tresgatos99
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female participation?I'm a HS director and am considering directing this show where I teach. It really seems like it shafts the girls, though, even more than most of the classic shows. Any thoughts on this? (I will NOT use female gang members!)
--blue
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Descartes
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For the girls who want to act and don't make it, offer them roles backstage. Some will take it.
Des.
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Sammy_beck
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I don't understand. Why don't you want to use female gang members? I know that West Side Story is a very heavy male show but I don't understand why you will not use females in the roles.
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what_the_heck013
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| Sammy_beck wrote: | | I don't understand. Why don't you want to use female gang members? I know that West Side Story is a very heavy male show but I don't understand why you will not use females in the roles. |
a. It looks dumb.
b. The guys would never let a girl in the gang. This is evident in the musical when a tomboy girl asks to join but is turned down.
| The WSS Libretto wrote: | ACTION
And what're we doin' about it?
[Pushing through the game comes a scrawny teen-age girl, dressed
in an outfit that is a pathetic attempt to imitate that of the
Jets. Perhaps we have glimpsed her in the fracas before the
police am e in. Her name is Anybodys.]
ANYBODYS
Gassin', crabbin'-
ACTION
You still around?
ANYBODYS
Listen I was a smash in that fight. Oh, Riff, Riff, I was murder!
RIFF
Come on, Anybodys-
ANYBODYS
Riff, how about me getting' in the gang now?
A-RAB
How about the gang gettin' in -ahhh, who'd wanta!
ANYBODYS
You cheap beast! [She lunges for A-rab, but Riff pulls her off
and pushes her out.]
RIFF
The road, little lady, the road. [In a moment of bravado, just
before she goes, Anybodys spits-but cautiously.] |
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Webster
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The shark girls have good parts. They have songs like "America" and "I Feel Pretty." Also, Anita and Maria are two of the biggest parts. If you have really good girls who can dance, they can be jets also. They dance in the gym scene and in "Cool".
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what_the_heck013
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Honestly, if you don't have the male talent (and you have lots of/too much female talent), don't do West Side Story.
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tresgatos99
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don't misunderstand...the male talent I have. I just hesitate at the lack of girls' ensemble stuff.
--gatos
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Sean
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then don't do the show!
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tresgatos99
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well, thanks for your insight, Sean.
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Cazzy Mcsnazzy
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I think there is plenty for the girls. Nobody complained in our production. Aslong as you let the Jet girls take part in 'cool' then there should be no problems. The dance at the gym is a huge scene for the whole cast. You could also try having the girls and boys in the Prologue. We had abit of pre show aswell which worked well. I think its a great show for everyone.
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tresgatos99
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Cazzy--can I ask what you had the Jet girls doing in "Cool?" Singing or just part of the dance, etc?
Thanks!
--gatos
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Ep-Griz-Reno
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I think that if you make the girls BOYS in the gang and not girls GIRLS in the gang and ALSO make anybody's MORE APPARENT that SHE is a GIRL (ie-tight shirt)....then it could work....the thing is, this is high school, and you want everyone to have chances...PLUS-the gang has got a heck of a dancing part, which you could DEINFETLY use the girls for
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BroadwayRedHead
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I understand you not wanting to use female gang members, but for the production I was in it did work out and nobody in the audience knew they were females. They put the girls in jeans that hid all curves, and put on hats to cover up hair and baggy(er) shirts. But you are the director, and it is 100% your choice.
I agree with you that this show does shaft the girls a little bit. I was a Jet Girl and I was only in 3 scenes the whole show - Dance At The Gym, "Cool", and then the last scene where Tony was shot. But, it still was a great show to be in and fun for everyone.
I noticed earlier you asked what the girls did in "Cool". Each of us were partnered with a Jet male and they were our dancing partners. So we did a full out dance in Cool and there is a nifty little break in the middle of the song. We didn't sing much in the song becuase Riff sings the majority of the song, but it turned out to be a very good scene.
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MsDivaKate
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| tresgatos99 wrote: | Cazzy--can I ask what you had the Jet girls doing in "Cool?" Singing or just part of the dance, etc?
Thanks!
--gatos |
There are a few Jet girls that actually have scripted names and a couple lines...Velma, Graziella and Minnie I believe. In our production they danced in Cool same as the guys choreography (just as in the film) and sing the very last verse where everyone comes in along with the guys.
As people have mentioned before the Shark girls are involved in 2 numbers (though usually I Feel Pretty only includes the Shark girls with scripted names, though you could add the rest of the ladies in to ensure stage time) and both the Shark and the Jet girls would dance in the entire Dance At The Gym Sequence and in our show the entire ensemble was also involved in the Somewhere Ballet. There are stage directions within the script about this.
They aren't shafted as much as you might think. I loved this show. Plus there is always the Somewhere Soloist. I hate the productions that give this song to Tony and Maria. Its much better if you have one soprano slightly off stage singing it as Tony and Maria dance the ballet sequence. Hauntingly beautiful in my opinion.
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Reds
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I say go for it. There is much to do for females in this show. First you have Maria & Anita and Anybodys also Graziella & Thelma as well as all the Jet girls and Shark girls which you can choose how many you want for the dances and chorus.
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