Ivo van Hove Will Direct 2020 Broadway Revival of WEST SIDE STORY

[Miles2Go2]

I for one am excited. I’ve only seen the movie; never a stage production. And I’ve never seen an Ivo van Howe production. So to me, this could potentially be the best of both worlds.

[Tag]

David Saint, literary executor of the Arthur Laurents Estate, added in a statement, "Arthur always believed the only reason to revive West Side Story on Broadway was to bring a new perspective to the material. Ivo van Hove is sure to do just that."

LOL
Arthur would have never allowed this.

[BwayLB]

Jonwo said: "Van Hove directinga musical will be interesting but I'm not sure ifthey can reinvent it radically since the Jerome Robbins choreography has to be kept. I'm looking forward to seeing how it's done because I think WSS was in danger of becoming a museum piece with productions that were simply replicas of the original with tweaks."

Jerome Robbins dancing is perhaps some of the most expressive choreography I have ever seen on stage or screen.

[Solipsist234]

Tag said: "David Saint, literary executor of theArthur LaurentsEstate, added in a statement, "Arthur always believed the only reason to revive West Side Story on Broadway was to bring a new perspective to the material.Ivo van Hoveis sure to do just that."

LOL
Arthur would have never allowed this."

Ikr!?!?!? Arthur Laurents was very much a traditionalist in how he directed, keeping mostly to how the production was originally performed in its first incarnation (see: Gypsy, West Side Story) But now that he's dead and gone, I guess it was about time to finally reinvent some of these musicals, instead of becoming "museum pieces", as another poster pointed out.

[broadwaynerdnewbie]

I’m really intrigued by this news

[Call_me_jorge]

Is this ivos first musical?

[newintown]

"Museum piece...bla bla bla... fresh interpretation...bla bla bla... cut half the text...bla bla bla... reorchestrate it with piano and kazoo...bla bla bla... take away the shoes... bla bla bla... it's brilliant!"

[ColorTheHours048]

You guys can skip this, keep your memories of the original production, and leave the tickets for the rest of us who actually want their revivals to REVIVE the classics, not just keep them on life support forever. I haven’t always been the biggest fan of van Hove’s approach to classic American texts, but he is certainly never a safe choice.

[Gizmo6]

newintown said: ""Museum piece...bla bla bla... fresh interpretation...bla bla bla... cut half the text...bla bla bla... reorchestrate it with piano and kazoo...bla bla bla... take away the shoes... bla bla bla... it'sbrilliant!""

You should read Filippo Tomasso Marinetti. 

[Broadwaywest]

I for one am looking forward to this. There is also an updated version of West Side Story that's gonna be seen around the country directed by Francesca Zambello

https://dctheatrescene.com/2018/07/10/review-west-side-story-at-glimmerglass-festival/

So between these 2 productions and the upcoming film...it's West Side Story mania

[Kad]

Considering the devastation in Puerto Rico and the immigration crisis, it's not surprising that the show is being given more attention.

[The_Spielers_2017]

This is completely out of left field, but with the current state of politics, i wouldn't be surprised if this got very suddenly greenlit.

Also, I'd bet the farm that Rudin closes Carousel for this.

[kade.ivy]

Will the finale involve expressive dancing in a shower of blood as Tony’s body is dragged away?

I kid. I am very intrigued by this. Van Hove’s View from the Bridge is still one of my favorite theater experiences.

[adamgreer]

This is intriguing, for sure, but I'm shocked the Robbins Estate agreed to allow new choreography.  I was always under the impression that the Robbins choreography had to be replicated in all productions.

[TheSassySam]

I cannot wait for this. 

There will always be large regional productions of West Side Story that recreate the classic show we fell in love with. 

[CarlosAlberto]

2020 seems to be shaping up as the year of "WEsT SIDE SToRY" what with an upcoming film remake and a revival. Wow!

[CarlosAlberto]

ColorTheHours048 said: "You guys can skip this, keep your memories of the original production, and leave the tickets for the rest of us who actually want their revivals to REVIVE the classics, not just keep them on life support forever. I haven’t always been the biggest fan of van Hove’s approach to classic American texts, but he is certainly never a safe choice."

I wasn't always a fan of replacing the original Robbins choreography and staging - it was just so iconic and inextricable to the show more so than any other show I can imagine, but now I welcome a re-invention or re-imagining of this piece. It's exciting to imagine what they will do. 

[SomethingPeculiar]

If there is one thing that’s certain from Arthur Laurents’ memoirs: he felt that musical theatre had to be in someone’s bones. (It wasn’t in Sam Mendes’s, one of the reasons why he hated GYPSY.) Does Ivo have musical theatre in his bones? Only time will tell...

I am kind of surprised this will open cold on Broadway (if “cold” means developmental presentations and a long preview period).

Very curious about how the musical arrangements will be for this — something tells me we won’t get 25 pieces in the band like the last production.

[A Director]

You don't have to wait until late 2019.

https://www.americantheatre.org/2018/06/20/a-new-west-side-story-steps-beyond-jerome-robbins/

[dramamama611]

Um.   I....Did....I....

Hit me with a 2x4, I did not see this coming.  Yes, it's soon, but I'm a WSS whore, so I'm good.  A little bit scared.

 

New choreo....that's great, but I am totally unfamiliar with her work.  Anyone shed any light on her?

[A Director]

West Side Story at the Guthrie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G6JRdzB350&frags=pl%2Cwn

[A Director]

Maija García - Choreographer for WSS at the Guthrie

GUTHRIE Debut. THEATER CHOREOGRAPHY Cuba Libre (Artists Repertory Theatre); Another Word for Beauty (Goodman Theatre); FELA! on Broadwayand National Theatre of London (associate choreographer); FELA! world tour(creative director). DIRECTION Salsa, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha (Havana, Cuba); The Legend of Yauna (BAM Fisher); I Am New York: Juan Rodriguez (El Museo del Barrio); Ghosts of Manhattan (Organic Magnetics). FILM Director of movement for Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq (Amazon) and She’s Gotta Have It (Netflix). TEACHING NYU Graduate Acting; CUNY City College of New York. UPCOMING Snow in Midsummer (Oregon Shakespeare Festival) and Hatuey (Peak Performances). www.organicmagnetics.com 

[SonofRobbieJ]

Liz Marvel's Tony will be definitive. 

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Very, very excited about this. WSS is one of my all-time favorites, so a new interpretation of a classic like this is interesting to me.

Here is some of Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker‘s work. I like her general style; some of this choreography reminds me of Robbins’. My only hope for this aspect is that they take cues from the OG while putting a fresh spin on it.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rTwNWiLIYnI

[CallMeAl2]

adamgreer said: "This is intriguing, for sure, but I'm shocked the Robbins Estate agreed to allow new choreography. I was always under the impression that the Robbins choreography had to be replicated in all productions."

Well the 2015 Fiddler broke free and Hofesh Shechter was allowed re-imagine the choreo. I am hoping something similar can happen here.