Well, dear readers, what a long, exhausting day it’s been. For example, I got up. That was exhausting right there. Then I ended up going to the teeny-tiny fitness room where I did four miles on the treadmill. I then shaved and showered and was on my way to the Palace Theater to see West Side Story.
Yesterday, I saw a musical entitled West Side Story. Those who’ve read Kritzer Time know how enamored of the film I was and am. I think the show is brilliant, even to this day, and though it’s become fashionable to call it corny and dated, that’s never ever been a problem for me. In interviews, its author and current director, ninety-one-year-old Arthur Laurents, has knocked the original production ad nauseum, especially saying he wanted a new production to be relevant and one in which the Sharks would speak Spanish and one where the gang members didn’t look like chorus boys. Well, I’m sorry – since most of the original cast of the show are in the film, I don’t know who he’s really talking about, since they all look and act pretty tough to me. So, in this revival we get Jets and Sharks who are tough according to Arthur Laurents. To me, they looked like chorus boys trying to be tough. A few of them, in fact, look like neo-Nazi skinheads – what year does the play take place in? Oh, yeah, the 1950s. The character of Action is so obnoxious and has been directed to be practically insane and like a grinning gizmo who never has the moment where the Jet members realize that maybe three needless deaths isn’t necessarily a good thing. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Mr. Laurents has not only re-written portions of is book, he’s had the temerity to screw around with Mr. Robbins’ choreography, which is shameful, especially as every time he and Mr. McNeeley do it it undermines the show. He’s also changed arrangements (and not for the better – Mr. Bernstein would be spinning in his grave to hear what parts of his score sound like and what they’ve done to certain things musically). And the Spanish is absolutely inane. Sorry, I don’t want to sit and watch and listen to I Feel Pretty sung in Spanish – no laughs, no point, no nothing. What cheek – what ego. Sure, a few lines would be okay, but then again, there were always a few lines in the original that were in Spanish – just enough to give you the flavor. I don’t blame any of the actors for anything – I put it all at the feet of Mr. Laurents. Certainly the Maria is very fetching, but she is so underplaying the role and the direction is so unrelentingly odd, that she really has no chance. The Anita is fine if you’ve never seen another Anita – one who gets all the laughs. Again, not an actor problem but a director problem. We saw the Tony cover and he just seemed out of his element. Mr. Laurents couldn’t completely destroy the show, but he sure was trying his hardest. Yes, it seems to be a hit, but that’s the power of the show and the fact that it’s getting a very young theater crowd right now – you know the kind – the whoopers and hollerers who make going to the theater almost intolerable – note to the kiddies: You’re not watching an episode of American Idol – really, you aren’t. All I wanted to do was love everything about it – thanks to Mr. Laurents and his incessant meddling with a wonderful work of art, that became impossible. Let’s face it, when an author is the director and cuts the ending of the show (the carrying off of Tony by the Jets and then the Sharks – you know, kind of the entire point of the show), then you know it’s time to retire this particular author/director, and shame on everyone for allowing it to happen (he also cuts the entire point of the Somewhere ballet). For me, a distinct disappointment.
After the matinee, I came back to the hotel and changed into my evening clothes and headed over to the Metropolitan Room. It turned out that several people who worked there were huge fans of Nudie Musical (one even brought his DVD for me to sign), so that was fun. We got everything set, I discussed a couple of cues with the lighting guy, we got a sound check and then they let the audience in. It was a very nice crowd – lots of family and friends, plus the likes of Julie Wilson, Baby Jane Dexter, Eric Michael Gillette, Jason Graae, ASCAP’s Michael Kerker, and others. The show was fine – nervous singer, and too much ad-libbing, but the audience had a good time and I’m sure all the friends and family loved it.
After the show, I moseyed over to Joe Allen with FJL, Julie, and Juliana. I ate a nice, big dinner. We were joined by Robert Armin, a former dear reader, who had a couple of CDs to give me. Al Pacino was there, and then Walter Willison came in with Pat Suzuki, so I said hi to them, and then when we were finished, I brought everyone back to meet her. Miss Suzuki looks great and is quite delightful and we hit it off really well. After that, I walked back to the hotel.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below and whilst we’re clicking let’s wish all the mothers out there (and you know who you are) a happy Mother’s Day.
Today, I have the day to myself, so I’m not sure what all I’ll be doing. At five or so I’ll be meeting FJL and whoever else wants to come to John’s Pizza for an early dinner, and then FJL and I will be seeing Next To Normal, after which I’ll come directly back to the hotel and pack and get as much sleep as I can before my very early flight home to LA.
I got the news that both my first and backup choices for Rosie are not going to work out, so I now have no leads and am not happy at all. So, when I get back to LA I have to seriously solve this problem or cancel the reading (in which case I’ll be out a considerable sum, since the theater has already been paid). If it were New York it would be easy to figure out, but it’s LA and not easy at all. We shall see.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, spend a restful day, eat, see a musical, and then get some sleep and fly home to LA. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, and I do hope that every mother in the world (and you know who you are) has a wonderful Mother’s Day.