Upcoming West Side Story revival website

[morosco]

Posted: 10/7/19 at 3:28pm

The landing page made me think I had been misdirected to a porn site.

West Side Story

[zainmax]

Posted: 10/7/19 at 3:42pm

morosco said: "The landing page made me think I had been misdirected to a porn site.

West Side Story"

The marketing team must be fired.

[DMsquared2]

Posted: 10/7/19 at 4:56pm

I think the use of video and bold text is cool but the collage aspect of it is not working for me. 

[msmp]

Posted: 10/7/19 at 10:42pm

zainmax said: "morosco said: "The landing page made me think I had been misdirected to a porn site.

West Side Story"

The marketing team must be fired."

Absolutely nothing about the marketing for this revival has made me want to get tickets. The rumors have been bad enough, but the actual concrete stuff we've gotten has been G-dawful.

[FranklinDickson2018]

Posted: 10/7/19 at 11:16pm

But do we know if these are models?  Or the actual performers?   I would recognize Amar for example.  And still no female performers in the main images at least not that I could find. I didn't bother to look at the bios. 

I totally don't get this ad campaign. 

 

[VotePeron]

Posted: 10/7/19 at 11:18pm

As someone who could care less about a West Side Story revival, I love this marketing campaign.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 10/7/19 at 11:29pm

msmp said: "zainmax said: "morosco said: "The landing page made me think I had been misdirected to a porn site.

West Side Story"

The marketing team must be fired."

Absolutely nothing about the marketing for this revival has made me want to get tickets. The rumors have been bad enough, but the actual concrete stuff we've gotten has been G-dawful."

 

I haven’t really been following the threads about West Side Story, so I apologize if I missed something that’s common knowledge. But I have to ask:

Given that the production hasn’t started previews, and hasn’t played anywhere else, and presumeably hasn’t been fully rehearsed or staged, what “rumors” could be out there that might give us insight into whether this production will be good? 

I know some people are mad about the casting, and the fact that Van Hove will be messing around with a classic. But I wouldn’t call those “rumors” so much as just things we notice/presume based on the limited info that we have. 

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 10/7/19 at 11:38pm

The rumors are that they’re going to cut the show down to a one act format and that “I Feel Pretty” has been cut. There’s no basis to any of this, but the rumors have been brought up in previous threads.

Nothing about the rumors or the art work makes me excited about this and I love West Side Story.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 12:23am

I like the art work just maybe not for WSS? It’s a show dealing with race but everyone looks the same?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 2:09am

VotePeron said: "As someone who could care less about a West Side Story revival, I love this marketing campaign."

Reminds me of old Benetton ads  

 

[magictodo123]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 6:27am

ClumsyDude15 said: "The rumors are that they’re going to cut the show down to a one act format and that “I Feel Pretty” has been cut. There’s no basis to any of this, but the rumors have been brought up in previous threads.

Nothing about the rumors or the art work makes me excited about this and I love West Side Story."

I'm not so worried yet because everything is rumor until December 10th (first preview) or things are confirmed by the cast. All of this-the shortening of the show, what's being cut/included-has all of this come from the creatives? I'm just curious. Also, on Telecharge it does say "based on a concept by Jerome Robbins", not like "based on previous work" or whatever, so...that's....worrying? Not so reassuring? Idk. We can't boycott or be against this show before it even has one preview, can we?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 9:18am

magictodo123 said: "ClumsyDude15 said: "The rumors are that they’re going to cut the show down to a one act format and that “I Feel Pretty” has been cut. There’s no basis to any of this, but the rumors have been brought up in previous threads.

Nothing about the rumors or the art work makes me excited about this and I love West Side Story."

I'm not so worried yet because everything is rumor until December 10th (first preview) or things are confirmed by the cast. All of this-the shortening of the show, what's being cut/included-has all of this come from the creatives? I'm just curious. Also, on Telecharge it does say "based on a concept by Jerome Robbins", not like "based on previous work" or whatever, so...that's....worrying? Not so reassuring? Idk. We can't boycott or be against this show before it even has one preview, can we?"

"Based on a conception by Jerome Robbins" is language that is contractually required for every production. You'll see that phrase included in the required billing on MTI's website, and if you look back at the last revival it's also included amongst the credits for that. It does not give any indication either way that the script and/or score are being radically altered to the extent that the rumor mill on here is suggesting.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 9:45am

magictodo123 said: "We can't boycott or be against this show before it even has one preview, can we?"

 

Regardless of what rumors might be true or untrue, we can be pretty confident about at least 1 thing: Ivo Van Hove is going to do mess around with this classic. That might mean changing the book/score, or it might just mean radical direction. But whatever he does, it will displease the purists. So if someone is has no interest in seeing West Side Story get the Ivo treatment, then they are welcome to not buy tickets. And if someone is so attached to every song and every line of the script that they aren't willing to see how the changes might suit Van Hove's vision, then they are still welcome to not buy tickets. 

Personally, I've been extremely excited about this from the moment it was announced, and that hasn't changed. And I welcome any and all changes that might contribute to an exciting re-imagining of the show. Doesn't mean I will end up liking the changes. Hell, I might end up hating the whole production. But I'm glad that it's happening, and I'm going in with an open mind. 

[magictodo123]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 9:54am

JBroadway said: "magictodo123 said: "We can't boycott or be against this show before it even has one preview, can we?"



Regardless of what rumors might be true or untrue, we can be pretty confident about at least 1 thing: Ivo Van Hove is going to do mess around with this classic. That might mean changing the book/score, or it might just mean radical direction.Butwhatever he does, it will displease the purists. So if someone is has no interest in seeing West Side Story get the Ivo treatment, then they are welcome to not buy tickets. And if someone is so attached to every song and every line of the script that they aren't willing to see how the changes might suit Van Hove's vision, then they are still welcome to not buy tickets.

Personally, I've been extremely excited about this from the moment it was announced, and that hasn't changed. And I welcome any and all changes that might contribute to an exciting re-imagining of the show. Doesn't mean I will end up liking the changes. Hell, I might end up hating the whole production. But I'm glad that it's happening, and I'm going in with an open mind."

THAT'S exactly the attitude I think people should have. Never assume anything, wait until you actually either see the production, or, if you can't, wait to hear from someone who actually DOES. Assumptions/rumors do not do a production any good. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 12:17pm

It's interesting that "I Feel Pretty" is the song mentioned. Sondheim famously can't stand the lyrics, and I suspect if they wanted to cut any number, that's the one that would meet with his approval. I also think the show could probably work in one sustained act from a conceptual standpoint, but that might make an unpleasant experience for audiences. A show like Follies is hurt by being broken into two acts, but few shows are improved by removing an intermission. People need a break, a chance to think about what they've taken in thus far, and refresh themselves.

[Rosette3]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 1:27pm

JBroadway said: "magictodo123 said: "We can't boycott or be against this show before it even has one preview, can we?"



Regardless of what rumors might be true or untrue, we can be pretty confident about at least 1 thing: Ivo Van Hove is going to do mess around with this classic. That might mean changing the book/score, or it might just mean radical direction.Butwhatever he does, it will displease the purists. So if someone is has no interest in seeing West Side Story get the Ivo treatment, then they are welcome to not buy tickets. And if someone is so attached to every song and every line of the script that they aren't willing to see how the changes might suit Van Hove's vision, then they are still welcome to not buy tickets.

Personally, I've been extremely excited about this from the moment it was announced, and that hasn't changed. And I welcome any and all changes that might contribute to an exciting re-imagining of the show. Doesn't mean I will end up liking the changes. Hell, I might end up hating the whole production. But I'm glad that it's happening, and I'm going in with an open mind."

Amen. I grew up watching my VHS of WSS to death and thought I'd be one of those "purist". Ever since I saw Daniel Fish's Oklahoma! (and I was surprised how much I loved it!) I now welcome any kind "reimagining", reinterpretation, creative boundary pushing for revivals. As a dancer, I'm most attached to Jerome Robbins choreography since it is a very distinctive but I'm looking forward to how the choreo will be updated. They got have a talented ensemble based on bios but I'm not setting expectations too high. 

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 1:31pm

VotePeron said: "As someone who could care less about a West Side Story revival, I love this marketing campaign."

My exact feeling on this!

[Rainah]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 3:49pm

"Porn site at first glace" is a pretty accurate description. Yikes. Beyond that, it's a little headache inducing. It does kinda work for letting people understand the vibe of the show though, so there's that. With nothing beyond the site to go on, I'd think it was... diverse, dance-y, very modern day, probably 'high concept'. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 4:51pm

How on earth that looks like a porn site to anyone is beyond me. No exposed skin, let alone body parts, no provocative poses, everyone alone, so no suggestion of sexual interaction, mostly close ups of smiling faces. Some folks are apparently going to some very unusual porn sites...

Is it because everyone is in separate boxes, like separate videos to click on? Do people now think the credits for The Brady Bunch look like a porn site? It's a bit reductive.

[Dublin2]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 4:59pm

"What they’ve done, sources say, is strip all trappings of the 1950s from the 1957 musical. A source describes De Keersmaeker’s dances as violent, intensely physical, aggressive. The intensity was such that the backers who saw it believed the Sharks and the Jets really could kill each other."

That's all we really know from a lab this past January. 

[ModernMillie3]

Posted: 10/8/19 at 5:12pm

Not porn, just a horrible ad campaign. Those interns must be having a lot of fun though!

[Melissa25]

Posted: 10/9/19 at 6:12am

I like the ad campaign.  Here is more on the photographer Tyler Mitchell.

Tyler Mitchell Wants to Make You Feel Good

 

[BJR]

Posted: 10/9/19 at 8:35am

I've said it in other threads, but I love it. It feels fresh and immediate.

And it so clearly says this West Side is not going to be the movie.