He said, "Once the audience is there to tell you things, it's the best, my favorite part. You have a fresh read, you see the first time they laugh, they gasp, or if they fidget...its all good and helps you keep improving; [the audience] tells you things that you didn't know," exemplifying the symbiotic relationship that makes it such a success.
Another thing that attributes to its unparalleled progress is the story's relation to real-life themes. While debuting at the Paper Mill Playhouse, a similar 'David and Goliath' aspect could be found in the Occupy Wall Street movement. It was serendipity to tell the same story at the same time and as Carolan says, "We felt we were doing social justice from an entertainment standpoint." The raw characters onstage very much resonated with the lives of people off-stage, which led to its large success in the musical scene.
Carolan describes putting on the show as "peaches and cream. I want the audience to feel what the actors feel." Carolan believes that all the actors really love what they do. He said that the first times all the actors performed the show, he could see the cast looking at each other from across stage, some wiping tears away. They realized they were continuing to tell a story so many people would now be able to see all across the country.
Before being whisked away to prepare for the next show, Kevin shares the challenge as performers to match and exceed the enthusiasm that each audience member brings in with them as they wait for the show to begin. If any cast member is not feeling one hundred percent or is worried about something, or has something on their mind, they still have to do their best performance possible to match the audience's desire to be entertained.
The story inspired us to stand up and not be afraid to voice what we believe in. Although the curtains closed and the lights went down, the energy will forever remain.
Newsies' run at SHN's Orpheum Theaatre ended March 15, 2015.