A Re-Imagined Take on Disney's Newsies Will Make U.K. Premiere This Fall | Playbill

International News A Re-Imagined Take on Disney's Newsies Will Make U.K. Premiere This Fall

The Alan Menken, Jack Feldman, and Harvey Fierstein musical will play London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.

The company

Disney’s Newsies, the 2012 Broadway musical featuring music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman, and a book by Harvey Fierstein, will make its U.K. premiere November 28 at London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.

Olivier nominee Matt Cole will direct and choreograph the new production, with set design by Morgan Large; musical supervision, dance arrangements, and musical direction by Nigel Lilley; costumes by Natalie Pryce; lighting by Mark Henderson; sound by Tony Gayle; and performer flying by John Maddox for Suspended Illusions Ltd.

Casting will be announced at a later time.

READ: Newsies 10th Anniversary Celebration Will Play Feinstein's/54 Below

Director and choreographer Cole says, “As a huge fan of the original Disney film and the Broadway production, I am extremely honored and thrilled to be reimagining this brand-new version for London and the U.K. ... This site-specific version of the show provides an exciting opportunity to present the piece in a non-traditional format. Set in the round, the audience will be thrust into turn-of-the-century New York, where the action and choreography will weave its way in and out of the audience. I cannot wait to work with this talented creative team on delivering this wonderful and exciting show to the U.K.” 

The production will also have casting by Lucy Casson, children’s casting by Jo Hawes, fight direction by Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown for RC Annie, associate choreography by Jane McMurtrie, associate musical direction by Chris Ma, and production management by Lee Batty and Andy Fox for Setting Line.

Based on the Disney film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni WhiteNewsies was originally produced on Broadway by Disney Theatrical Productions. Opening night was March 29, 2012, at the Nederlander.

Newsies was 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 New York newspaper publishers.

The stage version introduced seven new songs by the original team of Menken and Feldman—including a song written after the Broadway premiere specifically for the tour, “Letter from the Refuge”—while keeping many of the beloved songs from the film, including “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” “King of New York,” and “Santa Fe.”

The musical took home Tony Awards in 2012 for Best Choreography (Christopher Gattelli) and Best Original Score (Menken and Feldman) and was nominated for Best Actor (Jordan), Best Book (Harvey Fierstein), Best Direction (Jeff Calhoun), Best Orchestrations (Daniel Troob), Best Scenic Design (Tobin Ost and Sven Ortel), and Best Musical.

Newsies is produced by Tristan Baker and Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment with Kater Gordon and Dianne Roberts, by permission of Disney Theatrical Productions.

Tickets go on sale in May. Visit NewsiestheMusical.co.uk.

Celebrate Disney's Newsies' Journey to Broadway

 
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