West Side Story - Sequence of Events in Film vs. Stage Version

I've been a big fan of the West Side Story film since I was very young. When I saw it on stage for the first time a few years ago on Broadway, I was very confused by the positioning of "Cool" and "Gee, Officer Krupke." I know the stage version came first, but it just felt so out of place to have a comedic song at such a dramatic moment. Am I just more used to the film version, or does anyone feel the same way?

^ This, PJ, is why I love you.

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^ To explain PJ further, Arthur's point was that Shakespeare's clowns always had a part to play in the darkest tragedies--dropping a comedy song in the middle of Act II of West Side would give you the right Shakespearean balance of laughs in the face of great danger and tension.

I'll say this in defense of Arthur's take on the song placement. Putting "Krupke" in Act I after "America" piles on your comedy numbers when there's no surprise or payoff. Putting "Cool" in Act II only repeats what you've done in the "Somewhere" ballet. Using the original stage sequencing (if performed well) gives both numbers a jolt and frisson that makes you sit up and pay attention.

"Somehow I don't believe Aurthur cares anymore"

That's because he is dead right?

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As far as I know, the "movie version" of "America" is available upon request, but is not sent out standard.

Many regional and community theatre groups go ahead and do the change even when MTI turns down their requests to do so.

In FINISHING THE HAT Sondheim explains that they were going to try reversing "Cool" and "Krupke" for one performance during the WSS try-out but could not make the change because of the scenic design - "Krupke" is performed on a shallow stage while "Cool"was deigned for a full stage. It was too late in the show's development to be able to change it around. In teh film where this was not an issue the two songs could be reversed (Although in the soundtrack album's liner notes Ernest Lehman more or less takes credit for this switch, as well as several other changes in the order of the songs.)

Also note the original version of "America" was written to be between the sharks and their girls, but Jerome Robbins wanted that number to be just for the Shark girls, so the character of Rosalia was created to take on Bernardo's anti-American view. In the film, he agreed to use the alternate version.

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One of the things that struck me when I saw the most recent revival on Broadway is that in Laurents's book Tony agrees to stop the rumble and then inexplicably sings with Riff about fighting in the rumble (during the Quintet) before showing up at the scene to try and stop it. It makes no dramatic sense. Lehman cleaned that problem up by not having Tony join the Jets during the Quintet, which is revised so that Riff and Ice now sing about the upcoming battle. Tony sings only about meeting Maria. (Of course there is no character named Ice in the play, but the verse could certainly have been sung by Riff and Diesel with a few changed lyrics.)

Another change Lehman made, and one he felt passionately about, was having Maria sing I Feel Pretty during the day, so that the Rumble is not followed by the dead Bernardo's sister singing the jaunty song. The sequence in which Maria is interrupted while waiting for Tony on the roof in the film is far less jarring to the audience.

One Hand, One Heart and A Boy Like That/I Have a Love are a bit shorter in the film as well, although how much Lehman had to do with that I really don't know. The former song is sung straight through, without an instrumental break leading to a repetition of earlier lyrics, and the bridge between the latter two is eliminated so Maria and Anita are never heard singing together.

By the way, I think the placement of Cool and Gee, Officer Krupke! works either way, though I prefer the order used in the film.

Updated On: 5/19/13 at 10:14 AM

The West Side Story film is really the only musical adaptation I can think of that improves the source material.

Ernest Lehman and Robert Wise also worked wonders on a little something called, THE SOUND OF MUSIC...when they adapted it into a film.

And no one will ever convince me that WEST SIDE STORY isn't one of the most perfect musical adaptations ever committed to film. Worldwide recognition to this day as well as virtually sweeping the 1962 Academy Awards with a total of 11 nominations and walking away with 10 including BEST PICTURE.

Updated On: 5/19/13 at 11:09 AM

I've always wanted to do a stage version that followed Lehman's construct. The only real problem I see is that there's now dramatic dead space at the top of Act Two without "I Feel Pretty," but I already have a solution for that.

As Broadway Abridged astutely pointed out in its parody of Arthur's revival... well, I'll quote them:

With everybody in the cast saying "TONIGHT" one last time, and Act 1 being so long, and Act 2 having four songs, this is the perfect place for an intermission to HAPPEN.

Of course, it DOESN'T.

Namely... the solution is an act break after the Quintet and before the Rumble. Boom. Goes from a clunk to a hum. Problem solved.

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Lehman's finest adaptation, THE SOUND OF MUSIC garnered no Oscar nomination for him. Proving, once again, the "academy" really hasn't got a clue.

"The West Side Story film is really the only musical adaptation I can think of that improves the source material."

I think that distinction belongs to the movies "Oliver" and "Sound of Music"

The book for the stage show "Oliver" is flawed. The movie not improved the book, but it took a two dimensional villain, Bill Sykes and made him sexy as hell. It really is a brilliant adaptation. I can't picture it being doe any better.

Cabaret was excellent on stage--- but was improved as a movie.
I don't think Oliver was improved.

Many non-union dinner theatres have put the intermission of the stage show after the Quintet. It has something to do with having two dead bodies on stage who will then show up to serve you drinks. For me, it works to keep the tension up if the second act starts with the rumble.

Updated On: 5/20/13 at 02:15 PM