04.Jun.2009 RJR’s Big Adventure: West Side Story

Richard J Roberts

IRT Dramaturg Richard Roberts is on his annual theatre trip to NYC and he’s sending back thoughtful reviews of what he’s seeing.

WEST SIDE STORY

In its time, West Side Story was a major groundbreaker, with its sharp, edgy score by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim and its serious, even violent story. Today, when edgy  and violent are the norm rather than the exception in our entertainment options, this musical can easily feel quaint. And, as a work of art that originally had a strong element of shock value working for it, West Side Story today is seriously overexposed.

The big innovation of this revival is that it is performed in both English and Spanish (translated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote In the Heights). When I first heard this idea, I thought, that sounds amazing. In practice, it’s more interesting than thrilling. It sounds and feels surprisingly right, and therefore not all that surprising. All the Sharks are played by actual Latinos, so the rhythms and sounds and melodies of the dialect ring true. The Spanish is actually quite easy to follow – perhaps that is one of the messages that comes through. It shows how even when we are divided, we are the same. Most captivating are the funny or awkward or poignant moments when characters try to cross the language divide.

There are many other reasons to see this production. It is beautifully mounted. The set by James Youmans is fairly simple and straightforward, old fashioned even, but effectively finds just the right balance between reality and metaphor which this play requires. The transition into the dance at the gym is magical. The scene under the bridge, where the gangs rumble, is especially  impressive for its scale and layers and skewed perspective. The set is also very good at getting out of the way when space is needed for dance, which is always a challenge in this play. The costumes by David C. Woolard are excellent. Interestingly, the program does not specify a time frame for the events, and the costumes reflect that lack by refusing to conform to a specific historic literalism. Still, what the characters wear manages to look more like clothes than costumes: they are dirty and worn, and they help ground the characters in the story. The lighting by Howell Binkley is richly textured and subtle.

Joey McKneely has reproduced Jerome Robbins’s original choreography, and after years of seeing variations on this theme in countless productions, it is thrilling to see the original performed by a superbly talented Broadway company. In a show like this, where much of the storytelling happens in the highly stylized form of dance, it is easy for style to take over and for story to get lost. This production brings the emotion behind each movement to the foreground, so it’s not just great dance, it’s great acting through movement instead of words.

The ensemble work is outstanding. It is a large company, and many characters have just a few lines, but rich personalities with strong profiles emerge. The scenes have texture and bite because sparks fly, even among the minor characters. Director Arthur Laurents, who also wrote the original book, has obviously worked with his cast to find new interpretations of oft-seen moments. A few of these choices feel different just to be different, but much of the show feels fresher and deeper because of this exploration. For example, “Somewhere” is sung, not by the usual off-stage voice, but by a young boy soprano who interacts with the characters, suggesting a more hopeful future that they themselves may never experience.

Laurents’s new approach to the play is particularly effective in Matt Cavanaugh’s performance as Tony. Although he possesses a strong singing voice which I have enjoyed in other shows, his sound here is not as pretty as most Tonys. On the other hand, with his New Yawk accent, his aggressive physical energy, and his streetwise attitude, this is the first Tony I’ve ever seen who I believed could actually be not only part of a gang, but one of its founders and leaders. Josefina Scaglione is a strong, opinionated, mature Maria, although I found her voice a bit thin. Together, the pair creates genuine romantic and even sexual heat. Too often, Tony and Maria are singing cyphers. It is good to see a production where these characters deserve the center spotlight.

Karen Olivo is outstanding as Anita: earthy, lusty, with a dry humor. George Akram’s Bernardo does not make as strong an impression as one might expect. His calm, strong center is impressive, but not very flashy. The standout of the cast is Cody Green as Riff: charismatic, dynamic, sexy, tough, a great dancer, a voice with a lot of zing. Under his leadership, “Cool” is the most exciting number in the show.

Ultimately, this was a show I admired more than loved. The second act is not as innovative or powerful as the first. Tempos for “I Feel Pretty” and “A Boy Like That” are sluggish. Where this production’s anger and humor have a sharp, ironic edge, its anguish tends to veer more towards melodrama than tragedy. Scaglione’s Maria does way too much crying. I firmly believe that when actors cry on stage, audiences do not cry in their seats. Watching someone cry is awkward and embarrassing. Watching someone try not to cry is intensely moving.

Perhaps I am overly familiar with the material. For those who have rarely or never seen West Side Story, this production is probably a knockout. One of the most exciting aspects of the event is how the bilingual concept has attracted a large number of Latinos to the theatre. If you offer people the chance to see their own stories on stage, they will come.