GOSSIP: Newsies still aiming for West End transfer!

According to the Daily Mail, Harvey Fierstein (who wrote the book for Newsies) has said that Newsies will come to the UK, but not for at least two years.

Fierstein has apparently told Baz Bamigboye that the right theatre hasn't come along yet, but hopefully it will in the next couple of years.

When Newsies opened on Broadway in March 2012 it was only intended for a limited run of just 101 performances. However, the musical took Broadway by storm, extended and became a long-running show. 

Newsies to close on Broadway

It has been confirmed that Newsies will end its Broadway run on Sunday 24th August 2014.

When it opened in March 2012, Newsies was intended for a Broadway run of just 101 performances. The musical took Broadway by storm, extended and became a long-running musical. Newsies will close after 1,005 performances. Over 1 million have seen the production which has grossed over $100million. 

At the time of Newsies' closing, only Rent will have played the Nederlander Theatre longer in its 93 year history. Newsies has a score with music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman, with a book by four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein.

Broadway Review: Newsies - "featuring some of the best choreography I have ever seen on stage"

Liana Hunt and Corey Cott

Newsies

Nederlander Theatre

Reviewed on Monday 7th April 2014

The cast of Newsies performing 'Seize the Day'

Following its world premiere at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey in September 2011, Newsies transferred to Broadway in March 2012 for, what should have been, a limited engagement. However,  due to its huge popularity the show soon received an open-ended run. 

The musical is based on Disney's 1992 film, which was inspired by the New York City Newsboys Strike of 1899. Despite the film being a huge flop, Newsies went on to find a cult following.

I have never seen the movie, but after watching Newsies it seems surprising that the film was a flop as the story features all the necessary ingredients for a timeless classic. I really did feel as if I was watching a classic piece of theatre.

Set in New York Newsies follows newsboy Jack Kelly, the leader of the 'newsies', who dreams of a better life. When publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys' expense, Jack finds the fire in his belly and rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what's right.

GOSSIP: Broadway's Kinky Boots & Newsies searching for West End homes

The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye has revealed that Broadway musicals Kinky Boots and Newsies are searching for West End homes.

Apparently Kinky Boot's producers are travelling to London to look around a couple of centrally located theatres in hope of securing a venue to open the show in next year. Kinky Boot's director and choreographer, Jerry Mitchell is currently in London with his latest show Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Baz claims that Disney musical Newsies is all set to go but can’t find a suitable available theatre.

GOSSIP: Motown The Musical to open at the Dominion Theatre?

Following this morning's announcement that We Will Rock You will end its 12 year run at the Dominion Theatre on 31st May, The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye has suggested that Motown The Musical will open at the theatre later this year or in early 2015.

Writing on Twitter, Baz said: "Motown The Musical will replace We Will Rock You at the Dominion late this year or early in 2015. Producers from Motown show looked around Dominion last year but waited for We Will Rock You to announce closing notice which it did Monday. Motown will have to sort out its book co-written by Berry Gordy before it heads to the Dominion."

CONFIRMED: We Will Rock You to close after 12 incredible years

Having rocked over 6.5 million people in a record-breaking 12 years at the Dominion Theatre, Queen & Ben Elton's musical We Will Rock You will close on 31st May 2014.

Now the longest running show ever at the Dominion by a margin of nine years, the show takes its rightful place in West End history, sitting proudly in the Top 10 longest running musicals of all time. The show has now been performed in 28 countries around the globe, and has been seen by a more than 16 million people.

From its opening night at the Dominion on 14th May 2002, We Will Rock You quickly became the overwhelming people’s choice of musical in the UK and overseas. In its second year at the Dominion it won top honours in five categories in the Theatregoers Choice awards presented by WhatsOnStage, including Best New Musical. In 2011, nine years after the curtain first went up, the show won the prestigious Olivier Audience Award, the only category voted for entirely by the public. The show went on to win a number of international awards for productions around the globe.

Jersey Boys to transfer from the Prince Edward to the Piccadilly, reportedly making way for Miss Saigon or Newsies

It has been confirmed that Jersey Boys will transfer from the Prince Edward Theatre to the Piccadilly in March 2014. The show, which charts the true story of Frankie Valli the Four Seasons, recently celebrated its fifth London birthday at the Prince Edward, having opened there in March 2008.

It is heavily rumoured that either the West End transfer of Newsies or the return of Miss Saigon will open at the theatre next year. This is yet to be confirmed.

Jersey Boys originally opened on Broadway in 2006, receiving the Tony Award for Best Musical. As well as Broadway and the West End, it can currently be seen in Las Vegas, across the United States on its US National Tour, as well as in Perth, Australia. It will open soon in Cape Town, South Africa and the Netherlands.

Newsies to hold open auditions in London later this month

It has been announced that Disney Theatrical Group, the producers of Newsies, will hold "exploratory open auditions" later this month.

The auditions for male dancers will take place at Pineapple Dance Studios on Monday 17th June. The announcement follows last weeks gossip that the musicals producers are eyeing up the Piccadilly and Savoy Theatres for a 2014 West End transfer.

Casting Director Jill Green said “We are beginning a search to find extraordinary dance talent. The award-winning choreography by Christopher Gattelli requires energetic male dancers with excellent ballet technique, acrobatic skills, tap dancing, and more. It will be exciting for the team to meet talented men from across the country at these open auditions.”

Theatre Gossip: Newsies eyeing up Piccadilly & Savoy Theatres for 2014 West End transfer?

According to The Daily Mail, the producers of Newsies want to bring the show to the West End next spring. Apparently the producers are trying to secure either the Piccadilly or Savoy theatres for Newsies’ run and The Daily Mail goes onto suggest that director Jeff Calhoun is casting as early as next week and wants an all-British company. 

Based on the 1992 film of the same name that starred Christian Bale and Bill Pullman, the show centres on the exploits of a group of newspaper boys in 1900s New York, and features music by Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Sister Act the Musical), lyrics by Jack Feldman, and a book by Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles).