West Side Story vs. Gypsy--which do you think is better?

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 9:58pm

Kinda started this discussion in the is Gypsy the greatest ever thread but I really wanted to dedicate a thread to it.

These are undeniably two of the best shows ever written, but if pressed, which do you think is the slightly better one?

Remember, this is just based on merit, not favorites or personal taste or anything.

And most importantly, don't just give an answer, give specific reasons!

[ZBraff]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:18pm

Like I said...WSS and Gypsy are two very different musicals. But thinking about it, I just feel like the WSS music is more inventive and just dwells in your mind so much longer. When directed properly, WSS can be a beyond beautiful show. Gypsy (IMO...seriously guys, don't kill me) was a little slow and the music didn't stick with me like WSS's always has.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:21pm

I agree with z's first part - they are so different.

I mean, really different.

Like, I am too tired to think of a better word than different...different.

[ChanceWayne]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:17pm

To compare a ghetto musical about gang wars with a musical set in the vaudeville age is like comparing "Gone With the Wind" with "The Wizard of Oz". Both are theater at its best.

[alterego]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:34pm

For me GYPSY hands down. I could never understand why WSS was held in such high esteem. Then I saw Jerome Robbins Broadway and the WSS segment, and the penny dropped. It's the choreography which made the show great. Without that choreography it can be a pretty tiresome evening in the theatre.

So for me it has to be GYPSY it survives brilliantly without the original choreography (interesting since Jerome Robbins was respondsible for GYPSY's dance component too).

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:38pm

GYPSY hands down for me, as well.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:45pm

wss holds nothing to gypsy for me... i will always treasure gypsy much more.

[Eliza0114]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 12:02am

Gypsy. please.

[RockabyeHamlet]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 12:15am

Gypsy, no question for me

[Marquise]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 12:19am

To call "West Side Story" a ghetto musical is....

nevermind...

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 12:20am

K I personally feel it's West Side Story but I really do understand those who say Gypsy, but I think Bernstein has as much to with the amazingness of WSS as Robbins. If what you think is greatest about it is the dancing, then the dancing can only work to the music they're dancing too and that's what is absolutely amazing.

Oy...okay I can't help myself. I'm currently assistant musical directing my county's WSS in addition to playing in the pit for my second time, and I just...the music is amazing, and I mean, if you briefly break down just the music for each song:

Prologue-the dancing combines with the music to give you all the background you need to know with no speaking parts. It starts with the solo sax, jumping to everyone joining in for the "jet" theme, stopping and slowing down as they encounter Bernardo, pumping back up to the Jet theme, stopping again and turning into the Shark theme as they enter, intertwining with the Jet theme, the complete stop and change of speed and tone as the two start fighting and the complete escalation that's shown throughout most of the fight sequence to fit the moods, the complete silence when arab is caught and the tension music and gah...amazing

The Mambo becomes a dance all about fighting and tension, but all they're doing is dancing in the gym, but the music shows you that

The theme of Maria--just so pretty and romantic

Most of cool, particularly instrumentals, just an amazing combination of accidentals and rhythms to create a wonderful dance easily establishing the tension that the number wants to

Tonight quintet-just obviously amazing how everything is intertwined in one song

Rumble-possibly one of the most amazing "songs" ever. Again, the music combining with the choreography the simple tension at the beginning, the slight chance in dymanic as Riff starts fighting, tension builds, everything builds, then there's silence and then it starts w/ just the clarinet slow and quiet and jsut keeps getting louder and faster until everyone's playing crazy high notes all leading up to Riff's death, and then when Tony kills Bernando, the music completely changes to create completel loud chaos and even if you're playing it perfectly you think it sounds ridiculous and the littl ebeats that come up after the cops, and the precise rhymths and ulgh...amazing

The contrastment of the utter sweetness of I Feel Pretty to everything that has happened

The entire ballet sequence from the lead-in to the schirzo to somewhere itself, sooo pretty and dreamy, and the way the dream transfers seemingly in the music to a nightmare through little beats and pieces and before you know it you went from the sweetness of Somewhere to the end of the rumble

The complete contrast between the stark, anger and deep instruments in "A Boy Like That" to the sweet, high notes of "I have a love"

and so little instruments is contributed to the finale, it plays off so wonderful, just adding on a couple instruments playing the last notes, and that's all you hear

Bernstein is a genius

Perhaps a bit of a jack, sorry, and this now concludes the official Leonard Bernstien love post.

[Mimi Imfurst]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 12:21am

West Side Story..... brillant.

[Songsstresss]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 12:53am

Both classics. For me, musical theater doesn't get any better than Westside Story. BRILLIANT score, beautiful story, classic dance. Gypsy is great, but WSS is on another level.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 1:08am

Movie wise - Gypsy is an absolute treat because we get to hear Natalie Wood's beautiful singing voice.

[ForTheLoveOfLea]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 1:14am

How can you compare my two favorite musicals? This hurts too much to bear but I have to say I am personally more attached to West Side Story. Both are innovative in their subject matter and both have an unforgettable score but the choreography on WSS just pushes it over the edge.

Thank you wickedrentq for the detailed defense of Leonard Bernstein's amazing score. If it wasn't for him, the show would not be the masterpiece we know it as. I cry during the overture everytime I hear it. I can never figure out how one person can be responsible for something so beautiful.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 2:13am

I said in the Gypsy thread that I think that Gypsy is more well written, but I prefer WSS. It's a hard decission but I feel that Gypsy has a better book and more complex characters along with an amazing score. However, I love the modernization and musicalization of Romeo and Juliet (my favorite Shakespeare play). And I cannot think of a more perfect pair of composers than Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. Berstein's music is beyond increadible and so complex. Sondheim wrote some of not only the most touching lyrics of his career (Tonight, Somewhere, A Boy Like That) but also some of his most witty and funny (America, Officer Krupkie). I wish we could of seen more shows written by this increadible team. On top of the genious score, Jerome Robbins was an even bigger genious with his legendary choreography, which IMO there has never been another chorgeographer to even come close to being as incredible as Robbins

[Urban]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 2:48am

WSS was my first love, but Gypsy will be my last.

[grizzabella]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 12:12pm

These are both such brilliant classics of musical theatre, and so different, it's almost impossible to compare them. However, if forced, I think for me it's West Side Story. I think the combination of Bernstein and Sondheim just can't be topped. This is not to detract in any way from Gypsy. It's just personal preference. Also, when West Side Story debuted in the 60's, it was innovative and cutting edge for its time.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 12:39pm

Different or not, if I had to choose between the two I would say Gypsy. Overall I enjoy the storyline and music more.