Disney’s Broadway smash hit Newsies is set to close the curtain one final time this August in preparation for a Fall 2014 tour.

Newsies cast members

Newsies opened its doors in March 2012 with a plan for only 101 performances. Fans from all over the world flocked to New York to get a glimpse of the highly acclaimed musical, allowing for over 1,000 performances during the last two years.

The musical, based on a gritty 1992 flick starring Christian Bale, was nominated for eight Tony awards and picked up Best Original Score and Best Choreography in 2012. Newsies has been housed in the famed Nederlander Theater in New York, which previously housed the famously tragic Broadway success, Rent.

Entertainment Weekly reports that Newsies “will launch a North American tour in October 2014, aiming to hit 25 cities over 43 weeks.”

Disney production heads, the cast and crew are all incredibly grateful for Newsies’ wonderfully successful Broadway run. The cast featured mostly unknown Broadway hopefuls and has given the young men and women involved a strong start to their careers.

“From our first performance, we have been humbled by the spontaneous and genuine outpouring of affection from fans and the theatre community alike,” remarked Thomas Schumacher, the head of Disney Theatrical Productions. “Alan and Jack’s tuneful, rousing score, Harvey’s timely book, Chris’s muscular choreography and Jeff’s cinematic staging merged seamlessly to become a glorious work in the proudly classic Broadway tradition. When our tour launches in October, I’m thrilled that audiences across North America will be able to experience the adrenaline rush that is Newsies.”

The North American Tour will begin in Schenectady, New York and head West through 2015.

Disney Theatrical Productions is also responsible for Broadway shows like The Lion King and Aladdin.

Walter McBride/INFphoto.com