“Newsies” makes headlines on the big screen

Just months after its three year Broadway run and national tour, a recorded live performance of the musical Newsies has now moved to the big screen.

I had the pleasure of seeing this production of Newsies, filmed over a series of performances at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre, at the Hamilton 16 Imax in Noblesville. This proved to a unique experience for me for a couple of reasons.

While I enjoy film adaptations of musicals, I have always preferred seeing shows live on stage. However, the hybrid blend of stage and film styles used in Newsies gave the movie the best of both worlds.

The film made use of multiple cameras to show different viewpoints of the stage, which is very different from how an audience typically watches musicals. Although I usually do not like this style because it does not allow me to see what is happening on every part of the stage, I actually enjoyed how it was used in this case. The zoomed-in shots served to showcase individual actors during spotlight moments, but were not too obtrusive that they took away from the striking full-stage shots of the entire cast.

Immediately after the closing song from Act I ended, an actual 15-minute intermission began. I was a little surprised that the intermission was included in the filmed version of the show, but the audience responded just as they would to any other intermission at a real stage production. I thought this concept made the experience feel as authentic as if you were in Broadway yourself.

The only complaint I had about this film was the fact that, since the movie was compiled from several different performances, certain actors in supporting roles switched characters throughout the show. This was confusing at times for me, and detracted a bit from the authenticity of the film.

The cast of the musical was absolutely phenomenal in every aspect of their performance. Jeremy Jordan, as Jack Kelly, never fails to impress me with his powerhouse voice and raw emotion. However, I thought the true standout in this production was Kara Lindsay in the role of Katherine Plumber. Her solo performance of “Watch What Happens” left me in awe, and I loved how she squeezed so much personality and humor into such an inspiring and powerful song.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the new filmed version of Newsies. It brought a distinct Broadway feel to a movie theater in Indiana, and would be great for those looking for an affordable escape to the bright lights of New York City.