm, with the Sunday matinee at 1pm. For tickets, visit thelandingsv.org.
