#a small sneak peak of how newsies has affected my life

[all-hail-the-witcher]

six years ago today i saw newsies for the first time

may 14, 2014 was the day of my 7th grade class trip. every year the 7th graders went to see a broadway show, and it just so happened that my year we saw newsies. it Also just so happened that that year in tap we were doing king of new york because my dance teacher had gone to see it on broadway and was Blown Away and told us all about it. that was the first year i was in upper level tap and i had no idea what was going on, id stand in the back and watch the older girl’s feet and try not to cry cause i couldn't get it. and every night i went home and practiced. we went through like 3 different potential dances before finally landing on king of new york. i remember the first time they played the song and being so Hooked and wanting to learn more. my teacher only had a little bit choreographed but we all loved it so much that she choreographed more on the during out 5 minute break. that was the first time id ever seen anyone do that. 

i remember when my mom told me that my class was going to see newsies and i was so excited. even better, we were going on wednesday and our show was on sunday, literally 4 days later. i woke up sick that day. it was allergy season and mine were really terrible. my mom told me that i didnt have to go if i didnt want to, and i looked at her like she was crazy. of course i was going. it was my first broadway show, it had d a n c e in it, and we were doing one of the numbers. i was wearing a blue dress from aeropostale and blue converse that i had doodled on. my hair was braided. 

i remember standing in line outside the theater. i was with my friend who was also a dancer and my group chaperone. we were all excited. i was holding my ticket very tightly. i didnt want to drop it. by some miracle we were in the center of the rear mezzanine. i was in the first row of the tickets that my school had. but the nederlander was small. and i could see perfectly. the chairs were red velvet, kinda scratchy. my friend bought us both milk duds. 

i sat down and immediately opened my program, looking for where king of new york was in the line up. it was the top of act 2. i sat and waited. the overture started. i was so excited. this was it! i sat on the edge of my seat, afraid to miss even a single second. and i watched. carrying the banner started. it was amazing. it had just the right beat. and oh my god they were leaping! my eyes widened, transfixed immediately. i only watched the ensemble. i had never seen people dance like that before. never. how were they doing that? someones hat fell off in carrying the banner when he was doing a flip. i laughed at that. how did more not fall off? how were they dancing and singing? i didnt even care that i couldn't breathe and was blowing my nose during the applause. the music was so good, lively. good dance needs lively music. i wasnt even paying attention to the plot i just wanted to watch the dance. i definitely screamed when they did the tape turns in seize the day. how was he turning on paper?? how could bodies move like that? 

act one ended. i couldn't sit still the entire intermission. my friend was laughing at me for being so excited. how could i not be?? the first act was amazing, and there was More dance? i had to sit on my hands to contain my excitement. and then the music started. they started singing. and holy shit there was Tap. they were tapping. i leaned forward in my seat, transfixed. and then! holy shit?! they were doing the same choreography i was doing in my dance?? i knew how to do what those guys on stage were doing?! i started moving my feet under my seat, oh my god, i know how to Do This. holy shit holy shit holy shit. i smacked my friend in excitement. i almost fell off my chair i was sitting so close to the edge. 

act two was a rush. i remember brooklyns here. i thought the guy who played spot was cute. and then it was the end. carrying the banner started playing again and i started crying cause oh my god it was such a good song and of course it ends with that. and then they reprised king of new york?! and the bows! that was crazy. i could not tear my eyes away from the stage. holy shit holy shit. 

i went back home and begged my mom to let me download the songs. i looked up every video i could find on youtube of them dancing. i just wanted to watch them dance. i wanted to show my sister. i wanted to show everyone. i wanted to do what they were doing. i wanted to see it again. and again. and again.

i woke up with pink eye the next day. my mom made me stay home for two days because i had a show that weekend. it was worth it. i didnt care. i had seen newsies.

i put everything i had into that show. i had just had my growth spurt but i didnt have any muscles so i looked like a bean pole. the videos are hilarious. i thought i was killing it (i really wasnt). 

i don't have a single picture from the day i saw newsies on broadway. i didnt have a phone yet, and my mom didnt take any pictures of me before i left. all i have is my playbill, my ticket stub, my memories, and the overwhelming feeling of joy and excitement. but that is more than enough.