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thinking abt canon newsies details that the characters never escape from, even in fanon. I’ve never read a fic where Jack Kelly has parents, or Katherine gets along with her father, or Davey isn’t battling with other peoples ideas of who he’s supposed to be

just those complex parts of these characters that not even the most hopeful fic writers can take out of them, bc these characters exist as products of their journey.

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does anyone have an explanation for the last names of newsies side characters? like ik some are historical and some are in the script, but what abt like Albert and Finch? Or Buttons? Like DaSilva, Cortez, and Davenport all feel widely accepted in fanon.

just wondering if anyone knows. thank youuu!!!

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IM BACK BABY

they’re takin a break from selling papes

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Messenger Boy; Blue Button Baby

Shameless plug for the Outsider's fic I just wrote, centered on Two-Bit's perspective on getting jumped.

I wanted to explore his feelings about being injured by a girl (grappling with his own judgements of femininity and also his sister, who has always wanted to be 'pretty' like a Soc girl), his shame around being used as a message, and his fear for his family.

I've always loved the complexity of Two-Bit having a loving family, and his getting jumped is a detail I'm so glad got added into the musical.

There is also incredibly vague Marbit if that's ur thing.

Anyways, check it out if you're interested!

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random modern newsies head cannons (with absolutely no evidence or reason) pt. 2

more bc i can!!

Race:

The most aggressive, reckless driver, but is dangerously good at it. Will cut across multiple lanes but has never even scratched a car.

Lied to everyone in his first week of college about his entire life (different lie per person) just for fun. He finally started telling the truth but nobody believes him.

Started a school poker club and promptly got kicked out of it for betting too much, and then winning it every time. (He just wanted a way to make money. The school did not like that).

STEM major. His work is impossible but he never complains about it. Also a dancer (not my hc). He complains about that a lot.

Has worked almost every retail job under the sun. Also complains about that.

Carries around cigarettes for the vibe but rarely smokes them. Just in case anyone else wants one. Has made friends with many random people this way.

Spot:

Brooklyn baby. Cannot drive. Is terrified of it but, when Race tried to teach him, he yelled at everyone and blamed other people for what was definitely his fault. Refuses to admit that.

Played football but seriously injured his knee (explanation for the cane) but doesn't talk about it much. Always comes up with a new reason for the injury that is entirely ridiculous, but since he delivers it with a straight face everybody believes him.

Absolutely no rhythm. Never goes to parties, even though he is in a fraternity (a very chill one, thank you very much). If he's ever at a party, it's because he's a sober contact, and he is the most unsympathetic person when it comes to taking care of drunk people unless it's Race.

Insists on sitting alone in the back of the lecture hall, even if he has friends in his class.

Crutchie:

Also an incredibly reckless driver but HAS gotten into accidents before. (Only twice, both times because he was racing a friend on the highway. Never serious but always stupid).

Very fidgety and usually making noises under his breath/drumming on shit. Drives everybody around him crazy.

The kind of guy to argue with a professor in a lecture, but only when he's sure he's right (which is always).

So many illegal things in his dorm: candles, toaster, air fryer, multiple animals.

Double majoring in a STEM and humanities field, always references one when in classes for the other and confuses everybody, but he sees a connection between them.

I like the idea that he goes to the gym with Albert a lot. (U wld never catch me taking away his disability so in my head he loveeees to bench and is so buff).

Albert:

(a lot of driving hcs. i wrote this in a car). gets so violently carsick. everyone thought he was saying that so he could ride shotgun; they made him ride in the back once and he made them pull over after ten minutes cause he almost hurled. safe to say he is now always shotgun and always playing the worst music.

Played too many sports, got too many concussions, and now is a crazy gym bro.

Peanut allergy. Would rather die than admit this. Has almost died because he forgets to tell servers at restaurants.

Finch:

his shoes are never tied. he never trips over them and refuses to tie them.

has a million weird, artsy minors that sound and should be fake.

floor sitter. is never in a chair.

JoJo:

his shoes are also never tied. he ALWAYS trips over them.

drank coffee, had a panic attack, thought it was a heart attack, and spent an hour in the ER.

also had the same reaction when trying weed for the first time.

Mush:

RIPPING up the dance floor at a party, fully sober too

Everybody's favorite frat bro; super great energy and incredibly respectful

Volunteers at local elementary schools; talks to young children like they're frat bros too.

Blink:

Dorm recluse. His suite mates have called Mush many times just to check that he's still alive in there.

Has no license and hates public transit, so he walks literally everywhere.

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random modern newsies head cannons (with absolutely no evidence or reason) pt. 1

main characters first!

Jack:

Draws all over his clothes. Put a pen in his hands and he’s immediately doodling on all over his jeans. Ff there’s a design he likes and doesn’t want it to wash away, he’ll ask Davey to embroider it.

Also draws on other people’s clothes (with permission. unless you're Crutchie and then he's just gonna draw on you).

Leather jackets and cowboy boots.

Never says I love you but always shouts after people to be careful.

Never drinks water and always complains about having a headache, but claims drinking water means he wastes time going to the bathroom when he could be painting.

Can't touch his toes. This is random but I feel it so strongly.

Davey:

CANNOT sit still (or normally). is always shifting, sitting backwards in chairs, pulling his knees to his chest. Claims it helps him think better.

Majored in the humanities in college with an incredibly niche concentration/focus that he will always explain in detail, even if the person who asked about it doesn't care.

Designs his own clothes (and decorates Jack's). He wants to look stylish but is picky about the fabric and fit, so he makes his own stuff and it's rly cool and unique.

Goes to parties to watch people and silently judge them. Stands in the corner with a glass of wine.

Everybody loves him. He is so popular but has no idea.

Katherine:

Rock climbs. Jacked back and freakishly bendy.

Runs the school paper and is everyone's campus crush. She doesn't know this and also could not care less what anyone thinks about her anyways.

Has this one bright red jacket she wears from fall through spring, and is therefore never dressed warmly enough for winter. Her cheeks are always so pink but she claims she's never cold.

Stands with David at parties and takes notes for inspiration.

(I read this one in the fic Nothing but Old Doubts Now by CoraRemarks on AO3) but she has two dads; Plumber and Pulitzer. This is fact.

Sarah:

Plays soccer (midfield, though she did goalie for a bit too) and is insanely good at it.

For two years only wore her hair in two french braids. Immediately after she cut it all off.

DJ'd at frat parties for a long time and would always mix in the weirdest, nichest music. Was threatened to be fired many times, but never was.

Is always injured but you'd never know it; she broke her wrist once and it took her two days before she decided it actually hurt.

Nobody knows NYC like Sarah. She knows every store, restaurant, etc. and has ranked opinions on everything as well.

The WORST at sympathetic words but the best at sympathetic actions.

Everybody is in love with her. She knows.

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do you ever think about how the musical adaptation of newsies not only replaced historical newsies names (boots, bumlets, dutchy, snitch, etc...) with made up ones but also replaced these ensemble characters with new, clearly male designated characters (albert, elmer, tommy boy, mike, etc...) or are you normal?

any of the original newsies names could have been applied to newsgirls for the stage, imagine skittery or snipeshooter or even boots as a newsgirl!!

but nooooo

only newsboys existed according to disney

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a moment for the staging, sets, and lighting in the outsiders.

the set is so dynamic, and every scene uses it so well. either it’s filled, with actors climbing and swinging all over it, or hauntingly empty with a scene in just one piece. every part of it is used at one point.

the lighting fills all this space and pulls your eyes around the stage there’s so much motion in the still moments too (like the projection during great expectations).

I knew the songs and dancing would be great, but I was floored by how beautiful the entire thing was.

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somebody else said this first (@make-friends-with-the-rats) but im thinking about race’s character being split across him and albert in the stage version.

but i think that explains so much about the twinkification of race (which so many people have so eloquently critiqued). all his anger and traditional masculinity is placed into albert, who’s only identifier in the script is ‘tough guy’. (again, somebody posted these character descriptions but unfortunately I can’t find that either, pls correct me if i’m wrong about this).

I love Albert and Race and their stage dynamic (particularly in livesies with sky and ben) so i’m not upset about this choice, but I do think it explains a lot of what bugs me about fandom interpretation of Race.

anyways, maybe that’s why i’m such a ralbert truther, because it brings these seperate halves back together. who knows.

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i just saw the outsiders musical (no understudies) so get so excited for all of my opinions.

it may take awhile for me to process and post all of them, but while i was watching i was sooo focused on body language when singing, especially in the emotionally heavy songs where there isn’t any dancing.

like both soda and johnny MOVE. their whole bodies shift when they breathe and sing, but soda it feels like the movement causes the singing where johnny’s singing moves him. it gives them both a carefree quality, which makes sense for soda and is so devastating for johnny.

and cherry, darry, dally, and pony are so still. they are all incredible dancers but when they sing it’s so focused in their faces (maaaybe the shoulders). it gives such gravity to everything they do, and makes all the movement that does happen feel so precise and intentional.

the contrast kills me. i can’t explain it, but it characterizes them so well, like of course soda is always moving, and johnny can’t help but be moved. of course darry and dally are so controlled. of course cherry is afraid to show her true emotions. of course pony is more analytical and thoughtful: he’s the one telling the story.

anyways. stay tuned for more.

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i sit down to write and suddenly i am the most distracted human alive. the chair is uncomfortable. my coffee is too hot. my playlist isn't quite the vibe. i need to research what victorian houses smelled like in 1872 for exactly 45 minutes even though my story takes place in space. and yet the moment i'm trying to fall asleep? every single sentence i've ever needed just lines up perfectly in my brain like some kind of creative parade i'll never get back.

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little ralbert drawing i did. I need you all to understand how much I love these two (either platonically or romantically I am so not picky)

(featuring the reference image which i found on pinterest)

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Y'ALL WE GOT ONE!!

So excited to cry over this, thank you for sharing :')

newsies hadestown au with David as Orpheus and Jack as Eurydice

David working on a song (Always the mouthpiece, the poet, but until he meets Jack he cannot put those words into action, and until he loses Jack he can’t find the power to voice them on his own)

Jack giving in to death (Jack scabbing, he sees David’s dream but can’t deliver on his end for one reason or another)

Davey going to drag Jack out of hell (He sees the dark place Jack are in and offers him hope, this is literally the watch what happens reprise)

Davey leading Jack out of the underworld because he loves him, so much, too much, and he has to look back because a world where Jack isn’t with him isn’t one he ever wants (Davey trying to lead the strike without Jack, unwilling to speak without Jack’s words)

Jack following, content with nothing but the trail Davey leads (literally the entire movie)

Like has anyone written this and if so gimme gimme. The parallels are insane and I'm yearning for it.

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#jack kelly

they need to invent a running away & never coming back that doesn’t affect your life

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foaming at the mouth for newsies history, anyone who does this I cannot thank you enough for sharing your research

I found another map! Bird's-eye-view of Manhattan and adjacent districts, New York City, c 1903(?)

Red: The Brooklyn Bridge Yellow: The New York World Building Green: Duane Street and the Newsboys' Lodging House Blue: Baxter Street, the location of the Jacobs family's tenement apartment according to the original Hard Promises script

Here's a closer view of the lodging house (green) and "Newspaper Row."

Newspaper Row, or Park Row, ia adjacent to City Hall Park and was the location of the World (yellow), the Sun (obscured by the Tribune), the Tribune (blue), and the times (red) in the late 19th century. [source]

Newspaper Row, c 1900. Left to Right: the New York World, The Sun, The Tribune, and the New York Times.

The New York Tribune, founded by Horace Greely in 1841, was the original location of the Horace Greely statue featured in Newsies. It was dedicated in 1890 and was later moved from the Tribune to City Hall Park in 1915 where it still stands today.

Horace Greeley Statue Outside New York Tribune Building, c January 1, 1900. and Greeley statue in City Hall Park, c 1915 - 1920.

The New York Sun, at which Bryan Denton and Katherine Plumber work, was located beside the Tribune on the intersection of Nassau and Frankfort streets.

"The Sun," 1893 black and white halftone print.

The Newsboy's Lodging House, or the Brace Memorial Lodging House, was opened in 1874 by the Children's Aid Society. It stood at the intersection of three streets: William Street, Duane Street, and Chambers Street (all three of which I have highlighted in green in the above map). In 1899, the lodging house's address was 9 Duane Street. [source]

Newsboys' Lodging House, c 1899.

If you travel up north, you can also locate on this map the Irving Place Theatre, otherwise known as Irving Hall or Medda's Theatre.

Originally opened in 1860 as Irving Hall, Irving Place Theatre was rebuilt in 1888 as "Amberg's German Theatre." It became known as the Irving Place Theatre in 1893. [source]

The theatre's address was 118 E. 15th Street and was located between 14th and 15th streets, at the southwest corner of 15th street and Irving Place. Irving Place Theatre was demolished in 1894 to build the Zeckendorf Towers. [source]

Top: Irving Place Theatre, undated. Bottom: Irving Place Theatre, c 1912.

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newsies hadestown au with David as Orpheus and Jack as Eurydice

David working on a song (Always the mouthpiece, the poet, but until he meets Jack he cannot put those words into action, and until he loses Jack he can’t find the power to voice them on his own)

Jack giving in to death (Jack scabbing, he sees David’s dream but can’t deliver on his end for one reason or another)

Davey going to drag Jack out of hell (He sees the dark place Jack are in and offers him hope, this is literally the watch what happens reprise)

Davey leading Jack out of the underworld because he loves him, so much, too much, and he has to look back because a world where Jack isn’t with him isn’t one he ever wants (Davey trying to lead the strike without Jack, unwilling to speak without Jack’s words)

Jack following, content with nothing but the trail Davey leads (literally the entire movie)

Like has anyone written this and if so gimme gimme. The parallels are insane and I'm yearning for it.

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something about Jack and David both presenting in the way the other is internally (Jack being chaotic and angry on the outside, but masking his fear, while David appears more proper and stereotypically anxious when he’s actually very frustrated). Growing up in vastly different environments with different social expectations, they’ve learned to cover up, but by becoming friends they offer each other the space to be themselves and ugh. i love them.