|
"NEWSIES"
(For the ORIGINAL SCRIPT “Hard Promises” click here)
RACETRACK:
In 1899,
the streets of
(The
movie title appears. We see the outside of the Newsboys Lodging House. Inside,
Kloppman, the owner, enters the bunkroom, finding the boys still in bed.)
KLOPPMAN:
Boots!
Skittery! Skittery! Skittery!
SKITTERY:
Wha..I
didn't do it!
KLOPPMAN:
What do
you mean you didn't do it? Will you get up? When you get up, it's time to get
up! Snitch! Get up! Get up! Everybody's sleeping. They sleep their lives away
these kids! The presses are rolling! Sell the papers, sell the papers! Come on,
come on. You dreaming about selling papers?
JACK:
Mmmmmm?
What's the matta with you?
KLOPPMAN:
What's
the matter with me?
JACK:
What's
the matta with you? Wanna..go..back..to..
KLOPPMAN:
Come on!
(gives him a shove)
JACK:
Get away
from me, you're mad!
KLOPPMAN:
Ha ha.
Get up boy! Come on. Alright! Carry the banner! Sell the papers!
(Racetrack
looks around for him cigar, noticing that Snipeshooter has it)
RACETRACK:
That's my cigar!
SNIPESHOOTER:
You'll steal anudder!
KID
BLINK:
Hey bummers, we got work tah do!
SPECS:
Since when did you become me mudder?
CRUTCHY:
Aww, stop your bawling!
NEWSIES:
Hey, who asked you?
MUSH:
So, how'd
you sleep Jack?
JACK:
On me
back Mush.
MUSH:
Ha ha.
Hear that fellas? Hear what Jack said? I asked Jack how he slept and he said
'On me back Mush.'
CRUTCHY:
Jack,
when I walk, does it look like I'm faking it?
JACK:
No. Who
says you're faking it?
CRUTCHY:
I dunno.
It's just there's so many fake crips on the street today, a real crip ain't got
a chance. I gotta find me a new selling spot where they ain't used to seeing
me.
MUSH:
Try Bottle Alley or the harbor
RACETRACK:
Try Central Park, it's guaranteed
JACK:
Try any banker, bum, or barber
SKITTERY:
They almost all knows how to read
KID
BLINK:
I smell money
CRUTCHY:
You smell foul!
MUSH:
Met this girl last night
CRUTCHY:
Move your elbow!
RACETRACK:
Pass the towel!
SKITTERY:
For a buck I might!
NEWSIES:
Ain't it a fine life
Carrying the banner through it all?
A mighty fine life
Carrying the banner tough and tall
Every morning, we goes where we wishes
We's as free as fishes
Sure beats washing dishes
What a fine life
Carrying the banner home-free all!
(The
newsies leave the Lodging House and head towards Newsies Square)
JACK:
It
takes a smile as sweet as butter
CRUTCHY:
The
kind the ladies can’t resist
RACETRACK:
It
takes an orphan…with a stutter
JACK:
That
ain’t afraid to use his-
KID
BLINK:
Fist!
NEWSIES:
Summer
stinks and winter's waiting
Welcome to New York
Boy, ain't nature fascinating
When youse gotta walk?
Still, it's a fine life
Carrying the banner with me chums
A mighty fine life
Blowing every nickel as it comes
CRUTCHY:
I'm no snoozer
Sitting makes me antsy
I likes living chancy
NEWSIES:
Harlem tah Delancey
What a fine life
Carrying the banner through the slums
NUNS:
Blessed children though you wonder lost and depraved
Jesus loves you, you shall be saved!
PATRICK'S
MOTHER:
Patrick, darling
Since you left me, I am undone
Mother loves you
God save my son!
(Sung in
counterpoint)
RACETRACK:
Just give me half a cup
KID
BLINK:
Something to wake me up
MUSH:
I gotta find an angle
CRUTCHY:
I gotta sell more papes
VARIOUS
NEWSIES:
Papers is all I got
Wish I could catch a breeze
Sure hope the headline's hot
All I can catch is fleas
God help me if it's not
Somebody help me, please..
(End
counterpoint)
NEWSIES:
If I hate the headline, I'll make up the headline
And I'll say anything I hafta
'Cause it's two for a penny, if I take too many
Weasel just makes me eat 'em afta
(Sung in
counterpoint)
1.
Look! They're putting up the headline
They call that a headline?
I get better stories from the copper on the beat
I was gunna start with twenty but a dozen'll be plenty
Tell me, how'm I gonna make ends meet?
2.
What's it say?
That won't pay!
So where's your spot?
God, it's hot!
Will ya tell me how'm I gonna make ends meet?
(End
counterpoint)
NEWSIES:
We need a good assassination!
We need an earthquake or a war!
SNIPESHOOTER:
How 'bout a crooked politician?
NEWSIES:
Hey, stupid, that ain't news no more!
Uptown to Grand Central Station
Down to City Hall
We improves our circulation
Walkin' til we fall!
(Sung in
counterpoint)
1.
Still we'll be out there
Carrying the banner man to man!
Yes, we'll be out there
Soaking every sucker that we can!
See the headline
Newsies on a mission
Kill the competition
Sell the next edition
While we're out there
Carrying the banner is the...
2.Look,
they're putting up the headline
They call that a headline
The idiot who wrote it must be working for the Sun
Didja hear about the fire?
3.Heard it killed old man Maguire!
2.Heard the toll was ever higher
3.Why do I miss all the fun?
2.Hitched
it on a Trolley
3.Meetcha Forty-Fourth and Second
2.Little Italy's a secret
3.Bleecker's further than I reckoned
2.At the courthouse
3.Near the stables
2.On the corner someone beckoned and I....
(The
Delancey brothers, Oscar and Morris, enter.)
RACETRACK:
Dear me!
What is that unpleasant aroma? I fear the sewers may have backed up during the
night.
BOOTS:
Nah, too
rotten to be the sewers.
CRUTCHY:
It must
be the Delancey brudders.
RACETRACK:
Hiya
boys!
OSCAR:(to
Snipeshooter)
In the
back, you lousy little shrimp.
(Oscar
throws Snipeshooter to the ground. Jack goes to help him up)
RACETRACK:
It's not
good to do that. Not healthy.
JACK:
You
shouldn't call people lousy little shrimps, Oscar, unless you're referring to
the family resemblance in your brudda here.
RACETRACK:
5-1 that
Cowboys skunks 'em. Who's betting?
JACK:
That's
right. It's an insult. So's this.
(Jack
knocks Morris' hat off his head. The Delancey's chase Jack around the Square.
David and Les enter and watch until Jack bumps into them.)
DAVID:
What do
you think you're doing?
JACK:
Runnin'!
(Sung in
counterpoint)
NEWSIES:
1.It's
a fine life
Carrying
the banner through it al
lA
mighty fine life
Carrying
the banner tough and tall
See
the headline
Newsies
on a mission
Kill
the competition
Sell
the next edition
What a
fine life
Carrying
the banner!
2.Would
you look at the headline
You
call that a headline?
I get
better stories from the copper on the beat
I was
gonna start with twenty but a dozen'll be plenty
Would
you tell me how'm I ever gonna make ends meet
Hitched
it on a Trolly
Meetcha
Forty-Fourth and Second
Little
Italy's a secret
Bleecker's
further than I reckoned
By the
courthouse, near the stables
On the
corner someone beckoned!
Go get
'em Cowboy!
You've
got 'em now boy!
(End
counterpoint)
NEWSIES:
Go!
WORLD
EMPLOYEE:
These is
for the newsies!
(The
newsies line up for their papes, congratulating Jack on beating the Delancey's)
RACETRACK:
Brilliant,
better than yesterday.
JACK:
You’re
too kind to me, Race, you’re too kind.
MORRIS:
See you
tomorrow, Cowboy
OSCAR:
You're as
good as dead, Cowboy.
JACK:
Oh Mr.
Weasel.
WEASEL:
Alright,
alright! Hold your horses! I'm coming, I'm coming.
JACK:
So, didja
miss me Weasel? Huh, did you miss me?
WEASEL:
I told ya
a million times, the name's Wisely. Mr. Wisely to you. How many?
JACK:
Don't
rush me, I'm prusing the merchandise Mr. Weasel. The usual.
WEASEL:
100 papes
for the wise guy. Next!
RACETRACK:
Morning
your honor! Listen, do me a favor, spot me 50 papes? I got a hot tip in the
fourth, you won't waste your money.
WEASEL:
It's a
sure thing?
RACETRACK:
Yeah. Not
like last time.
WEASEL:
50 papes!
Next!
CRUTCHY:
Heya Mr.
Wisel.
RACETRACK:
See
anything good this morning?
WEASEL:
30 papes
for Crutchy! Next!
JACK:(to
Les)
You wanna
sit down?
DAVID:
20 papers
please. Thanks.
RACETRACK:
Look at
this, 'Baby Born With Two Heads'. Must be from Brooklyn.
WEASEL:
Hey, you
got your lousy papes, now beat it!
DAVID:
I paid
for twenty. I only got nineteen.
WEASEL:
Are you
accusing me of lying kid?
DAVID:
No. I
just want my paper.
MORRIS:
He said
beat it!
JACK:
No, it's
nineteen. It's nineteen, but don't worry about it. It's an honest mistake. I
mean, Morris here can't count to twenty with his shoes on. Hey Race, will ya
spot me 2 bits? Another 50 for my friend.
DAVID:
I don't
want another 50.
JACK:
Sure you
do. Every newsie wants more papes.
DAVID:
I don't.
I don't want your papes. I don't take charity from anyone. I don't know you. I
don't
care to. Here are your papes.
LES:
Cowboy.
They called him Cowboy.
JACK:
Yeah, I'm
called that and a lot of other things, including Jack Kelly, which is what me
mudder called me. What do they call you kid?
LES:
Les, and
this is my brother David. He's older.
JACK:
No
kidding. So how old are you Les?
LES:
Me? Near
10.
JACK:
Near 10.
Well, that's no good. If anyone asks, you're 7. You see, younger sells more
papes and if we're gonna be partners, we wanna be the best.
DAVID:
Wait. Who
said anything about being partners?
JACK:
Well, you
owe me 2 bits right? Well, I'll consider that an investment. We sell together,
we split 70-30, plus you get the benefit of observing me, no charge.
DAVID:
Ah-ha.
JACK:(mocking)
Ah-ha.
CRUTCHY:
You're
getting the chance of a lifetime here, Davey. You learn from Jack, you learn
from the best.
DAVID:
Well, if
he's the best, then how come he needs me?
JACK:
Listen, I
don't need you, pal, but I ain't got a cute little brudder like Les here to
front for me. With this kid's puss and my God-given talent, we could move a
thousand papes a week. So what do you say Les? You wanna sell papes with me?
LES:
Yeah!
JACK:
So we got
a deal?
DAVID:
Wait.
It's got to be at least 50-50.
JACK:
60-40, I
forget the whole thing.
(David
holds out his hand. Jack spits on his hand and reaches for David, who pulls his
arm away.)
JACK:
What'sa
matta?
DAVID:
That's
disgusting!
(By this
time, the rest of the newsies have gotten their papers and are moving out into
the street.)
JACK:
The name
of the game is volume, Dave. You only took twenty papes. Why?
DAVID:
Bad
headline.
JACK:
That's
the first thing you gotta learn. Headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell
papes. You know, we're what holds this town together. Without newsies, nobody
knows nothing.
(A girl
hurries past and the newsies take off their hats and make a few comments)
SPECS:
Baby born
with three heads!
(The
newsies begin to yell out various headlines as the spread out over the streets.
We go into Pulitzer's office where Pulitzer is reading the headline. Also in
the room is Jonathan, Seitz and another World employee.)
PULITZER:
'Trolley
Strike Drags On For Third Week' and this so-called headline drags on for
infinity.
EMPLOYEE:
News is
slow, Mr. Pulitzer. The trolley strike's all we've got.
PULITZER:
Well,
that's all Mr. William Randolph Hearst has too, but look how he covers the
strike. Look! Look!
EMPLOYEE:
We'll get
a new headline writer, sir.
PULITZER:
Steal
Hearst's man. Offer him double.
SEITZ:
That's
how he stole him from us. It's not the headlines, Chief. The circulation wars
are cutting into our profits because you spend as much as you make trying to
beat Hearst.
PULITZER:
Then we
need to make more money. You do not penny-pinch when you're in a war, Seitz.
Victory means everything. Now, when I created the World…what is that deafening noise?
JONATHAN:
Just the
newsies, sir. I'll go have them quieted.
PULITZER:
Never
mind the newsies. Where was I?
SEITZ:
Creating
the World, Chief.
PULITZER:
There's
lots of money down there, gentlemen. I want to know how I can get more of
it...by tonight.
(We are
now in the streets of New York. Jack and David roam through the crowds.)
DAVID:
Extra!
Extra! Trolley strike drags on!
JACK:
Extra!
Extra! Ellis Island in flames!
DAVID:
Wait,
where's that story?
JACK:
Thank you
sir. Page 9. Thousands flee in panic. Thank you. Much obliged to you ladies.
DAVID:
'Trash
Fire Next To Immigration Building Terrifies Seagulls'??
JACK:
Terrified
flight of inferno!! Thousands of lives at stake! Extra! Extra! Thank you sir.
Extra! Extra!
(Les
enters)
JACK:
Hey, you
start in the back like I told you? Ok, show me again.
LES:(coughs)
Buy me
last pape, mista?
JACK:
It's
heartbreaking kid. Go get 'em.
DAVID:
My father
taught us not to lie.
JACK:
Well,
mine told me not to starve, so we both got an education.
DAVID:
You're
just making up things. All these headlines.
JACK:
I don't
do nothing the guys who write it don't do. Anyway, it's not lying, it's just
improving the truth a little.
(Warden
Snyder enters and sees Jack. Les re-enters)
LES:
The guy
gave me a quarter. Quick, give me some more last papers.
DAVID:
Wait,
wait. You smell like beer.
LES:
Well,
that's how I made the quarter. The guy bet me I wouldn't drink some.
JACK:
Hey, no
drinking on the job. It's bad for business. And what if somebody called the cop
on you?
DAVID:(pointing
to Snyder)
Is he a
friend of yours?
JACK:
Beat it!
It's the bulls!
LES:
All this
over one sip of beer?
(Snyder
chases Jack, David and Les through the streets, and into a building. They run
up the stairs and get to the roof. Without stopping for a second, Jack jumps
off the roof, leaving David and Les alone. Jack's head pops up and David and
Les join him on a ledge just as Synder enters.)
SNYDER:
Sullivan!
Wait ‘til I get you back to the Refuge!
(Jack
leads David and Les a little more, when David pulls him to a halt outside
Irving Hall)
DAVID:
I'm not
running any further.
(Jack
leads the two brothers inside.)
DAVID:
I want
some answers.
JACK:
Shhh!
DAVID:
Who was
he and why was he chasing you? And what is this Refuge?
JACK:
The
Refuge is a jail for kids. That guy chasing me was Snyder, he’s the warden.
LES:
You were
in jail?
JACK:
Yeah.
LES:
Why?
JACK:
Well, I
was starving, so I stole some food.
DAVID:
Food?
JACK:
Yeah,
food.
DAVID:
He called
you Sullivan.
JACK:
Well, my
name's Kelly. Jack Kelly. You think I'm lying?
DAVID:
Well, you
have a way of improving the truth. Why was he chasing you?
JACK:
'Cause I
escaped.
LES:
Oh boy!
How?
JACK:
Well,
this big shot gave me a ride out in his carriage.
DAVID:
I bet it
was the mayor, right?
JACK:
No, Teddy
Roosevelt. You ever heard of him?
MEDDA:
What's
going on down there? Out! Out! Out!
JACK:
You
wouldn't kick me out without a kiss goodbye, wouldja Medda?
MEDDA:
Oh Kelly.
Where ya been, kid? Oh, I miss seeing you up in the balcony.
JACK:
Hanging
on your every word. So Medda.
MEDDA:
Yes.
JACK:
This is
David and Les.
MEDDA:
Hello.
JACK:
And this
is the greatest star of the vaudeville stage today, Miss Medda Larkson, the
Swedish Meadowlark.
MEDDA:
Welcome,
gentlemen.
JACK:
Medda
also owns the joint.
MEDDA:
Oh, what
do we have here? Oh, aren't you the cutest little thing there ever was? Yes you
are.
LES:(cough)
Buy me
last pape, lady?
MEDDA:
Oh, you
are good. Oh yes, this kid is really good. Speaking as one professional to
another, I'd say you have a great future.
JACK:
So, is it
alright if we stay here for a little while, Medda? Just until a little problem
outside goes away.
MEDDA:
Sure,
stay as long as you like. Toby, just give my guests whatever they want.
ANNOUNCER:
And now
gents, the moment you've all been waiting for. The sensational songbird. The
Swedish Meadowlark, Miss Medda Larkson.
(Medda
goes on stage. Jack, David and Les watch from backstage.)
MEDDA:
My lovey dovey baby
I boo-hoo-hoo for you
I used to be your tootsie-wootsie
Then you said 'tooldle-dedoo'
I miss
the hanky-panky
Each nighty-night til three
Come back my lovey dovey baby
And coochie-coo with me
(After
the show, the boys go outside)
JACK:
So, you
like that?
DAVID:
Oh, I
loved that. I loved it. It was great. She is beautiful. How do you know her?
JACK:
She was a
friend of me fadder's. Come on, Les, you wanna shine me shoes for me?
DAVID:
Oh, it's
getting late. My parents are going to be worried. What about yours?
JACK:
Nah,
they're out west looking for a place to live, like this.
(Pulls
out a Santa Fe brochure)
See, that
Les? Santa Fe, New Mexico. As soon as they find the right ranch, they're gonna
send for me.
LES:
Then
you'll be a real cowboy.
JACK:
Yup.
(Fire and
loud crashes are heard. The boys run and see a riot breaking out. A group of
men are beating up another man.)
DAVID:
Jack! Why
don't we go to my place and divvy up. You can meet my folks.
JACK:
It's the
trolley strike, Dave. These couple of dumb-asses must not have joined or
something.
DAVID:
Jack,
let's get out of here.
JACK:
So, maybe
we'll get a good headline tomorrow, Dave. Look at this, he slept the whole way
threw it.
(Jack
picks up Les from the bench where he fell asleep. They enter David's house.)
ESTER:
My God.
What happened?
DAVID:
Nothing,
mama. He's just sleeping.
MAYER:
We've
been waiting dinner for you. Where have you been?
(David
puts a pile of coins on the table.)
MAYER:
You made
all this selling newspapers?
DAVID:
Well,
half of it's Jack's. This is our selling partner, and our friend. Jack Kelly,
my parents. And that's my sister, Sarah.
MAYER:
Ester,
maybe David's partner would like to join us for dinner. Why don't you add a
little more water to the soup?
(He
kisses her. She shoves him away playfully)
ESTER:
Mayer!
(After
dinner, they talk as Sarah clears the table.)
JACK:
So, from
what I saw today, you're boys are a couple of born newsies. Can I have some
more?
SARAH:
Yes.
JACK:
So with
their hard work and my experience, I figure we can peddle a thousand papes a
week and not even break a sweat.
MAYER:
That
many?
JACK:
More when
the headline's good.
SARAH:
So what
makes the headline good?
JACK:
Oh, you
know. Catchy words like maniac, or corpse, umm…love-nest,
or nude. Excuse me. Maybe I'm talkin' too much.
MAYER:
Sarah? Go
get the cake your mother's hiding in the cabinet.
ESTER:
That's
for your birthday tomorrow!
MAYOR:
Well,
I've had enough birthdays. This is a celebration.
DAVID:
I'll get
the knife.
SARAH:
I got the
plates.
DAVID:
This is
only the beginning, papa. The longer I work, the more money I'll make.
MAYER:
You'll
only work until I go back to the factory, and then you are going back to
school, like you promised.
SARAH:
Happy-birthday,
papa.
MAYER:
This is
going to heal, and they'll give me my job back. We'll make them
(Les
stirs, but doesn't wake up in bed.)
LES:
Come
back my lovey dovey baby
And
coochie-coo with me
(David
and Jack start laughing)
ESTER:
And what
is this David?
(The boys
try to stop laughing, but can't. LATER THAT NIGHT, on David's fire escape)
JACK:
So, how'd
your pop get hurt?
DAVID:
At the
factory. It was an accident. He's no good to them anymore, so they just fired
him.
(Mayer
appears at the window.)
MAYER:
David,
it's time to come in now.
DAVID:
Alright.
Jack, why don't you stay here tonight?
JACK:
Ah, no,
thanks. I got a place of my own. But you're family's real nice, like mine.
DAVID:
See you
tomorrow.
JACK:
Alright.
DAVID:
Carrying
the banner.
JACK:
Carrying
the banner.
(David
goes inside, leaving Jack alone on the fire escape. He looks in the window and
sees the family together.)
JACK:
So that's what they call a family?
Mudder, fadder, daughter, son
Guess everything you heard about is true.
So you
ain't got any family
Well, who said you needed one?
Ain'tcha glad nobody's waiting up for you?
When I
dream on my own
I'm alone, but I ain't lonely
For a dreamer, night's the only time of day
When the city's finally sleeping
When my thoughts begin to stray
And I'm on the train that bound for
Santa Fe
And
I'm free
Like the wind
Like I’m gonna live forever
It's a feeling time can never take away
All I
need’s a few more dollars
And I'm outta here to stay
Dreams come true
Yes they do
In Santa Fe
Where
does it say you've gotta live and die here?
Where does it say a guy can't catch a break?
Why should you only take what you're given?
Why should you spend your whole life livin'
Trapped where there ain't no future
Even at seventeen
Breaking your back for someone else's sake
If the
life don't seem to suit ya
How bout a change of scene?
Far from the lousy headlines
And the deadlines in between
Santa
Fe
Are you there?
Do you swear you won't forget me?
If I found you would you let me come and stay?
I
ain't getting any younger
And before my dying day
I want space
Not just air
Let 'em laugh in my face, I don't care
Save a place
I'll be there
So
that's what they call a family?
Ain'tcha glad you ain't that way?
Ain'tcha glad you got a dream called
Santa Fe?
(Jack
ends up outside the Lodging House. As he enters, he meets up with Racetrack)
JACK:
Heya
Race.
RACETRACK:
Hey Jack.
JACK:
How was
your day at the track?
RACETRACK:
Remember
that hot tip I told you about? Nobody told the horse.
(Pulitzer,
Seitz and Jonathan are sitting it Pulitzer's office.)
PULITZER:
I know we
need to make more money. That’s why we’re here, to find out how to make more
money.
JONATHAN:
I have
several proposals. First, to increase the paper’s price.
PLUITZER:
Then
Hearst outsells me and I’m in the poorhouse. Brilliant, Jonathan, brilliant.
JONATHAN:
Not the
customer’s price. The price to the distribution apparatus.
SEITZ:
Charge
the newsies more for their papers? Bad idea, Chief.
JONATHAN:
Very
well. My next proposal, salary cuts. Particularly those at the top.
SEITZ:
Very bad
idea, Chief.
PULITZER:
Wait.
What do the newsies pay now? 50 cents for 100 papers? If you raise it to 60
cents..
JONATHAN:
A mere
tenth of a cent per paper.
PULITZER:
Multiply
by 40, 000 papers a day…7 days a week….
JONATHAN:
It
definitely adds up, sir.
SEITZ:
If you do
this, every newsie we’ve got will head straight for Hearst.
PULITZER:
You don’t
know Hearst like I do, Setiz. As newspapermen, he and I would cut each other’s
throats to get an advantage. But as gentlemen, as businessmen, if also see eye
to eye on certain things. Now, if we do it, Hearst and I, if we do it, then the
other papers will do it.
SEITZ:
It’s
going to be awfully tough on those children.
PULITZER:
Nonsense,
nonsense. It’ll be good for them. Incentive, make them work harder, sell more
papers. They’ll look on it as an advantage.
(Outside
the World building, the newsies have gathered. Jack joins them)
KID
BLINK:
They
jacked up the price! You hear that Jack? Ten cents a hundred! You know, it’s
bad enough that we gotta eat what we don’t sell, now they jack up the price!
Can you believe that?
SKITTERY:
This’ll
bust me, I’m barely making a living right now.
BOOTS:
I’ll be
back sleeping on the streets.
MUSH:
It don’t
make no sense. I mean, all the money Pulitzer’s making, why would he gouge us?
RACETRACK:
Because
he’s a tight wad, that’s why!
JACK:
Pipe
down, it’s just a gag. So, why the jack up Weasel?
WEASEL:
Why not?
It’s a nice day. Why don’tcha ask Mr. Pulitzer?
KID
BLINK:
They
can’t to this to me Jack.
RACETRACK:
They can
do whatever they want. It’s their stinkin’ paper.
BOOTS:
It ain’t
fair. We got no rights at all.
RACETRACK:
Come on,
it’s a rigged deck. They got all the marbles.
MUSH:
Jack, we
got no choice, so why don’t we get our lousy papes while they still got some,
huh?
JACK:
No!
Nobody’s going anywhere. They can’t get away with this!
LES:
Give him
some room, give him some room. Let him think.
RACETRACK:
Jack, you
done thinkin’ yet?
WEASEL:
Hey! Hey!
Hey! World employees only on this side of the gate!
JACK:
Well,
listen. One thing’s for sure, if we don’t sell papes, then nobody sells papes.
Nobody comes through those gates until they put the price back to where it was.
DAVID:
You mean
like a strike?
JACK:
Yeah,
like a strike!
RACETRACK:
Are you
out of your mind?
JACK:
It’s a
good idea!
DAVID:
Jack, I
was only joking. We can’t go on strike, we don’t have a union.
JACK:
But, if
we go on strike, then we are a union, right?
DAVID:
No, we’re
just a bunch of angry kids with no money. Maybe if we got every newsie in New
York, but…
JACK:
Yeah,
well we organize. Crutchy, you take up for collection. We get all the newsies
of New York together.
DAVID:
Jack,
this isn’t a joke. You saw what happened to those trolley workers.
JACK:
Yeah,
well that’s another good idea. Any newsie don’t join with us, then we bust
their heads like the trolley workers.
DAVID:
Stop and
think about this Jack. You can’t just rush everybody into this
JACK:
Alright.
Let me think about it. Listen. Dave’s right. Pulitzer and Hearst and all them
other rich fellas, I mean, they own this city, so do they really think a bunch
of street kids like us can make any difference? The choice has got to be yours.
Are we just gonna take what they give us, or are we gonna strike?
LES:
Strike!
BOOTS:
Keep
talking Jack, tell us what to do!
JACK:
Well, you
tell us what to do Davey.
DAVID:
Pulitzer
and Hearst have to respect our rights.
JACK:
Hey
listen! Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect the rights of the working boys of
New York! Well, that worked pretty good, so what else?
DAVID:
Tell them
that they can’t treat us like we don’t exist.
JACK:
Pulitzer
and Hearst, they think we’re nothing.
Are we
nothing!
NEWSIES:
No!
DAVID:
If we
stick together like the trolley workers then they can’t break us up.
JACK:
Pulitzer
and Hearst, they think they got us.
Do
they got us?
NEWSIES:
No!
DAVID:
We’re a
union now, the Newsboys Union. We have to start acting like a union.
JACK:
Even
though we ain’t got hats or badges
We’re
a union just by saying so
And
the World will know!
BOOTS:
What’s to
start somebody else from selling our papes?
JACK:
Well, we'll
talk with them!
RACETRACK:
Some of
them don’t hear so good!
JACK:
Well then
we’ll soak ‘em!
DAVID:
No! We
can’t beat up kids in the streets. It’ll give us a bad name.
CRUTCHY:
Can’t get
any worse.
JACK:
What’s it gonna take to stop the wagons?
Are we ready?
NEWSIES:
Yeah!
DAVID:
No!
JACK:
What’s it gonna take to stop the scabber?
Can we do it?
NEWSIES:
Yeah!
JACK:
We’ll do what we gotta do until we
Break
the will of mighty Bill and Joe!
NEWSIES:
And the World will know
And the Journal too!
Mr. Hearst and Pulitzer
Have we got news for you!
Now
the World will hear
What we’ve got to say
We’ve been hawking headlines
But we’re making ‘em today.
And our ranks will grow!
CRUTCHY:
And we’ll kick their rear!
NEWSIES:
And the World will know that we’ve been here!
JACK:
When the circulation bell starts ringing
Will we hear it?
NEWSIES:
No!
JACK:
What if the Delancey’s come out swinging
Will we hear it?
NEWSIES:
No!
When you’ve got a hundred voices singing
Who can hear a lousy whistle blow?
And
the World will know
That this ain’t no game
That we got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim
So they gave their word
But it ain’t worth beans!
Now they’re gonna see what ‘stop the presses’ really means
And
the day has come
And the time is now
And the fear is gone
BOOTS:
And their name is mud!
NEWSIES:
And
the strike is on
BOOTS:
And I can't stand blood!
NEWSIES:
And the World will..
JACK:
Pulitzer may own the World but he don’t own us!
NEWSIES:
Pulitzer
may own the World but he don’t own us!
JACK:
Pulitzer
may crack the whip but he won’t whip us!
NEWSIES:
Pulitzer may crack the whip but he won’t whip us!
And the World will know
And the World will learn
And the World will wonder how
We made the tables turn
And the World will see
That we had to choose
That the things we do today
Will be tomorrow’s news
And
the old will fall
And the young stand tall
And the time is now
And the winds will blow
And our ranks will grow
And grow and grow and so
The World will feel the fire
And finally know!
PART II
NEWSIES:
Strike!
Strike! Strike! (etc.)
JACK:
We gotta
get word out to all the newsies of New York. I need some of those….what’dja call ‘em?
DAVID:
Ambassadors?
JACK:
Yeah,
right. Okay, you guys, you gotta be am-bastards and go tell the other that
we’re on strike.
KID
BLINK:
Say,
Jack, I’ll take Harlem.
RACETRACK:
Yeah, I
got Midtown.
MUSH:
I got the
Battery, Jack.
CRUTCHY:
Hey, I’ll
take the Bronx.
JACK:
Alright.
And Bumlets, and Specs and Skittery, you take Queens. Pie Eater! Snoddy! East
Side! Snipeshooter, you go with ‘em. So, what about Brooklyn? Come on, Spot
Conlon’s territory. What’sa matta? You scared of Brooklyn?
BOOTS:
Hey, we
ain’t scared of Brooklyn. It’s Spot Conlon that makes us a little nervous.
JACK:
Well, he
don’t make me nervous. So you and me, Boots, we’ll go to Brooklyn. And Dave
here can keep us company.
DAVID:
Sure,
just as soon as you delivery our demands to Pulitzer.
JACK:
Me? To
Pulitzer?
DAVID:
You’re
the leader, Jack.
JACK:
Well,
maybe the kid’ll soften him up.
(Jack and
Les enter the World Building. The newsies cheer)
NEWSIES:
Strike!
Strike! Strike! (etc.)
(The
newsies go off in different directions. Denton enters and approaches David.)
DENTON:
Hey, what
is the strike? What’s going on?
DAVID:
We’re
bringing out demands to Pulitzer.
DENTON:
What
demands?
DAVID:
The
newsies demands. We’re on strike.
DENTON:
I’m with
the New York Sun. Bryan Denton. You seem like the kid in charge. What’s your
name?
DAVID:
David.
DENTON:
David.
David as in David and Goliath? You really think old man Pulitzer’s going to
listen to your demands?
DAVID:
He has
to.
(Jack and
Let thrown out the door.)
JACK:
Well,
so’s your old lady! You tell Pulitzer he needs an appointment with me!
LES:
Yeah!
(Jack,
David, Les and Denton are sitting in a booth in Tibby’s Restaurant.)
JACK:
So this
snooty mug says to me, ‘You can’t see Mr. Pulitzer. No one sees Mr. Pulitzer.’
Real hoity-toity, you know the type?
LES:
Real
hoity-toity.
JACK:
So that’s
when I says to him, ‘Listen, I ain’t in the habit of transacting no business
with office boys. Just tell him Jack Kelly’s here to see him now!’
LES:
That’s
when he threw us out.
DENTON:
Does he
scare you? You’re going up against the most powerful man in New York City.
JACK:
Oh yeah,
look at me. I’m trembling.
DENTON:
Alright,
keep me informed. I want to know everything that’s going on.
DAVID:
Are we
really an important story?
DENTON:
Well,
what’s important? Last year I covered the war in Cuba. Charged up San Juan Hill
with Col. Teddy Roosevelt. That was an important story. So, is the newsie’s
strike important? That all depends on you.
JACK:
So my
name’s really gonna be in the papers?
DENTON:
Any
objections?
JACK:
Not as
long as you get it right. It’s Kelly, Jack Kelly. Oh, and Denton? No pictures.
DENTON:
Sure
Jack.
(Jack,
David and Boots start across the Brooklyn Bridge.)
DAVID:
I’ve
never been to Brooklyn, have you?
BOOTS:
I spent a
month there one night.
(Jack and
Boots lean over the side and scream at the top of their lungs.)
DAVID:
So, is
this Spot Conlon really dangerous?
(The boys
get to Brooklyn. There are a lot of tough looking boys.)
BROOKLYN
NEWSIE:
Going
somewhere, Kelly?
(Jack
pushes past him. David and Boots follow.)
Well, if
it ain’t Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.
JACK:
I see you
moved up in the world, Spot. Got a river view and everything.
(The two
boys spit-shake.)
Heya
Boots. How’s it rollin’?
BOOTS:
I got a
couple of real good shooters.
(Spot
takes the marbles and takes out his sling-shot.)
Yeah. So,
Jacky-boy. I’ve been hearing things from little birds. Things from Harlem,
Queens, all over. They been chirpin’ in my ear. Jacky-boy’s newsies is playing
like they’re going on strike.
JACK:
Yeah,
well we are.
DAVID:
We’re not
playing. We are going on strike.
Oh yeah?
Yeah? What is this, Jacky-boy? Some kind of walking mouth?
JACK:
Yeah,
it’s a mouth. A mouth with a brain, and if you got half a one, you’ll listen to
what he’s got to say.
DAVID:
Well, we
started the strike, but we can’t do it alone. So, we’re talking to newsies all
around the city.
Yeah, so
they told me. But what’d they tell you?
DAVID:
They’re
waiting to see what Spot Conlon is doing, you’re the key. That Spot Conlon is
the most respected and famous newsie in all of New York, and probably
everywhere else. And if Spot Conlon joins the strike, then they join and we’ll
be unstoppable. So you gotta join, I mean…well, you
gotta!
You’re
right Jacky-boy, brains. But I got brains too, and more than just half a one.
How do I know you punks won’t run the first time some goon comes at ya with a
club? How do I know you got what it takes to win?
JACK:
Because
I’m telling you, Spot.
That
ain’t good enough Jacky-boy. You gotta show me.
(The boys
go back to Newsies Square, where the rest of the newsies wait.)
RACETRACK:
Jack. So,
where’s Spot?
JACK:
He was
concerned about us being serious. You imagine that?
RACETRACK:
Well,
Jack, maybe we ought to ease off a little.
Without
Spot and the others, there ain’t enough of us, Jack.
MUSH:
Maybe
we’re moving too soon. Maybe we ain’t ready, you know?
SKITTERY:
I
definitely think we should forget about it for a little while.
JACK:
Oh, do
ya?
SKITTERY:
Yeah.
RACETRACK
Yeah, I
mean, without Brooklyn…you know?
JACK:
Spot was
right, is this just a game to you guys?
DAVID:
Open the gates and seize the day
Don’t be afraid and don’t delay
Nothing can break us
No one can make us
Give our rights away
Arise and seize the day!
DAVID
Now is the time to seize the day
Send out the call and join the fray
DAVID:
Wrongs will be righted
If we’re united
DAVID
Let us seize the day!
Friends
of the friendless seize the day
Raise up the torch and light the way
Proud and defiant
We’ll slay the giant
Let us seize the day
Neighbor
to neighbor
Father to son
One for all and all for one!
Open
the gates and seize the day
Don’t be afraid and don’t delay
Nothing can break us
No one can make us
Give our rights away
Neighbor
to neighbor
Father to son!
One for all and all for one!
(The
circulation bell begins to ring)
JACK
Anybody
hear that?
NEWSIES:
No!
JACK:
So what
are we gonna do about it?
NEWSIES:
Soak ‘em!
(The
newsies and the scabbers have a stand off. 3 scabs join with the newsies, but
then a big scab comes up against Jack. He tries to get by, but can’t. The
newsies start soaking the scabs, who eventually run away. They tear up the
newspapers. Jack starts making faces and blowing raspberries at Weasel, Oscar
and Morris through the distribution window.)
MORRIS:
I’m gonna
crack your dome!
(The
tearing of newspapers continue. A delivery cart is pushed onto its side. Weasel
calls for the cops, who enter blowing whistles.)
JACK:
Cheese
it! Cheese it, it’s the bulls!
(All the
newsies run, except Crutchy, who doesn’t notice)
RACETRACK:
Crutchy!
Scram! Scram!
(Crutchy
starts to leave, but is blocked in by cops. He turns to find the Delancey
brothers behind him.)
CRUTCHY:
Hiya
boys!
OSCAR:
Hey!
(They
knock his crutch aside and drag him away.)
Denton
has been watching all of this. THAT NIGHT- Jack and David walk to the Refuge.
Jack has a rope in his hands)
JACK:
So here
it is. The Refuge. My home, sweet home.
DAVID:
How can
you be sure they sent him here?
JACK:
How can I
be sure the Delancey’s stink? It’s just how things work, you know? An orphan
gets arrested, Snyder makes sure he gets sent straight here, so he can
rehabilitate him. The more kids in the Refuge, the more money the city sends to
take care of them, the more Snyder sticks it in his pocket. He’s here.
DAVID:
So how
come you brought the rope?
(A
carriage exits the Refuge. Jack and David hind in the shadows. As the guard
talks with the nuns, the two boys sneak by. On the roof, David lowers Jack, who
has the rope tied around his waist. Jack gets level with the window.)
JACK:
Steady.
Steady, Dave. That’s good.
(Jack
knocks on the window. A boy around Les’s age opens it.)
Hey.
Cowboy. You miss the joint?
JACK:
What do
ya say, Ten Pin. You got a new guy in here. Crutchy.
The gimp?
I’ll get him for ya.
JACK:
Hey
Crutchy.
(With the
help of a boy, Crutchy limps to the window.)
CRUTCHY:
I don’t
believe it. What are you hanging around here for?
JACK:
What do
you mean what am I hangin’ around here for? You know who’s on the roof?
CRUTCHY:
Who?
JACK:
Dave.
CRUTCHY:
Is that
Dave? Heya Dave! How ya doin’?
DAVID:
Shhh.
JACK:
Listen,
Crutchy, go get your stuff. We’re gonna get you outta here.
CRUTCHY:
Well,
actually, I ain’t walking so good. Oscar and Morris kinda worked me over a
little bit, you know?
JACK:
They hurt
you? Don’t worry about it. Me and Dave, we can carry you outta here.
CRUTCHY:
I don’t
want nobody carrying me, you hear? Hey, Dave! You know, they still talk about
how Jack rode outta here on that coach.
DAVID:
Oh, yeah.
Teddy Roosevelt’s, right?
CRUTCHY:
You
already heard the story.
DAVID:
You mean
it’s true?
CRUTCHY:
Of
course. Hey! Cheese it!
(Snyder
enters and inspects the room. Jack swings to the side, out of site. As Snyder
is about to look out the window, Crutchy grabs his arm.)
CRUTCHY:
Mr.
Warden Snyder, sir. You know, I was thinking. I’d just like you to know that
when you were taking a nap this afternoon…
(Crutchy
leads Snyder away from the window and Jack leaves. THE
SEITZ:
I don’t
think they’re just going to go away, Chief.
WEASEL:
Mr.
Pulitzer, sir, just give me the means and I’ll take care of them for ya.
PULITZER:
I’ll give
you whatever means you require. I want this nonsense down with once and for
all.
SEITZ:
Chief…
PULIZER:
Shut you
mouth, Setiz
(Weasel
and Seitz leave. Snyder looks out the window to the square where the newsies
have gathered.)
NEWSIES:
Open the gates and seize the day
Don’t be afraid and don’t delay
Nothing can break us
No one can make us
Give our rights away
Arise and seize the day
(The boys
dance in the square and block the entrance to the World building. A delivery
cart rushes through. The newsies and scabs have another stand off.)
DAVID:
Alright.
Everyone remain calm.
JACK:
Let’s
soak ‘em for Crutchy!
(The
newsies charge towards the scabs, who retreat. A large door opens and big men
with clubs and chains come out)
RACETRACK:
Jack!
Jack! the Crib!
(The men
form a circle around Jack so none of the newsies can help him. The gates shut
and Denton can’t get in to help.)
OSCAR:
Heya
Jacky-boy
(Jack
faces a man with a chain. Outside, Denton tries to get in.)
DENTON:
Aren’t
you going to stop them, sir?
POLICEMAN:
Move
along, mister.
(Just as
all hope seems lost for Jack, a bunch of newsies appear on the rooftops,
including Spot.)
Never
fear, Brooklyn is here.
MUSH:
It’s
Brooklyn!
(The
newsies start to soak the Crib, the Brooklyn boys using their sling shots.
Racetrack throws his hands in the air and sits on a ledge...)
RACETRACK:
Hey, I
give up. Alright, alright. I give up.
(…then kicks the guy in the family jewels)
JACK:
Hey,
Spot!
(Shots of
Newsies punching the scabs. First Racetrack, then Jack, Kid Blink and another.
Skittery get hits and falls back. Newsies catch him)
DAVID:
Are you
alright?
(Before
he can answer, the newsies push him back up and he punches the man back. Spot
opens the gates and the Brooklyn gang join. They force the Crib back. The
newsies cheer and tear some more papers. Denton enters with him camera.)
DENTON:
Jack!
Boys! Freeze! Freeze!
JACK:
Alright
guys
(Denton
takes the picture. Jack is the only one ready for it. The others all have weird
expressions on their faces. The picture turns black and white and appears on
the cover of the New York Sun under the headline ‘The Children’s Crusade;
Newsies Stop the World’.
DENTON:
Hey
fellas. Hey, hey! Big time.
BOOTS:
What you
got there Jack?
Where’s
me picture? Where’s me picture?
BOOTS:
What’s
that? That all about us?
MUSH:
Look at
that Jack. You look like a gentlemen
JACK:
Will you
get your fingers off me face?
Where
does it say my name? Where’s my name?
JACK:
Will you
quit thinking about yourself?
DAVID:
You got
us on the front page!
DENTON:
You got
yourselves on the front page. I just got to make sure you stay there.
SKITTERY:
So what.
You get your picture in the papes, so what’s that get you, huh?
MUSH:
What are
you talkin’ about?
JACK:
Shut up,
boy. You been in a bad mood all day!
SKITTERY:
I’m not
in a bad mood!
RACETRACK:
Glum and
dumb. What’s the matta with you? You get your picture in the papes, you’re
famous. You’re famous, you get anything you want. That’s what so great about
New York!
MUSH:
A pair of new shoes with matching laces
RACETRACK:
A permanent box at Sheepshed Races.
A porcelain tub with boiling water
KID
BLINK:
A
Saturday night with the mayor’s daughter!
RACETRACK:
Look at me
I’m the King of New York!
Suddenly
I’m respectable
Staring right atcha
Lousy with stature
JACK:
Nubbin’ with all the muckety-mucks
I’m blowin’ my dough and goin’ deluxe!
RACETRACK:
And there I’ll be
Ain’t I pretty?
RACETRACK
& JACK:
It’s my city
I’m the king of New York!
BOOTS:
A corduroy suit with fitted knickers
LES:
A mezzanine seat to see the flickers
SNIPESHOOTER:
Havana cigars that cost a quarter
DAVID:
An editor’s desk for our star reporter!
NEWSIES:
Tip your hat
He’s the King of New York!
DENTON:
How ‘bout that?
I’m the King of New York!
NEWSIES:
In nothing flat
He’ll be covering
Brooklyn to Trenton
Our man Denton
KID
BLINK:
Making a headline out of a hunch
DENTON:
Protecting the weak
RACETRACK:
And paying for lunch
DENTON:
When I’m at bat
Strong men crumble
RACETRACK:
Proud yet humble
DENTON
& RACETRACK:
I’m/He’s the King of New York
NEWSIES:
I gotta be either dead or dreaming
’Cuz look at that pape with my face beaming
Tomorrow they may wrap fishes in it
But I was a star for one whole minute!
Starting
now
I’m the King of New York!
DENTON:
Ain’t you hear?
I’m the King of New York!
NEWSIES:
Holy cow!
It’s a miracle
Pulitzer’s crying
Weasel? He’s dying!
Flashpots are shooting bright as the sun
I’m one hifalutin’ sonuva gun!
Don’t ask me how
Fortune found me
Fate just crowned me
Now I’m King of New York!
Look
and see
Once a piker
Now a striker
I’m the King of New York!
Victory!
Front page story
Guts and glory
I’m the King of New York!
(The
newsies cheer and gather around a table)
JACK:
So, let’s
have some ideas.
DAVID:
Well, we
gotta show people where we stand
JACK:
Yeah, so
we gotta stay in the papes.
DENTON:
My
paper’s the only one printing any strike news so far
JACK:
So, we
should do something that’s so big the other papers’ll feel stupid if they try
to ignore us. Like a rally. A newsie rally with all the kids from all over New
York. It’ll be the biggest, loudest, nosiest blow-out this town’s ever seen!
DAVID:
We’ll
send a message to the big boys
RACETRACK:
Yeah,
I’ll give ‘em a message.
(A waiter
brings a tray of cokes. Each newsie grabs a glass.)
JACK:
There’s a
lot of us, and we ain’t going away. We’ll fight until damn Doomsday if it means
we get a fair shake.
DAVID:
Hey,
guys. To out man Denton.
NEWSIES:
Our man
Denton!
(The
newsies lift their glasses in a toast. IN THE REFUGE- Crutchy knocks on
Snyder’s door and enters.)
CRUTCHY:
Heya Mr.
Snyder. How was your supper?
(As he
begins to put the plates on a tray, Crutchy notices Snyder looking at the
paper, particularly at Jack’s picture.)
CRUTCHY:
Hey!
That’s Jack. He looks just like himself.
SNYDER:
You know
this boy?
CRUTCHY:
No.
SNYDER:
You have
a very famous friend, this Jack. Do you know where he lives?
CRUTCHY:
I never
heard of him, honest! It’s this brain of mine, it’s always making mistakes.
It’s got a mind of it’s own. Can I get you anything else, Mr. Snyder? Good bye
Mr. Snyder.
(Crutchy
leaves, realizing his mistake. THAT NIGHT- The newsies are making signs for the
rally. Dutchy’s sign says ‘STRIKE’)
DUTCHY:
So, did I
spell it right, Kloppman?
KLOPPMAN:
Very
good, very good.
(Snyder
enters and starts going through Kloppman’s book)
KLOPPMAN:
Excuse
me. Can I help you?
SNYDER:
You have
a boy who calls himself Jack Kelly? I wish to see him
KLOPPMAN:
Jack
Kelly? Never heard of him. Never heard of him. Any of you boys ever hear of a
Jack Kelly?
SPECS:
That’s an
unusual name for these parts.
(Jack
enters, but Swifty stops him and points Snyder out to him)
RACETRACK:
Oh, you
mean Jack Kelly. Yeah, he was here, but he put an egg in his shoe and beat it.
SNYDER:
I have
reason to believe he’s an escaped prisoner, possibly dangerous.
KLOPPMAN:
Oh,
dangerous? I better look in my files. This way please.
(Kloppman
distracts Snyder and Jack exits. The boys hold up signs to hide him)
RACETRACK:
Give to
the Newsies Strike fund, Mister?
(Snyder
hands Racetrack a coin. THE
SARAH:
Did you
sleep out there all night?
JACK:
Yeah
SARAH:
Why
didn’t you wake us up?
JACK:
Well, I
didn’t want to disturb nobody. Besides, it’s like the Waldorph out here. Great
view. Cool air
SARAH:
Go up on
the roof.
(Jack
leaves so Sarah can get dressed. While he waits, he boxes with some stockings
and steals a tomato off a plant. Sarah enters with a basket.)
SARAH:
Are you
hungry?
JACK:
Yeah
SARAH:
Good. I
made you breakfast
(She lays
down a clothe and gets the food and milk.)
SARAH:
Papa’s so
proud of you and David. You should hear him talking about Jack Kelly, strike
leader, who occasionally takes his meal with us
JACK:
Well,
this is one strike leader who’s gonna be very happy when it’s all over and I
can get outta here and go to Santa Fe. I mean, there’s nothing for me to stay
for, is there? You know, you should se Santa Fe, everything’s different there.
It’s all bigger. The desert, the sky, the sun
SARAH:
It’s the
same sun as here
JACK:
Yeah, it
just looks different
SARAH:
I should
get ready for work
JACK:
Sarah?
I’m just not used to having whether I stay or whether I go matta to anybody.
I’m not saying it should matta to you. I’m just saying, well, does it? Matta?
(Pulitzer
is in his office with the Mayor, the Police Chief, Snyder and Seitz. He is
looking at the paper and has Jack’s face circled.)
MAYOR:
Of
course, the city is very concerned that this event doesn’t get out of hand. But…Chief?
CHIEF:
We can’t
just charge in there and break it up, Mr. Pulitzer. We’ve got no legal cause.
MAYOR:
Legal
cause.
PULITZER:
Would the
fact that this rally is organized by an escaped criminal be cause enough,
mayor?
MAYOR:
Escaped
criminal?
PULITZER:
A
fugitive from one of your prisons, mayor. A convicted thief. Been living at
large for some time under the alias of Jack Kelly. What’s his real name?
SNYDER:
Sullivan.
Francis Sullivan. Your honor. I would have caught him before now, but..
PULITZER:
You know
Warder Snyder, don’t you mayor? I believe you know him because you appointed
him.
MAYOR:
Yes.
Well, if this boy’s a fugitive then the chief can quietly arrest him.
PULITZER:
No, no,
no, no! Not quietly! Not quietly! I want an example made. I want this rabble
he’s roused to see what happens to those who would dare to lead. They should
see justice and action.
MAYOR:
Arrest
him at the rally?
PULITZER:
By the
way, mayor, a few friends for cards tonight. Newspaper friends. Billy Hearst,
Gordon Bennett. Perhaps you’ll join us. Talk about the coming election.
MAYOR:
I’d be
honored.
(Newsies
are gathering outside Irving Hall. Inside, Jack, David and Spot are on stage.
Jack quiets everyone)
JACK:
Carryin’
the banner!
(The
newsies stand up and cheer. MEANWHILE- In Pulitzer’s study, men are sitting at
a table, playing cards. Pulitzer leads the mayor around the table)
PULITZER:
You know
Gordon, mayor. Mr. Bennett of the Tribune. Mr. Taylor of the Times. Of course,
you know Mr. Hearst. This is a new member of our little group, Mr. Gammon. He
just came back from Europe. Mr. Gammon owns the New York Sun.
(Back in
the theater, Jack is giving a speech.)
JACK:
So, we’ve
come a long way, but we ain’t there yet and maybe it’s only gonna get tougher
from now on. But that’s fine, we’ll just get tougher with it. But also, we
gotta get smart and start listening to my pal David, who says ‘stop soakin’ the
scabs’.
RACETRACK:
What are
we supposed to do to the bums? Kiss ‘em?
Any scab
I see I soak ‘em. Period.
DAVID:
No, no.
That’s what they want us to do. If we get violent, it’s just playing into their
hands.
Hey,
look. They’re gonna be playing with my hands, alright. "Cuz it ain’t what
they say, it’s what we say. And nobody ain’t gonna listen to us unless we make
‘em.
(Newsies
in the crowd take different sides and start to argue.)
JACK:
You got
no brains. Why we starting to fight each other? It’s just what the big shot’s
wanna see. That we’re street rats! Street rats with no brains. No respect for
nothing, including ourselves! So, here’s how it’s gonna be. If we don’t act
together, then we’re nothing. If we don’t stick together, then we’re nothing.
And if we can’t even trust each other, then we’re nothing.
KID
BLINK:
Tell ‘em
Jack!
JACK:
So,
what’s it gonna be?
RACETRACK:
We’re
with you Jack.
JACK:
So, what
about you, Spot?
I say
that what you say is what I say.
(The
spit-shake. All the newsies cheer. The curtains open and Medda enters. The
cheering gets louder.)
MEDDA
& NEWSIES:
High
times, hard times
Sometimes
the living is sweet
And
sometimes there’s nothing to eat
But I
always land on my feet
So
when there’s dry times
I wait
for high times and then
I put
on my best
And I
stick out my chest
And
I’m off to the races again!
MEDDA:
Hello,
newsies. What’s new?
(Outside,
the Crib and police are gathering. Snyder enters)
MEDDA:
So
your old lady don’t love you no more
So
you’re afraid there’s a wolf at your door
So
you’ve got street rats that scream in your ear
MEDDA
& NEWSIES:
You
win some, you lose some
My
dear ,oh…
High
times, hard times
Sometimes
the living is sweet
And
sometimes there’s nothing to eat
But I
always land on my feet
So
when there’s dry times
I wait
for high times and then
I put
on my best
And I
stick out my chest
And
I’m off to the races again
MEDDA:
I put
on my best!
NEWSIES:
I put
on my best!
MEDDA:
And I
stick out my chest
NEWSIES:
And I
sticks out my chest
MEDDS:
And
I’m off
NEWSIES:
And
I’m off
MEDDA:
And
I’m off
NEWSIES:
And
I’m off
MEDDA:
And
I’m off
To the
races again!
(The
police block off the entrance to the theater. Denton sees Snyder and tries to
keep him busy)
DENTON:
Excuse
me. Aren’t you Warden Snyder? Bryan Denton of the Sun. How do you do, sir?
(David
sees Snyder and tells Spot)
DENTON:
I heard
about your wonderful work with the children and I wondered if I might get an
interview with you.
(David
rushes through the crowd to Jack)
DAVID:
Jack!
Jack! It’s Snyder!
JACK:
What?
DAVID:
It’s
Snyder. Right there!
(Denton
tries to distract Snyder one more time. This time with his camera)
DENTON:
Let me
get that correct. That’s Snyder, as in snide? Smile sir!
(The
flash blinds him for a minute, then he blows his whistle.)
JACK:
Medda,
thanks. I gotta run.
(Cops
come in and the newsies scatter. Jack take’s Sarah’s hand and pulls her through
the crowd. Racetrack gets Medda to safety and start to leave)
MEDDA:
No! Stay
with me!
(A huge
man kicks Racetrack in the stomach and punches him out. Medda breaks away from
her maid and bodyguard(?) and slaps the man)
MEDDA:
No! No!
For God’s sake! He’s just a child! Can’t you see that? Racetrack!
(Medda is
pulled back and Racetrack is dragged away. Jack and David get Sarah and Les to
safety. Then turn back to fight. Everywhere they go, they are surrounded by
cops or the crib. By Medda’s swing, they meet up with Snyder. David sits on the
swing.)
DAVID:
Push me!
(Jack
shoves David, who hits Snyder in the face.)
DAVID:
Get out
of here! Go!
(Jack runs
as David and some other newsies hold Snyder off. Jack and Kid Blink run outside
and find they are surrounded by cops. One of them grabs for Jack, but Kid Blink
shoves him away)
KID
BLINK:
Beat it!
(Jack
runs back inside. Kid Blink gets hit with a club and is dragged away. Jack
starts to run up the stairs, but a man meets him at the top and punches him in
the chin. Jack falls back and is caught by cops. THE
BAILOFF:
All rise.
All rise. Court is now in session. Judge E.A. Monahan presiding.
MONAHAN:
Are any
of you boys represented by council? No? Good, that will move things along
considerably.
Hey, yer
honor, I object!
MONAHAN:
On what
grounds?
On the
grounds of Brooklyn, yer honor.
(The
newsies crack up laughing. Monahan bangs on his desk.)
MONAHAN:
I fine
each of you five dollars, or two weeks confinement in the House of Refuge.
RACETRACK:
Whoa. We
ain’t got five bucks. We don’t even got five cents. Hey, yer honor, how ‘bout I
roll you for it. Double or nothing?
MONAHAN:
Alright.
Move along, move along.
(Denton,
David and Les enter)
DENTON:
Your
honor, I’ll pay the fines. All of them.
DAVID:
Hey, you
fellas alright? Where’s Jack?
DENTON:
Look,
we’ve got to meet at the restaurant. Everybody. We have to talk.
MONAHAN:
Pay the
clerk. Move it along.
(Jack is
lead in, handcuffed)
JACK:
Hey
fellas!
RACETRACK:
Hey,
Cowboy! Nice shiner!
JACK:
Hey,
Denton. I guess we made all the papes this time. So, how’s my picture look?
DENTON:
None of
the papers covered the rally. Not even the Sun.
BAILOFF:
Case of
Jack Kelly. Inciting a riot. Assault. Resisting arrest.
SNYDER:
Judge
Monahan, I’ll speak for this young man.
JACK:
You two
know each other. Ain’t that nice.
MONAHAN:
Just move
it along, Warden Snyder.
SNYDER:
This
boy’s real name is Francis Sullivan. His mother’s deceased. His father’s a
convict in the state penitentiary. He’s an escapee from the House of Refuge
where his original sentence for three months was extended to six moths for
disruptive behavior.
JACK:
Like
demanding we eat the food you steal from us.
SNYDER:
Followed
by an additional six months for attempted escape.
JACK:
Attempted?
Last time it wasn’t an attempted escape. Remember Snyder? Remember me and Teddy
Roosevelt? Remember Roosevelt and the carriage?
SNYDER:
Therefore,
I ask that he be returned to the House of Refuge.
JACK:
What? For
my own good, right? Move it along? For my own good and for what he kicks back
to you.
SNYDER:
I ask
that the court order his incarceration until the age of twenty-one, in the hope
that we may yet guide him to a useful and productive life.
MONAHAN:
So
ordered.
LES:
No!
(Jack is
led away. Snyder follows, then turns and smiles at the judge.)
PART
(LATER-
The newsies sit in Tibby’s. Denton enters. They greet him)
DAVID:
Why
didn’t the Sun print the story?
DENTON:
Because
it never happened
RACETRACK:
What do
you mean it never happened? You were there!
KID
BLINK:
You wrote
it!
DENTON:
It’s not
in the papers, it never happened. The owners decreed it not be in the papers,
therefore… I came to tell you fellas good bye.
DAVID:
What
happened? Did you get fired or something?
DENTON:
No, I got
reassigned back to my old job as the Sun’s ace war corespondent. They want me
to leave right away. The owner thinks I should only cover the really important
stories. Wish me luck fellas. At least half of what I wish for you. They don’t
always fire you. I would be black balled from every paper in the country. I’m a
newspaper man. I have to have a paper to write for. This is the story I wrote
about the rally. I want you to read it at least. This should cover it
(Denton
pays the waiter and leaves. David crumples the story up and throws it on a
table)
DAVID:
We get
Jack out of the Refuge tonight. From now on, we trust no one but the newsies.
(The
newsies get up and leave. Les uses Denton’s article to wrap his unfinished hot
dog in. THAT NIGHT- David, Les, Mush, Kid Blink, Racetrack and Boots sneak into
the Refuge’s gates. Kid Blink had a rope.)
DAVID:
That’s the
window where we saw Crutchy
(They are
about to move when they see Snyder leading Jack into a carriage.)
LES:
It’s
Jack!
MUSH:
Where
they takin’ him Dave?
DAVID:
Only one
way to find out. I’ll meet you guys at the square. Racetrack, watch him.
(David
hides in the back of the carriage, which goes to Pulitzer’s house. Seitz is
waiting outside for them.)
SEITZ:
Get him
inside
(Snyder
takes Jack’s arm and leads him in. David pulls out the pin that attaches the
horses to the carriage. INSIDE- Seitz leaves Jack in Pulitzer’s study. Pulitzer
enters.)
PULITZER:
Sit. Know
what I was doing at your age, boy? I was in a war. The Civil War.
JACK:
Yeah, I
heard of it. So, didja win?
PULITZER:
People
think war is about right or wrong and not power.
JACK:
Yeah, I
heard of that too. I don’t just sell your papes, Joe. Sometime I read ‘em.
PULIZTER:
Power of
the press is the greatest power of them all. I tell this city how to think. I
tell this city how to vote. I shape it’s future.
JACK:
Yeah?
Well, right now I’m only thinking about one future, and that’s mine.
PULITZER:
So am I
boy. I have the power to see you stay locked in the Refuge
JACK:
And I
have the power to break out again.
PULITZER:
Or, I can
see you released tomorrow, free and clear, with more money in your pockets than
you can earn in three lifetimes.
JACK:
Are you
bribin’ me, Joe?
PULITZER:
No.
JACK:
Well,
it’s been real nice chattin’ with ya, Joe. But I got to be goin’ now.
PULIZTER:
You
listen to me, boy. You just shut your mouth and listen to me! You shut up and
listen to me for once! No game I’m playing. You work for me til the strike’s
over, and it will end, boy, make no mistake, with or without you. Then you go
wherever you want to buy a ticket for. Away from the Refuge, these foul
streets. Free. With money to spend and nobody chasing you.
JACK:
We must
have you scared pretty bad, old man.
PULITZER:
I offer
you freedom and money just to work for me again. To your friends, I won’t be so
kind. Now, you’re partner, what’s his name? David. I understand he has a
family. What do you think the Refuge will do to him? And it will be you who put
him there. And all the others, after all, you’re their leader. Go back to the
Refuge tonight, think about it. Give me your answer in the morning.
(Jack
leaves. As he is being taken outside, Snyder lets go of him for one second)
DAVID:
Jack!
Come on! Come on!
(Jack
slides down the railing and jumps over it. He and David take off)
SNYDER:
After
him!
(The
driver whips the horses, who take off without the carriage.)
SEITZ:
Don’t
worry. He’s got no place to go.
(David
and Jack run into an alley. Jack slows down)
DAVID:
Come on!
Keep running!
JACK:
You
shouldn’t have done this, Dave. They could put you in jail.
DAVID:
I don’t
care
JACK:
Come
here. What about your family? What happened to them if you go in jail? You
don’t know nothing about jail. Now, thanks for what you done, but you get out
of here.
DAVID:
I don’t
understand.
JACK:
I don’t
understand either, but just get outta here!
DAVID:
No!
JACK:
Go!
(David
turns slowly and walks away. Jack leans against a wall. Suddenly, he’s leaning
against a wall in the Refuge.)
JACK:
Santa
Fe
My old
friend
I
can’t spend my whole life hidin’
You’re
the only light that’s guidin’ me today
(Crutchy
opens a little slot in the door. He has a potato)
CRUCTHY:
Psst!
Jack! Look! I snitched it off Snyder’s plate while I was serving him. It’s the
biggest one. Oh, Mr. Snyder was eating good tonight. You know the stuff that we
don’t ever get? He got potatoes, olives, liver, bacon, sauerkraut. And guess
what I done to his sauerkraut, huh?
JACK:
So,
what’d it get ya?
CRUTCHY:
Oh,
anudder three months, probably, but you can’t let ‘em get you, right Jack?
That’s what you always said.
JACK:
We was
beat when we was born.
(Crutchy
frowns and closes the slot)
JACK:
Will
you keep a candle burnin’
Will
you help me find my way?
You’re
my chance to break free
And
who knows when my next one will be
Santa
Fe
Wait
for me
(The
newsies are picketing outside the World building.)
NEWSIES:
Stop the
World! No more papes! Stop the World! No more papes! (etc.)
(The
police form a barricade. Some of the newsies start to fight amongst
themselves.)
DAVID:
Race!
Help me! I need some help!
RACETRACK:
Alright!
I ain’t deaf!
Hey, hey,
hey! Break it up. Hey, Race, come here.
(Weasel
leads Jack out. He’s in a new suit)
RACETRACK:
What?
Just tell
me I’m seeing things. Just tell me I’m seeing things.
RACETRACK:
No, you
ain’t seeing things. That’s Jack. What’s he doing?
He’s
dressed like a scabber!
MUSH:
Jack?
Jack, look at me, will ya? Come on, it’s me, Mush. Look at me. What are you
doin’, Jack?
KID
BLINK:
This
ain’t happening. This can’t be happening. What are you doin’ Jack? Come on,
what are you doin’?
BOOTS:
Come on.
What is this? Where’d you get them clothes?
WEASEL:
Mr.
Pulitzer picked them out himself. A special gift to a special new employee.
He sold
us out!
RACETRACK:
I’ll give
you a new suit! You bum! I’ll soak ya!
Hey, hey,
hey! Let me get my hands dirty. Come here you dirty rotten scabber! Traitor!
(Some
newsies pull Spot away. David stares at Jack)
WEASEL:
Aww. You
wanna talk to him? Come on, come on. Sure. Got right ahead.
(David
walks up to Jack)
DAVID:
So, this
is why you didn’t escape last night. You’re a liar! You lied about everything.
You lied about your father being out west, ‘cause he’s not out west! You didn’t
even tell me your real name!
JACK:
So? What
you wanna do about it Dave?
DAVID:
I don’t
understand you.
JACK:
Oh, so
let me spell it out for ya. You see, I ain’t got nobody tucking me in at night,
like you. It’s just me, I gotta look out for myself.
DAVID:
You had
the newsies.
JACK:
Oh,
what’d being a newsies ever give me but a dime a day and a few black eyes? You
know, I can’t afford to be a kid no more, Dave. For the first time in my life,
I got money in my pockets. Real money. Money, you understand? I got more on the
way and as soon as I collect, I’m gone, I’m away. Alright?
DAVID:
Well,
that’s good. That’s good because we don’t need you! We don’t need you! All
those words you said, those were mine.
JACK:
Yeah, but
you never had the guts to put them across yourself, didja?
DAVID:
I do now.
(Dave
starts to go back to the newsies, then turns to look at Jack again.)
JACK:
What’sa
matta? Got a problem?
(David
rushes towards Jack, but Weasel and a few policemen pull him away.)
WEASEL:
Maybe
you’d like a new suit of your own, huh?
DAVID:
Never!
Never!
WEASEL:
Get outta
here! Get outta here!
DAVID:
I’m not
like you!
(The cops
surround Jack so the newsies can’t get him. The newsies watch him go.)
Traitor!
KID
BLINK:
You make
me sick!
BOOTS:
I trusted
you!
RACETRACK:
Seize the
day, huh Jack?
LES:
He’s
foolin’ ‘em, so he can spy on ‘em or something. Yeah, yeah, that’s it. He’s
foolin’ ‘em!
RACETRACK:
Yeah,
he’s spying on them, kid.
(At
David’s house, Sarah is going through a pile of lace. She finds Les’s old hot
dog)
SARAH:
Les. What
is this?
LES:
Savin’ it
(He takes
the hot dog and leaves the article in Sarah’s hands. She looks at it.)
SARAH:
David.
It’s Denton’s article. ‘The Dark Truth; Why Our City Really Fears The Newsies
Strike’ by Bryan Denton. ‘Last night I saw naked force excised against mere
boys, the newsies, who were…’
(David
climes out the window, slams it, then storms off the fire escape. THAT
NIGHT-Weasel leads Jack to his new bedroom, the basement of the World
building.)
WEASEL:
One
trick, Cowboy, and it’s right back to the Refuge. Please.
(He
throws a dust-covered sheet to Jack.
WEASEL:
Ah. You
gonna be requiring anything this evening? Huh? No? Aww…tick tick. Well then, I ought to be saying good night. Remember,
on trick and I go straight to Mr. Pulitzer.
(He
exits, leaving Jack alone. MORNING- Jack goes to collect his papers. Oscar and
Morris come up behind him.)
WEASEL:
Sleep
well Cowboy?
OSCAR:
Come with
us Cowboy. We’re gonna go fix you’re pal, Davey. Fix him so he can’t walk.
MORRIS:
Shut up.
(Jack
starts to go after them.)
WEASEL:
Ah! Lift
one finger and it’s right back to the Refuge. Next!
(Jack
picks up his papers and leaves. LATER THAT MORNING- Sarah is walking to work
with Les. She has a basket full of lace.)
SARAH:
Morning.
LADY:
Good
mornin’, dear.
(Oscar
‘bumps’ into her)
OSCAR:
’Cuse me,
Sweetface.
(She
continues to walk with Oscar behind her. Morris steps out in front of her.)
MORRIS:
Where’s
your little brother, Tootsie? Where’s little Davey?
(Sarah
tries to get by, but the brothers push her around.)
LES:
Leave my
sister alone!
(He
shoves Oscar. Morris holds onto Sarah while Oscar pushed Les into a puddle.)
SARAH:
Stop it!
Leave him alone!
(Oscar
shoves Les into a pile of baskets. Sarah shoves Morris away.)
SARAH:
You
stupid ape.
(She
punches him, but it doesn’t hurt him. She runs into the alley. The brothers
catch her. David sees Les and helps him up.)
DAVID:
What’s
the matter? Are you alright?
LES:
I’m
alright, I’m alright. Help Sarah!
SARAH:
Run
Davey!
OSCAR:
Yeah, run
Davey. We got the best part of your family right here.
(David
tackles Oscar.)
SARAH:
Let go of
me!
(Morris
throws her to the ground. Oscar punches David)
SARAH:
Stop it!
Les! Stop, you’re hurting him! No!
(Morris
pulls out a pair of brass knuckles and puts them on.)
SARAH:
Leave him
alone!
(Oscar
continues to punch David. Les runs to Sarah. Jack is walking down the street
near the alley.)
SARAH:
Stop it!
Leave him alone!
(Jack
hears her cries and runs, dropping his papers as he goes. Oscar holds David as
Morris gets ready to hit him with the knuckles. Jack comes up behind Morris and
punches him. David gives Oscar an elbow in the stomach. Jack throws Morris into
a box)
JACK:
Get over
here.
(Jack
grabs Oscar)
JACK:
Remember
Crutchy?
(Jack
head butts him and he falls near Morris. Jack goes to help Sarah up)
JACK:
You alright?
SARAH:
Yeah.
(The hug
briefly)
SARAH:
David!
(Jack
goes to David and checks him out before helping him up. Oscar and Morris
finally get up.)
MORRIS:
You’d
better run, Cowboy. We’re gonna tell uncle Weas. You’ll be back in the Refuge
before suppertime!
OSCAR:
Run, you
lousy coward, run!
(Jack
starts to go after them, but Sarah stops him. Les runs to the end of the
alley.)
LES:
Run! Get
outta here! Don’t come back! You hear me?
DAVID:
What? You
couldn’t stay away?
JACK:
Well, I
guess I can’t be something I ain’t.
DAVID:
A scab?
JACK:
No,
smart.
(The four
of them go to Denton’s apartment. Jack knocks on the door. Denton opens it.)
JACK:
Did you
mean what you wrote here? ‘Bout all these sweat shop kids listening to me?
DENTON:
I don’t
write anything I don’t mean. Come on in. I’m just packing a few things.
(They
enter. David closes the door.)
DENTON:
So, yes,
I mean it. The city thrives on child labor. A lot of people make money that
way. They’re terrified that the newsies strike will spread.
JACK:
Well,
there’ really not much chance of that as long as they got the power
DENTON:
Sometimes,
all it takes is a voice, one voice. Then a thousand. Unless it’s silenced.
JACK:
Why can’t
we spread the strike? Have another big rally and get the word out to all the
sweatshop kids? Why not?
DAVID:
What are
we going to do? Print an ad in the newspaper?
JACK:
No! We’ll
do better than that. We’ll make our own paper. We tell ‘em they gotta join us.
Isn’t that a good idea?
DAVID:
Yeah, it
is. But what do we know about printing a newspaper?
JACK:
Nothing,
but our man Denton…
DAVID:
Yeah, but
our man Denton has something more important to do. He’s going to be an ace war
correspondent, right Denton?
DENTON:
All
right. Where do we start?
(They sit
at a table)
JACK:
Alright,
we gotta move fast. Now, we’ll need the newsies to circulate.
DENTON:
There’s
something else that we need. We need a printing press.
JACK:
Just so
happens I know a guy with a printing press.
(Jack,
Sarah, David and Denton enter the basement of the World building.)
SARAH:
You’ve
been living here?
JACK:
Shh.
They’re right above us. Weasel catches us here, we’re all in the slammer.
(Jack
uncovers a press)
DENTON:
Alright!
A Platen press. Looks like old man Pulitzer never threw anything away.
DAVID:
Is it
going to work?
DENTON:
It
better. We have a deadline.
(They
start printing their papers.)
DENTON:
This
is the story you wanted to write, well tonight is the night that you can
JACK:
Just
get this done and by dawn’s early light you can finish the fight you began
DAVID:
This
time we’re in it to stay
SARAH:
Think
about seizing the day
JACK:
Think
of that train as she rolls into old Santa Fe
Tell
her I’m on my way
NEWSIES:
See
old man Pulitzer snug in his bed
He don’t
care if we’re dead or alive
Three
satin pillows are under his head
While
we’re begging for bread to survive
Joe,
if you’re still counting sheep
Wake
up and read ‘em and weep
You’ve
got your thugs
With
their sticks and their slugs
Yeah,
but we got a promise to keep
Once
and for all
Something
tells me the tide will be turning
Once
and for all
There’s
a fire inside me that won’t stop burning
Now
that the choices are clear
Now
that tomorrow is here. Watch how the mighty will fall
For
once and for all!
(Jack
hands bundles of papers to the newsies. Denton and Jack crawl out the window.)
DENTON:
It’s
awfully nice of Mr. Pulitzer to let us use his press
JACK:
Yeah, I
just hope I get to thank him for it someday.
(The
newsies spread out and hand the papers to various work kids.)
NEWSIES:
This
is for kids shining shoes on the streets
With
no shoes on their feet everyday
This
is for guys sweating blood in the shops
While
their bosses and cops look away
This
is to even the score
We
ain’t just newsies no more
This
ain’t just kids with some pie in the sky
This
is do it or die
This
is war!
Once
and for all
We’ll
be there to defend one another
Once
and for all
Every
kid is a friend
Every
friend a brother
Five
thousand fists in the sky
Five
thousand reasons to try
We’re
going over the wall
Better
to die than to crawl
Either
we stand or we fall
For
once
Once
and for all!
(Denton
is with Teddy Roosevelt, who has just read the Newsies Banner)
ROOSEVLET:
Disgraceful,
Denty. Those poor boys.
DENTON:
I thought
you’d feel this way, Governor.
ROOSEVELT:
And I did
nothing, until now.
DENTON:
Good.
(They
shake hands and Roosevelt is handed his hat and walking stick. LATER THAT
MUSH:
So,
when’s the others coming, kid?
JACK:
They
ain’t coming. Ain’t gonna be nobody but us.
SNITCH:
Come on,
Jack.
SPECS:
Have
hope, Jack.
(Les
walks away from the group.)
LES:
When
the circulation bell starts ringing, will we hear it?
RACETRACK:
Nah.
What
if the Delancey’s come out swinging, will we hear it?
LES:
No!
RACETRACK:
That a
boy!
When
you’ve got a million voices singing
Who
can hear a lousy whistle blow?
And
the World will know!
(Work
kids come in from all directions. The newsies cheer. Spot enters, leading in
all of the Brooklyn kids.)
Brooklyn!
NEWSIES
&
The
World will feel the fire
And
finally know!
(Everyone
cheers. The newsies and Sarah make their way threw the crowd.)
Strike!
Strike! Strike! (etc.)
(The
newsies make their way to the front of the World Building.)
RACETRACK:
Dear me.
What have we here?
(Seitz
and a group of policemen are by the entrance, looking out into the crowd.
INSIDE- Pulitzer is at his desk. Seitz brings in Jack and David. Jonathan grabs
his arm and whispers.)
JONATHAN:
It’s
awful. Everyone’s calling. Mr. Hearst, and Mr. Bennett, and the mayor in such
awful language. The city’s at a stand still and they all blame the chief. It’s
like the end of the World, only I didn’t say that.
(Jack and
David go to Pulitzer’s desk, where Jack pulls out a copy of the newspaper.)
JACK:
Extry,
extry, Joe. Read all about it.
PULITZER:
I
promised that if you defied me, I’d break you. I’ll keep that promise, boy.
Now, I gave you a chance to be free. I don’t understand. Anyone who doesn’t act
in their own self interest is a fool.
DAVID:
Then what
does that make you?
PULITZER:
What?
JACK:
Oh, this
is my pal, Davey. The Walkin’ mouth
DAVID:
You talk
about self interest, but since the strike, your circulation’s been down 70%.
Everyday you’re losing thousands of dollars just to beat us out of one lousy
tenth of a cent. Why?
JACK:
You see,
it ain’t about the money, Dave. It Joe gives in to nobodies like us, it means
we got the power. And he can’t do that, no matter what it costs. Am I right,
Joe?
PULITZER:
I sent
for the police. They must be here by now. Send them in, Seitz
JACK:
I’m not
going back to jail, Joe. Look out here. Right out here is where the power is.
(Jack
opens the window. All the kids are still yelling Pulitzer covers his ears)
PULITZER:
Close the
window! Close the window! Go home! Go home! Go home!
JACK:
I can’t
hear you , Joe!
PULITZER:
Go home!
Go home to your mothers and fathers! Go home!
JACK:
I don’t
hear ya!
PULITZER:
Now you
listen to me!
JACK:
Maybe you
should listen!
PULITZER:
No, no!
You listen to me!
JACK:
No! You
listen!
PULIZTER:
Close the
window and shut up!
JACK:
There’s a
lot of people out there and they ain’t just gonna go away. They got voices now
and they’re goin’ be listen to. Putting them in jail is not going to stop them!
That’s the power of the press, Joe.
(He
closes the window. Pulitzer takes his hands away from his ears)
JACK:
So thanks
for teaching me about it.
SEITZ:
Those
kids put out a pretty good paper there Chief.
(Pulitzer
picks up the paper and reads it.)
PULITZER:
I ordered
a printing ban on all strike matters. Now, who defied me? Who’s press did you
use to print this on? Who’s?
JACK:
Well, we
only use the best, Joe. So, I just want to say, thanks again.
(Outside,
Seitz’s opens the gates. David starts to come out, Jack is behind him.)
Hey,
fellas, they’re over here!
(The
newsies gather around and start asking questions. Jack bends over and whispers
in Les’s ear.)
JACK:
The
strike’s over. We beat ‘em.
(Jack
lifts Les onto his shoulders and look out towards all the children.)
JACK:
We beat
‘em!
(The
crowd cheers. All the newsies hug and pat each other on the back Weasel, Oscar
and Morris put on their hats and leave. A paddy wagon pulls up. Snyder is
sitting in the front seat with two cops.)
LES:
Jack!
Jack, it’s the bulls. It’s the bulls. Let me down!
SWIFTY:
Down
Jack. Get down!
KID
BLINK:
Hide Jack
DENTON:
Jack,
it’s over. No, no. You don’t have to run. Not anymore. Not from the likes of
him. Come on, Come on.
(A cop
opens the paddy wagon and the kids from the Refuge come out. The last one is
Crutchy. A cop leads Snyder into the paddy wagon. Crutchy taps him on the
back.)
CRUTCHY:
Ah,
remember what I told ya, Mr. Snyder. The first thing ya do in jail, make
friends with the rats. Share what you got in common.
(Snyder
climes in. A police officer is about to close the door.)
CRUTCHY:
Officer,
may I please?
POLICE
OFFICER:
Sure kid.
(Crutchy
hands his crutch to a kid. He slams the door and locks it. He gets his crutch
back and goes over to Jack and the others.)
JACK:
Heya
Crutchy.
DENTON:
You won’t
be seeing much of him anymore. Say goodbye Warden.
NEWSIES:
Goodbye
Warden!
(The
paddy wagon pulls away)
CRUTCHY:
Oh, Jack,
you ought tah seen it! He comes stormin’ into the Refuge waving his walking
stick like a sword and he’s leading in this army of lawyers and cops.
JACK:
Who comes
stormin’ in?
CRUTCHY:
You know,
your friend. Him! Teddy Roosevelt
(The
newsies are amazed)
DENTON:
The
Governor’s very grateful that you brought this problem to his attention. I said
you might need a lift somewhere. He’d be happy to oblige. Anywhere you want.
And this time, you ride inside.
JACK:
So, can
he drop me at the train yards?
DENTON:
Yeah, if
that’s what you want.
(They
make their way to Roosevelt’s carriage. Jack shakes his hand and climes in.
Boots throws Jack a bag. David, Les and Sarah watch sadly. The work kids follow
the carriage as it leaves, leaving the newsies alone. The circulation bell
begins to ring.)
MUSH:
Try
Bottle Alley or the harbor
RACETRACK:
Try
Central Park, it’s guaranteed
CRUTCHY:
Try
any banker, bum or barber
KID
BLINK:
They
almost all knows how tah read
BOOTS:
Summer
stinks
SKITTERY:
And
winter’s waiting
SPECS,
BUMLETS & SNIPESHOOTER:
Welcome
to New York
SNODDY,
PIE EATER, SWIFTY, ITEY & JAKE:
Boy
ain’t nature fascinating
NEWIES:
When
youse gotta walk
(The
newsies line up for their papers. David is first in line. He slaps down a
coin.)
DAVID:
Hundred
papes.
MUSH:
Alright
Davey.
(The
newsies hear cheers and turn to see the carriage returning. All the work kids
are following.)
MUSH:
Dave,
he’s back!
JACK:
Thanks
for the advice, Governor. Like you said, I still got things to do. Besides, I
got family here.
(He gets
out of the carriage and gives Les his cowboy hat. All the newsies yell and talk
at the same time.)
JACK:
So, how’s
the headline today?
DAVID:
Headlines
don’t sell papes, newsies sell papes.
JACK:
Come here
Davey.
(Jack
holds out his hand. David spits in his and shakes it. Sarah makes her way
through the crowd. Her and Jack kiss. All the newsies cheer and yell. The
carriage pulls away, with Roosevelt and Spot in it. Spot tips his hat and waves
as he leaves.)
SARAH:
Bye Spot!
JACK:
Back to
Brooklyn!
(David,
Jack, Sarah, Les and Crutchy follow the carriage. Denton shakes David’s hand,
then goes to the side and starts writing. The newsies, with their papers, dance
as they leave.)
GROUP
1:
It’s a
fine life
Carryin’
the banner
It’s a
fine life
Carryin’
the banner
It’s a
fine life
Carryin’
the banner
It’s a
fine life
Carryin’
the banner
GROUP
2:
You
got ‘em, Cowboy
You
showed ‘em how boy!
You
got ‘em Cowboy
You
showed ‘em how boy!
THE END
DIRECTED BY Kenny Ortega
THE CAST
Jack Kelly.........Christian Bale
David Jacobs.......David Moscow
Les Jacobs.........Luke Edwards
Racetrack..........Max Casella
Crutchy............Marty Belafsky
Mush...............Aaron Lohr
Kid Blink..........Trey Parker
Boots..............Arvie Lowe Jr.
Spot Conlon........Gabriel Damon
Snitch.............Dee Caspary
Jake...............Joseph Conrad
Itey...............Dominic Maldonado
Snipeshooter.......Matthew Feilds
Specs..............Mark David
Dutchy.............Ivan Dudynsky
Snoddy.............Robert Feeney
Skittery...........Michael Goorjian
Bumlets............Dominic Lucero
Pie Eater..........David Sidoni
Swifty.............Kevin Stea
Bryan Denton.......Bill Pullman
Medda Larkson......Ann-Margret
Sarah Jacobs.......Ele Keats
Mayer Jacobs.......Jeffery DeMunn
Ester Jacobs.......Deborra Lee-Furness
Kloppman...........Marc Lawrence
Ten-Pin............Kevin Michaels
Patrick's Mother...JoAnn Harris
Toby...............Gregg Keny-Smith
Teddy Roosevelt....David James Alexander
Nuns...............Melody Santangelo, Sylvia Short, Lois Young
Joseph Pulitzer....Robert Duvall
Weasel.............Michael Lerner
Snyder.............Kevin Tighe
Seitz..............Charles Cioffi
Oscar Delancey.....Shon Greenblatt
Morris Delancey....David Sheinkopf
Judge Monahan......William Boyett
Mayor Van Wyck.....Ryan MacDonald
Police Chief.......Frank Girardeau
Captian MaSwain....Shay Duffin
Bailiff............Terry Kohl
Gammon.............I.M. Hobson