Newsies Shakes Off The Bluesies

At a press event yesterday, we were told that book writer Harvey Fierstein was brought in to turn the movie into a stage show, complete with two acts, added characters, and a love story.

And then we met the cast -- a chicken hawk's delight -- who were fun and upbeat and obedient enough to plug lots of other Disney projects as they discussed this one.

Star Jeremy Jordan said he grew up watching Newsies on a VHS tape, which wore out from so much viewing.

Another performer showed off his quadruple-jointedness by walking with his back bent and his head almost scraping the floor -- just to entertain us!

And when a 10-year-old said he'd been in three shows before this, I tried to remember him as a baby chipmunk in The Lion King.

The only potentially dark moment came when one of the cast admitted he'd been in a previous, unlicensed production of Newsies before this legit one.

But the producer cut him some slack and cracked, "You won't get fined ... much."