Theatre News

Alan Menken: ‘I wouldn’t mind seeing Newsies redone for the screen’

Menken is promoting the new Little Mermaid film 

Alan Menken 2023 Dave Benett

As he promotes the upcoming live-action film adaptation of The Little Mermaid, composer Alan Menken has discussed his other projects and how he’d love to see them brought (or brought back!) to the screen. 

Namely, Menken was keen to discuss Newsies – first seen on the screen in the 1990s, where it was met with critical failure. It even earned the Little Shop of Horrors composer a Razzie (an award recognising, somewhat harshly, underwhelming film output). 

But now he’s set to get the record straight – given the piece was later adapted into a Tony Award-winning musical: “I wouldn’t mind seeing Newsies redone for the screen, you know. 

“When we did the original Newsies, Kenny Ortega [who directed the movie, with other credits including Hocus Pocus] was limited to like three cameras or something. What we can do now with a bigger budget version of Newsies would be so much fun.” 

Let’s hope the Disney execs are listening – there’s a large ensemble of UK performers ready and waiting!

Directed and choreographed by Matt Cole, the show plays in a brand-new production through to July 2023. Menken provides the score while Harvey Feirstein (Kinky Boots) has penned the book and Jack Feldman (The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride) is the lyricist.

That’s not all, as Menken continued: “While we’re talking about it, and, it’s not a Disney thing, but I would love to see A Bronx Tale on screen. I could get Rob [Marshall, who directed The Little Mermaid] to direct it.” 

A Bronx Tale, based on the ’90s film, premiered at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey on 4 February 2016, before opening on Broadway later that year.

Newsies continues to run at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in London.