It is About Time, June 6, 2012

I was fortunate enough to see the Newsies on Broadway before it's offical debut. Let me tell you- Disney finally got it right! It took them a long time to get another exceptional show on stage, but Newsies is it. They took a different approach- economical, focusing on the music, dance, and story (which is what they should always do, but we know that for such an enormous enterprise as The Walt Disney Company that does not always happen). They kind of had to spend a lot less on it cause of all that they lost on The Little Mermaid and Tarzan (Newsies= $5 million vs. Mermaid's $15 million)- but it really worked with Newsies. There are very very few musicals that I have seen that actually leave me with my mouth dropped open- this is one of them. Now there are a few irreplaceable actors from the movie- namely Racetrack and Crutchie- hey, Max Casella is one of a kind- but don't get worked up about those changes. There are also some lyrical changes (that will take a bit to get used to) and a...

My husband surprised me with this CD for Mother's Day and it was a hit! I'd love to go to Broadway and see the musical, but I don't think that is going to happen in the near future. If it tours I'll be sure to see it. I loved the movie when it came out, even owned the cassette tape and VHS, then upgraded to the CD and DVD. Yep, I'm a Newsies fan. This soundtrack was a lot of fun to listen to. Some lyrics are different and it will take a bit of time to be able to sing along to the right words, but I'm excited to get to know the music better. The new songs are fun and keep the energy going through the album. I want to tap my toes right now while thinking about it since one of the new songs is going through my head. If you're a Newsies fan, give this a try. If you're a musical fan, add this to your collection. Even if you aren't going to see the play, this is a great soundtrack to enjoy. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

I've been a long time fan Newies. Being one of, what felt like, the select few who enjoyed the movie and movie soundtrack. That select few who seemed to be comprised entirely of teen-aged girls (either real or young at heart) and theater nerds (of which I am a proud member). For years I've been asking why Disney, who has owned a large portion of NY theater for years now, didn't take the show and revamp it for the Great White Way. So it is with great excitement that I can say, I love this album!Alan Menken, Jack Feldmen, and Harvey Fierstein and really done a superb job of reinterpreting the show. Adding those (not so) small touches to showcase the level of talent NY provides. Bigger endings that change keys three times, longer dance breaks, adding songs to flesh out characters, heck even adding completely new characters and motivations! The choices are smart and add a level of polish that one would expect from such great minds.I have tickets to see the...