Much of the current West Side's appeal depends on the cast — which is to play off a Sondheim lyric — not only large and funny and fine, but up to fulfilling the tragic dimensions that Shakespeare and Laurents built into the show.
"It happened for me during "America." I forgot I was sitting in a Broadway theatre watching professional actors in a revival of West Side Story. I was spying on a group of high-spirited girls kidding each other about living in New York after enduring the poverty of their native Puerto Rico.
"The show's book has always been secondary to its score, but Laurents efficiently underlines the paradox that the Jets, so threatened by the encroachment of the Hispanic Sharks on their white neighborhood, are only a generation or two evolved from being the kind of immigrant trash they despise. And having their racism amplified through the voice of authority of a sleazy cop (Steve Bassett) further darkens the Shakespearean canvas of warring factions."
Just about everyone in theater is familiar with Anton Chekhov's comment that, to paraphrase, says once a gun is seen on stage it better go off before the play's over. So what would he think about David Mamet's career-making American Buffalo, which director Robert Falls is giving an effective if not explosive revival at the Belasco, in which small-time crook Teach (John Leguizamo) draws a pistol, but the trigger is never pulled?
"Tenderness is not the first quality one generally associates with David Mamet. But really study his characters, and you'll find that many are drawn with sympathy and even affection."
The Musical Spectacular “THE LORD OF THE RINGS” will complete its run at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London on 19 July, 2008 after 492 performances having played to an audience of over 700,000.
The 2007 nominations for the eighth annual Whatsonstage.com Theatregoer's Choice Awards, announced at a star-studded event at Café de Paris in London's West End, included 7 nominations for The Lord of the Rings, now playing at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London.
India's premier airline jet airways in an unprecedented step pays 15 million rupees for the cast recording of London's hit show "The Lord of the Rings" at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Tracy Turnblad seeks local fame by dancing her way onto The Corny Collins Show. Played by Katrina Rose Dideriksen in this Rhythm and Blues stage musical at the Luxor Theater (which is part of the Luxor Casino and Hotel complex) in Las Vegas Nevada.
The Tony Award-winning actor wrote 15 jokes to replace it for the Las Vegas version of the musical "Hairspray," the latest Broadway hit to find a home on the Strip. The show opened Wednesday at the Luxor hotel-casino.
