WEST SIDE STORY (2019 Revival) Preview Thread
WSS 2019/20#400
Posted: 12/24/19 at 4:01pm
I saw it and didn't like it.
If you think CATS The Movie is a mess - stay away from Ivo's Revenge.
and when i saw the endless, pointless rain effects, all I could say was: "Lawsuit"!!!
WSS 2019/20#401
Posted: 12/24/19 at 4:35pm
Skip23 said: "and when i saw the endless, pointless rain effects, all I could say was: "Lawsuit"!!!"
Right. Because no live show has ever been performed with rain effects, Equity definitely knows nothing about it, and all the actors were surprised when tech rolled around and they found out they’d be dancing in rainy conditions.
🙄
WSS 2019/20#402
Posted: 12/24/19 at 5:23pm
ColorTheHours048 said: "Skip23 said: "and when i saw the endless, pointless rain effects, all I could say was: "Lawsuit"!!!"
Right. Because no live show has ever been performed with rain effects,Equity definitely knows nothing about it, andall the actors were surprised when tech rolled around and they found out they’d be dancing in rainy conditions.
?"
WSS 2019/20#403
Posted: 12/24/19 at 7:26pm
ColorTheHours048 said: "Oh my god, the queens in this thread. They delayed the opening to allow Isaac Powell to have the same number of previews as everyone else. Is it unusual? Yes. But it’s also extremely respectful of his contribution to the production. There’s a lot of bells and whistles to it, so I’m glad he’s getting the same time to settle into it as everyone else.
If this were a bad production, I’d be more prone to believe this was all a coverup for some larger production issues. But it’s a very good production. Y’all just like clutching your pearls over your precious classics too muchto accept that."
Exactly! I thank you and Jbrodway for pushing back on this. The production, I believe, is already exceptional. It would appear that most of those who are comparing it to Spider-Man haven’t seen it but miss all the Taymor-U2-drama.
WSS 2019/20#404
Posted: 12/24/19 at 8:16pm
Skip23 said: "I saw it and didn't like it.
If you think CATS The Movie is a mess - stay away from Ivo's Revenge.
and when i saw the endless, pointless rain effects, all I could say was: "Lawsuit"!!!"
I’m gonna be REAL excited to come back to this post in a couple of months.
WSS 2019/20#405
Posted: 12/24/19 at 9:36pm
ColorTheHours048 said: "Skip23 said: "and when i saw the endless, pointless rain effects, all I could say was: "Lawsuit"!!!"
Right. Because no live show has ever been performed with rain effects,Equity definitely knows nothing about it, andall the actors were surprised when tech rolled around and they found out they’d be dancing in rainy conditions.
?"
Huh? of course people knew what was going to be rehearsed. but the legal ramifications can pop up whether you know in advance or not. Witness Ann Crumb and Aspects of Love.
WSS 2019/20#406
Posted: 12/24/19 at 11:16pm
Tag said: "Equity actually has rules around this: the temperature of the water, filtration, plans for dying off etc.
Can you point to that, I'm not seeing it in the Production Contract, but could be missing it."
It's in the "Agreement And Rules Governing Employment" handbook. If I recall correctly, the language is vague and just says a comfortable temperature, clean water etc. but they provide the specific guidelines when needed.
Yes but that deals with drinking water, and general temperature (heat and a/c). There is no mention of rain or water on stage, or guidelines regarding that.
WSS 2019/20#407
Posted: 12/25/19 at 10:30am
We don't even know if his injury was caused by the water. Why don't we just let the likely very professional PSMs handle it?
WSS 2019/20#408
Posted: 12/25/19 at 10:47am
blaxx said: "....Tourists will be purists when buying tickets to this, they will eventually feed them more of what they expect...."
I agree with everything in your post, but describing tourists (and I'm an out-of-towner myself) as "purists" is being kind.
WSS 2019/20#409
Posted: 12/25/19 at 11:10amI don’t know why one would assume they’ll tone it down to make it more “traditional” for tourists. Oklahoma wasn’t toned down to make it less edgy for tourists. I know it hasn’t necessarily sold well, but it did garner 2 Tony awards as opposed to the less edgy Kiss Me, Kate (which I really enjoyed by the way). And yes, I know it’s a different group of investors. But also van Hove doesn’t seem like he is one to compromise his artistic vision to make it more palatable. And hasn’t Scott Rudin backed many a less than tourist-friendly production?
WSS 2019/20#410
Posted: 12/25/19 at 4:21pm
It’s not being toned down. No one involved in this production thought “Oh, good, our leading man injured himself. Now we get two extra weeks to overhaul the production we just spent months mounting.” It’s just not happening. Anyone saying it is is an alarmist.
And this is a Broadway production we’re talking about. You can’t even light a candle onstage without explicit permission from the FDNY. Of course there were extra security measures and contractual tweaks to accommodate the rain effects. No one is going to sue.
WSS 2019/20#411
Posted: 12/25/19 at 8:24pmJust saw an excerpt from the balcony/fire escape scene from the original production followed by an bit of of Julie Andrews singing I Could Have Danced All Night on a local NYC over the air broadcast of the old Ed Sullivan show. WOW.
WSS 2019/20#412
Posted: 12/25/19 at 8:30pmHas anyone heard anything more about Isaac’s return date?
WSS 2019/20#413
Posted: 12/26/19 at 1:26pm
I just bought tickets for the February 15th show, and orchestra level! I'm personally very excited to see this revival (problematic casting aside...ugh), and have always been a fan of Van Hove. Can't say much until I actually see it, so I'll try not to forget and update!
WSS 2019/20#414
Posted: 12/26/19 at 2:29pm
Perchance-2-Dream said: "I'm personally very excited to see this revival (problematic casting aside...ugh)"
Problematic casting? What does that even mean? There's no "problematic casting" in WSS. It's a perfect cast, every single one of them. And certainly none of them deserve your UGH.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/06
WSS 2019/20#416
Posted: 12/26/19 at 3:19pm
smidge said: "Highland Guy said: "Perchance-2-Dream said: "I'm personally very excited to see this revival (problematic casting aside...ugh)"
Problematic casting? What does that even mean? There's no "problematic casting" in WSS. It's a perfect cast, every single one of them. And certainlynoneof them deserve your UGH.
Even if you don’t agree, you must know what it means. It’s been discussed ad nauseum in this thread.
"
Don’t even engage. They’re a troll who comments to the contrary of any poster that brings the Amar situation up.
WSS 2019/20#417
Posted: 12/26/19 at 3:26pm
ColorTheHours048 said:
"Don’t even engage. They’re a troll who comments to the contrary of any poster that brings the Amar situation up."
I do very much disagree. But thanks for the giggle!
WSS 2019/20#418
Posted: 12/26/19 at 3:52pm
I think it's a bit silly to ask (seemingly in earnest--from how I read the tone) why someone would reference "problematic casting" because you know why people have a problem with it. I'm not saying there isn't room to disagree with them, and I myself think the "trash the revival because Amar" comments are overboard, but none of that alters that we all know why they find the casting problematic. And it makes sense that some people are going to enjoy the show less, no matter how good it and he is, because he's in in it. Don't want to continually revisit the conversation, so it's my only comment on the situation for now: disagreeing is fine, but pretending like you really don't get why someone would call this problematic seems silly to me.
WSS 2019/20#419
Posted: 12/26/19 at 4:02pm
Don’t even engage. They’re a troll who comments to the contrary of any poster that brings the Amar situation up.
This. He is a hateful person who has defended that situation a thousand times and in those comments revealed his hatred for women. A troll of the highest regard who shouldn't continue to be able to post on BWW. Just ignore them, that is the only way to have them disappear for good. They are bored, miserable with their own life, and troll websites looking for reactions. It's pathetic and everyone is hopefully done engaging now that they are aware.
WSS 2019/20#420
Posted: 12/26/19 at 4:06pm
LuPita2 said: "Don’t even engage. They’re a troll who comments to the contrary of any poster that brings the Amar situation up.
This. He is ahateful person who has defended that situation a thousand times and in those comments revealed his hatred for women. A troll of the highest regard who shouldn't continue to be able to post on BWW. Just ignore them, that is the only way to have them disappear for good. They are bored, miserable with their own life, and troll websites looking for reactions. It's pathetic and everyone is hopefully done engaging now that they are aware."
OUCH !! THAT REALLY HURT !!
WSS 2019/20#421
Posted: 12/28/19 at 11:28am
ANY idea if this is likely gonna stay an under 2-hr show? Looking into a Joe's Pub 9:30 Thursday show after a 7pm WSS performance.
WSS 2019/20#422
Posted: 12/28/19 at 11:53am
jpbran said: "ANY idea if this is likely gonna stay an under 2-hr show? Looking into a Joe's Pub 9:30 Thursday show after a 7pm WSS performance."
That would be tight timing regardless. The show as I saw it was about 1:45 and given that it started the usual 8 minutes after curtain, it came out to be 2 hours from scheduled curtain to out on the street. And then getting from 52nd to Astor Place could be tough. But if you don’t mind risking getting to Joe’s Pub exactly at 9:30 or a couple minutes after, go for it.
WSS 2019/20#423
Posted: 12/28/19 at 12:53pm
jpbran said: "ANY idea if this is likely gonna stay an under 2-hr show? Looking into a Joe's Pub 9:30 Thursday show after a 7pm WSS performance."
My curtain call photos are time stamped at exactly 9:50 (so, 8:50 in your case) and Google Maps estimates a 20 minute commute on the N/R/W or the D train to Astor, which seems about right. You might be stressed but yeah it’s possible.
WSS 2019/20#424
Posted: 12/28/19 at 5:16pm
I really don't have the time the read through all of the above but has there been any reaction within the cast about performing with this 'unpopular' man?
I would presume[which I shouldn't] that they, being professionals, leave their opinions outside of the theatre.
Asking not for a gossippy reason but curious about a healthy, positive working environment situation.
Someone on here must know a cast member.
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