Seizing the Day: How I Fell Head Over Heels for Newsies (Again)

I never got to see the Broadway production of Newsies in person—it never came close enough to where I lived, and honestly, I couldn’t have afforded a ticket even if it had. I wasn’t too worried, though. I couldn’t imagine how a stage version could ever top the 1992 film I’d fallen in love with long ago.

Then, one rainy afternoon in 2018, I stumbled across Newsies: The Broadway Musical on Netflix. I was avoiding housework (sorry, vacuum and laundry), so I figured I’d give it a quick look. I'd give it ten minutes, I thought, then I’d go back to folding towels.

Two hours and fifteen minutes later, the vacuum was still parked in the corner, the laundry was wrinkling in the dryer, and I was staring at my laptop in absolute awe. I couldn’t move. Had I even breathed during the whole show? Whatever just happened to me was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Newsies hadn’t just entertained me—it had consumed me.

To say I was entranced, enthralled, and totally infatuated doesn’t even scratch the surface. As much as I loved the film, I was suddenly a hundred times more in love with the stage production. To this day, it’s still at the very top of my list, and the magic has never worn off—no matter how many times I rewatch it.

Since then, I’ve seen four different regional productions. I’ve adored every single one, and each time the curtain falls, I find myself wishing for just one more show. I’ve collected special Newsies-only autographed programs, and I scour cast bios online before every Broadway tour that comes to town, hoping to spot a Newsie. Regional or Broadway, it doesn’t matter—#newsiesforever doesn’t discriminate. Once a Newsie, always a Newsie.

That said, the cast from the filmed Broadway show (now on Disney+, though it was on Netflix back then) will always be my “Official” Newsies. Meeting any Newsie turns me into a starstruck fangirl, but when an “Official” one comes to town? Let’s just say that inner fangirl shrieks with anticipation and trembles with excitement!

If Aladdin’s Genie gave me three wishes, the very first would be to meet all 40 members of that official Broadway cast. I’m on my way, slowly but surely, but since I’m based in Greenville, SC, it’ll take a while. One day, I’ll be able to travel to them. Until then, I’ll just keep seizing the day.

So now I want to know: Have you met any Newsies? Maybe you are—or have been—a Newsie yourself? Share your experiences in the comments below—I’d love to hear your story!