Highlights of the 1991 Script
So there’s a scrapped script from the 1992 movie, called Hard Promises, from back when it was a drama instead of a Disney musical, that is so much darker and more complex than either the stage show or the 1992 movie. Lots of CW, it’s not happy.
“Jack Kelley, 17, tough-handsome, complicated man-boy”
“Racetrack, 18, tall, skinny, gambling Italian beanpole”
“David Jacobs, 15, with dark intense eyes. He’s a keen observer, a bit wary of the world.”
Esther is Polish! Wiesel’s name is actually Weasel! Oscar might be Otto?
New York City is apparently filled with hurdy-gurdy men
Jack scamming free pretzels. #bless
Nuns: Jesus loves you! Mush: W-who’s Jesus?
Jack Kelly, patron saint of not cutting in line and also, monkeybars
“Top a the mornin’ to ya, Pussycat!“ #letmedie
explicitly confirms Davey is Jewish, but through Weasel using slurs
Jack straight up steals the money he gave Weasel right back
Davey: Why do I need [Jack]? Crutchie: Why do you need air to breathe?
“'Cause I ain’t got a cute little brother to front for me.“ OW
Pulitzer: How do [Newsies] get so dirty? Advisor: They don’t bathe, sir.
Jack’s a flirty ho and explicitly “weaves a spell over David”
Jack carries Les around on his shoulders
“Jack reads a battered dime western novel.” VALID
…. Snyder’s first name is Nigel…
Jack is great friends with seven random blind people in an alley
Jack says he “stole some food to feed [his] kid brother. Truth.”
