Tickets going fast for Des Moines production of Newsies

Extra! Extra! Tickets already are scarce for several performances of 'Newsies,” onstage eight times Tuesday (1/12) to Jan. 17 at the Des Moines Civic Center.

The 2012 Broadway musical's wild popularity is a far cry from the 1992 Disney box office bomb from which it sprang. Ardent fans, however, gave the film a cult following, and it's snowballed from there.

The Disney stage adaptation captured Tony Awards for best choreography and musical score for the tale inspired by the New York City Newsboys Strike of 1899. It features music by Alan Menken, who won Academy Awards for 'The Little Mermaid,” 'Beauty and the Beast,” 'Aladdin” and 'Pocahontas,” and a book by Harvey Fierstein, who has spun stories into gold with 'Torch Song Trilogy,” 'La Cage aux Folles” and 'Kinky Boots.”

'I have no clue why it's such a hit after the movie was such a flop,” said Morgan Keene, who plays the leading female role of Katherine in the song-and-dance extravaganza. 'It's a mystery nobody has ever figured out.”

Originally slated for a limited run of 101 performances, it took Broadway by storm and was extended to 1,005 performances, attended by more than 1 million people and topping $100 million at the box office.

'Being in this show is a dream come true. Touring is something I've wanted to do all my life,” said Keene, 18, a Sharpsburg, Ga., native who intends to make New York her home once she's finished with this heady first road experience in another year or so.

'I love that we're traveling to these places that I've never seen in my entire life,” she said. 'I moved quite often, but there's so many places I haven't been. That's fun. Playing all the different houses that are completely different every time - they react in a completely different way, depending on what city you're at. That also keeps us on our toes, which is nice. And just traveling with group of people that are so nice. I've never been in a cast that was so supportive and so sweet. They're really like a family to me.”

While the newsboys range in age from 18 to 30, the cast of 34 also features a couple little boys and several older adults. And even though Keene is one of just a few girls in the show, she said she likes hanging out with the guys, who treat her like a sister.

'We all love each other. It's like I'm one of the boys, but they protect me and walk (the girls) home or go places with us,” she said.

Keene also feels a kinship with her character.

'Katherine is a very interesting character. She's a very tough, spunky, confident young woman,” Keene said. 'I like that we're pretty similar. We're both strong women, we both express our opinions and we're both very outspoken. We also have a passion for something and a drive for something specific. I love theater, she loves writing - she likes the story. We both have a huge drive and passion for what we do.”

She said Katherine, a reporter for the New York Sun, writes about 'vaudeville, flower shows and things that don't have much importance.”

She dreams of finding that 'big story” that will garner her more attention and respect. She finds that when she meets Jack Kelly, the leader of the newsboys, many of whom are living on the streets. When the cost rise for the papers the delivery boys buy and then resell, they decide to protest by going on a strike. 'She gets the story she needs to boost her career and has a little romance with Jack Kelly,” Keene said.

Her favorite song is 'Something to Believe In,” a duet with Jack in Act II. It's her favorite moment in the show, as well.

'The scene going into it so completely different from what we're singing about,” she said. 'The scene before it is filled with complete anger, then all of a sudden, one thing is said and then the whole entire thing is about love, not anger - but not in a cheesy way. It's very sweet and innocent. They're young, they don't really know who to express feelings to other people in a way that isn't just flirting and being cocky about it. They actually care about each other.”

While it's a big dance show for the newsboys, Katherine doesn't have a lot of dance numbers. Keene does get to tap with the boys, and kick up her heels in the finale, which suits Keene just fine. 'I love doing the dances with the boys,” she said.

And even with moments of high drama, she calls it 'a feel-good show.”

'The ending of the show leaves you walking out the theater very content,” she said. 'It's a family show, it's a good show for date night, it's a good show for the grandparents to come see - it's a good show for everyone. Because it's a Disney show, many people think that it's just gonna be for kids, but absolutely not.”

GET OUT!

WHAT: 'Newsies” national tour

WHERE: Des Moines Civic Center, 221 Walnut St.

WHEN: Tuesday (1/12) to Jan. 17, various times

TICKETS: $35 to $137, Civic Center Ticket Office, 1-(800) 745-3000 or Desmoinesperformingarts.org

SHOW WEBSITE: Newsiesthemusical.com