“Newsies” film director Kenny Ortega has helmed a new music video using two songs from the movie and its subsequent stage adaptation to help get out the vote in the November U.S. elections. Ortega teamed up with the original songwriting team behind both versions of “Newsies,” composer Alan Menken and lyricist Jack Feldman, for the video. The musical’s book writer, Harvey Fierstein, was also involved. The video features choreography by Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo as well as arrangements, orchestrations and music supervision by Will Van Dyke.
Produced by nonpartisan organization Broadway Votes, BFD productions and Kenny Ortega Company, the below video features new lyrics to “Carrying the Banner” (now “Carrying the Message“) and “Seize the Day” to encourage eligible voters to head to the polls. Members of the original Broadway company of “Newsies ” — including Ben Fankhauser as Davey, Andrew Keenan-Bolger as Crutchie, Kara Lindsay as Katherine and Tommy Bracco as Spot — are featured in the video. Josh Strobl, currently a member of the company of “The Outsiders,” takes on the role of Jack.
Shot at the Connelly Theater, the full cast features Adam Ali-Perez, Jelani Alladin, Jenna Bainbridge, John Behlmann, Ally Bonino, Bracco, Lauren Chapman, Antonio Cipriano, Nadia Dandashi, Karli Dinardo, Jordan Donica, Laila Drew, Jaryd Farcon, Fankhauser, Logan Farine, Kerri George, Camryn Hampton, F. Michael Haynie, Nikki M. James, Eliazar Jimenez, Taylor Iman Jones, Oyoyo Joi, Keenan-Bolger, Konnor Kelly, Lindsay, Isabelle McCalla, Chessa Metz, Khori Petinaud, Derek Piquette, Clay Rice-Thomson, Kirsten Scott, Strobl, Justin David Sullivan, Tiffany Renee Thompson, D’Kaylah Unique Whitley, Melissa Victor, Nyseli Vega, Blake Zelesnikar with ensemblists Josh Breckenridge, Matt Farcher, John Michael Finley, Makai Hernandez, Nathan Levy, Orville Mendoza, Khadija Sankoh and Alan Wiggins.
The band includes Nate Brown, Vivi Rama, Jeff Roberts and Van Dyke.
Cinematography by Luke Geissbühler.
