Alice's POV

I was shaking in my combat boots as the Overture started playing. I watched as Jeremy and Andrew got into their opening positions. Before the curtain opened, Jeremy sent me a smile. "Good luck," he mouthed.

"You too," I mouthed back.

I bit my bottom lip as the curtain raised. I smiled as the crowd cheered. The boys waited a few minutes before starting there dialogue. I watched with a smile as Jeremy and Andrew became Jack and Crutchie.

"Them streets down there. . . They sucked the life right outta my old man. Years of rotten jobs stomped on by bosses. And when they finally broke him they. . .  They tossed him to the curb just like yesterday's paper. Well, they ain't doing that to me!"

"But. . . But everyone wants to come here."

"New York is fine for those who got a big strong door to lock it out. But I tell ya, Crutch. There is a whole other way out there. So, you keep your small life in a big city. Give me a big life in a small town." I smiled as they went back and forth with their dialogue. I forgot all about my nerves as Jeremy started singing.

"They say folks is dying' to get here,
Me, I'm dyin' to get away
To a little town out west
That's spankin' new

And while I ain't never been there
I can see it clear as day
If you want, I bet'cha you could see it, too

Close your eyes
Come with me
Where it's clean and green and pretty
And they went and made a city outta clay

Why, the minute that ya get there
Folks'll walk right up and say
"Welcome home, son
Welcome home to Santa Fe!

Plantin' crops
Splittin' rails
Swappin' tales around the fire
'Cept for Sunday when you lie around all day

Soon your friends are more like family
And they's beggin' you to stay
Ain't that neat?
Livin' sweet
In Santa Fe

"You got folks there?"

"Ain't got no folks nowhere. What, you?"

"I don't need folks." Andrew paused. "I got friends."

"Hey. Hey! How's about you come with me? No one worries about no gimp leg in Santa Fe. No, you just. . . Just hop a Palomino. You ride in style!" I couldn't help but laugh as Jeremy galloped.

"Yeah! Feature me, ridin' in style.​"

"Hey! I bet a few months of clean air, you could toss that crutch for good!" I crossed my arms over my chest as Jeremy and Andrew started singing.

"Santa Fe
You can bet
We won't let them bastards beat us
We won't beg no one to treat us fair and square
There's a life that's worth the livin'
And I'm gonna do my share"

"Work the land, chase the sun" Jeremy sang by himself.

The boys then sang together.
"Swim the whole Rio Grande just for fun!"

My heart sank as I Andrew sang his lines.

"Watch me stand! Watch me Run!"

Jeremy's voice softened. "Hey, hey...
Don't you know that we's a family?
Would I let you down?
No way
Just hold on, kid
'Til that train makes Santa Fe."

"You ready?" Jack Sippel, who played Darcy, whispered as he held out his arm for me take.

"Oh, right. It's almost time for me to. . . walk. Okay." I said bitting my lip as the boys sang Carrying The Banner.

"Hey, don't worry. I won't let you fall." I couldn't help but laugh. I looped my arm through his and took a shaky breath. He led me onto the stage after we heard our cue.

"Well, hello, hello, hello, beautiful." Nico smirked saying his line.

"Whoah! Step aside, Romeo. Nothin' more concerns you here." Jeremy said, pushing Nico aside. "Mornin', miss." I nodded before looking away from him. "May I interest you in the latest news?"

"The paper isn't out yet." I said shaking my head slightly. We started to walk away, but he stepped out in front of Jack Sippel and I.

"I would be delighted to deliver it to you personally."

Jack stepped forward to say something, but I put my arms up and stopped him. "I've got a headline for you. 'Cheeky Boy Gets Nothing For His Trouble." I smiled as the crowd laughed.

"Back to the bench, slugger." Nico laughed as Jack Sippel began to quickly lead me off stage. "You struck out."

"I'm crushed!" Jeremy exclaimed.

When Jack and I were off stage, I couldn't help but smile. "I told you I wouldn't let you make a fool of yourself. You did great!" I turned around and watched as the boys finished singing Carrying The Banner.

As Steve Blanchard, who plays Joe Pulitzer, began singing Bottom Line, I looked and saw Jeremy making faces at me from behind the screen. I smiled before making a face back at him. When he laughed, I put my finger up to my lips before pointing towards the crowd. He stuck his tongue out at me as the song ended.

"Alice? They need you on the balcony to prepare for That's Rich." I turned to see a stage hand holding my notebook and pen, gesturing towards the balcony set piece. I took them from him and climbed the ladder.

I sat down and adjusted my skirt and blazer. I gasped when the set piece moved. I felt my knees shake as the set piece got into position. Before the lights came up, I saw Jeremy sending me a reassuring smile. I took a deep breath as the scene started. As Capathia, who plays Medda, started singing That's Rich, I got into character and took notes.

As the song finished and the crowd applauded, Jeremy tried to get my attention. As music started, I heard Capathia whisper, "Why don't you go find out." The set piece moved and got into position for the next song. With my back to the audience, I felt the set piece shake as Jeremy climbed the ladder.

"Hello, again."

"This is a private box." I said turning slightly towards him.

"What, you want I should lock the door?"He smirked, making me groan. "Twice in one day. Think it's fate?"

"Go away. I'm working." I said turning back to the show.

"A working girl, huh? Doing what?" He said with a small laugh.

"Reviewing the show for the New York Sun." I said gesturing towards the show.

"Hey! I work for The World!"

"Somewhere out there someone cares. Go tell them!" I said gesturing towards the audience. I hid my smile as the audience laughed.

"The view is better here." He said checking me out. I had to bit the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling.

"Please go. I am not in the habit of speaking to strangers."

"Well, then you're gonna make a lousy reporter." I looked at him and narrowed my eyes. "The name's Jack Kelly."

"Is that what it says on your rap sheet?"

"Oh! A smart girl, huh? I admire smart girls. Beautiful. Smart. Independent. . ."

"Do you mind?" I yelled jumping up.

"Pipe down, up there!" Ben Cook exclaimed dressed like a man in the crowd.

"You got in for free. At least pay attention." Capathia said, pointing her finger at Jeremy.

"I'm sorry, Miss Medda." I turned my attention away from Jeremy as he started singing.

"I got no use for moonlight
Or sappy poetry
Love at first sight's for suckers
At least it used to be
Look, girls are nice, once or twice
Till I find someone new
But I never planned on someone like you"

As the girls started singing, Jeremy repeated his lines and pretended to draw me. As he finished, I jumped up. "What are you doing?"

"Hey! Hey! Quiet down. There's a show going on."

"You are the most impossible boy......"

"Shhhhh," he said with his finger to his lips.

"Ever." I whispered. I turned around and sat back down.

"No, I never planned on no one like you." As he started down the stairs, he stopped and lifted his hat. I stood up and walked towards him, but when I saw the newspaper I stopped. I picked it up and laughed.

After the set piece was off the stage, I carefully stepped down the ladder. Before my feet touched the ground, I felt two hands carefully grab my waist. When my feet were on the ground, the person's hands were still there. I turned to see Jeremy standing behind me.

"You were about to miss a step. I. . . I didn't want you to fall."

"Oh umm. . . Thanks." I said my cheeks turning red. We stood like that for a few seconds before he cleared his throat. "That's my cue." I turned and watched him walk onto the stage and said his line. "All right, what are you all waiting around here for?"

I smiled as the boys started the strike and sang The World Will Know. As they neared the end of their song, I got nervous. The end of their song meant the closer to my big song.

"Now you have to spread the word." Ben said his line. "Let the rest of the city's newsies know about the strike."

"Hey, you heard the man. Let's split up. Let's spread the word."

"I'll take Harlem."

"I got Midtown."

"I got the Bronx."

"And I got the Bowery."

"Specs, you take Queens."Jeremy said. "Tommy Boy, take the East Side. And who wants Brooklyn?" I smiled as everyone looked down and avoided looking at Jeremy.

"Come on. Brooklyn. Spot Conlon's turf. Finch! You tellin' me you're scared of Brooklyn?"

Jordan Samuels stood up on his chair. "I ain't scared of no turf! But that Spot Conlon gets me a little jittery."

"Me an Davey will take Brooklyn."

"Me? No."

"Why is everyone so scared of Brooklyn?" I asked stepping onto the stage.

"What are you doing here?" Jeremy asked with a slight laugh.

"Asking a question. Have you got an answer?" I asked.

Jeremy looked at me and laughed. As he spoke, he stepped off his chair. "Brooklyn is the sixth largest city in the entire world. You got Brooklyn, you hit the mother lode." He paused again, before looking around and smirking. "Say for someone who works for The New York Sun, you are spending an awful lot of time hanging around at The World. So what's that about, huh? Are you following me?" I tried to hide my smile as Jeremy playfully hid behind Ben.

"No," I said unamused. "The only thing I'm following is a story. A ragtag gang of ragamuffins wants to take on the king makers of New York? Well, do you think you have a chance?" I laughed.

"Shouldn't you be at the ballet?" Jeremy asked.

"Is the question too difficult? I'll rephrase. Will the richest and most powerful men in New York give the time of day to a gang of kids who haven't got a nickel to their name?" I asked as I walked across the stage.

"Hey! You don't gotta be insultin'. I gotta nickel." Andrew said.

"So, I guess you'd say you're a couple of Davids looking to take on Goliath."

"We never said that." Ben said, making me turn towards him.

"Well, you didn't have to. I did," I said with a smirk as Ben walked up to me.

"You know, I've seen a lot of papes in my day and I ain't never noted no girl reporters writing the hard news." Jeremy smirked.

"Well, wake up to the new century. The game's changing." I said as I walked across the stage towards him. "Now, how about an exclusive interview?" I asked opening my arms.

"Ain't your beat entertainment?"

"This is entertaining. So far." I smiled as he stepped towards me.

"Hey, what's the last news story you wrote?"

"What's the last strike you organized?" The boys behind me laughed.

"You're out of your league, Kelly." Nico said joining us. "Methinks the lady needs to be handled by a..." he paused to pat himself on the chest and fix his hat. "Real man."

"You thinks wrong, Romeo." I said raising my eyebrows. I watched as he walked around me to talk to Jeremy.

"How'd she know my name?" He smiled.

"Get outta here." Jeremy said, pushing him away.

"I'd say we save any exclusive for a real reporter." Ben said walking up to me.

"Well, do you see somebody else giving you the time of day?" I paused. "All right. So I'm just busting out of the social pages, but..... But you give me the exclusive. Let me run with the story, and I promise I'll get you the space." I said walking up to Jeremy.

"Hey, you really think we could be in the papes?" Andrew asked from across the stage.

"Well, shut down a paper like The World? You're gonna make the front page."

"You want a story?" I gasped when Jeremy walked up behind me. I turned around as he said his next line. "Be at the circulation gate tomorrow mornin', and you'll get one." I started to write in my notebook as Jeremy walked towards Ben and Andrew. "And bring a camera. You're gonna want to snap a picture of this!"

I walked to the back of the stage as the boys sang the ending of The World Will Know.

I smiled as the boys jumped around and ran off stage as the song finished.

"Hey, come on, Les. The folks are waitin'." I smiled as Ethan waved at me as he ran towards Ben.

When it was just Jeremy and I, I walked up to him. "So, what's your story? Are you selling newspapers to work your way through art school?"

"Art school?" He scoffed. "Are you kiddin' me?"

"But you're an artist. You've got real talent. You should be inside the paper illustrating, not outside hawking it."

"Maybe that ain't what I want."

"So tell me what you want." I shrugged.

He stepped in front of me and smirked down at me."Can't you see it in my eyes?"

"Yeah, okay." I mumbled as I stepped around him. "Have you always been their leader?"

"Hey, I'm a blowhard. Davey is the brains."

"Modesty is not a quality I would've pinned on you," I laughed.

"You got a name?"

"Katherine. . . Plumber." My hesitation made him laugh.

"What's the matter? Ain't you sure?"

"It's my byline. The name I publish under."

"Yeah," he laughed.

"So tell me about tomorrow. What are you hoping for?"

"I'd rather tell you what I'm hopin' for tonight." He smirked.

"Mr.Kelly. . ."

He groaned before continuing. "Today, we stop the newsies from carrying out the papes. But the wagons still deliver to the rest of the city. Tomorrow. . . We stop the wagons."

"Are you scared?"

"Do I look scared?" Jeremy laughed, before his smile fell. "But ask me again in the mornin'."

"Good answer." I smiled. "Good night, Mr. Kelly." I turned and started to walk away.

"Hey! Hey, where are you runnin'? It ain't even supper time."

"I'll see you in the morning," I said without turning to face him. I stopped walking and turned around. "And off the record. . . Good luck." I turned and walked around the stage as he groaned.

"Hey! Hey! Hey, Plumber!" He said chasing after me.

"Write it good. We both got a lot riding on you." I nodded as he left me on the stage, alone.

"You heard the man. 'Write it good'." I said copying his accent, making the audience laugh. "Write it good or it's back to wheezing your way through the flower show. No pressure. Let's go," I shrugged. I walked over to where the stage hand put the typewriter and desk.

"'Newsies Stop The World'. Huh, a little hyperbole never hurt anyone. 'With all eyes fixed on the trolley strike, there's another battle brewing in the city'." I paused and pretended to struggle for words."And if I could just write about it. . . Oh, come on, Katherine! Those boys are counting on you. You poor boys," I said slowly causing the audience to laugh.

"Write what you know,
So they say, all I know is I don't know what to write,
Or the right way to write it.
This is big, lady, don't screw it up
This is not some little vaudeville I'm reviewing

Poor little kids versus rich greedy sour pusses
Ha! It's a cinch!
It could practically write itself--
And let's pray it does, cause as I may have mentioned
I have no clue what I'm doing

Am I insane? This is what I've been waiting for
Well that, plus the screaming of ten angry editors
A girl? It's a girl! How the hell? Is that even legal?
Look, just go and get her!

Not only that, there's a story behind the story:
Thousands of children, exploited, invisible
Speak up, take a stand, and there's someone to write about it.
That's how things get better

Give life's little guys some ink, and when it dries just watch what happens
Those kids will live and breathe right on the page
And once they're center stage, you watch what happens
And who's there with her camera and her pen
As boys turn into men
They'll  and then just watch what happens when they do!"

I squealed as I ran back to the desk and sat down. "'A modern day David is poised to take on the rich and powerful Goliath with the swagger of one twice his age. Armed with nothing more than a few nuggets of truth, Jack Kelly stands ready to face the behemoth Pulitzer.' Now that is how you turn a boy into a legend."

"Picture a handsome heroically charismatic, plain spoken,
know-nothing skirt chasing cocky little son of a . . .

Lie down with dogs
And you wake up with a raise and a promotion.

So, he's a flirt,
A complete egomaniac,
The fact is he's also the face of the strike-
What a face-
Face the facts,
that's a face that could save us all from sinkin' in the ocean.

Like someone said, "Power tends to corrupt,
And absolute power", wait! Wait,
Corrupts absolutely! That's genius!
But, give me some time, I'll be twice as good as that six months from never.

Just look around at the world we're inheriting
And think of the one we'll create
Their mistake is they got old, that is not a mistake we'll be making
No sir, we'll stay young forever!

Give those kids and me the brand new century and watch what happens
It's David and Goliath, do or die
The fight is on and I can't watch what happens

But all I know is nothing happens if you just give in
It can't be any worse than how it's been.
And it just so happens that we just might win
So whatever happens! Let's begin!"

As I sat down, I smiled when I heard the cheers. I peaked over to the side of the stage to see Jeremy smiling at me. I walked off stage, but not before receiving a high five from Ben and a pat on the back from Jeremy.

I sat and watched as the boys started singing Seize The Day. I smiled as they started their revolution. The boys were dancing like their lives depended on it. I watched as Jeremy and Ben danced. I smiled as the crowd cheered louder and louder as the boys danced.

I made a quick appearance to take the picture. As the boys continued to dance, I walked around and I helped the boys destroy the newspapers. When the fighting started, I quickly ran off the stage.

I felt my heart sink as I watched Jeremy watch Crutchie get pulled away.

"Jack, help! Romeo! Finch!"

"Shut it, crip!" Devin Lewis said, tearing the Strike sign from Andrew's crutch. My heart stopped as the chief beat Crutchie. My heart warmed as I watched as Jeremy covered his mouth.

"Crutchie!" Jeremy yelled.

"Jack, help!"

My heart practically stopped as Jeremy started singing Santa Fe Reprise.

"Folks, we