West Side Story Revival 2009- Page 3
West Side Story Revival 2009
#50West Side Story Revival 2009
Posted: 7/8/15 at 12:42am
"Let's also remember that Tony is one of the dullest parts anyone could ever play onstage ever. He also has one of the most annoying songs ever written for theatre. M-A RIIIIIIIIIIIII--AA. Ugh. Nails on a chalk board."
You sound like Mary Rodgers when Stephen Sondheim first played her the song. She eventually came to her senses, though.
#51West Side Story Revival 2009
Posted: 7/8/15 at 12:46am
"I saw in on tour and I really enjoyed myself despite thinking how clean the costumes looked. Maybe it was because I never saw a fully staged version of WSS, but I was impressed. I also thought the dancing looked sharp even if it wasn't going to be on the caliber of the original. I actually loved the Spanish because it made it seem more authentic and less "white washed" and maybe it helped that I already knew the material."
Totally agreed. The Spanish songs made the show vibrant, very passionate I thought.
#52West Side Story Revival 2009
Posted: 7/8/15 at 12:47am
"Let's also remember that Tony is one of the dullest parts anyone could ever play onstage ever. He also has one of the most annoying songs ever written for theatre. M-A RIIIIIIIIIIIII--AA. Ugh. Nails on a chalk board."
Agreed!
Fantod
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/3/14
#53West Side Story Revival 2009
Posted: 7/8/15 at 12:57am
I saw two productions of the show in a week. One was at a high school and the other one was the national tour. The high school one was honestly better.
ScottyDoesn'tKnow2
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/22/14
#54West Side Story Revival 2009
Posted: 7/8/15 at 1:04am
Tony is as dull as the actor playing him. I bet a fresh exciting take on the role would breathe life into it. I honestly think there's a lot there for an actor to use. And "Maria" is one of my favorite songs. I love the line "Say it loud and there's music playing, say it soft and it's almost like praying..." and how the music fits perfectly.
I forgot who I saw in the role of "Anybodys" but she was the highlight for me.
Updated On: 7/8/15 at 01:04 AM
#55West Side Story Revival 2009
Posted: 7/8/15 at 11:05am
I've never understood the point (or significance?) of Anybodys.
LarryD2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
#56West Side Story Revival 2009
Posted: 7/8/15 at 11:14am
Cody Green was in the show for longer than 4 months, since he performed at the Tony Awards in June and I don't think he left right after the Tonys aired, and the show started previews at the end of February.
Broadway previews began on February 23, and John Arthur Greene gave his first official performance as Riff on August 4. However, Cody had been calling out pretty frequently and his last performance was sometime in late July. So, he was with the show for 5 months on Broadway, not 4.
#57West Side Story Revival 2009
Posted: 7/8/15 at 11:57pm
He was fantastic in it. Just watch the Tony awards performance.
#58West Side Story Revival 2009
Posted: 7/9/15 at 12:02am
Cody was indeed regularly out of the show as early as May. Muscle, I know you enjoy holding the unpopular opinion, but I thought John Arthur Green was better in every single aspect. He actually had a threatening demeanor that perfectly matched the role. Cody was like a pretty boy lost at sea. Just my opinion.
#59West Side Story Revival 2009
Posted: 7/9/15 at 1:42am
From what I recall, Green got injured at some point and kept missing shows due to the injury. I, along with a majority here, found John Arthur Greene to be much better in the role.
I loved this production, but I was well aware it wasn't the best revival it could have been. Olivo was a star, and her performance of Anita was wonderful and certainly Tony worthy. Cavenaugh was fine, but nothing to write home about as Tony, and I much preferred Matt Hydzik and Jeremy Jordan in the role. My favorite aspect of the Spanish was how it felt like Anita had turned her back on America and English and how that came across so well with "A Boy Like That" being in Spanish.
Yes, the choreography wasn't up to the level it should have been, and the production was far from perfect, but I'm happy to have been able to see a Broadway revival of West Side Story in my lifetime.
LarryD2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
#60West Side Story Revival 2009
Posted: 7/9/15 at 7:46am
I saw Cody at one of his final performances, in early July 2009 (at a performance with no understudies, which was a rarity). Even accounting for the fact that he was working with an injury, he just wasn't very good. Not a singer or an actor, and to echo ljay, not threatening in any way.
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