KAREN OLIVO on Playing Anita in West Side Story

[hockeynut2]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 2:36pm

An Interview with actress Karen Olivo, who plays Anita in West Side Story
by Joel Markowitz

When I saw Karen Olivo playing Faith in the musical Brooklyn, I knew, by the power and beauty of her voice, that a star had been born. When I saw Karen as Vanessa in the 37 Arts Off-Broadway production of In The Heights, I told everyone I knew to run to NYC and catch her performance. After the show transferred to the Richard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway audiences were treated to Karen’s feisty Vanessa in last year’s Tony Award Winning Best Musical.

More than 50 years after it opened at the National Theatre, the new production West Side Story, under the direction of the legendary Arthur Laurents, returned to the National in preparation for its Broadway opening. DC audiences and critics alike cheered Karen Olivo’s scorching portrayal of Anita. Before she left Washington, Karen did this interview for us.

Please leave a comment in the Leave A Reply Box (below) after the interview. If you saw the DC production, let our readers know what you thought about Karen's performance. Joel



Karen Olivo on West Side Story Updated On: 1/21/09 at 02:36 PM

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 2:46pm

She was never nominated for a Tony Award...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 2:48pm

And if she had been, "award" should be lower case, there should be a hyphen between "award" and "nominated."

[hockeynut2]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 2:53pm

OOPS! Corrected. She should have been nominated. She wuz robbed.
I hope you like the interview. I'm honored you took the time to read it.

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 3:03pm

The best advice he ever gave me will follow me to the grave. Sorry.

What-e-vah.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 3:06pm

Dont call me out for not PMing you when your PMs are turned off...it makes me want to call you out...oh...wait...I guess I did.

[bostonthespian]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 3:25pm

I wanted to thank Joel for doing this interview. It's the first time I have read any of the cast's feelings on using and taking away the subtitles. Karen was terrific in the show and, for me, she was the real fire in the show. I think they should put the subtitles back. What do you all think about that?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 3:33pm

Some of the questions he asks her annoyingly dumb.

[Renee2]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 3:34pm

I loved this interview! I agree blaxx. That was an interesting answer. I also loved Karen's performance, and I think she has a great chance of winning a Tony. I saw the show when they had the subtitles and I found them to be distracting. Thanks for doing this interview Joel.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 3:35pm

Based on Olivio's responses, PJ, I imagine she felt the same way about the questions asked.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 3:35pm

Why isn't the interview in Spanish?

[Musicalplayer]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 4:40pm

I interviewed Karen before, and Joel got better answers out of her than I did. It's a very good interview. You have to look at the answers as well as looking at the questions. I can't tell you how many times I have sent in questions to actors and directors, or sat down and interviewed them, and received lousy or short or disappointing answers. I have read many of Joel's interviews and listened to his podcasts and they are really top notch. I wish Karen and the entire cast and crew of West Side Story much success in NYC. Frankly, I'd be afraid to post my work in this room. Be nicer.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 4:43pm

It's bad interviewing skills to ask an actress how much of her performance is Rita Moreno and Chita Rivera and her relatives. It's also rude.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 4:45pm

Well, I feel that if someone is going to use up a person's time it better be good... This interview is so bland, as if they were just checking off a list of questions to ask her, not really getting to KNOW her and her motives and who she is as Anita.. these are just basic questions that wasted her time

Side note, after I saw WSS on the second night, there wasn't anyone at the stage door except for me and my friend because it was FREEZING and POURING down rain. I felt so bad about asking her autograph for making her stand in the rain, but she was so nice about it! then another guy came up and was like, are yall here for Karen too? "Yeah!!" well, as soon as I got her autograph, I left and the other guy whipped out his recorder, and started interviewing her... I felt so bad for her, she was obviously exhausted and it was pouring down raining and he insisted on getting an interview with her...

[Musicalplayer]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 4:57pm

You need to look at the questions. He asked her if she based her performance on any relative or friend, which is a great question. Lots of actresses have told me that they based their performances on a good friend or their mother or an aunt or grandmother. Because people will always associate Anita with Chita and Rita, it gave Karen a chance to talk about either how sick she is of hearing people try to compare her performance to Chita and Rita's performances, and/or gave her the opportunity to discuss how her own interpretation of Anita is different. Joel gave her a great opening to discuss it, and Karen never took it. I would have asked the same questions. It's not rude. It's good interviewing. You don't think the NYC critics will try to compare her performance to Chita or Rita in their opening night reviews? How much do you want to bet?

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 5:06pm

A Little off topic but they posted this Interview on the BWW homepage and the picture they used makes Karen look even more beautiful and amazing.


[IMG] Updated On: 1/21/09 at 05:06 PM

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 5:08pm

^^^
and to think, she is even more gorgeous live!
Honestly, she was STUNNING in that purple dress... absolutely STUNNING!

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 5:08pm

^^^ She is stunning in everything.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 6:11pm

^^ I bet she is! unfortunately the only thing I have been able to see her in thus far is WSS :/
but I love every picture of her!

[Usnavi]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 6:39pm

"It's bad interviewing skills to ask an actress how much of her performance is Rita Moreno and Chita Rivera and her relatives. It's also rude."

PalJoey, he didn't ask her how much of her performance is Rita Moreno and Chita Rivera and her relatives. The question asked was:

What is different in the way you play Anita than others who have played it before - Chita Rivera and Rita Moreno, for example?

I fail to see what is rude about that question. It's a valid question asked of someone playing an iconic character originally played by two legendary actresses who are known for the role.

You and the other posters that have chosen to come on to this thread and nit-pick, bitch and insult his line of questioning are the rude ones.

Updated On: 1/21/09 at 06:39 PM

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 7:02pm

I think Karen is a terrific actor. I also agree, she is stunning!