Saturday, December 20, 2008

Well, It's Really Bernstein and Jerome Robbins' Show Anyways

So I went to see West Side Story again (I know, I just went Wed. but it was THAT good!) at the National Theatre in DC (they had lottery! details below).

Stephen Sondheim was sitting 5 rows behind us.

He doesn't sign playbills apparently. Groan. I guess I don't feel bad for knocking Road Show now.

Director and original book writer Arthur Laurents was there too. He did sign my playbill!

(Cody Green (Riff), Karen Olivo (Anita), Josefina Scaglione (Maria), Matt Cavanaugh (Tony) also signed)

(Matt Cavanaugh, Josefina Scaglione and Cody Green above)

Anyways, if you're in the DC area, make sure you catch the show! It's AMAZING (and I had less problems with Matt this second time around though I think I've pinpointed why he isn't quite right. He's a bit TOO prim and proper to be believable as a former gang member and his Tony still uses Matt's JFK accent from Grey Gardens. Maybe it's because he's in DC?

Anyways, I'm still saying that Karen Olivo will have a strong case for the Tony. Cody Green really IS fantastic as Riff, Josefina is a true find, and Curtis Holbrook is insanely good as the insane Action, but this time I couldn't take my eyes off Cutie Petewtie Ryan Steele as Baby John who is an AMAZING dancer and can seriously kick as the rehearsal photo below shows (though someone on the message boards noted that it shows a bit more of something else too... and now it just makes me laugh whenever I see this photo):

Oh Baby John! Not really a baby anymore!

Anyways, they still haven't posted it ANYWHERE and it's not even posted at the theatre but the National Theatre is going to run LOTTERY RUSH tickets for every show of West Side Story while they are in Washington D.C. (until January 17th). Lotto slips are available 2 hours before the show (6pm for night shows) at the little souvenir sales counter (you have to ask the guy cause there's no sign and he hides the lotto slips in a drawer). They draw 1.5 hour before the show (so 6:30pm for night shows). 2 max per person. 21 tickets available in the front row. $26.50/ticket. CASH ONLY. There were only 11 people there on Friday night (and only 14 tickets were needed in the end). I have a feeling this won't last long once word gets out so I'm giving you the heads up to GO!

4 comments:

Joe Reid said...

Curtis Holbrook AND Cody Green?

In!

Vance said...

Now you know why I was so excited about seeing this??? and Have already seen it twice in 5 previews!?

ajnrules said...

Oh, was the first picture taken as the crowd was scrambling back in after the unscheduled but aptly timed second intermission? :p

Yeah, I was a big fan of the movie, but had never seen a stage production of West Side Story, so I was eager to see this production. It was a terrific albeit very different production that gets much more impressive the more I look back at it. Josefina was amazing as Maria. She totally tops Natalie Wood, whom I grew up watching as Maria.

Yeah, I missed Mr. Laurents though I'm pretty sure I saw him from my seat, but I did get Curtis Holbrook. I'm definitely going to try going again, and I'll remember to bring cash, so I can at the very least get one of those snazzy West Side Story T-shirts.

Esther said...

Hey, you got Arthur Laurents' autograph. That's very cool!

But I know how you feel - remember, I got dissed by Frances McDormand and Morgan Freeman this year, in the space of about 5 minutes. So I feel for you, my friend!

And you've made me really excited about seeing this. I've never seen a stage production of West Side Story either.

But yeah, I saw Grey Gardens and A Catered Affair and I can't quite imagine Matt Cavenaugh as a former gang member either! But wow, Josefina Scaglione looks lovely.