Disney will once again try its hand at a Broadway hit next spring when it brings “Newsies” to the Nederlander Theater. Based on the 1992 Disney film about striking New York City newsboys in 1899, the production will feature a much smaller budget than Disney’s previous forays into Broadway.

“Newsies” will cost about $5 million and is scheduled to run only from March 15 to June 10, 2012, according to the New York Times. Disney’s other recent productions, “The Little Mermaid” and “Tarzan,” cost about three times that and were seen as critical and commercial failures.

Disney’s last Broadway hit came with “Marry Poppins” which opened five years ago and continues to run at a profit. “The Lion King,” which opened 14 years ago, is still a must-see for visitors arriving on flights to New York City and has been Disney’s biggest Broadway hit to date.

Flickr photo credit: PeterJBellis