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The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

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#1

The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 9:41pm

Speaking of Sondheim, Lin is in charge of translating the West Side Story songs into Spanish for the upcoming revival! Not all of them, FYI. So far, just the Sharks part in the "Tonight" quintet, "I Feel Pretty" and "A Boy Like That." He literally got to go over to "Steve's" house to talk about how to do the lyrics. There are Spanish translations out there, but some parts are good and some are clanky, so they want Lin to do a new version. For instance, Sondheim said that some versions of "I Feel Pretty" translate as "I Am Pretty," which is not correct — especially if it features the Maria I saw do it in community theatre.


http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/122528.html/pg2

interesting. nothing about 'America.'
#6

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 9:51pm

Why must they change a classic score?
This makes me sad, and slightly annoyed.
2008: Feb. 18- Rent, Feb. 19- Curtains, April 18- Xanadu, April 22- Wicked, April 26- Legally Blonde, May 31- Wicked, June 13- The Little Mermaid, June 28- Wicked and Young Frankenstein, July 2- The Little Mermaid, July 6- A Chorus Line and Legally Blonde, August 16- Xanadu, September 13- Legally Blonde and 13, September 28- Xanadu and Spring Awakening, Oct. 12-GYPSY and [title of show], Oct. 19- Hairspray & Legally Blonde, Nov. 9- Wicked and 13, Dec. 14-13, Dec. 26- Billy Elliot, 2009: Jan 1- Shrek, Jan 2- 13 and Wicked, Jan 4- 13, Feb 17- In The Heights, Feb 19- Billy Elliot, Feb 22- Sweeney Todd (tour), March 28- Mary Poppins, April 4- Mamma Mia!, April 15- Jersey Boys (on tour), April 25- next to normal & 9 to 5 May 1- Billy Elliot, May 3- Spelling Bee (tour), May 8- Chicago, May 21- Wicked, June 6- Everyday Rapture, June 23- The Wiz, June 25- Hair July 15- Shrek, August 9- Wicked, September 7- Rock of Ages, October 11- Next To Normal, October 23- The Marvelous Wonderettes, November 7- Ragtime November 29- Dreamgirls, December 25- Billy Elliot, December 30- Finian's Rainbow, 2010: January 9- Bye Bye Birdie, January 16- Memphis February 17- The Phantom of The Opera, February 18- God of Carnage, March 7- Billy Elliot, March 31- American Idiot
#8

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 9:53pm

WishingOnlyWounds2, don't forget, it's going to have a long pre-broadway tryout and a lot of broadway previews, so they will do a good job.


I like the lyrics for I Feel Pretty. They are bubbly and cute and silly and fun, just like the melody.
Obama/Biden 08
#10

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 10:09pm

The lyrics may fit the bubbly melody of the song, but Sondheim is not fond of them because he believes they are too sophisticated to be sung by a rather unsophisticated girl, who presumably doesn't know that much English.
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
#11

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 10:15pm

For instance, Sondheim said that some versions of "I Feel Pretty" translate as "I Am Pretty," which is not correct — especially if it features the Maria I saw do it in community theatre.

That was quite funny. I am sure that Lin-Manuel Miranda will do a wonderful job translating the lyrics, and I really cannot wait to hear what he does. I think it makes sense that "America" is sung in English since Anita is embracing American culture through the song, it is only fair that she sings it in English. It'd be nice if Rosalia's verses were in Spanish though, although that might just accentuate the theme a tad too much.
I just want to hear about the cast!
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#12

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 10:18pm

I can't help but to think of the people who will be experiencing West Side Story for the first time with this revival and only speak English. The story won't flow as well jumping between languages.
2008: Feb. 18- Rent, Feb. 19- Curtains, April 18- Xanadu, April 22- Wicked, April 26- Legally Blonde, May 31- Wicked, June 13- The Little Mermaid, June 28- Wicked and Young Frankenstein, July 2- The Little Mermaid, July 6- A Chorus Line and Legally Blonde, August 16- Xanadu, September 13- Legally Blonde and 13, September 28- Xanadu and Spring Awakening, Oct. 12-GYPSY and [title of show], Oct. 19- Hairspray & Legally Blonde, Nov. 9- Wicked and 13, Dec. 14-13, Dec. 26- Billy Elliot, 2009: Jan 1- Shrek, Jan 2- 13 and Wicked, Jan 4- 13, Feb 17- In The Heights, Feb 19- Billy Elliot, Feb 22- Sweeney Todd (tour), March 28- Mary Poppins, April 4- Mamma Mia!, April 15- Jersey Boys (on tour), April 25- next to normal & 9 to 5 May 1- Billy Elliot, May 3- Spelling Bee (tour), May 8- Chicago, May 21- Wicked, June 6- Everyday Rapture, June 23- The Wiz, June 25- Hair July 15- Shrek, August 9- Wicked, September 7- Rock of Ages, October 11- Next To Normal, October 23- The Marvelous Wonderettes, November 7- Ragtime November 29- Dreamgirls, December 25- Billy Elliot, December 30- Finian's Rainbow, 2010: January 9- Bye Bye Birdie, January 16- Memphis February 17- The Phantom of The Opera, February 18- God of Carnage, March 7- Billy Elliot, March 31- American Idiot
#13

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 10:19pm

I'm sure they'll get over it
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#14

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 10:25pm

The story won't flow as well jumping between languages.

I imagine they'll find some way of making it work.

But hey, what about the book? No one, not even Arthur J. Laurents (the J. stands for Jesus) can make a gang member who says things like "Frabbajabba!" and "Cracko jacko!" and "Sperm to worm! Womb to tomb!" a tough guy, capable of scaring a turtle (let alone the audience).
"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
#16

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 10:29pm

If he wanted to get rid of the corny lines, he'd have to burn the whole book and start over.
"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
#17

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 10:37pm

If they wanted to scare audiences, a good start would be casting some thug-looking dudes who don't look like freakin' ballet dancers. I really wish somebody would come along and actually blow the dust off of this piece and take it in a new direction.
"I seem to have wandered into the BRAIN load-out thread... "
-best12bars

"Sorry I am a Theatre major not a English Major"
-skibumb5290

#18

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 10:42pm

Well the chances of getting thugs to dance Robbins is unlikely...
But the choreography cannot be changed. And I just don't get why some would want it changed. The choreography is as important as the score is to the show.

Updated On: 10/22/08 at 10:42 PM

#20

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 10:50pm

Do you guys not find dancers intimidating?

I do. But I'd rather not talk about it.
"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
#21

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/22/08 at 11:04pm

"Well the chances of getting thugs to dance Robbins is unlikely... "

God, you people are sheltered. hang around some dance studios in any major city, and you can find any number of suspects who can act, sing, and pass as a "thug" who have had years and years of ballet training.

trust me, I'm sure that if they wanted to take it in that direction, they could find about 30 thuggish-looking ballet dancers in the whole of the United States.
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."

Updated On: 10/22/08 at 11:04 PM

#25

re: The songs that have been translated for WEST SIDE STORY so far...

Posted: 10/23/08 at 12:21am

If someone is seeing West Side Story for the first time and hasn't previously heard the song I Feel Pretty, then I'm actually shocked they left the house in the first place to go see a Broadway revival of WSS. Not to mention one can still watch a show in another language and appreciate it without understanding it word for word. That's the beauty of acting.

And are they really changing the score? I thought they were just translating some of it to Spanish? It's still the same show.
Dancing through life... For the next ten minutes

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