West Side Story- April 8th
West Side Story- April 8th
West Side Story- April 8th#1
Posted: 4/8/09 at 7:09pm
I saw the show today for the first time. West Side Story is my favorite musical ever, and I think it is the best musical ever written. This was also my first time ever seeing it on stage. I went in with mixed expectations because most of the users on here have said more negative then positive. The show as a whole I felt was good. Not amazing, but good. I thought the Spanish was a good idea, but at times it seemed as if the audience was a bit confused. I understood what was going on, but I'm not sure everyone knew. The music sounds incredible with the huge orchestra.
The Jets were all really good in my opinion. The opening dancing was great. I just think the Jets could act a little tougher.
Haley Carlucci was on for Maria. I was a bit dissapointed that I couldn't see Josefina, but Haley was great. She played the innocence of Maria really well, and her voice was breathtaking.
I don't know what I think of Matt as Tony. His acting was good. However, his voice needs to be way more powerful. I was sitting in the balcony and his voice wasn't loud enough for me to believe it.
Alright, Karen Olivo is phenomenal, fantastic, and breathtaking. I was worried about her dancing, but her amazing acting and singing make up for it. And I actually think her dancing wasn't even that bad. Right when she came on stage I knew my eyes were going to go to her everytime she was on stage, and they did. During the rape scene at Doc's she almost had me in tears, and she deserves a Tony for this. My friend and I told her at the stage door that we wanted to take a picture with her before she won a Tony, and she just said "Psh..Yeah, right" She was so nice and funny as well.
Dance At The Gym and Somewhere were my favorite parts of the show. Somewhere was so beautiful, and the dancing was phenomenal.
Overall, I thought it was a good show, but the direction has some flaws. I still think that Best Revival will obviously be between this and HAIR. I think I may go see both shows again so can decide who I think should win.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
re: West Side Story- April 8th#2
Posted: 4/8/09 at 7:13pmCan you go more into detail about the "flaws" of Laurents' direction?
re: West Side Story- April 8th#2
Posted: 4/8/09 at 7:14pmI'm sorry, I actually meant casting flaws. Just with Matt at Tony.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#3
Posted: 4/8/09 at 7:28pmWow, Josefina, Matt, and Karen have all been out at least once so far.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#4
Posted: 4/8/09 at 8:13pmHaley was great as Maria, so I wasn't too upset.
Stand-by Joined: 5/22/04
re: West Side Story- April 8th#5
Posted: 4/8/09 at 8:58pmI'm so happy for Haley! Today was her Broadway debut and what better way to make your debut as Maria in West Side Story?!
re: West Side Story- April 8th#6
Posted: 4/8/09 at 10:15pmI would of never guessed it was her debut if I didn't read her bio. She was great!
re: West Side Story- April 8th#7
Posted: 4/8/09 at 11:44pm
I was worried about her dancing, but her amazing acting and singing make up for it.
Sigh...
re: West Side Story- April 8th#8
Posted: 4/8/09 at 11:48pmHer poor dancing skills obviously stood out in America...but not so much in Dance At The Gym when there were a lot of other people on stage.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#9
Posted: 4/8/09 at 11:50pmPJ< while I happen to agree with you, I don't think it's fair to invalidate someone's theatrical experience just because it doesn't match your standards. Let's be fair here.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#10
Posted: 4/8/09 at 11:52pmThis was my first time ever seeing my favorite musical-live on stage. Just give me a break I was really excited!
re: West Side Story- April 8th#11
Posted: 4/9/09 at 12:24am
I'm glad you enjoyed it, CS. It's an amazing creation.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#12
Posted: 4/9/09 at 12:27amSo that makes your snobbish attack okay?
re: West Side Story- April 8th#13
Posted: 4/9/09 at 2:22am
I was at this performance and Haley was fabulous! I honestly wouldn't have known this was her first performance because she was completely breathtaking as CSonBroadway said. When she came out the stage door, she was so gracious and was telling everyone that it was her Broadway debut, which boggled my mind.
I also agree on Karen, she had me crying and wanting to dash down from the balcony and save her from the Jets! Her dancing was good, but her singing more than made up for it. She needs to get the Tony for this glorious performance.
At stage door, the stage door woman told me that the girls were all dashing to do rehearsals for Dancing With The Stars. Apparently they are going to be doing "America" on DWTS on Sunday to shown on Monday.
"I don't know what I think of Matt as Tony. His acting was good. However, his voice needs to be way more powerful. I was sitting in the balcony and his voice wasn't loud enough for me to believe it. "
I thought he was really good, not as bad as people had said, but not amazing. His vibrato got annoying after awhile, but he's got a great voice. However I agree, he could have been louder for those of us in the balcony.
The Jets were really wonderful [especially Curtis Holbrook] and I thought they were spot on with their dancing and the acting was great as well.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#14
Posted: 4/9/09 at 10:49amClumsyDude- Where in the balcony were you sitting?
Featured Actor Joined: 8/21/08
re: West Side Story- April 8th#15
Posted: 4/9/09 at 1:14pm
from PJ's post:
"I was worried about her dancing, but her amazing acting and singing make up for it.
Sigh..."
I don't know what was said before editing [if that's what happened], but I think that PJ expresses a sentiment, which I, an admitted old fogey agree with:
There is a "Broadway" that is passing into history, its standards not being brought forward. This "Broadway" stands to be completely forgotten, either because the people who were there have left us; or -- others, for selfish reasons, choose to dilute, "transform," un-gild.
It hurts us, those of us whose lives were changed by this theatre-of-the-past, well, I should say, it hurts me, anyway -- to stand witness to something so treasured being turned to dust. Whether they're watering-down Guys & Dolls in order to have TV/film names on the marquee (and a weird, directorial "new" vision), or fundamentally changing the dances in WSS, a show which by its very structure, changed the creative course of Broadway musical theater -- it's painful.
I've never found PJ to be particularly "snotty," so if that's what you perceived, I'll bet it was a momentary lapse born of grief.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
re: West Side Story- April 8th#16
Posted: 4/9/09 at 1:36pm
I'm with LadyD and PJ on this one.
I don't think anyone was trying to invalidate anything.
But many many people are saying the same thing in their thoughts on this show. That somehow a performer's singing and acting make it OK to not be able to perform the dances that are expected.
How does this make sense?
A lot of people are pointing out the rape scene, well it's a very riveting moment in the play and usually affects the audience, in any production. But it in no way erases the lack of skills in other scenes.
Feel free to explain it to me.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#17
Posted: 4/9/09 at 1:39pmI guess that in America, what I meant was that her acting during the dances covered her weak dancing skills.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#18
Posted: 4/9/09 at 1:40pmBlah. The same boring arguments and attacks.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#19
Posted: 4/9/09 at 2:42pmWhat makes WSS a brilliant and classic piece of theatre is it's score and choreography primarily. To say that one's acting covers for lack of dancing ability in a number where dance is all important sort of chisels away at what makes the piece great, no?
re: West Side Story- April 8th#20
Posted: 4/9/09 at 3:22pm
Its, possessive, not it's "it is".
While the choreography is indeed a huge reason for the success of the show, I wouldn't say that the choreography for ANITA is necessarily. My dancer friend (who incidentally was predisposed to hate Karen since she has a massive crush on Matt Caplan) says her dancing is more than passable for the role.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#21
Posted: 4/9/09 at 3:25pmI'm more of a dancer than a theatre person, and I didn't have a huge problem with her dancing.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#22
Posted: 4/9/09 at 3:33pm
SingingCats--ask your dancer friend what she thinks of this email I got from one of my dancer friends who had done the show previously. I posted this in an earlier thread:
===
Here, from a dancer friend, the changes made for Karen:
First, Anita and Bernado's variation in the dance at the gym is way simplified: Karen basically shimmies and he dips her. She gives a small kick over his head while he kneels, but this is supposed to be a huge fan kick, followed by a flick into a double partner-turn to the floor with a partnered layout at the end, featuring HER, not Bernardo. They don't do any of that.
Then in America, Anita's first variation was previously solo, but Karen is immediately joined by two girls. This particular variation was always supposed to be Anita's technical specialty, but it is severely toned down for Karen.
Not one single ounce of the ballet/theater synthesis Robbins was so adept at remains.
Some of the more charming, quirky sections that are fast enough to mask her technical shortcomings are partially intact, but only in bits and pieces.
Finally, the most iconic part of the dance--the huge jumps at the end that mirror the huge crescendo in music--are replaced by single turns and are completely anticlimactic.
The audience still goes wild though.
re: West Side Story- April 8th#23
Posted: 4/9/09 at 4:40pm
ClumsyDude- Where in the balcony were you sitting?
I did standing room in the back of the balcony for 26.50.
Featured Actor Joined: 8/21/08
re: West Side Story- April 8th#24
Posted: 4/10/09 at 2:35am
??While the choreography is indeed a huge reason for the success of the show, I wouldn't say that the choreography for ANITA is necessarily??
[?SingingCats--ask your dancer friend what she thinks of this email I got from one of my dancer friends..."]
Pal Joey, I think that they just don't GET IT. I feel like we're slipping into the Dark Ages.
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