Anyone seeing WEST SIDE STORY in D.C. today? — Page 6

morosco - they NEVER wore skirts that short in the 50's. (That was one of the reasons all the adults freaked out when mini-skirts and hot pants were invented in the 60's)
- Mamie (who was around for both decades)

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Why is "Somewhere" being sung by a boy soprano? I don't like it when the girl sings it, but why is such a beautiful song being sung by a random ensemble member in the first place?

Geeze 2 reviews and 4 pictures (from the 1st Preview) and you guys have all ready all agreed on hating the show!

Most of those pictures are from the curtain call.

I don't know about you, but I don't think I could judge an entire production by the a couple snapshots of the final bow.

AT BEST you can say something about SOME of the costumes... but the rest is foolish speculation.

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Updated On: 12/17/08 at 01:04 AM

Actually... you are hating some of the production DESIGN! A design that might easily change between now and Opening Night at the Palace.

The production as a whole might pack an overwhelming emotional wallop..

...but you don't whether you like the production as a whole or not.. because YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET.

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Updated On: 12/17/08 at 01:15 AM

Not all Puerto Ricans are dark-skinned, though.

I also am very curious about a boy soprano singing "Somewhere." I hope that changes because boy sopranos creep me out.

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nobody has commented on how bad and dull America and part of the choreography looks like

Perhaps nobody has commented on it since you saw a different performance than the America onstage at the National Theatre, because that one caused the audience to cheer.


Geeze 2 reviews and 4 pictures (from the 1st Preview) and you guys have all ready all agreed on hating the show!

Some posters have been searching for reasons to hate it for months now. Four pictures is more than enough considering the speculations and complaints caused by mere casting notices and a handful of quotes from Laurents.

Ha, true. But a pictures says a lot.

Not when people have led themselves to believe one set design picture represents the entire show. The suns and moons background was only visible during Tonight. If you think it's stupid, fine, those 3 minutes will be ruined by its presence, but to generalize your opinion of a show you haven't seen based on one picture is ridiculous.


Are boy sopranos really any creepier than older women sopranos? Those are the ones that scare me.

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Let's remember that the last thread that WSSinsider created got deleted, shall we (and in record time, too)?

"Officer Krupke" DOES NOT end with a verbal "f*ck you."

Also, I have to comment about the comments on the physical appearance of the gang members. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. If one goes to picture listings of the corps de ballet of the Joffrey, ABT, etc., where most of the ensemble was culled/had their training, I believe that is way most male ballet dancers look like nowadays. I do not think it comes from being gym rats--it comes a lifetime of work starting at a very young age. The exceptions may be Curtis, who does look bigger than in pictures from Xanadu. Unfortunately, as well, to be competitive in their world, I think most male dancers increasingly have to be competent tumblers as well (just go to that show, So You Think You Can Dance. There are more flips going on than the Olympics, and many of those are AMATEUR dancers who end up on the teaching circuit, not on B'way). In fact, correct me if I'm wrong, I think excess muscle messes up their ballon and can weigh them down. They have as much as they need to get themselves in the air and hoist their partners up. They are nowhere near the over-muscled look of a Mario Lopez or Nick Adams, IMHO.

For example, Cody was an Eddie in Movin' Out. I think he actually looks kind of slight compared to his fellow Eddies, Ron Todorowski, Brendan King, and the original, John Selya. Were any of those gentlemen known to be gym rats? That's the way Keith Roberts looks in pictures, too, as well as David Gomez and Desmond Richardson.

Oh. I thought that Kyle Brenn (the boy soprano) was slightly off on the high note, but otherwise did a good job.

Updated On: 12/17/08 at 07:22 AM

Why do boy sopranos creep you out? Just curious.

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The reality is that most Broadway dancers DO NOT take dance class nowadays. They go to the gym for their workout. Aside from classes being expensive in NYC, the level of the teachers has dropped dramatically (some ballet instructors notwithstanding). There was a day that you could peek into a class at Broadway Dance Center or STEPS and see the best of the best dancing (and competing ) in both Ballet and Jazz classes. Sorely, those days are gone. Classes are made of of hobby dancers, enthusiasts, and hip hop dancers.

The smart Broadway dancer will still take at least two Ballet classes a week to stay in dance shape. The more spectacular dancers such as Todorowski, King, Seyla, Keith Roberts, Desmond Richardson and David Gomez WERE trained dancers. They either grew up in competitive dancing schools where they were required to take all disciplines of dance, or they went the Ballet School route ( Seyla, Richardson). The majority of dancers in shows such as Hairspray and Legally Blonde are no more than singers who move well and studied some dance. But, you won't see them " training" in a class in NYC. It's no one's fault, it's the way that the less demanding choreography on Broadway has become. There are no Jerome Robbins' or Michael Kidds' or Agnes DeMilles' out there who demand expert training to do his or her work. Dance of late, has not been so integral to the musical ( Movin' Out notwithstanding). If you look carefully at the original cast list of Movin' Out you'll notice that most dancers had no Broadway credits, but more of the Ballet and Modern Co ilk.

So, I’m not surprised by the buff look of the dancers in this new revival. They couldn’t turn back the clock to cast it.

There are actually two boy sopranos and Kyle Brenn did not go on yet. His first performance is tonight.

The costumes at the curtain call are awful...Im wondering if theres some reason for them being so very different at the finale.

They are different because they are incorporated into the West Side megamix finale/curtain call.

(kidding of course)