Although he's 91 years old, Arthur Laurents, author of the books for GYPSY and WEST SIDE STORY as well as the original director of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, continues to create. Currently, the revival of WEST SIDE STORY is running on Broadway and has met much success. Laurents is a theater veteran, and one who isn't afraid to say what's on his mind.
In a recent, no holds barred, interview with Out.com, Laurents gave his thoughts on everything from the state of Broadway, to how he knew he was gay, and his own mortality.
In the interview, Laurents said of Broadway, "I dislike Broadway intensely. On Broadway, everybody has an agenda. The excellence of the production is not high on the list. It's money, it's their name -- you've got nine million producers who are not producers."
When asked if he would go see
Julie Taymor's SPIDER MAN, he replied simply, "I wouldn't go to see Spider-Man."
When it came to his personal life, Laurents was just as open. He discussed how he knew he was gay at the age of 7 and explained, "The kid across the street -- it was a Catholic family -- he was my best friend. He said to me, "I'll kiss yours if you'll kiss mine." And I knew. That simplified things."
At 91, Laurents isn't slowing down. Although the death of his longtime partner,
Tom Hatcher severely impacted Laurents, and his thoughts about life and death, he said, "And now I'm back to thinking I won't die. I don't know. Part of it is genetic. Part of it is I have a wonderful doctor. He says to me, "If you get a cough, call me." He's terrific. He thinks the reason that I am how I am physically is that if you continue to be creative and alive, it affects the organs of your body. And it seems to me, I get stronger. But maybe it's because I don't care much one way or the other. It's all because of Tom."
Just as Laurents doesn't hold back from expressing his opinions, he will also admit when he has made a mistake. When asked about the recent reduction in the amount of Spanish in the revival of WEST SIDE STORY, Laurents said, "I'll say this: I realized that we had to put in more English for the audience."
Laurents is also currently working on a third memoir, in which he apologies for some of the over the top things he has said in the past.
For Laurents' full interview with Out.com,
click here.
Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.
