I know I'm not the only Newsies fan in the world. There are other people out there who are like, "Oh, that was my favorite movie growing up!" or "Oh, I know the words to all the songs!" I don't begrudge these people their Newsies fandom, but I have a claim to stake: I am probably a bigger fan than you are.
Newsies inspired me to become a journalist - no joke - & whenever I stay up late writing, I think of it: For a dreamer, night's the only time of day. It also informed my activism, allowing me to believe that if you rouse the community for your cause, a parade will come marching down the street to back you up. And perhaps above all else, Newsies was one of the key aspects of my relationship with my childhood best friend, Christina. We used to watch it over & over, quoting & re-quoting, swooning over Jack & Spot Conlon & Mush, whomever was our Newsies crush du jour.
This morning, Christina & I scored tickets to see Newsies on Broadway. I'm not even going to tell you how much we paid for them, because you'll judge us really harshly. It's not about the cost. Can you put a price on a friendship? (Cheesiness alert.) For us, this is the culmination of our childhood dreams. We're putting together a whirlwind trip to New York City, me from New Hampshire & her from Tennessee, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see our favorite movie come to life & spend a weekend being the kings of New York.
There I be. Ain't I pretty? It's my city.