WSS: "Pretty/Boy Like That" now partially in English — Page 2

"Could this be because not all the understudies are bilingual?"

For perspective on this possibility (I have no clue), on the Complete Symphonic Recording of Les Mis the woman playing Eponine (vocally probably my favorite) does not speak English fluently. She learned the libretto. And she sounds really ****ing good.

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Updated On: 8/22/09 at 12:39 AM

I mean...not every Wagner soprano speaks German.

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Wait, they changed the ending? How so?

The ending, itself, hasn't changed. Tony still dies and always did. Originally, he was carried off stage by the Sharks and Jets. This signifies them putting aside their differences to move forward as better people. In the current revival they walk off and leave Tony laying on stage. Or at least they did during the out of town run.

Posters are hoping they revert back to the original because it had more meaning

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"The ending, itself, hasn't changed. Tony still dies and always did. Originally, he was carried off stage by the Sharks and Jets. This signifies them putting aside their differences to move forward as better people. In the current revival they walk off and leave Tony laying on stage. Or at least they did during the out of town run.

Posters are hoping they revert back to the original because it had more meaning"

That sounds weird...they leave him there? But then I always wondered where they were carrying him to....

The reason they can't carry him may be an equity thing though.

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The reason they can't carry him may be an equity thing though."


HUH??? It's called Arthur Laurents trying to reinvent himself.

Well, the Jets member giving Maria her "mourning black veil" so that she could re-drape it over herself was pretty poignant in itself and clearly conveyed the message of ceasing the gang war.

Updated On: 8/22/09 at 01:02 AM

ljay889 and CSonBroadway- Someone posted on another forum that Equity have strict rules about letting actors carry one another due to the risk of injury. (Or maybe that some productions do not want to risk it) They could have been talking out their ass though.

"ljay889 and CSonBroadway- Someone posted on another forum that Equity have strict rules about letting actors carry one another due to the risk of injury. (Or maybe that some productions do not want to risk it) They could have been talking out their ass though."

Depending on the situation, extraordinary risk agreements need to be signed, sometimes resulting in extra pay for the performers involved or earlier call times to rehearse the lift in fight-call. Again, totally depends on the situation.

Really, somebody tried to claim that carrying Tony off stage violated the extraordinary risk clause?

"(D) Extraordinary Risk Payments. An Actor called upon to perform
"extraordinary risk" shall receive not less than $15 per week above
contractual salary, $20 per week above contractual salary commencing June
27, 2005, such payments to begin at the time of such assignment. All
?extraordinary risks? must be identified by rider.
(1) "Extraordinary risks" are defined as performing acrobatic feats;
suspension from trapezes, wires, or like contrivances; the use of or
exposure to weapons, fire, pyrotechnic devices and the taking of
dangerous leaps, falls, throws, catches, knee drops, or slides.
(2) An Actor shall also be deemed to be eligible for said additional
compensation when the staging or choreography requires the Actor to
execute dance movements which depart from the accepted techniques
of movement and support as used in contemporary theatre dance, i.e.,
classical ballet, modern, modern jazz, or ethnic."

This is just damage-control for the tourist-trade trade that makes a show into a long run. They expect the movie and don't really care about Arthur's "improvements."

If he really wanted to "improve" the show, he would not only restore the ending but also put the Nightmare back into the Ballet and get someone qualified in to spruce up the Peter Gennaro choreography.

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I have a feeling the original ending may show up again. I doubt Arthur will budge on the Nightmare though.
PJ, would you see the production again if the original ending and Nightmare returned?

I'm with PJ. Even if they fixed The Nightmare, it still would be poorly danced and a shadow of the original.

In our version, the Nightmare was cut and in the finale, everyone stayed onstage and watched Tony as Anita put the veil on Maria as the city scapes in the back flew away. It was very beautiful.

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