An All Male West Side Story?

[A Director]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 2:03am

Based on at the little video ads, it looks like the upcoming West Side Story will have an all male cast.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 2:10am

Other than the women listed in the cast on ibdb and playbill, the remaining cast will indeed be all male.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 2:28am

Since West Side Story deals a lot with toxic masculinity, I don't mind the nearly all male cast.

[Ledaero]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 5:54am

All male production including the typical female roles (Maria, Anita, Anybodys, ensemble Jets and Sharks women)??

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 5:55am

Well, it is predominately a male cast. You know that Anita and Maria are there and Anybodys might look like a boy, but lets face it...Val and Grizabella (I think those are there names)along with the other women barely exist.

And im fairly certain this was discussed in the existing WSS thread if you want more info/thoughts

[Sethwp2]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 5:32pm

UncleCharlie said: "Other than the women listed in the cast on ibdb and playbill, the remaining cast will indeed be all male."

Kinda funny, but not indeed true. Anybodys is non-binary in the upcoming film version.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 6:14pm

Sethwp2 said: "UncleCharlie said: "Other than the women listed in the cast on ibdb and playbill, the remaining cast will indeed be all male."

Kinda funny, but not indeed true. Anybodys is non-binary in the upcoming film version."

But this is a theater board and we were or at least I was talking about the upcoming Broadway musical by clearly referring to Playbill and ibdb so the casting of the movie version is irrelevant to my comment about the casting of the Broadway musical, no?

Updated On: 10/3/19 at 06:14 PM

[Sethwp2]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 6:38pm

The movie casting may be irrelevant, but the fact remains that just because part of the cast is female, the other percentage may or may not be all male. In whatever production- film, Broadway or otherwise. It is ignorant to assume that every cast member who is not female, is "indeed" male. Not necessarily true. That's all.

[patrickj88]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 6:41pm

Rumour is that I FEEL PRETTY has been cut for the show and that it will all be done in 1 ACT..no intermission

[Sethwp2]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 6:46pm

There's rumor that a few other iconic songs have also been cut. At least during previews anyway... until Sondheim and the Bernstein/Laurents estates see this version and give it their yay or nay.

We'll see how long this lasts! and whether or not they're required to stick to a more traditional approach in terms of song cuts and structure. There's a reason why they've got a whole 2 months of previews!

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 6:56pm

Sethwp2 said: "The movie casting may be irrelevant, but the fact remains that just because part of the cast is female, the other percentage may or may not be all male. In whatever production- film, Broadway or otherwise. It is ignorant to assume that every cast member who is not female, is "indeed" male. Not necessarily true. That's all."

So then say that in your original post instead of referencing the film version which it appears we both agree was an irrelevant comparison. And be sure for consistency to also lecture the OP on the ignorance of daring to refer to the cast as "all-male" in the first place. That's all.

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/3/19 at 9:07pm

I don’t think we’re prepared for how hard this will flop.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 12:43am

I can’t tell which comments are serious. They are cutting songs and turning it into a one act? That’s a joke, right?

[Pose2]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 12:56am

They should really change the name then since that's not West Side Story.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 1:37am

The Distinctive Baritone said: "I can’t tell which comments are serious. They are cutting songs and turning it into a one act? That’s a joke, right?"

I can’t speak to the validity of the rumors, but yes, these rumors are being circulated right now. Not a joke.

 

[Mark Waltz]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 8:28am

Years ago in L.A., there was a fund raising production that had a 95% male cast. It was re-titled "West Hollywood Story", and no, I did not make that up. The same company also did a variation of "Gypsy" where Mama Rose was actually a gay man. 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 8:54am

 This new production is likely not more male than any other, but the ad certainly suggests that.  Perhaps the ad itself is centering on the conflicts between the men as the scoring indicates (the opening number, very toxically male).  The ad is very effective as is, so that might be a good thing - though it also keeps the women of West Side Story out fo sight.

I'm also not entirely sure that all the pics in the ad are of cis male performers.

On reflection, if the ad were the opening number - instead of the music of that number and pics of the (at least mostly or ostensibly) men in the cast - it wouldn't suggest "all male" at all.  The ad presents the same kind of testosterone-driven energy without actually staging the show's dramatic, volatile opening. 

Updated On: 10/4/19 at 08:54 AM

[Trousers]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 5:06pm

Be great to finally excise Gee, Officer Krupke which is an aberration in act 2 and kills the tension.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 5:09pm

Trousers said: "Be great to finally excise Gee, Officer Krupke which is an aberration in act 2 and kills the tension."

Yeah, and "Maria", "Something's Coming" and "One Hand One Heart" just slow things down so let's throw them all out, too.  Hell, let's just ditch the whole score!  They can call it Romeo & Juliet!

[Kad]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 5:18pm

I actually find the advertising campaign to be more than a little homoerotic- even down to those padlocked chain necklaces. All rough trade with not even a hint of Maria. 

Updated On: 10/4/19 at 05:18 PM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 5:53pm

But they made Pops (?!) a female role.    Ya know- I just can't get worked up any more . Cast the freaking thing w hamsters.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 6:02pm

sabrelady said: "But they made Pops (?!) a female role. Ya know- I just can't get worked up any more . Cast the freaking thing w hamsters."

It's Doc.  That's from the Spielberg movie version.  The character is being played by Rita Moreno.

 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 6:58pm

It's Doc. That's from the Spielberg movie version. The character is being played by Rita Moreno.

Doc is now named Valentina in the Spielberg version.  

[AADA81]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 9:26pm

I heard this production is also relocating the action to East 79th Street.

Is it true that Harvey Fierstein is playing Anita, with Dame Edna as his standby?

[802AFM]

Posted: 10/4/19 at 9:36pm

patrickj88 said: "Rumour is that I FEEL PRETTY has been cut for the show and that it will all be done in 1 ACT..no intermission"

Run time reportedly 1 hr 40 mins