ABSTRACT
At first glance, Newsies seems to follow in Annie’s footsteps by promoting the comforting idea that the child and capitalism are a match made in heaven. After all, both shows revolve around young people who persuade business barons and democratic lawmakers to work together in ways that support the wellbeing of America’s most vulnerable citizens. Yet, Newsies ingeniously revises the plucky orphan plot, radicalizing its politics by transforming a thinly disguised valentine to big business into a rousing celebration of the power of working-class solidarity, organized labor, and collaboration across the lines of age, class, race, gender, and ability.
