Arthur Laurents Expresses Adoration For Matt Cavenaugh In The Advocate — Page 4

Dayou, I couldn't agree with you more. And I'm sure Larry could even make me okay with the final "Something's Coming" note -- I was just imagining how Arthur could be tricky with certain statements. But gah, I'm sure I would love the movie more if Kert got to be in it. More than anything, it's hard watching Tony's songs in the movie. The first time Kert sings "Maria" is just...I can't describe it...such beauty in the voice, such passion...it's absent from Jim Bryant. And I'm so upset I'll never be able to tuly see his acting as Tony.

Ljay, I'm sure Cavenaugh could hit a particular note. But probably with the vibrato that annoyed me throughout most of the show. Hitting a note just explains range; how you make the note sound is what determines great singing.

And Dayou, what do you mean the Bb was never part of the original score? I think you may have even got me there...

---

wickedrentq: sorry, what I meant to say was that the original note was not a requirement in the 1957 production of WEST SIDE STORY.

And you are quite right; it is the sound quality of the note which is sung, not the fact that a singer can hit it, that ultimately counts in a performance.

Also I wanted to clarify that the Broadway production of WEST SIDE STORY that I saw with Kert and Carol Lawrence repeating their original roles was a return engagement in the summer of 1960, which ran for about 250 performances until December of that year. Chita Rivera did not appear in this staging; Anita was played superbly by Allyn Ann McLerie, a fabulous singer and dancer who played Amy in both the original Broadway staging and film version of Frank Loesser's WHERE'S CHARLEY. I suspect that this production was fueled with the announcement of the upcoming film version, which was released a year later. Larry Kert was 29 and Carol Lawrence was 26 and both, even on close viewing backstage after the show, looked young enough to have done the film. While I can see how the presence of a real Hollywood star like Natalie Wood might have been necessary for box office, Richard Beymer certainly did not have that status so I still believe a great opportunity was lost in not casting Kert as Tony. His presence would have upped the tension level that director Robert Wise was going for in the film and Kert's edgier take on Tony would have challenged Natalie Wood to have given an even better performance as Maria. And they would have looked great together, don't you think.

---

No, that's not true.

---

While we're throwin' rumors around, I heard that Jerome Robbins was quite fond of calling Kert a "faggot" in the rehearsal room and passively encouraged the straight dancers to do the same. Wasn't he neat?

---

But people on this board forgive Robbin's behavior because he was a "genius."

Laurent's comments are not forgiven, because he is not a "genius."

It's as simple as that, and I don't think even PJ would argue that.

Updated On: 5/17/09 at 05:29 PM

Speaking of Gretchen Wyler...

Someone told me a wonderful story about Gretchen going to see a very artsy work by some young writers, after which she kissed the composer on both cheeks and said:

"Darling, it's a class act. A class act! But....it's not a class world anymore."

---

I can't get Gretchen Wyler out of my head.

---