WEST SIDE STORY Reviews.... — Page 4

Here is Brad Hathaway's review in Potomac Stages.
Brad Hathaway on West Side Story

Washington Post nailed it in their review: basically, it's uneven. Saw it last night...god, you can't deny how fantastic the score is. Hearing Bernstein's music sends chills (and more than once). And Robbins' choreography is beautiful.
The men just aren't that interesting (their dancing is fantastic) and the women out-act them and have far more developed characters (likewise fantastic dancing). Josephina has a voice from heaven and I liked her Maria. Matt's voice is stunning too and the tones/vibrato just made me melt. I'd love a recording of this show with these leads. Olivo steals the show--her Anita has depth, is interesting, and lots of color.
I actually would love to see this in NYC and then see In the Heights (again) for some cool juxtaposition.

Updated On: 1/9/09 at 11:32 AM

Hahaha, I loved the Post's review, especially the line about the Gap ad.

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Is it possible that this show is sold out the entire weekend?

There doesn't seem to be a single seat available on telecharge. until Tuesday. Doesn't bode well for student rush/lotto/etc. Any weird relationship with the theater that they don't sell seats so close to the event?

"The Spanish translation works for "I Feel Pretty" (now "Siento Hermosa"). Those never were Stephen Sondheim's strongest lyrics, and Maria's teasing by her girlfriends doesn't substantially advance the story.

But, when Anita berates Maria for her continued romance with Tony, the man who has just killed her brother, in "A Boy Like That/I Have A Love," the action is more difficult to follow. Non-Spanish speakers will get the broad gist of the quarrel, but that isn't enough. We need to know exactly how Maria succeeds in winning Anita's reluctant support.

If Laurents continues to stage the number in Spanish, he should provide Ö surtitles."

I couldn't agree more with this. I haven't seen the production but I can't imagine one of the most powerful and pivotal parts of the show done completely in Spanish. It loses all of its power if no one knows EXACTLY what they are saying. This is the only part I hope they change.

Thanks, Dottie, but don't worry about it. I'm going to try the lottery, and if it doesn't work, I'm probably not going to pay $100 anyway. If you find anything out anyway, though, fell free to share.

TonyVincent, maybe I'll see you at the lottery. I plan on trying tonight and through the weekend.

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Last time I was there the show was sold out.I called to get info on the lottery and they said if I don't win there are only 15 seats left and he gave me the amount of seats left for the others shows that weekend they only had like 20 for each show. Those seats sold.

"There doesn't seem to be a single seat available on telecharge. until Tuesday. Doesn't bode well for student rush/lotto/etc."

I saw the show on Tuesday night and there are no more student priced tickets. I asked the BO after missing the lotto (they capped submissions early due to overwhelming number of people participating the the raffle) and have been sold out weeks ago.

As for the show itself, it was a mixed bag. There were moments where I was thoroughly engrossed (Dance Numbers, Siento Hermosa) and too many fell flat (Officer Krupke, Matt's solos were bland and he hardly looked like someone who would have co-founded a gang, anything Cody Green tried to emote, and Curtis Holbrook overacting like some cartoon villian). Karen Olivo and Ryan Steele were the highlights of the night. The sets were fine but I didn't care for the costumes and "styling" of the male cast. I plan on seeing it again before closing night and hopefully I'll be luckier with the lotto.

Well I tried lottery again tonight. There are 21 tickets, and I was the only person who signed up whose name was NOT called!!! Talk about frustrating. Same thing happened at Hairspray one time for me. I guess I must have had a look of dismay on my face because the woman at the box office called me over to the window and offered me a standing room ticket (which I bought). Thank you!!

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They usually don't sell standing room, but the woman at the window said she was going to make an exception tonight. Someone went to the b.o. window five minutes before and they were told no standing room. As I mentioned, it must have been the look of dismay on my face at being the only name not called.

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I just returned from tonight's performance which was my third time seeing this production. Things are definitely much tighter, but I still have some problems with the show. They just can't seem to let go of the zodiac projection. It now appears on the basketball backboard at the dance at the gym (when Tony and Maria first meet).

"America" seemed to be lacking some vibrancy in the orchestra department. Karen's dancing is wonderful but I just wish she had some extension because her kicks would be phenomenal.

The Quintet is still one of my favorite numbers, but it lacked urgency this evening. I'm not sure if it was the performers or the orchestra or a combination of the two. It should be exciting, but it wasn't. I felt the tempo could have been a bit faster.

This was my first time seeing it since the subtitles were gotten rid of, and I didn't miss them one bit. The one place that I noticed a difference was when Tony sees Maria after Riff and Bernardo have been killed and she now responds with, "killer" as opposed to "assissino". Which kind of didn't need to be changed, as it was very clear what she was saying.

Again, get rid of Kiddo singing "Somewhere" during the dream ballet. It doesn't work. The choreography in the dream ballet brought me to tears again this evening, but I'm still disappointed that it is truncated. It just kind of awkwardly ends.

I also still have problems with the ending. Tony dies and there are only two Jets on stage?? Three sharks?? It lacks a "stage picture" per se and an emotional pull. BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL ENDING AND STAGING!!!

Matt Cavenaugh was wonderful this evening. This is the best I have seen him. Josefina Scaglione was stronger in the acting and singing department, though I didn't have a problem with her in the two previous times I've seen the show.

Karen Olivo is still the audience favorite.

There are some wonderful dancers (both Jets and Sharks) in this show and I definitely will return one more time, just to see them. Although he's in the ensemble, Manuel Santos has such a beautiful presence and joy about him during the dream ballet.

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What? I thought the zodiac was gone!