Arthur Laurents Expresses Adoration For Matt Cavenaugh In The Advocate- Page 2

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 11:33am

I was a little annoyed that he seemed to single out blacks as looking down on gays. And how things have changed for blacks because Obama is in the White House. yes, we have our first black President, but that really didn't change a lot for blacks. Things for blacks have been changing way before Obama. Was it just me reading it wrong?

[NYadgal]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 11:57am

No, it wasn't you just reading it wrong.

It strikes me as the kind of narrow-minded statement he has been known to make, without ever giving real thought into what he means.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 12:43pm

Oy.

[jv92]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 2:42pm

Matt is a wonderful Tony, but no one...NO ONE...will ever top Larry Kert.

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 3:49pm

Ok, because I read that segment of the interview about 5 times over to make sure I wasn't missing something! I was a bit offended by the statement.

[dayao]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 4:22pm

Laurents: "Matt hits notes Larry Kert couldn't," referring to the actor who originated the role of Tony 50 years ago.

Yes, that's true. Larry Kert hit all the notes actually written in Bernstein's score for WEST SIDE STORY accurately, beautifully and with the conviction of the superb actor-singer he was, not in the weak, truncated, distorted way Cavenaugh does in the current revival, which is not surprising since the purpose of Laurents' revival is to emphasize his play and devalue and undermine Bernstein & Sondheim's score. Larry Kert on his worst day was a better singer and actor than Matt Cavenaugh on his best day.

Updated On: 5/12/09 at 04:22 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 4:48pm

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 4:53pm

It's SO true...

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 5:46pm

Which, what Dayao said or Blaxx's picture?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 6:36pm

Both, though I see him more as the old letch from FAMILY GUY.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 11:50pm

"God knows, I'm all for ****ing."

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 11:58pm

Tom Hatcher and Arthur Laurents,
in Los Angeles,
a million and a half years ago.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 12:15am

Wow. I've never seen speedos go up that high.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 10:45am

"Yes, that's true. Larry Kert hit all the notes actually written in Bernstein's score for WEST SIDE STORY accurately, beautifully and with the conviction of the superb actor-singer he was, not in the weak, truncated, distorted way Cavenaugh does in the current revival, which is not surprising since the purpose of Laurents' revival is to emphasize his play and devalue and undermine Bernstein & Sondheim's score. Larry Kert on his worst day was a better singer and actor than Matt Cavenaugh on his best day."

Thank you! Nothing tops Kert's "Maria" for me, it's so eargasmic!

God forbid, he couldn't reach the final note in Bernstein's original key, so Bernstein changed the key so the note was lowered by half a step. Nobody who was young enough could reach the original note. I highly doubt they put the song back into the original key, and that's what Cavenaugh's singing, but even if, still doesn't matter. "Reaching a note," debatable in this sense, does not a great singer make.

[musikman]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 1:08pm

Ditto on what Dayao and Blaxx posted.

Dayao, I wanted to write the exact same thing, but was afraid to. Glad someone else did it, cause it really is true.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 4:02pm

OK, a little bit of hype and hoopla for the new cast is acceptable, but he is just p*ssing on Larry Kert's memory. How unlike him.

[Taryn]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 5:51pm

I'm amazed that he really claims to have lived his life with "pride and dignity."

[Byron Abens]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 5:59pm

"OK, a little bit of hype and hoopla for the new cast is acceptable, but he is just p*ssing on Larry Kert's memory. How unlike him."

I'm going to assume the "how unlike him" was meant to be sarcastic, since ripping people apart with no rhyme or reason, both dead AND alive, is what the man is known for.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 6:15pm

For all the distaste Arthur leaves in the minds of readers of that interview, nothing makes my flesh crawl quite like the inscription Cavenaugh put on the crystal. Yeccccccch.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 6:24pm

Laurents is clearly a pretty good meal ticket to know. Cavenaugh was clearly kissing some old queen a-- by doing the dinners and giving gifts. Honestly, what rising star wouldn't. I think it is nice how the article frames the relationship as though Cavenaugh is smitten with Laurents. For those not familiar with Cavenaugh one might assume he was gay and seeing Laurents. Its such a vanity piece.

[beltingbaritone]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 6:28pm

FindingNamo, I thought the same thing.

"God forbid, he couldn't reach the final note in Bernstein's original key, so Bernstein changed the key so the note was lowered by half a step. Nobody who was young enough could reach the original note. I highly doubt they put the song back into the original key, and that's what Cavenaugh's singing, but even if, still doesn't matter. "Reaching a note," debatable in this sense, does not a great singer make."

Wait, so originally "Maria" went HIGHER than a Bb? Ouch.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 10:45pm

Instead of going negative on the nasty.

Listen to Kert on the London NYMPH ERANT recording.
About a year and a half before he succumbed to AIDS.

There's a story that at a Dinner Party at Sondheim's,
The subject of SWEENEY TODD came up, and they went to the piano
and Steve had Larry sing, for the first public hearing:
JOHANNA.

Updated On: 5/13/09 at 10:45 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 10:52pm

That would have been gorgeous.

So is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxQu0MY1l9c

[karma3]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 11:52pm

Isn't it time we stop even discussing Matt, his pale and strained tenor is a sad example of the current state of what we call "Broadway" these days. And must we hear ONE MORE tale his pending marriage to his "wife", taming of the what what?

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 10:06am

"Wait, so originally "Maria" went HIGHER than a Bb? Ouch."

Yup. Originally it was a B.