WSS CD- Page 2
WSS CD
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#25re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 12:45amYeah, they were. Maybe not from her, but did you see the "actors" around her? Seriously, I didn't even know there was a rape scene in the show until I read "Mainly on Directing" by Laurents and talks about it. In what parallel world would Karen O be rapped by those boys? She could hold them at arms length while they try and swing at her. She's a beast compared to them. I wasn't scared for a second.
jennafan
Broadway Star Joined: 6/15/06
#26re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 12:47am
I don't mind the Spanish.
It's a horrible CD though.. Anyone want to buy my copy? I thought not.
There's not one song on it that I would be willing to listen to again.
#27re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 1:26amI don't fully understand how someone can't enjoy a song just because it is not sung in their native language. Good thing most people aren't like that or opera wouldn't exist. I was hesitant about the Spanish at first, but I enjoy it very much. I like that Sondheim can rest easier finally being satisfied with his lyrics for "I Feel Pretty", and I thought "Un Hombre Así" was very emotional. You don't really need to understand every word. Maybe it's just because I live in San Diego, but I already knew the Spanish words for "boy", "kill" and "brother" so it really wasn't that hard to follow.
WiCkEDrOcKS
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/13/04
#28re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 1:36am
Karen is giving an incredible performance in the show and I hope she wins the Tony. I loved Haydn Gwyne but if she wins, it'll just be part of the BILLY sweep.
Karen is the rightful winner of the Tony this year, IMO.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#29re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 1:37am
Why because she's the best of the worst?
And, I'm sorry, but there was no emotion in that song other than "UGH-I'M SO ANGRY!" That's all I got out of it. Nothing more, nothing less. She sang well, and she's better than the rest of the cast for sure, but she still didn't really make me like the show, or make me feel anything.
#30re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 1:40am
I have no idea what you're talking about. Karen's version is NOT angry. That has been made very clear. Her interpretation is a plead of desperation. That is the vision she and Laurents came up with.
Updated On: 5/30/09 at 01:40 AM
#31re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 1:43am
I just saw West Side Story tonight. What an underwhelming production! Josefina was by far the best thing about that show. She was wonderful, and the fact that she was able to shine throughout all the mediocrity was astounding. Josefina stole every scene from any of her scene partners, including Karen. I'm sorry to say that Karen Olivo just didn't do it for me. Her singing, dancing, and acting... She didn't make me fall in love with Anita like you're supposed to. I did not like her take on the role at all. In my opinion, that Tony belongs to Haydn.
I will take a listen to the CD if only because the orchestra sounded beautiful live.
~Steven
#32re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 1:45am^ I think you went into the production not wanting to like Karen. You've made it very clear that you want Haydn to win.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#33re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 1:50amLjay889, I could care less what they INTENDED her performance to be, but it had ANGER written all over it. That's what I got out of it, and I walked into the production wanting to love it because I paid full price, ha. But the whole production sucked. Why anyone though a "realistic" approach needed perspective sets was foolish.
#34re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 1:58am
Actually, I went in with an open mind. West Side Story is one of my favorite musicals of all time and Anita is my favorite character in musical theatre. I wanted to love everything about the production, including Karen. I wanted to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but Matt lived up to his blandness, there were a few understudies on in the Jet gang so they didn't quite mesh well (Cody Green and Curtis Holbrook were out)... The dancing is well executed, but there was no intent behind it for the most part (the truncated ballet was well performed). But there were many things wrong with the production. I went with my entire family. My dad said it was the worst thing he's seen on Broadway and absolutely hated Karen Olivo. He doesn't follow theatre or see a lot of it, but at the same time he knows good theatre and good acting when he sees it, so that kind of critique is an honest one. I really wanted to like this one and I was excited about it. It's a shame because, as I said, it's one of my favorite musicals of all time if not my top choice. I honestly don't blame anyone else but Arthur Laurents. I will still give Karen the benefit of the doubt. She, and everyone else involved, was just directed poorly.
I'm not shy about rooting for Billy since I loved it, but if I think something else is deserving, I will acknowledge that. If Karen blew me away, I certainly would not be upset if she won the Tony. In fact, I would be happy if I thought she was deserving. Now that I've seen the performance, you can count me in that group who just does not get the hype about her performance. She stood out, but not exactly in a good way. Who knows, maybe I saw her on an off night. I'd give her a second chance, but based on what I saw tonight, it's not a Tony-worthy performance in my opinion.
~Steven
#35re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 2:06amJesus, ljay! Some people didn't care for this production and/or Karen. Get over it. You're acting like you've been personally assaulted.
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#37re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 2:13amPerhaps its the producers trying to hide the weakest link from the Tony voters?
#38re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 4:43amQuestion: If itunes is going to have a version of A Boy Like That in English, will it be one of those Album only songs where you have to buy the entire album just to get that version. I love having hard copies of cds but desperately want the english version as well.
Genius lasts longer than beauty.
#39re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 4:59am
BroadwayBound, I assume that's gonna be it. I am gonna buy the B&N version once it comes out and everyone assures me that both "A Boy Like That" (which I'm really excited about, Olivo may be the weakest dancing Anita but her voice is so incredibly, I can listen to her singing all night, I'm even tempted to buy her tracks from BRKLYN on iTunes).
And if the producers were trying to hide the weakest link, they'd replace Cavenaugh with someone who won't play Tony as Joe Kennedy, accent and all. Either way, I assume Cody Greene is indeed injured as I can't remember the last time someone reviewed the show and he was in it. Hope for a quick recovery if that's the case, of course he might just be on vacation or something.
It sucks Curtis Holbrook was out, though I haven't seen his understudy, Holbrook is the only one of the male principals that made me believe he was a gangmember, his "Office Krupke" was fantastic.
"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"
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#40re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 10:35amTrue. He was semi-threatening, as opposed to the others. (Holbrook, I mean).
raker
Stand-by Joined: 12/27/08
#41re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 1:18pmThe worst version for all time has to be the one with Jose Carreras, the Spanish opera singer, singing Tony with a Spanish accent. Ay carumba!
#42re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 1:40pm
Having heard nothing of this show until now, I really do like Karen Olivo's vocals as Anita... although I almost feel she sounds a bit too "American Idol" on the song "America". However, she's a million and ten times better than the Anita on my CD, which is the British concert cast featuring some disgusting opera lady attempting to sing low and sounding like a wheezing old man.
In contrast, the Sharks and Jets sound like a bad high school ensemble with no energy at all compared to the British concert cast (which I thought was bad until I heard these guys)... and obviously, I am really underwhelmed by Matt Cavenaugh, especially since my first and favorite Tony is Michael Ball and I'm slightly obsessed with him-- though Matt's prolonged high note was a nice surprise. Josefina is adorable and her voice is beautiful, but she sometimes sounds a bit too lightweight. I do think the Spanish messes up the Tonight Quintet.
In my pants, she has burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun! --Marius Pantsmercy
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#43re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 5:29pmMatt's high note? He doesn't hit the B, right? At least he didn't at the performance I saw him at. I was disappointed. Josh Young singing "Maria" is beautiful.
#44re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 6:22pm
Matt sang the high B-flat when I saw it last night. I guess it depends on the performance.
~Steven
#45re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 8:43pmI totally agree that Josh Young is brilliant. I just meant that Matt Cavenaugh can sing higher than I expected, given that his voice is pretty weak.
In my pants, she has burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun! --Marius Pantsmercy
SporkGoddess
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
#46re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 9:22pm
It's VERY underwhelming. I can't stand Matt's Tony--the accent is ridiculous. The gang members don't sound remotely threatening. The Spanish is too random to be effective for me except for how it's used in the Finale (and I speak Spanish, so it's not a problem of not understanding it). I didn't like the changes to "Hoy me siento tan hermosa" (not the Spanish, but the parts that Maria's friends sing). Finally, I don't think the boy soprano is very good; I've heard much better.
Oh... I don't like Karen Olivo's vocals as Anita. She sounds strained to me. I'm sorry, I know everyone will disagree, but yeah.
Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!
Updated On: 5/30/09 at 09:22 PM
TalkinLoud
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/3/09
#47re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 9:54pm
If you think the recording is bland and boring, it's because the production is.
Anyways, I actually like this recording, despite being underwhelmed by the production. The way these songs are song, it's actually better out of context, if that makes any sense.
Updated On: 5/30/09 at 09:54 PM
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#48re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 9:57pmWell now I'll have to download it to hear Matt's "B flat." I didn't know he had that range either. I'm a little bummed he didn't do it at my performance because the song lacked any sort of emotion or climaxed and pretty much just fizzled.
#49re: WSS CD
Posted: 5/30/09 at 10:06pmI think the production is bland and boring, but I think the CD is very high energy and comes across a lot better -- creating the illusion that the show might be better than it is for someone who hasn't yet seen it. I think it rivals the new Hair cast recording which I found to have an overall lack of energy.
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