History Theatre / Newsies

--> '''Jack:''' Extra, extra! Terrifying flight from burning inferno, you heard it right here!

--> '''Davey:''' That's a lie.
--> '''Jack:''' No it was not, I told him he heard it right here and he did.

* ChivalrousPervert: Jack shamelessly flirts with Katherine, even after her initial rejection, and he trusts her journalism skills and outright says he would never hit a woman.

** DownplayedTrope. Some nuns give the boys free drinks; Mr. Jacobi lets them stay at his deli; Medda allows them to hide in her theater and use it to host their rally. She also offers to pay Jack for his paintings; and finally, [[spoiler: Theodore Roosevelt shows up in full support of the newsboys and has Snyder arrested for abusing juvenile inmates.]] Even then, some Newsies express their exasperation:

* NiceHat: Compared to the other Newsies' caps, Les's bowler hat is quite nice indeed. Miss Medda's hat plays the trope far straighter.

* WouldHurtAChild: Snyder, so much. To the point of [[NoHoldsBarredBeatDown beating Crutchie [[CrossesTheLineTwice ''with his own crutch.'']]

Unlike most Broadway musicals adapted from Disney movies, Disney actually filmed ''Newsies'' for prosperity, in 2016. This recording received a limited run in movie theaters, followed by digital distribution and streaming releases.

With an expanded score by original songwriters Creator/AlanMenken and Jack Feldman and a book by Creator/HarveyFierstein, the production initially began as a regional production at the Papermill Playhouse, intended solely to polish the material and give it prestige for purposes of licensing for high school and regional productions. Instead, fan and critical response was positive enough to convince Disney to move it to Broadway for a limited run, which, following a wave of enthusiasm and positive press, turned into an open-ended run of over 1,000 performances. It garnered several Tony nominations and won two, for Best Original Score (Menken's first Tony) and Best Choreography.

With an expanded score by original songwriters Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and a book by Harvey Fierstein, the production initially began as a regional production at the Papermill Playhouse, intended solely to polish the material and give it prestige for purposes of licensing for high school and regional productions. Instead, fan and critical response was positive enough to convince Disney to move it to Broadway for a limited run, which, following a wave of enthusiasm and positive press, turned into an open-ended run of over 1,000 performances. It garnered several Tony nominations and won two, for Best Original Score (Menken's first Tony) and Best Choreography.

** Crutchie gets hit with this. Once the strike starts, Davey and Katherine become more prominent and he gets relegated to the background. [[spoiler:It doesn't help that he’s arrested near the end of Act I and doesn’t reappear until the end of the play.]] The tour version and Live Recording mitigate this by giving him a solo.

* TheCavalry: Thrice

* DefrostingIceQueen: two examples, in both genders:

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: The show takes delight in snarking about itself. One highlight has [[spoiler:Governor Roosevelt]] mock the show's nature as a musical: "let's not keep those children out there singing...endlessly..."

* CharacterDevelopment: Davey goes from being reluctant to join the strike to being one its most ardent supporters.
* ChekhovsGun: the printing press the Delanceys force Jack to sleep on is later used to print the Newsies Banner in "Once and For All".

* DeadpanSnarker: Race is the champion of dry wit since he gets ''at least'' one quip per scene.

* FunnyBackgroundEvent: happens often in the live recording.

* VillainSong: "The Bottom Line"

* WritersBlock: Katherine has a brief case of this during her solo.

* TenMinuteRetirement: ''Twice'' for Jack: the first at the beginning of Act II, when he hides in the burlesque theater painting backdrops following the riot, and the second [[spoiler:after Pulitzer threatens to hurt David, Les, Crutchie, and the other newsboys if Jack doesn't give up the strike]]. Both are ended fairly quickly: by David, Les, and Kathrine the first time, and [[spoiler:Kathrine kissing him]] for the second.

* OneMarioLimit: Averted and lampshaded; when Katherine derisively dismisses a flirtatious Newsie by calling him "Romeo", the Newsie responds "How did she know my name?".

* AdaptationalAngstUpgrade: Jack has a lot more angst over [[spoiler: Crutchie getting captured and injured]] than he does in the movie.

* VagueAge: Katherine's age is never stated, though she's old enough to be a reporter, but young enough to be an honorary member of a children's crusade (thereby playing AdultsAreUseless straighter) and [[spoiler: start a relationship with 17-year-old Jack.]] Given that much attention is given to the fact children and teenagers were making up the workforce of the time, its not unlikely she was about the same age as Jack, if a bit older.

* WardensAreEvil: Snyder "The Spider" is the head of a rehabilitation facility called The Refuge. In theory, it's suppose to take criminally-inclined boys and young men, and turn them into acceptable members of society. In practice, Snyder will take any boy he can get and pocket the money he's suppose to use to maintain the facility.

* FaceHeelTurn: A forced instance. When the strike looks like it's succeeding, Pulitzer [[spoiler:hauls Jack in and offers him money in exchange for him giving up on the strike. Jack's not interested until Pulitzer threatens Jack's friends Crutchie and Davey, and Davey's brother Les; then he caves, and shows up at the newsies' rally to speak against continuing the strike and urge them to settle. One of Pulitzer's goons hands him money as he leaves. It doesn't last.]]
* FieryRedhead: Downplayed with Katherine. She's not particularly temperamental but she is rather outspoken and sarcastic - especially when Jack or Romeo try to flirt with her.

** During "That's Rich", Davey and Les's heads can be scene watching Medda perform from behind. When she says that "[[DoubleEntendre everything I touch seems to rise]]", Les looks confused and looks up at Davey for an explanation.

** [[spoiler: Mr. Pulitzer is fully supportive of Katherine’s career, even if he doesn’t understand why she wants one.]]

--> "So just watch what happens . . .

* HiddenDepths: Jack, the rough-and-tumble paperboy, is also a skilled artist, who gives Katherine an impromptu sketch he made during their second meeting, and also painted a couple of stage backdrops for Medda. [[spoiler: In the end, Pulitzer, having seen his work, offers him a job as a political cartoonist.]]

* IChooseToStay: Jack has always dreamed of going to Santa Fe, [[spoiler: but the offer of a job as a political cartoonist, combined with the persuasion of Davey, Crutchie, and Katherine, convinces him to stay.]]

* IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure: [[spoiler: This is how Pulitzer convinces Jack to betray the strike. When Jack visits his office Pulitzer threatens to have Crutchie beaten, and have Les and Davey dragged off to the Refuge themselves.]]

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: The show takes delight in snarking about itself. One highlight has [[spoiler: Governor Roosevelt]] mock the show's nature as a musical: "let's not keep those children out there singing...endlessly..."

* LeaveYourQuestTest: In the second act, Pulitzer and Snyder corner Jack and give him the option of either going back to Snyder's refuge, or getting paid off to disavow the strike and take the opportunity to leave New York behind and go to Santa Fe. [[spoiler: Jack takes them up on their offer, but later changes his mind and gives Pulitzer his money back.]]
* LeftHanging: The trolley strike is part of the inciting incident and various characters have personal connections to it but it doesn't get any resolution.
* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler: Katherine is Pulitzer's daughter.]] Not a totally straight example, as both of them know it from the start, but the other protagonists sure don't.

* NeutralFemale: Katherine runs away when the boys are [[spoiler: attacked by the police]], without doing anything to assist them, apart from comforting Specs. Justified by the time period and her own belief that violence is unladylike.
* NiceHat: compared to the other Newsies' caps, Les's bowler hat is quite nice indeed. Miss Medda's hat plays the trope far straighter.

* OneMarioLimit: averted and lampshaded; when Katherine derisively dismisses a flirtatious Newsie by calling him "Romeo", the Newsie responds "How did she know my name?".

** Crutchie gets hit with this. Once the strike starts Davey and Katherine become more prominent and he gets relegated to the background. [[spoiler: It doesn't help that he’s arrested near the end of Act I and doesn’t reappear until the end of the play.]] The tour version and Live Recording mitigate this by giving him a solo.

* ThePatriarch: [[spoiler: Mr. Pulitzer is a war veteran, a businessman, a political writer, and Katherine's father.]]

** Katherine works hard to become a journalist, helps to cheer up Jack, and defies Pulitzer's printing ban and [[spoiler: parental ban on seeing Jack.]]
** Crutchie is visibly upset about once in this show, and Jack quickly cheers him. The rest of the time he's smiling like crazy and is one of the most spirited supporters of the strike. The tour version even adds [[spoiler: a scene depicting his time in jail]], but he's as optimistic as ever.
* PowerTrio: Jack, Davey and Katherine give off this vibe as strike leaders.

* TenMinuteRetirement: ''twice'' for Jack: the first at the beginning of Act II, when he hides in the burlesque theater painting backdrops following the riot, and the second [[spoiler:after Pulitzer threatens to hurt David, Les, Crutchie, and the other newsboys if Jack doesn't give up the strike]]. Both are ended fairly quickly: by David, Les, and Kathrine the first time, and [[spoiler:Kathrine kissing him]] for the second.