WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

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WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 12:50pm

The revival of the classic American musical West Side Story — directed by its librettist, current Gypsy Tony nominee Arthur Laurents — will begin previews at a Broadway theatre to be announced Feb. 13, 2009.

As previously reported, the new production of West Side Story will premiere at The National Theatre in Washington, DC, playing Dec. 16, 2008-Jan. 17, 2009.

The production, according to a casting notice, will feature Jerome Robbins' original choreography, re-created by Joey McKneely (Tony nominee for The Life and Smokey Joe's Café). Patrick Vaccariello will be the production's musical director.
Laurents-Directed West Side Story Sets Broadway Preview Date

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 12:51pm

Yay!

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 12:53pm

¡Bueno!

-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 1:03pm

Very curious to see how it can be contemporary with the original choreography, because you don't really see choreography like that in contemporary musical theater.

http://theaterfag.blogspot.com/ Reviews and the like

Updated On: 5/23/08 at 01:03 PM

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 1:07pm

So excited!! This is, in my opinion, the best musical ever written and I can't wait to see this production. Does anyone know any of the specifics of how this production is going to be? I saw the interview with Laurents on NY1 and he didn't really give too much away...

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 1:14pm

All we know so far is..

He wants the cast very young and unknown
There will be Spanish speaking and I guess singing
He wants the gang members to act and sing like actual gang members
No music, dialogue/lyrics, or choreography will be changed.

He's being pretty vague.

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 1:47pm

AHHHHHHHHHHH

(Useful post, I know)

"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

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:01pm

Contemporary musical theatre choreography might be classified as humorous, athletic, clever, or even possibly ingenious, but not brilliant. Jerome Robbins's choreography for WEST SIDE STORY was brilliant. You don't mess around with that component of a musical theatre masterpiece.

Joey McKneely, who will be re-creating the original Jerome Robbins choreography, was a Jet in the WEST SIDE STORY suite of dances in JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY of 1989. His work on next season's revival is analagous to Bonnie Walker's reproduction choreography of Jerome Robbins's work in GYPSY starring, respectively, Tyne Daly, Bette Midler, and Patti LuPone. Maybe that is one of the things that hindered the Bernadette Peters lackluster production of GYPSY.

"Madam Rose...and her daughter...Gypsy!"

Updated On: 5/23/08 at 02:01 PM

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:01pm

I also cannot wait as this is my most favorite musical EVER! I am very excited for the young actors/actresses that will be cast and it will be nice to have a more traditional sounding show with a youthful cast.

Cannot wait for more information!

#10

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:21pm

Can't wait. I will fly to NYC just to see this. A true masterpiece of musical theatre. I'd say it's about time it is revived but I think the waiting will be worth it. No one would want to see some half-baked production put on just for the sake of reviving it. There's too much integrity to uphold here.

Does anyone know when the last time WSS was revived for Broadway?

#11

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:25pm

1980

#12

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:28pm

I was really hoping that there would be a new choreographer. While I admire and love the original work by Jerome Robbins, I think its time to see how someone else would do it. Oh well.......

#13

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:28pm

And Mr. Laurents did NOT like that 1980 production. I am glad he is re-imagining it, without really changing it.

They are not allowed to change the choreography. And they would not want to.

Updated On: 5/23/08 at 02:28 PM

#14

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:29pm

I'll be seeing it during it's try-out at the National. Can't wait!

"You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!" - Betty Parris to Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible

#15

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 2:58pm

I cannot WAIT to see it in DC. I'm so glad it'll be there over my winter break.

I chose, and my world was shaken. So what? The choice may have been mistaken. The choosing was not.

#16

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 3:00pm

Very exciting!

"Everytime you step on that stage it is somebody's first Broadway show and somebody's last Broadway show. Make it count."

#17

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 3:16pm

Damn! If I can afford flying in from Europe to see it, I will.... If fuel prices aren't sky-high by then (no pun intended).

#18

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 4:38pm

I'm so excited. oh boy.

#19

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 4:46pm

No me diga

-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/

#20

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:01pm

I still don't know how I feel about the changes being made..but

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

-There's the muddle in the middle. There's the puddle where the poodle did the piddle."

#21

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:07pm

"He wants the cast very young and unknown "

That's interesting, considering who's been in the final callbacks in the past week or so. :)

#22

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:07pm

"That's interesting, considering who's been in the final callbacks in the past week or so. :) "

¡Pacencia y fe!

-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/

#23

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:12pm

That's interesting, considering who's been in the final callbacks in the past week or so. :)

- It's what Laurents said. Not my words.

#24

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:13pm

¿Donde estas?

-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/

#25

re: WEST SIDE STORY Revival Begins Previews On Broadway February 13, 2009

Posted: 5/23/08 at 5:22pm

Doesn't seem like they're giving themselves much time for changes between D.C. and New York. Is that enough time to install the show and run the show a few times?

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