Ivo van Hove Will Direct 2020 Broadway Revival of WEST SIDE STORY- Page 5

[ddenoff2]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 2:08pm

Alan Johnson’s association with “West Side Story” lasted even longer than his connection to Mr. Brooks. In addition to the roles he played, he became the show’s dance captain, requiring him to learn everyone’s steps and make sure Jerome Robbins’s choreography was followed. That role broadened when Mr. Robbins recommended Mr. Johnson to restage the show with the original choreography for revivals around the country.

“My responsibility is to do exactly what Jerry Robbins put on the stage of the Winter Garden back in 1957,” he told The Los Angeles Times in 1997, when he had restaged about 25 “West Side” productions. “People ask me, ‘Are you tempted to jazz it up?’ and I answer, ‘No.’ ”

He added: “Because it was so good, it’s lasted. It’s become a classic. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”

Iconic chronography should become part of the merged rights of the authors

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 2:56pm

WHY

do

some of you

want

the

SAME

DAMN

PRODUCTION 

over

and over

and over and over

and

over and over and over and over again?

Aren't you people bored with patting yourselves on the back yet?  

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 3:11pm

 

^^^ Exactly.

 

If you're going to "reinvent" it, why stop with the choreography? Why stop with the "production"?

Why not re-do the book, the lyrics and the music while you're at it?

Why not come up with an ORIGINAL adaptation of Romeo & Juliet for the 21st century?

Why only change the choreography and staging?

 

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 3:16pm

PalJoey said: "

^^^ Exactly.



If you're going to "reinvent" it, why stop with the choreography? Why stop with the "production"?

Why not re-do the book, the lyrics and the music while you're at it?

Why not come up with an ORIGINAL adaptation of Romeo & Juliet for the 21st century?

Why only change the choreography and staging?

"

Even you have to know that this is a reaching argument, at best.

Changing the staging of something is not indicative of re-writing the book/music/lyrics.  

I'll send you a bootleg if you want to relive your past, Pal! 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 3:33pm

PalJoey, you're really reaching here.

Choreography is not the same as the book, score, and lyrics. Choreography is constantly changed. The original was great, but we've seen it too many times now. It doesn't have the same effect. If you want to see the original choreo, watch the film or watch a bootleg. It's a serious reach to say that choreography is the same thing as the ACTUAL WRITING OF THE PIECE.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 8:05pm

The press release states explicitly that they will not be using Robbins' choreography.

I don't like the idea. The show is Bernstein, Laurents, Sondheim, and Robbins. To eliminate the work of one of these men just seems wrong.

It would just be strange to see it with different choreography.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 8:42pm

This is the first time I have been excited about a production for WSS in many, many years.  I personally am sick of the same old production; who says that a show needs to calcify because the original creatives were geniuses?  

I have to admit that I have always felt that the show does not hold up as well as the score.  Since this will be a new director vision with the classic score, I am excited.  Purists, shoot me!

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 8:46pm

Jarethan said: "This is the first time I have been excited about a production for WSS in many, many years. I personally amsick of the same old production; who says that a show needs to calcify because the original creatives were geniuses?

I have to admit that I have always felt that the show does not hold up as well as the score. Since this will be a new director vision with the classic score, I am excited. Purists, shoot me!"

I agree, 100%. 

[lovebwy]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 9:28pm

I'm fine with new interpretations of any other show. There's just something about the history of this show, the way it was developed, that makes me queasy about not using Robbins' brilliant, electrifying, beautiful choreography.

I'm too young to have seen the original, or the 1980. But the West Side Story segment in Jerome Robbins' Broadway remains the greatest thing I've ever seen on stage.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 9:47pm

It's not as if the choreography of Jerome Robbins will disappear. It just wont be used in this production and it's about time we finally get to see another persons vision. The more I think of this production, the more excited I am.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 9:56pm

I'm actually more open to seeing them make changes to the book or the lyrics (like the non-English lyrics for the last revival) than making major changes to the choreography or music. Of course if there's thoughtful intention behind the changes, they could be great. But to me the choreography and music are the strongest parts of WSS and it feels weird to talk about the choreography as just "staging" as though it isn't iconic. It's a dance-heavy show. It's not that it can't be altered at all but there should be some respect for the original choreography as a huge part of the original production.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 10:00pm

Shoot me, but I think the structure of the film is better. Cool works better after The Rumble and Officer Krupke is better early in the story. I wouldn't mind that getting altered.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 10:05pm

I agree in principle with most of the things people have said about being open to new interpretations of ahows. But it's just different with WSS. Robbins is part of the very DNA of what the show is. It will be impossible not to compare, and impossible for the new version to measure up to what Robbins created.

I'd love to be proven wrong, and if history is any indication I may well be.

Kinda surprised Sondheim agreed to it.

 

 

 

[Solipsist234]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 10:06pm

GeorgeandDot said: "Shoot me, but I think the structure of the film is better. Cool works better after The Rumble and Officer Krupke is better early in the story. I wouldn't mind that getting altered."

I 100% agree with this! Quite honestly, that change made SO much more sense; like, who would sing a song about the dumb cop after your friend just died??? Doesn't make any sense!!!

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/14/18 at 10:14pm

If Arthur made the "rape"/taunting scene more intense in his revival, I can't imagine what might happen in a van Hove production. 

Does anybody else have the feeling this will end up not coming to fruition? 

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 12:08am

 

It's a serious reach to say that choreography is the same thing as the ACTUAL WRITING OF THE PIECE.

 

In this case, I beg to differ.

The choreography is an equal component of the writing of the piece. 

 

I would even go so far as to say that the music and the choreography are the GREATEST of the four components, each far greater than the book or even (Sondheim forgive me!) the lyrics.

Updated On: 7/15/18 at 12:08 AM

[bk]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 12:36am

ljay889 said: "If Arthur made the "rape"/taunting scene more intense in his revival, I can't imagine what might happen in a van Hove production.

Does anybody else have the feeling this will end up not coming to fruition?"

No, as I've been saying for as long as it's been talked about, I think it's the Spielberg film that will not come to fruition.  

[Solipsist234]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 12:39am

bk said: "ljay889 said: "If Arthur made the "rape"/taunting scene more intense in his revival, I can't imagine what might happen in a van Hove production.

Does anybody else have the feeling this will end up not coming to fruition?"

No, as I've been saying for as long as it's been talked about, I think it's the Spielberg film that will not come to fruition. "

That's what they said about Tom Hooper's adaptation of Cats, and now look where that's at...

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 12:52am

If we want to really update it, maybe change the Sharks and the Jets to The Aryan Brotherhood and MS-13?

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 1:01am

I don't think it's an update Uncle Charlie. I'm all for a re-imagining of this show. I'm curious as to what Ivo van Hove's approach is going to be as far as presentation. I hope they will incorporate the switch of "Cool" and "Krupke" numbers that was done for the movie. I also hope they make changes to the book and get rid of those "cracks-jackos".

[JBC3]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 7:39am

Let us not forget that van Hove reimagined Angels in America and Kushner raved over his changes. So perhaps people might unclutch their pearls even a wee bit until we actually get an idea of what changes he and his collaborators make

[BJR]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 9:12am

PalJoey said: "

If you're going to "reinvent" it, why stop with the choreography? Why stop with the "production"?

Why not re-do the book, the lyrics and the music while you're at it?

Why only change the choreography and staging?"

 

To be fair, while there are some shows where the choreography is contractually attached to the property, most shows aren't, as you know. All licensed shows, though, have a book and score you aren't allowed to alter. So, with that context, of course it's most likely the staging that gets altered first, even on shows where you have to ask.

Also, they did alter the lyrics on the last revival, as you know.

Also, Hove often works with classic texts and has shown a tremendous ability to find the visceral humanity and contemporary association with classic texts. Perhaps, this will be the first production since the original where the slang didn't sound silly.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 9:32am

With Hove directing, who knows how far he will go in reimagining the show?  Re the choreography, it may be mind-boggling different.  But, when we look at some other successful revivals that had a different choreographer, at least one of whom won a Tony, I suspect most audience members would not be able to recall any differences between the original production and the revival dance wise.  There are people on this board who will be able to list 19 things different between the current production of Chicago and the original.  I saw the original production 4 times.  I have seen the current production 6 or 7 times.  For the life of me, as far as I am concerned, I can't recall any significant differences.  It still felt like Fosse to me, regardless of what minor changes Reinking introduced.  Same thing with Hello, Dolly!  Last year, there were people on this board who were upset that the Warren Carlyle was not nominated for his work on Hello, Dolly.  As someone who has seen the original production (including touring clones) 12 - 13 times, and the current revival 3 times, it still looks like Gower Champion to me.  I did not feel that Carlyle was cheated out of a nomination...there just wasn't enough visible to the normal eye that was different from the original.

The choreography still needs to work with the music and the purpose of the scene; to that end, it is altogether possible that the new WSS choreography will be close enough to the original as to fool many audience members into believing it is the original.  Of course, on the other hand, with this director, it could be totally changed.  I am hoping for the latter.  

Re the prior poster, my biggest issue with Jerome Robbins' Broadway was that there was too much WSS; the movie WSS has been ubiquitous for so many decades that I have almost come to dislike the choreography, which is simply a case of 'familiarity breeds contempt.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 7/15/18 at 12:28pm

The most recent Bway reimagining of a Robbins-directed classic I can think of was Bart Sher's FIDDLER with new choreography by Hofesh Shechter. Loved a lot of it, hated some (couldn't tell the Jews and Russians apart in "To Life", but generally found the new choreo one of the plusses in the otherwise discardable new production. I'm sure I'll feel the same with Van Hove's.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 7/16/18 at 1:11pm

They're already holding an EPA for Tony and Maria, which could mean that "talented unknowns" have just as good as shot as anybody.

Oddly, the breakdown doesn't specify that Maria must be a Hispanic actress, although that might go without saying at this point.