Carrying the Banner ... On Stage?

In a recent interview on Playbill.com regarding his work on Enchanted, Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken let slip some news that will have fans of a certain underrated movie musical cheering. While discussing his recent stage projects (including the movie-based Sister Act and Leap of Faith), Menken mentions that he is also currently working on a stage version of Newsies, one of his rare live action pictures for Disney.

Newsies (directed and choreographed by High School Musical's Kenny Ortega and starring a young Christian Bale) was a notorious flop upon its 1992 release, but it has since developed a huge cult following, mostly amongst the high school "drama geek" crowd. (I can call them that because I was a big-time "drama geek" in my time -- technically still am -- and I love my Newsies). In fact, unofficial stage productions of the depression era-set musical have popped up in high schools across the country for years now. I guess Disney finally got wise to this, and now they're developing an official (and thus, officially licensed) property, although no word if it will actually appear in New York. But hey, if another infamous movie musical bomb (that would be Xanadu) can make it there, why not this one?

And speaking of the stage version of Leap of Faith (based on the Steve Martin comedy about a fake faith healer stranded in a small town), it was once rumored to be a vehicle for Hugh Jackman's return to Broadway. Now it seems that former Company man Raúl Esparza is lined up to star in the tuner, which will be helmed by film director Taylor Hackford.

Click here to buy Newsieson DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Playbill.com, Imdb.com and LaughingPlace.com.