Face-off: Which Musical is Best?

Newsies vs. The Sound of Music

Published: 04/12/2011

Newsies

By: Laura Hoffstetter

Photo courtesy of impawards.com

Plot

Taking place in 1899, “Newsies” is about a group of newsboys who become furious when Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise the distribution price of the paper.

Jack Kelly (Christian Bale) organizes a newsboys’ strike, which takes on the role to challenge the powerful Pulitzer and Hearst.

All the boys, but especially Kelly, dream of a greater life, distant from the struggles of a paperboy. Kelly fights for his cause and is forced to decide between his dreams and responsibilities.

Acting

I am sure that when many of you hear that Christian Bale is the lead in the musical, it may be hard to picture because he is not typically cast in a musical.

Most famous for the Batman movies, Bale has certainly become more famous as his career goes on.

However, you have to picture Bale in a completely different role.

The roles are played very well. From Bale as Jack Kelly, to each and every supporting role, each character knew how to perform his or her role perfectly.

Another aspect of the acting that is so enjoyable is the diversity in characters.

There are nuns, upper-class bosses of the paper, such as Pulitzer and Hearst who add entertainment.

Singing

For paperboys, their singing is phenomenal. Each character plays a key role in the music in the film, and when it is all added together, they sound amazing.

What I enjoy most about this musical is that some things that could easily be said in conversation become much more alive in the film due to the music and emotion the actors and actresses portray through their roles.

The seductiveness of Medda Larkson is something that keeps the newsies interested.

“Newsies” is full of talented actors and actresses who have voices that fit role. For example, the paperboys know how to sing with passion and outrage.

Lyric Relevance

Personally, I think many musicals make up random songs to fill time and not clutter it with conversation. I do not feel this way about “Newsies.”

Every song deals directly with the plot and the struggles that the boys are facing.

Another thing that I thoroughly enjoy about the songs are how every character gets a part in the singing, and it is not simply left up to the lead roles.

The most well-known song from the musical is “Seize the Day.”

This song discusses how the they need to take the opportunity to rebel against Pulitzer and Hearst and literally seize the day.

While other songs help describe other aspects of the musical, “Seize the Day” describes what the musical is all about: seizing the opportunity to fight for thier rights.

The Sound of Music

By: Carissa Llewellyn

Photo courtesy of impawards.com

Plot

A young woman trying to become a nun, named Maria (Andrews) realizes that God may have a different life path for her, sets off to find her destiny. She is placed as a governess in the household of a Navy captain Georg Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer).

She teaches the children to sing and with that leads to falling in love with their father and eventually marries him.

While all of the love and romance is happening, so is the brewing of World War II. The story is set in Austria, where Nazi Germany takes control and the captain is summoned to a position in the German Navy.

Acting

We all notice Andrews and the stunningly handsome Plummer throughout the film but you cannot forget about the wonderful child actors/actresses they had cast as the Von Trapp family.

When working with children it can arise certain challenges. Challenges such as Marta (Debbie Turner), 9 at the time at the time of filming had many loose teeth during filming.

When they fell out, they were replaced with false teeth.Friedrich (Nicholas Hammond) has brown hair and underwent several painful hair bleaching before and during filming.

Singing

Andrews is undoubetly a fantastic singer. We all remember her as the nanny in “Mary Poppins.” “Mary Poppins” was released in 1964 and then “Sound of Music” in 1965.

Though both films have 40 plus years past, they still have a warm place in our hearts and it would not have been the same with Andrews’ fantastic vocals and singing ability.

My top two songs would be “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” and “Edelweiss.” They are just fantastic. Although Andrews does not sing “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” the song is just so wonderful.

In 1997, Andrews’ developed vocal problems and underwent surgery to on her throat. As a result, Andrews was unable to sing and in 1999 filed a malpractice suit against the doctors that performed the surgery.

I am so glad that we have heard the chance to hear her beautiful voice. It is unfortunate what happened to her voice because she had an amazing talent.

Lyric Relevance

All of the songs performed in “The Sound of Music” fit so well with the movie. It was more the plot to fit the songs rather than the songs to fit the plot.

“Climb Ev’ry Mountain” was so inspirational and sang lyrics of following your dreams and letting God guide you in the right path.