Greene Replaces Green in WEST SIDE STORY- Page 3

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 10:13pm

Just wanted to inform everyone...I walked by WEST SIDE STORY tonight around 7:30 - there were 11 names on the understudy board.

In fact, there were so many names, that there were TWO boards with names, since they couldn't fit all on one board.

Josefina and Karen were both among the people out tonight - Matt was in.

(technically only 10 people were out thought since Greene is now a regular cast member)

Still, it was horrifying to see that many people out...very unprofessional.
Updated On: 8/5/09 at 10:13 PM

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 10:16pm

Who was on as Anita?

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 10:20pm

Yanira Marin - the same one I saw on June 9th.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 10:24pm

Oh god, I feel so bad for anyone there to witness that train wreck.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 10:27pm

Oof.

Karen is out on scheduled vacaiton, but still... ouch.

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 10:29pm

11 understudies is disgraceful, not even worthy to be on Broadway IMHO.

Understudies are a smart, useful resources, but 11 is an abuse.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 10:35pm

I'm sure tonight's show was not worth paying $125 for - not even close. I felt so bad for all the tourists walking in, knowing they were going to witness something horrendous.

[Annas_Priest]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 10:37pm

This show does not need to be on Broadway. It needs to be in a high school...

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 10:38pm

This production should have the name of all performers on the playbill and announce them as a rotating or alternating cast, with a slip indicating the cast for a specific performance, out of respect.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 10:56pm

From what I hear, none of the Anita understudies seem to be up to the task.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 11:07pm

I'm sure tonight's show was not worth paying $125 for - not even close. I felt so bad for all the tourists walking in, knowing they were going to witness something horrendous.

It's not worth $125 any night. And I wouldn't be surprised if those 11 understudies are highly talented people. Your claims that the theatre goers are going to "witness something horrendous" is a slap in the face to those hard working men and women. The biggest problem with this show is the way Laurents has treated it. That has nothing to do with the understudies. Just because someone is an understudy does not mean there is something wrong with them.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 11:40pm

how did i know someone was going to post that it isn't worth $125 any night...i have paid full price (for orch and mezz) four times and it was worth every dime I paid (in my opinion). luckily, i didn't pay the fifth time i saw it (when karen was out).

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 11:56pm

$125x4 = $500...

Wow, that's more than I make most months...

[dramageek1211]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:03am

I attended the performance tonight (8/5) with upwards of 10 understudies. I've actually never seen so many absences at any show I've ever been to. There weren't so much understudy slips as one cast list inserted into the playbills that listed the cast "at this performance". I've never seen this production, or any professional production for that matter, of West Side Story and must say that I was pleasantly surprised, especially with the amount of understudies in the show.

In regards to Matt Cavenaugh as Tony, I sadly have to agree with many in that I wasn't wild about him. I think he was good enough to get the job done, but he certainly wasn't the standout that the person cast in the part should be. His voice and acting could have and should have been much stronger.

I must say that none of the understudies really disappointed me. Haley Carlucci was on for Maria and I thought she was stunning. Sang it beautifully and really acted the part well. Can't imagine Josefina being much better than her. I thought Yanira Marin was a great Anita. If I couldn't see Karen Olivo for whatever reason, I was happy to see her. Manuel Herrera was on for Bernardo and also did a fine job.

And getting back to the main talk of the thread, John Arthur Greene was in as Riff and did very well. Was excited to find out I was one of the first to see him.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:08am

And getting back to the main talk of the thread, John Arthur Greene was in as Riff and did very well. Was excited to find out I was one of the first to see him.

Don't worry....you aren't one of the first at all. He's been on in this role more than Cody, it seems. One of the reasons Cody got the axe.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:14am

husk: $125 x 2 = $250 (NYC) and $100 x 2 = $200 (DC). Total spent on WSS tickets so far = $450. Worth every penny.

dramageek, you are definitely one of the first to see Greene as Riff during his regular run in the show, but as adamgreer had pointed out, Greene has been going on for Green for months now - I saw him back on June 9th and thought he was excellent.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:20am

"Greene played his first official performance as Riff Aug. 4, according to a production spokesperson."

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:22am

$450 still equals more than I make most months.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:26am

"dramageek, you are definitely one of the first to see Greene as Riff during his regular run in the show"

as i stated here, dramageek was among the first to see Greene in his REGULAR RUN in the show since he officially began performances August 4. dramageek was in the third audience to see Greene's Riff in his regular run.

Husk, if i only made $450 a month, i wouldn't be able to live...

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:29am

One of the reasons Cody got the axe.

What are the others?

$450 still equals more than I make most months.

You need a new job!

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:30am

^ Eh, I'm in college, not like I stand a chance to make more. (Yet)

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:47am

I guess Arthur is getting serious about the lack of people showing up.

Yanira is actually a great dancer, a lot better than Karen.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 12:49am

how did i know someone was going to post that it isn't worth $125 any night

Because it's, sadly, true. I'm one of those people who finds something to like in every show I see. I have never walked out of a show saying "I hated it". That being said I would never pay $125 for this show. A lot of the fault falls with Laurents...heck all of the fault. Matt and Cody weren't right for their parts but Laurents cast them. He made the directorial decision to move forward with them in those roles.

dramageek, thank you for proving my point about the understudies. Just because someone is an understudy doesn't somehow make them "less". Heck, there are some understudies that I enjoyed more than the leads they were covering for. And I'm sure there are others here who can say the same.

[Heymjo]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 1:01am

Wow, am I glad I found this thread. I saw WSS last night (Aug. 4) and hated it. There were 16 understudies in that night and not one of them was worth the price of a bargain matinee movie ticket at at $2.00 theatre. The U/S for Anita screeched her way through "A Boy Like That." She could neither sing nor dance. And as for Matt Cavanaugh, I don't know what show he was doing, but it certainly wasn't WSS. His line delivery made me think he thought he was playing a villain in some cheap melodrama. His singing was nasal and over-the-top. Did Laurents actually stage this show so that characters would walk out, stop center stage and sing out to the audience, rather than in character? I, and several others like me, wanted my money back, but to no avail. This production was an outrageous rip off. I've really seen better high school productions of this show.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 1:03am

Even though the show has been plagued with absences, I wonder if the recent incredible amount had anything to do with Green's firing.

Updated On: 8/6/09 at 01:03 AM