See I was talking about this with some friends yesterday in fact. Of why I'm somewhat starstruck around broadway performers. It's not that I'm like I can't believe I'm breathing with them, not that crazy, but I just admire them so much for doing what they do 8 times a week. I just think it's absolutely insane, and I honetly don't think there's any actors that work as hard as they do, particularly those in a musical who sing, dance, etc. Look at it this way, if she is really sick, would you rather her have gone on and sounded pretty awful? If Ethel never called in sick, I give her all the praise in the world(though at a recent panel at the Kennedy center when discussing how completely difficult the role of Mama Rose is to sing they said that even Ethel had to take a couple weeks vacation). I'm sure it's disappointing, but we all need to put ourselves in their shoes.
"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli
