west side story anita assault

 

Ayala is no stranger to West Side Story. While I tend to be on the side of optimism, I wonder how much will change. In the mid-1950s when Robbins, Laurents, and Bernstein revisited the project, they read coverage of Los Angeles riots by gangs, which shifted their focus from religion to race. The jets would not let her deliver her message to Tony & began to assault her: What is maria's father's pet name for her? The items on display provide a rare window into this complex process. It especially seemed keen on rectifying casting issues of the original highly acclaimed 1961 film. Upon news of Ramasar’s casting, the backlash was immediate. News coverage of the incidents also sparked anger. In West Side Story, the supporting character of Anita, a Puerto Rican immigrant living in New York City, is taunted and (nearly) raped by members of the Jets, a white street gang. He never publicly apologized, as Diep Tran from Token Theatre Friends notes in this illuminating analysis about race and casting in van Hove’s revival. Or like Ramasar, will his art absolve his character? It was birthed from this gaze with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics from newcomer at the time, Stephen Sondheim. In Aphra Behn (of Guerilla Girls)’s Gender Across Borders article, she disparages the ’09 Broadway revival as it turns the assault and “mock rape” of Anita into a real rape with the unzipping of A-rab’s pants: The U.S. Department of Labor reports the unemployment rate in New York City spiked 6.7 percent in 1961 (the year “West Side Story” was filmed and released). When she arrives, she encounters violence at the hands of the Jets. The members of the Sharks, from Puerto Rico, are taunted by the Jets, a white gang. Intimacy choreographers have been a great addition, but the exploitation of sexual assault and violence against women continues. It’s impossible to predict what the arts will look like on the other side, but it would be wise to consider what, and whose, art is worth doing. In 1949, Robbins had a Jewish and Irish-Catholic conflict in mind for the show once known as East Side Story or Gangway. WHAT WE DO Interview Series: Calamity West. Baby John is lifted up high and dropped on her as Doc enters from the cellar door and yells.] [The taunting breaks out into a wild, savage dance, with epithets hurled at Anita, who is encircled and driven by the whole pack. Anita's character is based loosely on Juliet's Nurse in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. As seen in West Side Story, the Broadway musical is a collaborative medium which involves the librettist, composer, lyricist, director, and choreographer how to best convey the story they wish to tell. In September 2018, Ramasar was fired from the New York City Ballet for sending explicit photos of a female company member without her consent with another dancer, Chase Finlay, who eventually resigned from the company. But for many of us, it’s the umpteenth time we’ve seen Anita assaulted for dramatic effect, each time under the guise of greater authenticity.” There needs to be more effort from white artists when staging violence against women of color, as such violence has become so prominent in our daily lives. Boasting the film debut of many young talents including newcomer Rachel Zegler as Maria and Ariana DeBose (Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Hamilton) as Anita, it has come with a lot of buzz. With the exception of Moreno, most of the actors cast in Puerto Rican roles were white; the most prominent being Natalie Wood as Maria, who would inspire many white women to covet the role for years to come. Another recent adaptation that had the theatre community on its heels was Steven Spielberg’s film penned by Tony Kushner (Angels in America) still scheduled to premiere this December. A book by Arthur Laurents and distinctive choreography from Robbins further support this, along with the show’s inspiration. It puts into perspective that despite not getting as much mainstream coverage, #MeToo and #TimesUp are still prescient in the theatre and dance communities as much as in television and film. Unable to locate him, she comes upon the Jets who harass and attempt to rape her. Like the state of 2020, no one could have predicted the show that would mark this year would be West Side Story. To some, it refers to the Ivo van Hove-helmed Broadway revival. It’ll be interesting to see what direction Spielberg takes in the upcoming adaptation with this particular scene. Van Hove also added multi-racial actors, but sent mixed messaging by casting them as the Jets, originally intended to be white. There have been numerous discussions about the show and film playing into Latinx stereotypes. These issues being linked, not separate, require dialogue but also corrective action to ensure a safe and equitable workplace — especially in these matters. Karen Olivo and the cast of West Side Story perform "America" on Letterman March 12, 2009. She is the girlfriend of Bernardo and a close friend and confidante to his sister Maria. As revenge, she switches her message to hurt Tony by claiming Maria is dead. Unlike Anita, Maria doesn't actually pull the trigger to spread the hate and vengeance, even though she's grieving just as bad. Mar 1, 2015 - Photo of Anita in West Side Story for fans of West Side Story 31067788 With this news having broken back in June, will it even be present in critics’ minds when reviewing Elgort’s performance? She liked a series of tweets supporting the notion that she was under no obligation to defend him. As of now, months later, there’s been no public acknowledgement by Spielberg or any of Disney’s representatives of the allegations, or how they might affect its release. Van Hove has a reputation for graphic representations of sexual violence. i know in the movie version, the shop keeper stopped the gang. The response from these respective productions also sets a troubling precedent. We change bows instead of actors. The Nurse lived in the House of Capulet and was Juliet's maidservant and closest friend, and one of the few people who knew about Juliet's secret … The story is set in the mid 1950s in the Upper West Side of New York City, a multiracial, blue-collar neighborhood. If all this isn’t enough, West Side Story includes a scene of a rape attempt. Did I mention there were also cameras? “West Side Story.” Book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. West Side Story (1961) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Rescripted: Artist-led interactive commentary on the state of the arts, including reviews, dialogues, and essays. __ Maruca: According to Tony, what is the most beautiful sound I ever heard? She was part of two touring companies of the show, and will play a Shark girl in Steven Spielberg's film adaption, out in theaters this December. Wilder was in the original London cast of “West Side Story,” where she played Teresita and understudied Anita. Anita, a proxy for the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, goes to find Tony to deliver a message of where to meet Maria. View unanswered posts | View active topics We switch blame instead of actors. 9 Things About "West Side Story" That Are Terrific, And 8 Things That Are Not So Great. We cut songs instead of actors. Why did Anita lie to the Jets, telling them Chino killed Maria? The story of West Side Story explores young love and tensions between two gangs on the streets of New York City—the white American Jets and the … There’s so much dancing around it makes it hard to see where we’re going. I’m not gonna do that.” They even doubled down by changing the cast’s bows from singular to group when notable boos could be heard during curtain call for Ramasar. Paige Levy, a 17-year-old New Yorker, is planning them. Character description, analysis and casting breakdown for Anita from West Side Story Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Notably, there is also a line in her bio, “believe survivors always.” Interestingly enough, Zegler indirectly responded to Ramasar’s casting when asked by a fan about van Hove’s vision: “There are worse discrepancies to have with this production beyond what songs are cut or their storytelling.”. 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