The Newsies musical is actually really good, according to the New York Times. It’s much better than the movie, says David Rooney, and though that’s not a high bar to cross for him, the film does have its devotees — let us not minimize the charms of impromptu labor organization and teenage romance. The stage version, Rooney says, has a stronger story and brighter characters. The book is “sweet, funny, emotionally satisfying,” the lead newsie Jeremy Jordan has a “winning charm and robust voice,” and “the real achievement is that the show elevates Alan Menken’s buoyant melodies and fluidly incorporates Jack Feldman’s rousing lyrics into a story with characters worth rooting for.” But how do you really feel? “Even for the cynics among us, Newsies has a stirring, old-school sincerity that’s hard to resist … It’s not Clifford Odets, but an adorable pro-union, up-with-the-downtrodden musical seems worth singing about.” Extra, extra! [NYT]