Tony Award-Winning Disney Musical, Newsies Comes to Long Beach!

Disney Newsies–The Broadway Musical

By Erin

Disney Newsies by Musical Theater West in Long Beach California

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Newsies to hit Long Beach this July! Southern California’s premier theatre company, Musical Theatre West (MTW), is bringing Broadway to the beach with the Tony Award-Winning Disney musical, Newsies. Based on the 1993 Disney film of the same name, Newsies follows a group of Newsboys at the beginning of the 20th century who take on the Pulitzer and the World Newspaper… and win! Musical Theatre West has always been dear to my heart as I grew up going to shows put on by MTW, back when they were at La Mirada Theater! I am SO excited to see their production of Newsies!

An inspiring story of young heroes fighting for justice and freedom, MTW’s production of Newsies will run for a limited time, July 12 – July 28, with an official opening night celebration on Saturday, July 13th. Tickets are on sale NOW, starting at $20 USD each and are available by phone at 562-856-1999 or online at musical.org.

“Summer is the perfect season to celebrate friendship and cheer for the underdog, which is why we’ve chosen Newsies to share with our audiences,” shared Paul Garman, Executive Director and Producer for Musical Theatre West. “The timeless tale of finding the courage to collectively stand together in solidarity is a message that transcends the ages and encapsulates a feeling of hope that will inspire our audiences to seize opportunities that affect positive change in our shared human experience.”

The rousing tale of Jack Kelly and his fellow “newsies’”, inspired by the true story of the Newsboys Strike of 1899, will have theatre-goers rooting for the underdog as they take on a publishing powerhouse to challenge unfair conditions and ultimately stand up for what’s right. Newsies will inspire audiences of all ages to consider the power of the press and remember the age-old adage: “All for one and one for all!” Featuring the Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act), Jack Feldmen, and a book by Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots), ticket-holders can expect to be thrilled by high-energy dance performances and MTW’s renditions of now classic songs “Seize the Day,” “Carrying the Banner,” and “Santa Fe.”

Musical Theatre West’s production of Newsies will premiere at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center on select dates, July 12 – July 28, 2024.

Tickets start at $20 and are available for purchase by phone at 562-856-1999 or online at musical.org. Fees may apply. Student rush tickets for $15 are available at the Box Office one hour prior to showtime, with a valid student ID. More information, a full line-up of performances, and additional details can be found at https://musical.org.

Newsies by Musical Theatre West

Dates: July 12 – 28, 2024, select dates and times

Where: Carpenter Performing Arts Center

Tickets start at $20, Purchase here

Student Rush tickets are $15 at the Box Office

Rated PG More details can be found at https://musical.org/upcoming-events/

ABOUT MUSICAL THEATRE WEST

The story of Musical Theatre West is the 72-year journey from a group of volunteers performing in a high school auditorium to one of the largest and most respected theatrical production companies in Southern California. Utilizing professional talent, and producing regional and even world premiere musicals while continuing to honor the tradition of classic musical theatre, MTW is the largest arts producer in the Long Beach area. The company continues to receive critical acclaim and national recognition – and many performers who cut their teeth on the MTW stage have gone on to successful careers on Broadway and in television and film. Just as importantly, stage and screen veterans now come to Musical Theatre West to perform, finding it to be one of the friendliest and most fun venues to work in. A key aspect of the company is its dedication to education, and the Education and Outreach Programs of Musical Theatre West bring the joy and magic of musical theater to over 17,000 children each year through special morning performances, traveling shows and school assemblies, and the Summer Youth Conservatory. Musical Theatre West has a mission to enrich the community with Broadway-quality productions, preserve musical theatre as a unique American art form, and expose people of all backgrounds to the excitement of musical theatre.

Trolls Band Together Sing-Along Edition & Activity Sheets!

Trolls Band Together Sing-Along Edition

By Erin

Get your hustle on and experience the BroZone craze all over again with Poppy, Branch, Viva, and Tiny Diamond in DreamWorks Animation’s TROLLS BAND TOGETHER Sing-Along Edition available on Digital, 4K UHD, Blu-rayTM and DVD NOW, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Highlighting a spectacular soundtrack of original and classic songs, TROLLS BAND TOGETHER Sing-Along Edition presents over an hour of fantas-amazing bonus content, including a brand-new original short “It Takes Three,” character drawing tutorials, deleted scenes, and behind-the-scenes features with the cast and crew including *NSYNC’s reunion for the first time in 20 years, taking audiences deeper into the magical musical adventure.

Get ready for an all-star family reunion like no other in the latest chapter of DreamWorks Animation’s blockbuster musical franchise, now with a Sing-Along edition! As Poppy (Anna Kendrick) grows closer to her now boyfriend Branch (Justin Timberlake), she discovers his secret past as a member of her favorite boyband, BroZone, with his four estranged brothers. When Branch’s bro Floyd is kidnapped for his musical talents by a pair of nefarious popstars, Branch and Poppy embark on an action-packed journey to reunite the other brothers and rescue Floyd. Along the way Poppy uncovers a family secret of her own, a long-lost sister named Viva (Camila Cabello). TROLLS BAND TOGETHER features the franchise’s signature psychedelic joy-bomb of new and classic pop hits that will have you singing and dancing along over and over again!

The film is directed by Walt Dohrn (Trolls franchise, Shrek franchise), co-directed by Tim Heitz (Trolls, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World) and produced by Gina Shay (Trolls franchise, Shrek franchise) and stars returning voice talent and Academy Award® nominees Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect) and Justin Timberlake (The Social Network), alongside Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominee Zooey Deschanel (“New Girl”), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (How to Train Your Dragon Franchise), Icona Pop duo Aino Jawo and Caroline Hjelt, Emmy® winner Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”), Grammy® winner Anderson .Paak, six-time SAG Award® nominee Kunal Nayyar (“The Big Bang Theory”), and Ron Funches (“Harley Quinn”). 

The dazzling new talent lending their voices to the franchise include Grammy® nominee Camila Cabello (Cinderella), Eric André (Sing 2), Emmy Award® winner Amy Schumer (Trainwreck), Grammy® winner and Tony® nominee Andrew Rannells (The Book of Mormon), Golden Globe® nominee Troye Sivan (“The Idol”), Grammy® winners Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) and Kid Cudi (Don’t Look Up), SAG Award® nominee Zosia Mamet (“The Flight Attendant”), and 12-time Emmy® winner RuPaul Charles (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”). 

EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES on 4K UHD, BLU-RAYTM, DVD AND DIGITAL:

  • SING-ALONG VERSION
  • IT TAKES THREE – In this original short, Poppy, Viva, and Tiny Diamond get sucked into the Hustle-verse, only to discover that it is devoid of hustle. The trio decides to sing their way out hopefully generating enough harmony to re-ignite the Hustle-verse and escape.
  • DELETED SCENES – With intro by Head of Story Colin Jack 
    • WALL CLIMB – BROKEN TOOTH
    • BRIDGET GRISTLE HONEYMOON
    • CRIMP AND TINY ROMANCE
  • FUN IN THE RECORDING BOOTH
  • HI, HI, HI – Join *NSYNC in the studio as they reunite for the first time in 20 years to record an all-new song for TROLLS BAND TOGETHER.
  • BUILDING THE BAND – The band is coming back together for another volume of Trolls based fun! Meet the new characters and the cast members behind them and catch up with your returning favorites!
    • #BROPPY
    • BROZONE
    • VIVA
    • VELVET AND VENEER
    • BRIDGET AND KING GRISTLE
    • TINY DIAMOND
  • TOGETHER AGAIN – Learn the backstory behind *NSYNC’s involvement in TROLLS BAND TOGETHER and how their Troll personas came to life.
  • ANIMATING TROLLS – In this BTS piece, filmmakers and crew dive deep into their animation process to show how the unique locations and textures of the film were created.
  • HOW TO DRAW – Step into the BroZone green room with story artist Wendy Sullivan and learn how to draw your own BroZone album cover featuring John Dory, Spruce, Clay, Floyd, and of course, Baby Branch! Plus, we’ll learn how to draw Viva!
    • BABY BRANCH
    • JOHN DORY
    • SPRUCE
    • CLAY
    • FLOYD
    • VIVA
  • HOW TO: HUG TIME BRACELETS – Poppy and Viva LOVE their Hug Time Bracelets and now you can make your own! Follow the simple steps and let your artistic side shine with two different bracelet options that you can make for all your friends and family. 
  • FEATURE COMMENTARY – with Producer Gina Shay, Co-Director Tim Heitz, Head of Story Colin Jack, Production Designer Ruben Perez Reynoso and Visual Effects Supervisor Marc J. Scott

Trolls Activity Sheets

Check out these Trolls-tactic activity sheets inspired by Trolls Band Together Sing-Along Edition!  These sheets are a must for some ‘NSYNCed fun. Groove to the tunes and click the link here to join the party with these fun activity sheets!

Trolls Band Together Activity Sheets

For more information on TROLLS BAND TOGETHER, please visit: 

UPHE Website: https://www.uphe.com/movies/trolls-band-together

Facebook: @trolls

Instagram: @trolls 

TikTok: @trolls 

X: @trolls

#TrollsBandTogether

Next Goal Wins

Next Goal Wins

By Erin

Next Goal Wins DVD Blu-ray

Based on a true story, Next Goal Wins, is a heartfelt underdog comedy following the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup qualifiers fast approaching, the team hires down-on-his- luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team into winners.

From Academy Award® winner Taika Waititi* (Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit, What We Do In The Shadows) comes Next Goal Wins, a heartwarming and hilarious tale inspired by the true-life story of soccer underdogs American Samoa and their stumbling attempts to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Described as “big-hearted and feel-good” (Wendy Ide, Screen Daily), “a perfect underdog movie” (Martin Tsai, The Wrap), and “one of the best comedies of the year” (Dayna Eileen, CGM Backlot) the film stars acclaimed actor Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class, The Killer) as Thomas Rongen, the maverick coach with the near-impossible task of trying to turn one of the world’s worst soccer team into winners. The international ensemble cast also includes Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, with Will Arnett and Elisabeth Moss.

Be the first to watch Next Goal Wins at home, available now from all major digital retailers including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu, and arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on February 27, with never-before-seen bonus content including Taika Waititi’s homage to American Samoa, Polynesian culture, and sports movies.

*Best Adapted Screenplay 2020, Jojo Rabbit 

Bonus Features**

Featurette

  • Creating The Pitch of Life –Explore filmmaker Taika Waititi’s loving homage to American Samoa, Polynesian culture, and the sports movie in this delightfully entertaining short-form documentary. See what it took to make a winning movie about the losingest soccer team in the world.

Deleted Scene

  • Priest Blessing the Team

**Bonus features vary by product and retailer

David Fane and Michael Fassbender in NEXT GOAL WINS. Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Cast

Michael Fassbender as Thomas Rongen

Oscar Kightley as Tavita

Kaimana as Jaiyah Saelua

David Fane as Ace 

Rachel House as Ruth 

Beulah Koale as Daru Taumua

Uli Latukefu as Nicky Salapu 

Chris Alosio as Jonah Semu 

Filipo as Rambo 

Ioane Goodhue as Smiley 

Lehi Falepapalangi as Pisa 

Hio Pelesasa as Samson 

With Will Arnett as Alex Magnussen 

And Elisabeth Moss as Gail

(From L-R): Hilo Pelesasa, Ioane Goodhue, Kaimana and Beulah Koale in NEXT GOAL WINS. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.© 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Directed by

Taika Waititi

Written by

Taika Waititi, Iain Morris

Produced by

Jonathan Cavendish p.g.a.

Garrett Basch p.g.a.

Taika Waititi p.g.a.

Mike Brett

Steve Jamison 

Music by

Michael Giacchino

Product Specifications

Street Date

Digital: January 16, 2024

Physical: February 27, 2024

Product SKUs
Digital: 4K UHD, HD, SD
Physical: Blu-ray (Blu-ray + Digital Code) & DVD
 
Feature Run Time
Approx. 104 minutes

Rating

U.S. Rated PG-13

**For some strong language and crude material

Social Media

Instagram: @searchlightpics@NextGoalWinsFilm

X/Twitter: @searchlightpics@NextGoalFilm

Facebook: @searchlightpics@NextGoalWinsFilm

TikTok: @SearchlightPics

YouTube: @SearchlightPics

#NextGoalWins