RIP Arthur Laurents- Page 4

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/5/11 at 11:41pm

Wouldn't he? (Well no, he wouldn't. Tee hee)

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 5/5/11 at 11:44pm

RIP,Mr. Laurents. I've always respected your work and your passing will come as a huge blow to the theatre community.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/5/11 at 11:56pm

^

Nice choice of words.

[Donthatecongratulate]

Posted: 5/5/11 at 11:59pm

I wonder if Patti & Laura will do a duet at his funeral?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 12:23am

It will be called, "Arthur! You stood up!"

[choitoy]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 12:40am

RIP Arthur.

I know that you've made a bunch of detractors over the years, but I'll miss the old curmudgeon. I had a really enjoyable time reading his latest book.

I just hope CZJ doesn't try to go and steal the "Gypsy" move back from Barbra now.

[bk]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 1:00am

"I can think of no more fitting tone than Bruce Kimmel's patented Scolding Schoolmarm (tm)."

Oh, this isn't up to your usual snotty standards. I guess I'll take Scolding Schoolmarm and you can have Smarmy Snotnose (tm).

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 1:32am

Barbra wanting to do GYPSY sent him over the edge.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 1:43am

He told her it would be over his dead body. Little did he know the power she has...

[N2Theater]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 2:15am

The book to Gypsy is one of the most perfect ever written. There is not a wasted vowel in that book. It does something that so few musicals do today which is, tell a story and make every moment count.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 2:23am

Obviously he never saw South Park Or he'd have know not to cross She Who Must Be OBEYED!!! Guess "some people"s diabolic contracts have clauses that can obliterate others!
(are we sure he's dead? not just a trick to see what people will say now that he "can't" get to them?)


Oh, and aside about rights- I'm sure there is a will and all will be reveiled. Either they will stay w the estate ala Tennessee Williams and the revisions will be even more rigously enforced ORHe gave them to a theatrical or poss AIDS facility- but i wouldn't bet on it.
Evil witch that i am I would LOVE to attend that contents/estate sale!Just think of the "dir"t buried there!

[amyfairycakes]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 5:50am

A few years ago, I wrote to Mr. Laurents to tell him of what a huge fan and admirer I was of his work and asked him what his favourite play was. He wrote,
"Dear Amy,
My favourite play is the next one I write.
Sincerely,
Arthur Laurents"

I always liked that response. May he rest in peace.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 7:05am

I'm sending him a dozen long-stemmed Mama Roses.

Speaking of ... who will be around at the next revival of Gypsy (due any minute now) to trash all previous performances of Mama Rose and say, "THIS one is the best, by far?"

... or the next revival of "West Side Story" to say, "we're going to do it realistically, this time?"

Updated On: 5/6/11 at 07:05 AM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 7:40am

Arthur Laurents sat directly in front of me during one of the preview performances of Gypsy 3 years ago. The Tyne Daly revival was my first exposure to his Broadway work (and that show), and I absolutely loved that production. Saw it 9 times.

And although I saw the DC run of the latest West Side Story 3 times, I was very disappointed.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 8:09am

I just found my signed copy of Arthur's "Original Story by" and smiled and cried a little.

It's addressed not only to me but also to my partner and it reads "May you last as long as Tom and I have. Arthur"

[NYadgal]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 9:29am

That's a treasure.

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 9:50am

RIP, Arthur.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 10:35am

Anyone who laughed hysterically when Anthony Perkins died of AIDS doesn't get a RIP post from me. Some good work. Terrible excuse for a human being.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 10:47am

I felt the same way, Mildred, until I read every last one of the moving tributes and fond recollections his many friends and colleagues have issued at his passing.

(Kidding! I haven't found one!)

[MimiJudith]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 12:59pm

He laughed when Anthony Perkins died? What's the story behind that?

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 1:26pm

The story comes from Charles Strouse, Mimi.

In his book he talks about Nick and Nora and meeting Laurents for the first time. He shows up to his apartment and Laurents is getting off the phone, hysterically laughing. Strouse thinks it must be pretty funny and asks Laurents.

"Tony Perkins just died of AIDS" (sic) -Arthur Laurents

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 1:39pm

EDIT: Just grabbed the Strouse book. The line is:

"Tony Perkins has AIDS"

[MimiJudith]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 1:53pm

Thanks, Mildred Plotka! Interesting...if that story's true, then that's absolutely awful.

[MimiJudith]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 2:09pm

I just remembered something about Arthur Laurents. Didn't he fire Matt Cavanaugh from the most recent iteration of West Side Story when he found out he was engaged to a woman?

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 5/6/11 at 2:27pm

I mourn the loss of an artist. He made great contributions to the art form. I do hope he has shorts, I am sure he'll need them where he is going.