Broadway's West Side Story | 2010 Revival | Talks at Google | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR
Cast members of West Side Story discuss the history of the show, their personal experiences, and the relevance of the story in society today.
Key Insights
- 📁 The show's revival in 2009 brought back the original director, Arthur Laurents, who had a significant impact on the development of the show.
- 😓 The cast members discuss the challenges of being understudies, swings, and standbys, and the hard work required to know multiple roles.
- 💱 They reflect on the evolving nature of the show and how it adapts to different audiences, such as the touring production that required some changes to make it more accessible.
- 😑 Cast members express their desire to originate roles and be part of the creative process in developing a new show.
Transcript
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Questions & Answers
Q: Why did West Side Story come back to Broadway in 2009?
West Side Story came back to Broadway in 2009 because the producers, Jeffrey Seller and Kevin McCollum, approached Arthur Laurents, the original writer of the show, and asked him to bring it back.
Q: Why was the show named West Side Story instead of East Side Story?
The show was initially named East Side Story because it was set on the East Side, but it was changed to West Side Story to reflect the setting in New York City.
Q: How did the show deal with the racism aspect?
The show portrayed the Puerto Ricans as the protagonists, which was a change from the original script. This change was made after Arthur Laurents' partner saw a production of the show in South America where the Puerto Ricans were speaking in Spanish.
Q: How do the cast members feel about the relevance of West Side Story in today's society?
They believe that hate and love will always be relevant emotions, and the themes of racism and overcoming differences are still prevalent in society today.
Summary & Key Takeaways
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Cast members discuss the history of the show and how it was brought back to Broadway in 2009.
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They talk about the changes in the cast over time and the challenges of joining the show after it has already started.
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The cast members discuss their personal journeys to Broadway and the impact of working with Arthur Laurents, the director of the show.
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