Tonys: Best Revival (West Side Story vs Hair) .....................

[Stinky The Clown]

Hair

The cast members could easily be the grandchildren of the originals.

I am feeling more and more like Methuselah.





Interesting; West Side Story is half in English and half in Spanish. Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein wrote what is, for sure, the definitive American musical ..... and it is approaching 60 years of age.

[babylonsister]

1. Hey, Stinky. My very first album was "Hair". Album and 'Hair'. Nah,

I'm not dating myself! :rofl:

And 'West Side Story'! I loved that, too. My mom was into local community theatre. She didn't do 'Hair', but she did do WSS. Ah, memories.

And in high school, I was a chorus member in 'Guys and Dolls'. I've enjoyed this!

[SharonRB]

2. I believe Hair first appeared when I was in college

and I'll be 60 in August. Those actors looked more like the kids of the originals, not the grandkids -- or maybe somewhere in between. Hubby and I saw "Hair" right after we got married in 1971.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Written in the period 64 - 67(ish). Off Broadway in 67. Broadway in 68

West Side Story was written in the period of 1954/55(ish) and staged in various venues from 55 to its 57 Broadway debut. The film was 61.

[SharonRB]

3. Here you go...from Wikipedia

After an off-Broadway debut in October 1967 at Joseph Papp's Public Theater and another run in a midtown discothèque space, the show opened on Broadway in April 1968 and ran for 1,750 performances, followed by a successful London production, which ran for 1,997 performances.

[abluelady]

5. Also Aging Myself

Husband and I saw Hair in London in June, 1969! It was wonderful! Hoping to get to NYC this summer to take in a few shows, including the revival of WSS.

[Motown_Johnny]

6. My vote is for West Side Story, it is just an adaptation of the Romeo and Juliet story but

it is so well done that everyone can identify with the characters (regardless of ethnicity)

I love that it is now done with the spanish speaking characters actually speaking spanish. How Fucking Cool Is That?


Hair seems dated to me. Not that I don't like it, I just think WSS is in a class by itself right now.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. I agree with you on all counts .... but .....

...... Hair *should* be dated. It was about the era as much or more than anything else. It is now the defacto iconic play of that era. We've had plenty of others about the 60s, but nothing comes close.

Yes, WSS is in a class by itself. As I said in my OP, I really believe WSS is the greatest American musical ever. My wife and I enjoy debating about whether it is a musical or an opera.

So far as I know, the addition of Spanish to the current production is the first time the play has been seriously staged in a way different from the (in my view, perfect) original.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. I saw Hair on Broadway in 1969.

I was in college at the time, so I am obviously quite ancient now. I loved it at the time, wonder if it would seem really dated now and make me feel even older.

[madamesilverspurs]

9. Oooooo, Hair.

"I would just like to say that it is my conviction that longer hair and other flamboyant affectations of appearance are nothing more than the male's emergence out of his drab camouflage into the glorious plumage that is the birthright of his sex..."

Loved it then, still do!

[sharesunited]

10. Hair had the advantage tonight.

There have only been three Broadway revivals of Hair.

West Side Story has had four.

[create.peace]

11. in the spirit of hair, why don't they both get the award. too much competition these days nt