Health & Fitness
BMS Music Students See the Broadway Musical "Newsies"
It was an exciting day in New York City for Bethel Middle School music students.
Story, Photos and Video by Paula Antolini
See more photos here: picturesbypaula.com
Bethel Middle School (BMS) music students traveled to the David Nederlander Theater in New York City to see the Tony Award-Winning Musical "Newsies" on April 24, 2013.
BMS music students have been studying and performing music from this play all year, songs such as "Seize the Day," "Santa Fe," "King of New York," and "Carrying the Banner," so it was a thrill for students and music teachers to participate in this exciting class trip. BMS teachers included Orchestra and String Chamber Orchestra teacher Mr. Baumer, Concert Choir teacher Mr. Gorski, Symphonic Band and Jazz Band teacher Mr. Doble, and Music Connections teacher Mr. Rombilus.
"Newsies" is a musical based on the New York City newsboy strike of 1899. The musical is about bosses who exploited newspaper sellers beyond reason, then newsboys set out to enact change and were met by the ruthlessness of big business.
The musical features twelve original songs, a score with music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman. "Newsies" is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, directed by Jeff Calhoun and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli.
The musical opened on March 15, 2012 for a limited engagement and was later extended to an open-ended run. The show went on to earn eight Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, winning Best Choreography and Best Original Score.
Upon arriving at the Nederlander Theater students entered through beautiful copper-framed, windowed doors. Students and teachers sat in the balcony which had a great view of the stage. The interior of the theater is ornate with gold-trimmed, wallpapered walls, ornate carved metallic colored ceiling trim and elaborate antique lighting fixtures. There are also numerous stage lights, affixed to the ceiling and walls around the stage area.
The show began with a gridded full-stage-height screen splashed with the word "Newsies" across it and eventually backdrops creatively revealed the moon, buildings and other images.
The dancing and singing was done by a magnificent team of talented dancers and the plot kept students engaged throughout. Dancing took place on the stage floor but also upon table tops and chairs and included tap dance routines, athletic flips, and dances with brooms. Costumes paid great attention to detail and added to the authenticity of the story.
The musical employed an elaborate system of unique multi-level iron platforms and stairways where great dance choreography kept eyes moving and toes tapping as actors snaked through the various levels in a dance routine. These structures were frequently moved from scene to scene, made to look different each time, and wonderful lighting complimented each act.
After students exited the theater some of the actors appeared at the stage entrance and students were thrilled to be able to obtain an autograph from one of the stars of the show, Kara Lindsay, who played "Katherine Plumber," and she signed the students' Newsies Playbills.
Comments heard from students about the Newsies show were "It was amazing!" and "The dancers were magical!"
***
On the trip to NY city students passed the Minskoff Theater, the present location of the "The Lion King." They also passed the enormous multi-story M&Ms store, the Eyewitness News building, the Guggenheim and Metropolitan Museums, Central Park with horses and carriages, and huge electronic billboards, some with animated images, along with a colorful double-decker tour bus covered in ads top to bottom.
Students had a few hours to travel around the city, in separate smaller groups with teacher and parent chaperones, before heading over to the theater to see the performance. Some students ate lunch outdoors on tables in the center of Times Square as they listened to a band playing music on the street corner. Afterwards students posed with a live Statue of Liberty impersonator, complete with painted face, pointed crown, robe, torch and the American flag. Students also posed with live Elmo and Minnie Mouse characters.
Students then chose to visit the world's biggest toy store, the "Toys 'R' Us" multi-story flagship store, on Broadway. They rode a large indoor Ferris wheel, which is several stories high, and students shopped for candy. Other fun items viewed were a 25-foot Statue of Liberty made out of Legos, a giant animated life-size T-Rex dinosaur, and toy departments for Star Wars, Hot Wheels, Barbie, and more.
The school trip was an exciting experience and a fun reward for all the hard work music students did this year.
See more photos here: picturesbypaula.com
Bethel Middle School (BMS) music students traveled to the David Nederlander Theater in New York City to see the Tony Award-Winning Musical "Newsies" on April 24, 2013.
BMS music students have been studying and performing music from this play all year, songs such as "Seize the Day," "Santa Fe," "King of New York," and "Carrying the Banner," so it was a thrill for students and music teachers to participate in this exciting class trip. BMS teachers included Orchestra and String Chamber Orchestra teacher Mr. Baumer, Concert Choir teacher Mr. Gorski, Symphonic Band and Jazz Band teacher Mr. Doble, and Music Connections teacher Mr. Rombilus.
"Newsies" is a musical based on the New York City newsboy strike of 1899. The musical is about bosses who exploited newspaper sellers beyond reason, then newsboys set out to enact change and were met by the ruthlessness of big business.
The musical features twelve original songs, a score with music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman. "Newsies" is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, directed by Jeff Calhoun and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli.
The musical opened on March 15, 2012 for a limited engagement and was later extended to an open-ended run. The show went on to earn eight Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, winning Best Choreography and Best Original Score.
Upon arriving at the Nederlander Theater students entered through beautiful copper-framed, windowed doors. Students and teachers sat in the balcony which had a great view of the stage. The interior of the theater is ornate with gold-trimmed, wallpapered walls, ornate carved metallic colored ceiling trim and elaborate antique lighting fixtures. There are also numerous stage lights, affixed to the ceiling and walls around the stage area.
The show began with a gridded full-stage-height screen splashed with the word "Newsies" across it and eventually backdrops creatively revealed the moon, buildings and other images.
The dancing and singing was done by a magnificent team of talented dancers and the plot kept students engaged throughout. Dancing took place on the stage floor but also upon table tops and chairs and included tap dance routines, athletic flips, and dances with brooms. Costumes paid great attention to detail and added to the authenticity of the story.
The musical employed an elaborate system of unique multi-level iron platforms and stairways where great dance choreography kept eyes moving and toes tapping as actors snaked through the various levels in a dance routine. These structures were frequently moved from scene to scene, made to look different each time, and wonderful lighting complimented each act.
After students exited the theater some of the actors appeared at the stage entrance and students were thrilled to be able to obtain an autograph from one of the stars of the show, Kara Lindsay, who played "Katherine Plumber," and she signed the students' Newsies Playbills.
Comments heard from students about the Newsies show were "It was amazing!" and "The dancers were magical!"
***
On the trip to NY city students passed the Minskoff Theater, the present location of the "The Lion King." They also passed the enormous multi-story M&Ms store, the Eyewitness News building, the Guggenheim and Metropolitan Museums, Central Park with horses and carriages, and huge electronic billboards, some with animated images, along with a colorful double-decker tour bus covered in ads top to bottom.
Students had a few hours to travel around the city, in separate smaller groups with teacher and parent chaperones, before heading over to the theater to see the performance. Some students ate lunch outdoors on tables in the center of Times Square as they listened to a band playing music on the street corner. Afterwards students posed with a live Statue of Liberty impersonator, complete with painted face, pointed crown, robe, torch and the American flag. Students also posed with live Elmo and Minnie Mouse characters.
Students then chose to visit the world's biggest toy store, the "Toys 'R' Us" multi-story flagship store, on Broadway. They rode a large indoor Ferris wheel, which is several stories high, and students shopped for candy. Other fun items viewed were a 25-foot Statue of Liberty made out of Legos, a giant animated life-size T-Rex dinosaur, and toy departments for Star Wars, Hot Wheels, Barbie, and more.
The school trip was an exciting experience and a fun reward for all the hard work music students did this year.
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