Cavenaugh Offered the Role of Tony in WSS- Page 6

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 10:32am

Assuming this is, after all based on Romeo and Juliet, and given the ages specified in that piece, its not unrealistic to think Maria could be as young as 14 or 15, with Tony only a few years older, with Anita no more than 19 or 20.

I certainly don't think the *story* is about a bunch of 25 year old gang members. They are repeatedly referred to (the whole lot of them) as kids.

That makes me think everyone is high school age.

But its a Broadway musical - that doesn't mean casting people that age is realistic.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 12:25pm

Romeo and Juliet certainly is rarely cast that way professionally. It's acting. If you can suspend your disbelief over all the other wonderfully crazy things theatre asks us to, you can certain suspend your disbelief over this. How many movies and TV shows do the same thing? And that involves closeups.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 4:21pm

True. In Mamma Mia we're supposed to believe that Meryl Streep in 40.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 10:25pm

Matt was thoroughly convincing as teen-aged Jerry in Grey Gardens.

Maybe, but when Joe Jr. checked out the prepubescent Jackie, the exchange bothered me. When I think of the show, that exchange still sticks out in my mind as being very awkward and pulling me out of the moment. They could have foreshadowed in a way that didn't involve a man in his mid-twenties leering at a preteen.


Matt was not who I imagined after all the hype of a revolutionary reimagining of the show, but I don't necessarily have a problem with it. I love WSS, but Tony isn't exactly my favorite character. When the casting for Maria, Riff, Bernardo and Anita is finalized, however, I'll be more passionate about the results.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 11:56pm

Don't they meet at a high school dance? I don't think a high school dance would let an older guy in unless he was a chaperone.

iluvtheatertrash: Not Laura Benanti, Elena Shaddow!

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 12:03am

Have you seen how old they are in Grease now? Be grateful we'll have actors for WSS under 40! Some of them in Grease look like their eligible for AARP!

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 12:08am

You all act as though Jason Robards was cast as Tony. Cavenaugh is not old. Also, if you look at teenagers back in the 50's they look older than teenagers now.

Get over it! They want to cast more experienced actors who can handle the material. When you get there, you'll appreciate it more.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 12:16am

The people who keep sniping that "it's not like they cast a grandpa as Tony" are missing the point. Perhaps Laurents's revolutionary revision of the show is that that ALL the actors are going to be in their 30s.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 1:38am

When you're as old as Arthur Laurents, there is no difference between 30 and 15!!!!

[zoran912]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 3:43am

Nail. Hit. On. The. Head.

Thank you Pennywise.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 6:33pm

Could they have chosen a more boring performer?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 11:45am

I just hope he hits the optional B in "Maria." That's what I'm paying to hear. Although, i wouldn't say I'm a fan of his voice. It always sounds like character singing.

[Jon]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 1:48pm

Lt. Shrank refers to them as "juvenile delinquents".

They hang out at Doc's and drink sodas because they are not old enough to hang out at a bar and drink beer.

Baby John and A-rab read comic books and talk about Superman as if he were real.

Realistic ages:

Tony, Riff, Bernardo, Anita: 18

Maria, Chino: 16

A-Rab: 14

Baby John: 12

Other gang members and girls: 15 to 18.