There’s a place for this
Ultimately, you have to wonder why nobody thought of this before.
Arthur Laurents, who wrote the original book for West Side Story, is directing a revival at Washington’s National Theatre, and for once, the Puerto Rican characters will be heard speaking, and singing, in Spanish.
From an explanation by Laurents last year:
The musical theatre and cultural conventions of 1957 made it next to impossible for the characters to have authenticity. Every member of both gangs was always a potential killer even then. Now they actually will be. Only Tony and Maria try to live in a different world.
I’m taking this to mean that no one on stage will actually be killed, but that the language barrier will heighten the difference between Sharks and Jets, between the Latinos and the previous sets of immigrants.
The production will be staged on Broadway in March.
Kay Dennison »
11 January 2009 · 5:05 pm
I would love to see that. I would also like to see the lyrics — as my B.A. is in Spanish. I’m sitting here trying to sing “America” en espanol. LOL