What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

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What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 3:34pm

I'm doing research for an upcoming production of West Side Story. What was the BEST directed production of West Side Story you have seen or performed in and WHY?
Thanks.

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 3:37pm

Most productions simply replicate the original Robbins staging and choreography. It cannot be improved upon.

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 4:15pm

Although the sets for the Bergenz Festival version look AMAZING.

Akiva

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 4:27pm

Akiva,
What is the Bergenz Festival?
What were the sets like?

I've only seen one other production of "West Side Story" aside from the legendary 1961 motion picture and that was the 1981 revival at the Minskoff.

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 4:39pm

Sorry,

I had a typo there it's the Bregenz Festival and it is a HUGE outdoor opera festival, where a show runs for two summers on a massive (and I mean massive) floating stage. These are some pics of the sets for West Side Story. The house rotated for all the indoor scenes. It is quite amazing I think.

Akiva

Updated On: 6/30/05 at 04:39 PM

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 4:48pm

While that certainly is an amazing set however I think it is total overkill.

Margo is correct. I have done the show a handful of times and it has always been the original Jerome Robbins staging. I am a firm believer that ONLY the original should be used.

"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds." ~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 5:02pm

That is quite an impressive set.
I love Robbins original concept and staging but I'm open to new interpretations...

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 5:08pm

Also, just an interesting note...

The designer and director of the Bregenz version are both attatched to Disney's Little Mermaid.

Akiva

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 5:17pm

Interesting, I was just watching my "Little Mermaid" DVD yesterday....

#10

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 5:56pm

WOW! If they can do that with a set for WSS I can only imagine how awesome it will be for THE LITTLE MERMAID! Very cool.

#11

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 8:37pm

Akiva ---Thank you so much - how beautiful!

#12

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 9:04pm

The movie because it opened it up & used the real West Side instead of sets

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#13

re: What was the BEST directed West Side Story and why?

Posted: 6/30/05 at 9:11pm

The choreography is so integral to WSS that changing it would be almost like changing the score. I can't picture it any other way. I saw WSS at the Walnut Street Theater here in Philly last weekend- and those dances are still absolutely unbeatable. There was a credited choreographer other than Robbins, I guess she just told the dancers what to do and adjusted for the size of the stage. (This production is worth seeing just for the dancing; unfortunately some other elements weren't so great.)

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