Kenny Ortega and Alan Menken revise ‘Newsies’ songs to encourage voting — with lots of cameos

As a long-time musical theatre enthusiast who has grown up with the tales of Newsies and their spirit of standing up against tyranny, I can say that this recent collaboration between the cast and creators of the beloved production is nothing short of inspiring. The fact that they’ve taken a fun, entertaining property like Newsies and used it to promote civic engagement and voter education is nothing less than extraordinary.

Now is the time to seize the day — and vote.

In a stirring and pertinent manner, I found myself captivated by the brief “Newsies” production, a product of Broadway Votes – an unbiased, nationwide theater movement geared towards encouraging civic responsibility through voter engagement.

The music video, spearheaded by director Kenny Ortega (known for directing the 1992 musical film), includes a blend of dialogue and modernized renditions of “Carrying the Banner” and “Seize the Day.” These new adaptations were crafted by the original composer of the Disney production, Alan Menken, along with lyricist Jack Feldman. Additionally, Harvey Fierstein, author of the script for the successful 2012 Broadway show, contributed to these revisions as well.

The short film was captured on September 30 at New York’s Connelly Theater, and it reenacts a key scene from the original story. However, instead of portraying the gathering to initiate the newsboys’ strike of 1899, this assembly is focused on emphasizing the importance of voting.

In the new “Carrying the Torch,” the company expresses, “Out there, we’ll spread the word / Don’t hesitate, take action instead, let’s make the decision together.

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Notably, this adaptation of “Newsies” deviates from its conventional casting by including actors of various gender identities, races, and abilities in prominent roles. This reflects the fact that the right to vote has historically not been universally accessible.

Contemplate the future, live boldly in the present; voting safeguards us while linking us to our proud legacy of freedom earned through struggle,” is a fresh and readable paraphrase for the lyrics of “Seize the Day” before its signature acrobatic dance break.

The reunion brought together the original Broadway cast members of “Newsies,” including Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Ben Fankhauser, Kara Lindsay, and Tommy Bracco, along with Josh Strobl, Taylor Iman Jones, Jelani Alladin, Izzy McCalla, Justin David Sullivan, Jordan Donica, Nikki M. James, John Behlmann, Oyoyo Joi, Antonio Cipriano, Nyseli Vega, Jenna Bainbridge, Ally Bonino, Nadia Dandashi, Laila Drew, Chessa Metz, Khori Petinaud, Derek Piquette, and Clay Rice-Thomson, among others.

The ‘Newsies’ video was created following a concluding discussion between Broadway Votes co-founders Catherine Markowitz and Nelini Stamp and Alan Menken, where they expressed interest in collaborating on a project at some point in the future.

A few weeks ago, “An email arrived in our mailbox, containing a demo with new lyrics and even a small script,” Markowitz remembered. “They had collaborated with Jack Feldman and Harvey Fierstein to create an entire medley focusing on voting. It was an incredibly generous gesture.

Afterward, they contacted Ortega regarding the possibility of him directing a prospective short film. The cast, rehearsals, and recording were completed within a month, following Disney’s approval. Sergio Trujillo was responsible for choreographing the video, Luke Geissbühler handled the cinematography, Julian Gomez edited it, and it showcases many actors from current Broadway shows who took part in the one-day shoot on their designated day off for that week.

Ortega mentioned that these skilled performers often receive their lines just before performances during previews, requiring them to immediately take the stage and act. The fact that these exceptional dancers, singers, and actors decided to participate is what ultimately allowed this to happen,” said Ortega.

The difficulty of the shoot became particularly challenging upon learning about the demise of actor Gavin Creel. As stated by Markowitz, this unfortunate news came to us during our lunch break.

Gavin was among the earliest individuals who joined Broadway Votes when we initiated enthusiasm collection in the spring. Many people within our organization had collaborated with Gavin and held a strong connection with him. Consequently, we chose to dedicate our music video to him, as he would have been part of the set with us if not for his illness.

The makers of the video aim for “Newsies” enthusiasts to recognize themselves within this cherished Disney production, perhaps for the very first time. In the words of Stamp, who is also a fan, “As a ‘Newsies’ devotee, I often visualized myself as a newsboy, performing and dancing as my own character.

I’m a member of this particular fan community, and fan groups are powerful communities that can harness their passion for something to make a positive impact globally. We encourage ‘Newsies’ fans to join us in exercising their civic duty by voting on November 5th. This is an ongoing strategy to engage people where they are.

Ortega anticipates that “Newsies” enthusiasts, typically more youthful compared to typical theater-goers, will find themselves amused, thrilled, and insightful, just as Spot Conlon appears in the video.

Ortega emphasized, “He seems uncertain about the importance of his own voice, yet it carries significant weight, particularly at this time.” Perhaps, this realization encourages them to step outside and exercise their right to vote.

Ever since its debut this year, Broadway Votes has ignited a wave of curtain call speeches, inserted programs, voter registration events, and impromptu concerts, all geared towards boosting voter awareness and fostering excitement for active citizenship across the country.

Despite concentrating our efforts towards the presidential election on November 5, given that numerous productions across the country typically take the day off for voting, the scope of our initiative extends far beyond this particular election.

Markowitz assured, “We’ll remain active on November 6th. We won’t be disappearing.” He went on to mention that there are numerous elections taking place throughout the year, covering various issues such as propositions, local representation, and in New York City, the mayoral race for next year.

In America, it’s well-known that voter participation could use improvement. Therefore, our primary goal is to connect with supporters in their preferred spaces, engage with industry influencers where they’re active, and discover ways to encourage voting by building upon existing activities.

Our goal is to make voters feel confident, inspired, and knowledgeable as they head to the voting booth. This way, they can effectively advocate for themselves and grasp the broader implications that elections hold for themselves and their wider communities.

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2024-10-15 07:31