Kenny Ortega is makin’ news(ies) while getting out the vote…
The 74-year-old Spanish American prolific director, choreographer and producer has teamed up with composer Alan Menken and lyricist Jack Feldman have reunited for a non-partisan get out the vote video that features new performances of updated songs from Newsies.
The project is for Broadway Votes, the theater industry’s largest organized get out the vote effort, and features a remix video of Newsies’ “Carrying the Banner” and “Seize the Day” numbers.
The project reunites Ortega, the director of the 1992 film adaptation of the Broadway musical with Menken and Feldman for the first time since the film.
The songs are reframed for the 2024 election and newly re-recorded. The video was filmed at the Connelly Theater in Manhattan’s East Village.
The performers include leads from the original Newsies Broadway cast such as Ben Fankhauser, Andrew Keegan-Bolger, Kara Lindsay and Tommy Bracco, as well as notable Broadway actors such as Josh Strobl, Justin David Sullivan, Oyoyo Joi and Antonio Cipriano.
The Broadway musical’s book writer Harvey Fierstein was also involved.
“My gratitude to Broadway Votes for this joyous full circle opportunity to re-visit the spirit and empowering messages of my film Newsies,” Ortega said in a statement, “and for the privilege to collaborate with New York’s extraordinary Broadway and filmmaking communities in this non-partisan musical rally to get out and vote.”
Said Menken, “This medley, blending beloved songs from both the 1992 film and the Broadway production of Newsies, serves as a reminder of the power we hold as people who care about Democracy.” He added, “By reimagining these familiar tunes, we hope to inspire every American to exercise their fundamental right to vote. The magic of music and storytelling has always moved people – now we’re using that magic to move them to the polls.”
Broadway Votes launched in early September with a mission to motivate and mobilize theater lovers around the country to make a plan to vote. For National Voter Registration Day the initiative partnered with over 18 shows to encourage voter registration, and recently threw an all-star free concert in Times Square featuring Broadway actors and musicians.
