Newsies premiered on Broadway in March of 2012. It was an adaptation of the Disney film also titled Newsies that came out in 1992. Both the film and the Broadway show showcase a group of young men who come together to create a union and strike against major newspaper companies. The entire story of Newsies is based on the American newspaper strike of 1899. The show was an astounding success and went on to be nominated for eight Tony awards that year. George Rodosthenous, an associate professor in theatre directing and Deputy Head of School at the School of Performance and Cultural Industries of the University of Leeds, explains the main premise of the story in his book The Disney Musical on Stage and Screen: Critical Approaches from "Snow White" to "Frozen". He writes that “impoverished orphan children selling newspapers in New York City went on strike when the price of the papers they were selling was raised by media moguls William Randolf Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer during the Spanish-American War. The boys sing, dance, and fight for organized labour, finally prevailing over the greed of their employers” (155). Newsies is a brilliant example of organized unions, strikes, and advocating for workers' rights. Based on real events, it flawlessly illustrates the struggle that the newsies, who mainly consisted of young, impoverished, and orphaned boys, faced with their wealthy employers. Susan Campbell Bartoletti illustrates the impact that the story has on viewers in her article "The Power of Work and Wages: Working Toward Historicity in Children's Fiction" by stating that Newsies leaves viewers, especially children and young adults (which is Newsies main projected audience) feeling empowered and ready to fight for themselves and their own self-respect (Bartoletti). Through the use of singing, dancing, and acting, the story gives viewers not only a passion for social justice but a critical history lesson about labor organizations that can still be applied to today's society. 

          The song “Once And For All” occurs near the end of the musical when the characters finally succeed in making a change in their employment. The song is one of the most revolutionary in the show as it showcases the conditions that newsies endured in 1899. The song, written by Jack Feldman and Alan Menkin, points out the wealth differences between the impoverished and the extremely wealthy as well as the relationship between them. They sing “See old man Pulitzer snug in his bed, he don't care if we're dead or alive. Three satin pillows are under his head, while we's begging for bread to survive” (Feldman and Menkin). The relationship between these two classes are so strained and the lyrics showcase the difference between them as well as the lack of empathy for the impoverished employees. Contrasting satin pillows to begging for bread creates a strong contrast between the newsies and Pulitzer and Hearst. The cast goes on to sing that “This is for kids shining shoes on the street with no shoes on their feet everyday. This is for guys sweating blood in the shops while their bosses and cops look away” (Feldman and Menkin). This set of lyrics works to show the audience the working conditions of the poor and lower working class. The mention of children shining shoes demonstrates how many families relied on income not only from spouses but also from the youngest members of their family. Furthermore, it displays how the employers and even policemen ignore the brutality of the work the lower class had to do just to survive. The song “Once And For All” is a perfect demonstration of labor unions and the fight to get rights in workplace environments. The performance that is linked was from the 2012 Tony awards; It showcases the original cast performing another song titled “Seize The Day” which gains support for the newsies’ cause and initiates a strike protest. The dancing, acting, and music from Newsies brings a unique perspective to the story from 1899 while also inspiring viewers to advocate for their own labor rights. The Great Resignation also works to inspire people to fight for their own rights; in 2020 and 2021, people are quitting their jobs, similar to the newsies, and demanding better wages and respect from their employers. Newsies and the Great Resignation inspire people to not settle for unfair treatment and to stand up for their own workplace rights in a way that is bound to make a large impact.

Sources:

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. "The Power of Work and Wages: Working Toward Historicity in Children's Fiction." Children's Literature Association Quarterly, vol. 24 no. 3, 1999, p. 112-118. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/chq.0.1101.

Erickson, Charles. Newsies on Broadway. New York City, 2014.

Feldman, Jack and Alan Menkin. Lyrics to “Once And For All”. Performed by Newsies Original Broadway Cast. Ghostlight Records, 2012. Genus, https://genius.com/Newsies-original-broadway-cast-once-and-for-all-lyrics.

“NEWSIES Broadway - 2012 Tony Awards.” YouTube, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntreRlCJMiI. 

Rodosthenous, George. The Disney Musical on Stage and Screen: Critical Approaches from "Snow White" to "Frozen". Bloomsbury Methuen Drama, 2017, Google Books, https://books.google.com/books?id=R3gnDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA165&lpg=PA165&dq=%22..., Accessed 29 Apr. 2022.

Related Events:

The Stonewall Riots, The Stonewall Uprising, The Stonewall Rebellion, or Simply, Stonewall (A Repression of Language and Assaults on Human Rights for LGBTQIA+): https://editions.covecollective.org/chronologies/stonewall-riots-stonewa...

The Stonewall riots took place in New York City. It included protests, marches, and demonstrations to show support of LGBTQ members and the community as a whole. The Stonewall uprisings relate to Newsies by being a show of resilience and unity. Although the circumstances surrounding each event was different, they are similar in both of their demonstrations of power and passion for their respective causes. 

The Black Panthers (Will Smith at the Oscars: Why Stereotypes are the Root of the Problem): https://editions.covecollective.org/chronologies/black-panthers

The Black Panther party was a group organized to protect against police brutality and keep black citizens safe. The group was seen as radical by many people. However, the party was passionate and worked to uplift and inspire black communities. Both the Black Panther party and the characters from Newsies were willing to do whatever it took to change their enviroment and improve the lives of their communities and social groups.