RATED: PG PERFORMANCE GUIDE 1 PNC pulls back the curtain on NC Theatre’s 2017-2018 season to share a series of behind the scenes experiences with audience members of all ages. PNC’s In the Director’s Chair provides a window into the creative process. By expanding the way audiences engage in regional performances—experiencing not only the final product, but every step in between—NC Theatre is able to provide an immersive, comprehensive understanding of all the dedicated work that goes into producing an NC Theatre Show. PNC and NC Theatre are proud to give patrons a brand new perspective – In the Director’s Chair. 2 IS MADE POSSIBLE BY 3 NC THEATRE: YOUR BROADWAY CONNECTION North Carolina Theatre is Raleigh’s regional professional musical theatre company. In 1983, Raleigh's City Manager, Mr. L.P. Zachary, invited Carolina Regional Theatre- with the deft direction of De Ann Jones- to make its permanent home in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium under contract with the City. The Theatre debuted with Camelot the musical in Spring of the following year. Opening with 825 season tickets sold and a total audience of 24,000, Camelot marked the beginning of the Theatre's new direction. With this overarching support as inspiration, in May of 1984 the name was changed to North Carolina Theatre. Today, North Carolina Theatre serves as the home of quality musical theatre productions in central North Carolina, drawing more than 50,000 visitors to Raleigh Memorial Auditorium each year. Our Mission Culture: Feed the spirit of local citizens by broad access to live theatre, while strengthening economic growth. Community: Fortify the cultural vitality of the region by offering broad access to live theatre, while strengthening eco- nomic growth. Citizenship: Foster the next generation of artists and leaders who will become future patrons of the arts through training, performance, and outreach programs. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWSIES BACKGROUND - Pages 6-9 DRAWING ACTIVITY - Page 10 SYNOPSIS - Page 11-14 CAST - Page 15 NEWSIES en Español— Page 16 PAGE : REAL LIFE NEWSIES—Page 17 ACCESSIBILITY— Page 18 COLORING PAGE— Page 19 YOUNG PEOPLE SEIZING THE DAY—Pages 20-21 INDEX OF MUSICAL TERMS— Pages 22-23 NC THEATRE’S 2018-19 OH WHAT A SEASON Oct 16-21 Nov 13-18 Feb 12-17 March 19-24 April 26-May 5 July 23-28 5 ABOUT NEWSIES “Newsies” is a musical inspired by the real-life New York City Newsboys Strike of 1899. It is a story of class struggle and the power of the press, set in a time when “fake news” was called “yellow journalism” and newspapers often used exaggerated headlines to outsell competing papers, hawked by boys on the streets working in terrible conditions. 6 BASED ON A TRUE STORY... THE STRIKE OF 1899 The Spanish-American War was an 1898 conflict between the United States and Spain that ended Spanish colonial rule in the Americas and resulted in U.S. acquisition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America. The war originated from Cuba’s fight for independence from Spain, which began in February 1895. Spain’s brutally repressive measures to halt the rebellion were portrayed in several U.S. newspapers, and American sympathy for the rebels rose. The more brutal Spain was, the harder their colonies would fight. Revolts had been occurring for some years in Cuba against Spanish rule. The U.S. later backed these revolts upon entering the Spanish–American War. There had been war scares before, as in the Virginius Affair in 1873. In the late 1890s, U.S. public opinion was agitated by anti-Spanish propaganda led by newspaper publishers such as Joseph Pulitzer of the World publication and William Randolph Hearst of the New York Journal, with their use of “yellow journalism.” These publishers would dramatize the events of the war for their own financial gain and often at the detriment of public perception of factual or objective information. 7 THE STRIKE OF 1899 On July 21, 1899, World and New York Journal reduced their newspaper prices. However, the other newspaper printing company, Evening World, was offering three papers for one cent. Leader of the Newsboys Group, Moses Burns, organized a boycott against the purchasing of newspapers. People were not buying the newspaper if the headlines were not attractive enough, and the situation became worse and worse. The publishers did not research the stories they were printing. They were pursuing provoking headlines to incline the interest of the general public. The publishers raised the prices of the newspaper, which made it difficult for the newsies to make a living selling papers. These young people had to use their income to eat and buy papers to sell everyday. Soon, they had enough of the unfair treatment. The newsies began their strike in New York City, where they fought against Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph. The strike lasted for two weeks. In the end, the newsies compromised with the publishers that they would purchase the papers at a higher price, however, the publishers would buy the papers back that the newsies couldn’t sell. It allowed the newsies to buy the papers without the risk of losing money. The strike was successful, and it was one of the earliest strikes that was carried out by children. 8 BASED ON THE MOVIE... Walt Disney Pictures released Newsies in April 1992. The film was based on the story of the New York Newsies strike in 1899 and featured twelve original songs from composers Alan Menken and J.A.C. Redford. The movie received negative reviews upon its original release, however it gained a cult following on home video. It was adapted into a successful work for the Broadway stage in 2012, where it won two of the eight Tony Awards it was nominated for. 9 JACK’S DRAWING JOURNAL Jack paints Medda Larkin’s beautiful backdrops for her performances. Use the space below to draw a backdrop for Medda’s show. 10 SYNOPSIS ACT I Jack Kelly is high above the rooftops of New York, savoring the few moments of quiet before the sun rises and another day begins. Jack’s best friend Crutchie, a boy with a bum leg, asks for help climbing down to the streets. Jack shares the view of New York City and his dream of Santa Fe. As the sun rises, Jack meets Davey and his little brother Les to sell the newspapers. Davey and Les are differ- ent from other newsies- they are not orphans. Davey and Les started working when their father suffered from an accident. Jack decides to partner with the brothers since Les’ young age can help sell more newspapers. Newsies start the day at Newsboy’s Loading House before making their way to the Distribution Window for The World, the newspaper the boys sell to make a living. Meanwhile, Joseph Pulitzer, the publisher of The World, sits in his office, high above the New York streets and the boys of Newsies Square. He is very un- pleasant about the declining sales of his papers and vows to increase profits, even if it is at the expense of the newsies. Later, Jack, Davey and Les are chased down by a corrupt orphanage manager, Warden Snyder of the Refuge. Davey and Les are unaware of who the man is or why is he chasing them, follow Jack’s lead and run. They find safety in Medda’s Theatre. 11 SYNOPSIS Jack introduces the boys to Great Medda Larkin, one of the Bowery’s most famous performers. Jack explains to the boys that Snyder, runs the orphanage, and that’s why he is chasing them. Medda offers the theatre as a safe place for the boys. During Medda’s performance, Jack notices Katherine, a young reporter. Jack is amazed by Katherine’s beauty and intelligence. He makes an unsuccessful attempt to woo her. He sketches a portrait of Katherine, and leaves it for her to find. The newsies gather at the distribution window of The World for another day of selling papers. When the headlines go up, the boys are outraged to learn that Pulitzer has increased their price for newspapers— they can barely afford to eat as it is. After discovering that the competing newspaper, The Journal, has agreed to the same price increase, the boys decide to form a union and strike. After the first day of their strike, the boys gather at the Jacobi’s Deli to discuss their next move. Jack Kelly let boys spread the news to encourage the other New York City newsies join the strike. Katherine, the reporter from The Sun, comes to the deli in hopes that the boys can give her the scoop to write the next edition. After considering it, Jack tells Katherine to be at the distribution window tomorrow morning. Not only will the newsies prevent other boys from selling papers, but they plan to stop the newspaper delivery carts as well. Jack tells her that they have a lot riding on her writing, so Katherine assures him that they can count on her to tell their story. Only a few kids join the strike the next day, Jack urges Davey to motivate the small group of boys not to be frightened to stay and stand their ground against the paper distributors. Jack encourages the working children who have been exploited to join the strike as well. The other newsies from the city throw down their papers in support of the strike. Meanwhile, Katherine and her photographers are about to take the victory picture. Suddenly, the newsies are surrounded by a group of men and engage in a fierce fight.