iTunes Exclusive Episode Newsies

The following is a sooner orgator production.
The following is a sooner orgator production.
The following is a sooner orgator production.
Greetings, Empire member and members.
If you are hearing my voice right now, it means one of the following things.
We hope that at least once in your life you have listened to the clubhouse podcast on.
On you stream live every Sunday night 74 Pacific.
But you probably hear my voice because you subscribe on iTunes.
Because it is time for another iTunes Explosives.
My name is Rob and I am the executive producer of the clubhouse podcast.
Your one stop shop for all things sports and entertainment.
It's our 98th iTunes exclusive.
And I like to keep up with current events.
But I'm not alone for this particular episode.
Join me across the desk.
As he tends to do is my co-host.
And a man that I do not believe had a paper route when he was a kid.
He is Chad, welcome sir.
You would be correct.
I didn't have one either.
I was always curious stuff.
Not me.
I didn't want to get up that early in the morning.
Also across the desk from me is the official fact checker of this show.
And a man that at least once in his life has yelled extra.
But haven't we all.
You may know him as fun, don, go.
But his mom and name am Don Ford.
I'm going to call him Don Ford, welcome sir.
I'm double extra.
I wear two XLs.
Oh, three XLs.
I'm extra.
I'm judging you.
I'm big on the extra pickle on my sandwiches.
It's all good.
Normally we do one of these particular episodes.
It is to review something and today is no different.
We are here to give you the low down on the touring company of the Disney musical newsies.
Based on a film that was done, did not do well theatrically kind of gained a little
bit of an audience in the home video platform.
Disney turned it into a musical.
Took it to Broadway.
I want a couple of Tony's got eight nominations.
And now it's out of the road currently in the Dallas Fort Worth area at the Winsphere
Opera House.
We have the opportunity to check it out.
And we're going to talk about it.
Well, again, we got to think that very nice lady Cindy Evans.
We love her.
Very, very great lady.
From inviting us.
Everybody at the Winsphere Opera House.
Everybody at AT&T packed our AT&T packed org.
They're so good to us.
Beautiful facility.
Oh, yeah.
Cool.
Beautiful.
And then, of course, which we'll get into the crucix of that place.
Beautiful.
Okay.
So this takes place in 1899 in New York City and its suburbs.
We're a group of newsies who are young men and women who sell newspapers on the street
corners back then.
And extracts to read all about it.
Those kids.
Just making a living by in papers and selling them.
Where and evil paper tycoon.
Mr. Pulitzer.
I don't think is coincidental.
Besides, he's going to raise the rates.
Which kind of make the newsies unionize and for fair pay.
And that's kind of as deep as I want to go for this.
Based off true events.
Hmm.
Chad.
What do you think about the story here?
It's very telling.
I mean, you know, it's a story that I need just about anybody can get behind.
I mean, who doesn't like a good underdog story.
I sure do.
And that's that is the center of what this is all about.
And not just this kind of underdog either.
Oh dear.
You're welcome.
I really thought that this story was told very very well.
The book as they call it in Broadway.
Basically is the stage script.
It was written by the great Harvey Firestein.
And the music by one of your personal favorites.
Sir.
Oh Alan, make it absolutely.
I mean, the guys got more Disney cred than just about anybody on the planet.
It comes to music right now.
I thought the story was very well told.
It was it was engaging.
The pacing on the story itself was very very good.
Although I felt the second act just kind of flew by compared to the first act.
Not that the first act that was slow.
It was just like the second act you blinked.
And we were in the final scene.
It was insane.
Don't want you to go out the storyline here.
This might be news to you.
No.
No.
Don't unfortunately.
Don't.
Thank you.
You're welcome in.
I thought it was pace very well.
I did like the storyline.
I really did not think it dragged it all.
I thought it had that perfect pace.
I want to come to all agree with you there for sure.
Yeah.
It just kept you in thrall.
Even though, you know, there's the storyline.
But there's always a singing in between and stuff like that.
Because there's a musical.
But I think they just spread it out perfectly on the story.
And kept me interested.
And FYI, yes, he is that Pulitzer.
Can I tell you what really melted my brain here?
The stage design.
Stage design.
Because let's put it out there.
It's Disney.
You know you're not going into an amateur production.
Yeah.
You put Disney's name on something.
It's going to top notch is the expectation.
They are the bar.
And they just blew me away with not only the stage construction, but just the entire
technical part of this show will blow your mind into little tiny particles.
Now, if you read my written view on the clubhouse.com.
And that is our website.
It reminded me of like huge director sets.
That's all kids.
You know, but it worked because I kept moving around.
There were three sets of vertical scaffolding.
Which if you put them all next to each other,
remind me a lot of Hollywood Square.
That's what I was going to say.
But it's like your record set.
Yeah.
But it was all scaffolding.
But a few ladders they would wheel around like step ladders.
Like staircase.
If then then how the what screens or whatever would come down.
And then they had like the.
Well, and I was going to say on the outside of the scaffolding.
Each individual scaffolding cell, which we can call it.
Had its own screen that would come down.
That were both front and rear projections depending on what was going on.
Exactly.
To give a background to the scene they were working in.
So for so you didn't have to do a lot with the scenery.
Which I thought was really, really cool.
And the scaffolding moved both horizontal both both.
Both front to back and side to side.
So north to south and east to and circular to.
Yeah, and rotated in certain points.
So it gave you a depth to the scene that you might not have had otherwise.
And you felt like going from one location to the next with minimal.
Prop interruption in between.
Absolutely.
You know, I thought that was very, very good.
It's seamlessly.
Yeah.
Absolutely blue my mind.
I've only seen that done once before with the front and rear projection screens.
Uh, it's how they handle the 25th anniversary performance of Phantom of the Opera.
Oh, that's the Royal Albert Hall rather than having.
Using different backdrops that just had video backgrounds for the majority of it.
But on this one here, there are certain times to the board there.
That lighting was just perfect.
Oh, it was gorgeous lighting.
You know, like even at the intermission, how the blue came up for the intermission.
The blue came up.
Yeah, I thought that that is so cool how they had that scene right now.
Well, you know, the lighting with the props.
Everything.
Top notch to me.
How the the opening scene takes place basically on a rooftop.
And this, the video screens would pan up the building.
And as you got close to the top, the, the practical closed hanging on a closed line came down.
It looked like it faded right in with the, with the projected scenery.
Just it looked amazing.
Look at that.
I think I want that brought it down a little too low.
So it kind of started to bump it up a little bit.
Oops.
We over costumeing was gorgeous.
Time correct.
Perfect.
It didn't even on the backdrop.
How they'd be writing something or he was drawing in one scene.
Oh, you saw it.
You saw it on the project.
Yeah, that was really, really neat because what that gave you was it gave you depth into the story.
Because what what the character of Jack Kelly played by Dan Deluca was doing was integral to the story.
So when it looked like he was drawing something on a piece of paper,
you saw what he was drawing projected onto the background.
And I thought you're absolutely right down.
Great point.
The printing press scene.
Same thing.
How they're showing footage of like what he's doing.
Yes.
Like there's a video camera going down.
What to do on stage.
Oh, when they would announce the headlines for the day,
it would always come up on the project.
Exactly.
Just absolutely gorgeous.
Which brings us into the performances here.
Dan Deluca as your main character, Jack Kelly.
This kid, you didn't even need to give him a microphone.
The power behind this young man's voice could have projected through the room.
But he did it with such control that it wasn't overbearing.
Any of that perfect New York accent.
I had a little issue with that.
Go like it.
I like it.
But yeah, that's what we're here to have opinions.
I didn't mind him using the, I mean, he needs to use his accent when he's speaking,
but he was trying to force that New York accent into his singing voice.
And see, I, you heard that.
I did, I definitely heard it.
I guess I was trying to ignore it.
And I couldn't.
And it didn't bug me at all.
Kind of like the Renee Young List.
Once you hear it, she'd ever know.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I forgot about that.
I couldn't unhear it.
And he was the only one that really seemed to be doing it consistently.
But of course, he's the principal.
You know, he's the lead.
So you're going to hear him more.
Yeah.
Because I mean, like Stephanie Styles is Katherine.
She didn't do it.
Not to where I, I don't even remember.
Yeah.
She didn't have the accent when she was acting, though.
Because remember she was upper.
Oh, yeah.
She's upper society.
Yeah.
So she had to have that.
And I don't know why I picked her as my standout because of that reason.
But I just, I love that number that she did.
So she's thinking in New York.
No, no, no, no.
Oh, shoot.
I've got it right in front of you.
Where were you?
The part of the production.
Act one.
Watch what happens.
Oh, yes.
When she's sitting at the tie prider.
Yes.
Oh, that was technically another beautiful.
As she's typing on the tie prider, you see it up on the screen.
Uh-huh.
Another, it just, there are so many layers of greatness to this musical.
It kind of reminded me of that scene in Kinky Boots.
The girl.
The girl about the mistakes that she made or about relationships.
And of course, we're talking to Harvey Firestein who did the book for both of the
Absolutely.
Very reminiscent of that.
Oh, I mean, you talk about Catherine played by Stephanie Styles.
This girl.
Just.
She, she's a very rare breed from what I've seen in theater.
Where she's a theater actress that is in a theater actress.
Does this make sense?
Yeah.
You've got a genuine performance out of her that didn't,
you know, it wasn't one of those as great the great comedian Richie Jenny talked about
Ethel Merman doing Christmas songs.
Oh, no!
It wasn't like that.
There was, there was a beautiful naturalness if that's a word to her performance.
Where it wasn't that over the top stage performance.
It was very natural.
And I completely dug her performance.
Also for me.
I mean, you talk about two of the characters that come in later in
Davy and Leo Davy played by Jacob Kemp.
And less could be played by one of two people depending on when you see it.
When we saw it, it was Vincent Crochella or Crossella.
I'm not exactly sure how to say that.
The young kid Vincent is not a Broadway kid.
Because I always worry about that when you put kids in a musical production,
you're going to get those theater kids.
Stage kids.
Yeah.
This kid was not.
He was a great natural charisma to him that he didn't have to over exaggerate for the purpose of stage.
And I thought he was great.
And Davy, the two of them playing brothers, like I believed that they were related.
Like that's how good the performance was for me.
Am I performance is of course the lead roles they did incredible.
Absolutely.
My little shining star standout was a lady who played the character of the metal
Larkin.
Angela Grovey.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Loved her performance.
And a little shining star who didn't have much was the shop owner or the bar owner.
He was funny.
He's only in two little scenes.
But let's talk about Angela Grovey.
Well, yeah.
And how she interacted with the crowd.
Yes.
I love that.
She might shining stars.
Yeah.
There was so much.
You feel like some of these roles were written for even though you know they weren't.
You feel like some of these roles were written for the people that were playing them
because again, there was just that natural feel to it where they didn't have to feel
like they were acting and still pulled it off brilliantly.
To me, I just.
I cannot find anything bad to say about this particular musical.
I can't do it.
And it was that good.
And then with the singing and everything like you.
I was really watching this because being with a few shows with you over time.
Mm-hmm.
I'm starting to notice stuff.
You start to work off me.
That's fine.
Yeah.
I'll take that.
The level of music versus the singing.
I thought was very well balanced considering.
You know, though, like the singing that over.
Power that the music or the music and overpower the singing.
Right.
No.
The blend was.
Yeah.
A lot of production that we go to see here in the last probably year or so.
There's that little weird adjustment phase where.
Getting the mix right.
The mix here was dead on from jump street.
And the.
Just a certain different.
Yeah.
And the sound.
Yeah.
When Spirit Opera House.
We say more.
It was absolutely gorgeous.
The choreography.
That was what I was wanting to get to the choreography here.
It was best I've seen so far.
It's the best I've seen of any production we've been to.
Guys doing.
Mixing up styles of dancing and doing so from tap to ballet to jazz.
Just seamlessly.
There's.
There was no lunginess to it.
There was no.
Okay.
We're having to do this.
The choreography.
It was like.
Cirque de Soleil level at some points.
I was like, good.
God.
These guys are acrobatics.
You know, the choreography here done by Christopher Gettelli.
Gosh.
I hope I'm getting that right.
Outstanding.
Outstanding work.
And.
The the fact that you've got these people that are such great performers.
And they're doing the acting dancing and singing all in the same breath.
And it doesn't sound like they're winded.
Exactly.
They don't sound like they're getting bounced around.
It doesn't sound like they're.
Stomach getting knocked up into their neck whenever they jump around.
They're just building it out.
And a story that you can be emotionally involved in all at the same time.
I mean, this was one of those shows that.
Disney could have shyed away from turning into a Broadway musical.
Given how it did not do well.
And it's original run in theaters.
But I'm glad they did out.
You kind of like you man.
You should have done this in reverse.
You should have tried this out on stage first.
Yeah.
It's kind of like when we sell once.
Yeah.
The movie was okay.
But when we saw all.
It's just.
Yeah.
And that's strange.
How some things just lend themselves better.
To a stage production.
And in this case, it's absolute truth.
This again, I cannot find anything bad to say about this musical.
I can't do it.
Of course, it's Disney family friendly.
Absolutely.
You can bring.
And there's something.
There was a little double on time.
But it was very subtle.
Yeah.
And there's something here for everybody.
It's, you know, what a lot of people get gun shy when it comes to Disney.
And their productions is.
I've seen what the show's on Disney.
It looks like.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Like I don't need the sweet life of Zach and Cody on stage.
And it's not that.
No.
There's something here for everybody without pandering to anybody else.
I mean, beauty in the beast and Lion King have been to the most successful Broadway productions.
And theater.
History and Aladdin's getting there.
And we get, and we get mermaid nicked you.
Oh, we're looking forward to that.
So gentlemen, are we ready for the final analysis?
From what we do.
Got to thank Miss Cindy Evans.
Thank you so much for inviting us to this ring.
We're being so gracious to let us do that.
She's so good to us.
She's awesome.
Yeah.
And then, of course, the Winspir Opera House and the AT&T Pack.
Or we can't think all of them enough.
The final analysis, the way we do it.
Two questions.
Question number one, is would you see this production again?
If the answer is no, then we're done here.
If the answer is yes, in this case, since it's a stage production,
it is.
How far would you be willing to go to see this?
Well, level ticket price would you be willing to go to?
Don, let's start with you.
Would you see this again?
Yes, I would.
And I can do a two-prong on whether of what level I would like to see it from one
the upper level this time, just to get a different kind of view and stuff.
Okay.
But I would still recommend it to the public doors.
The main floor level about half to two-thirds of the way up.
Okay.
It's the best way.
Just because you, you would usually, you want that different person.
Yeah.
That's the perspective.
And I'm not saying anything bad about that.
But I'd recommend it.
You know, on the floor halfway two-thirds of the way up.
Okay.
Would you see this again?
I would.
Would like to sit up like, like, closer to the orchestra pit.
Really?
Just so I could get a better look at the stage.
It's interesting.
Well, but just because of how marvelous the, the whole technical side of it was was just so impressive.
I'd just like to see, get a better look at things.
I would totally see this again.
And I wouldn't care where I sat.
I think I'd want to be on the floor.
But maybe towards the back of the center, like maybe right up against the soundboard.
Okay.
I think that would give me the best angle on everything.
But definitely.
And we, you know, this is geared more towards the DFW, you know, members of the empire.
Because it's here through May 10th at the Winsper Opera House in, you know, downtown Dallas.
But if you're not in a DFW area, if this comes to your area, keep this review in mind.
Absolutely.
I mean, it's a jewelry company.
Yeah.
You may 10th only here in Dallas, though, in the DFW area, the Winsper Opera House.
Disney's newsies.
Take the family.
Go have a great time.
It runs with the intermission about two and a half hours.
Yeah.
Intermissions about 20 minutes.
15, 20, depending on where you are.
Go check out newsies.
It is so much fun.
You will not regret it.
Gentlemen, shall we do the plugs?
Let's do it.
Yes, we will.
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So we're almost a triple digits.
So until next time for Don, for Chad, for the Empire, I'm Rob.
The clubhouse is closed for any promo.
You can tell me you can work her in.
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Why?
Why?