West Side Story Revival will cut I Feel Pretty and Somewhere Ballet — Page 4

I'm amused by the people who think they know the quality of a Sondheim song and whether it should be retained better than Sondheim. He's all for cutting it. So one ballet will also be cut (not the song)? This is something to freak out about?

It's really still about one thing, as far as I can tell: the casting of Amar. Considering the kudos for "making it relevant to a new generation" that the recent Oklahoma! revival got (which radically recreated its dream ballet to such an extent that one can say the "Laurey Makes Up her Mind" ballet was cut), and My Fair Lady got for literally changing the ending to the show, there's just no way this production would have received so much nay-saying--sight unseen--as it currently has. On this board, anyway.

joevitus said: "I'm amused by the people who think they know the quality of a Sondheim song and whether it should be retainedbetter than Sondheim. He's all for cutting it. So one ballet will also be cut (not the song)? This is something to freak out about?

It's really still about one thing, as far as I can tell: the casting of Amar. Considering thekudosfor "making it relevant to a new generation" that the recent Oklahoma! revival got (which radically recreated its dream ballet to such an extent that one can say the "LaureyMakes Up her Mind" ballet was cut), and My Fair Lady got for literally changing the ending to the show, there's just no way this production would have received somuch nay-saying--sight unseen--as it currently has. On this board, anyway."

But the thing with the Oklahoma and My Fair Lady revivals is that they were able to make those shows "relevant" without changing a word of the script. They didn't cut songs, they didn't change lines, and they got a good reception. To cut two of the most iconic songs (to the point where they were, at least in my case, the two songs from the show I'd heard in public that drew me to listen to the show in the first place) is a very clear case of changing the script. There are ways that Ivo van Hove could still give the show that "race against time" feel without cutting those two songs. Obviously, we all have to wait to see the show before we make any final judgments, but the first impressions aren't great, to say the least. If the show ends up being as disastrous as many on this board have predicted, it'll really be a shame - besides the casting of Amar and the gender disparities, this did have a lot of potential.

"This musical has been presented in essentially carbon-copy form for the last 60 years. Most everyone has had an opportunity to see a traditional production of this by now (and, if not, they have the original film and the new Spielberg film, which probably won't deviate from the original as much as this revival despite revisions). The last revival was recent enough that another revival would not really be warranted unless it were doing something REALLY different. And it is. So I'm okay with it."

Excellent post and I agree. I saw the last revival and enjoyed it, I will pass on this version.

The movie solved this problem Ivo seems to think exists by cutting the ballet and moving "I Feel Pretty" earlier in the piece. You're not special, van Hove.

GeorgeandDot said: "I feel Pretty and the Somewhere ballet both stop the show dead in it's tracks. They definitely won't be missed. They add nothing to the show.

And some of you are reaching opera queen levels of hysteria right now. This attitude that so many of you are portraying here, is what will kill Broadway. Time passes, things change. It's how it is. How many museum pieces do we need to see to please those of you stuck in the past?"



BALDERDASH

LuPita2 said: "No one involved in the production has said anything. It will never be mentioned, he's never publicly apologized, and nothing has been acknowledged. It's not Isaac's burden, but he is definitely part of the problem. I guess they really thought that people would forget and suddenly be okay with it. That has not been the case.

And for the peoplewho think the only people who have an issue with his casting are here on these message boards?Clearly you are not on the internet very much."

And I get why he probably hasn’t. Doesn’t want to burn bridges with producers... doesn’t want to potentially ruin his big break. Yadda yadda.


I just sort of hoped the broadway community, which makes a lot of noise about taking action... would hold people accountable and stand up for what is right...

Even Rachel Zegler (movie Maria) has spoken out against Amar's casting:

https://twitter.com/rachelzegler/status/1193227716050505729

Which begs the question why Sondheim hasn't changed the PRETTY lyrics since he complains about them every chance he gets.

It sounds like the estates of the deceased creators would rather have any Broadway production over one that reflects the original intent.

Time to give Ivo the heave-ho! This is just becoming ludicrous.