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| More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 07:44 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 07:33 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - ablankpage 09:17 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| ''I don't think he was fired but Arthur certainly made his life unpleasant and he probably couldn't wait to get out of there.'' Laurents had a reputation for his mercurial temper. At one point, Cavenaugh was his golden boy and the director raved about his Tony. Laurents also praised him in his 2009 book ''Mainly on Directing.'' In an interview with the Advocate, he gushed that Cavenauh had ''a depth and passion I suspect he didn't know he had, that exploded during rehearsals.'' Laurents added: ''Matt hits notes Larry Kert couldn't," referring to the actor who originated the role of Tony many years ago. "I really love [Matt]. He's a lovely guy.'' Cavenaugh got an Outer Critics nomination for playing Tony (and a few years later, got a Drama Desk nomination for ''Death Takes a Holiday''). At any rate, his relationship with Laurents got rocky. The director started criticizing Cavenaugh for being too old (even though he cast him). I heard things might've soured after Cavenaugh wanted some time-off for his honeymoon with Jenny Powers. According to a source that Michael Riedel quoted in the N.Y. Post: ''Arthur turned on him. And once Arthur turns on you, it's over.'' I once asked Cavenaugh if he wanted to tell his side of the story, but he declined, and instead took took the high road with the N.Y. Times. |
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| Link | N.Y. Post: 'West Side' Whack (2009) |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Last Edit: Chromolume 11:29 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 11:28 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: More to the 'West Side' story - WaymanWong 07:33 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Laurents added: ''Matt hits notes Larry Kert couldn't" There's only one such note. The long held high Bb in "Maria." (The score includes the optional line that Kert sang, which only goes up to an A - an option many other actors have sung as well - even though the Bb is more impressive, and IMO, actually easier than the alternate line.) Otherwise, Kert sang everything as is, as far as I know. |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 11:52 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - Chromolume 11:28 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Am I wrong or is there a high C at the end of the "Quintet," for them as can hit it? Mike Eldred on the Naxos recording hits some high note there. | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Last Edit: Chromolume 12:04 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 12:03 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - AlanScott 11:52 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Yes - but it's also marked optional. And I think not necessary to be honest. Whereas Maria's high C will undoubtedly be heard over everything else, Tony's high C, if he sings it, could easily get lost in the mix (especially if all the Jets and Sharks are singing, not just Riff and Bernardo as written). Unless of course the theatre's A1 or the recording engineer really likes the guy playing Tony lol. | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 12:09 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - Chromolume 12:03 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| Thanks! Yeah, I thought it was probably marked optional. But it could be that's another note Cavenaugh that Kert could not have sung. Personally, I think we probably don't want a Tony who sounds too tenory, but Eldred on the Naxos manages that, while nailing that high C (at least I think he sings a high C there), and, yes, the engineers makes sure we hear it. | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: tenor1350 11:51 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - AlanScott 12:09 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| Eldred does sing the high C at the end of the Tonight Quintet, though it's something of a strong mix. Curiously, he takes the lower, Larry Kert alternate notes in Maria. When he very likely could have done the B-flat... | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 07:10 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - tenor1350 11:51 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| Thanks. I remember that, now that you mention it. It is odd. Perhaps it's because the recording is supposedly presenting the original version. Even though Kert almost certainly did not take the high C, it is perhaps not so definite if you're relying on the cast recording to give the answer. | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 08:02 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - AlanScott 07:10 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
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| Wasn't the story that Larry Kert was hired among other cast members at first as one of the Jets and only found out after being cast (or perhaps at rehearsal) that he had been cast as Tony, the male lead? The creative powers might have felt differently about such things as demanding a high C or sustained Bbs if he had auditioned specifically for Tony and prepared, say, a difficult tenor aria. But apparently they thought he had the right quality for the role that those high notes weren't required of him after all, with Bernstein's approval. | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 08:18 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - PlayWiz 08:02 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
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| He is listed as a possible Tony on the list of auditionees dated May 16, 1957, which is out there. Maybe it first appeared on the NYPL digital gallery? Not sure, but it's out there. I think early on he might have been thought of more for Riff than Tony. Anyway, he definitely knew before rehearsals started that he was Tony as it was mentioned in the Herald Tribune on June 3, 1957. |
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