They’re Dancing As Fast As They Can

The DISNEY kingdom has lost some of its luster lately, with theme-park attendance down and movies like The Marrying Man striking out at the box office. But the Mickey Mouse organization aims to help restore the magic by reviving an old formula: the movie musical. The studio is now filming Newsies, a song-and-dance act based on a 1899 New York City newsboys’ strike. The film ! is being directed by choreographer Kenny Ortega, a music-video veteran. Disney moguls believe the MTV generation will readily take to long-form musicals, which don’t require Schwarzenegger-size budgets. The studio is getting two other musicals ready for release: the animated Beauty and the Beast and Straight Talk, starring Dolly Parton.