Lorna Courtney was barely out of the University of Michigan when Broadway first came calling. A native New Yorker – Queens, to be exact – and graduate of Manhattan’s performing arts Laguardia High School, Courtney was a standby in Dear Evan Hansen in 2019 and 2020 before being cast in director Ivo van Hove’s boldly reimagined West Side Story, a production that did away with the iconic Jerome Robbins in favor of the riskier, more avant-garde stylings of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker.
Both shows, but particularly the short-lived 2020 West Side Story – which closed due to the Covid pandemic shutdown and never re-opened – were learning experiences for Courtney, who now draws upon those earlier shows for her Tony-nominated performance as the star and title character of & Juliet. The musical, which features songs written by hit-maker Max Martin, has become one of Broadway’s most successful crowd-pleasers, routinely pulling in weekly grosses well in excess of $1 million and filling seats at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
Deadline spoke this week to Courtney as she gears up for Sunday’s Tony Awards. She’d just taped an appearance for The View and seemed to be operating on a combination of excitement, pride and maybe a jitter or two. She spoke of & Juliet, the Tonys, West Side Story, and the responsibilities and joys of leading a Broadway production night after night.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Lorna Courtney, ‘& Juliet’ (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: So, congratulations. What has this week been like for you?
Lorna Courtney: This week has been challenging in the best ways and also tiring in the best ways. Today I got up at 4:30 and performed on The View, and I met Whoopi Goldberg.
Deadline: Is it just the crazed schedule that’s challenging or are there other things weighing on you?
Courtney: Because this is my first lead role I didn’t know what to expect. I knew what it took to be a leader, but I didn’t know all of the expectations and all of the press things. It’s more than just doing the eight shows a week, and that I didn’t know, and I didn’t know how it would affect my body. First and foremost, I want to be as healthy as possible so I can do my job every night.
Deadline: I thought you were going to say “First and foremost I want to sleep.”
Courtney: Well, that too.
Deadline: You said you know how to be a leader. But I’m wondering how you learned that. This is your first lead role on Broadway.
Courtney: I like to think it’s because I take everyone into consideration and have everyone’s thoughts in my mind, that way I don’t not include anyone’s voice, by making sure everyone is heard, their concerns even if it’s like something in their personal life, I’ll talk to them and I’ll check in with them. I also like to bring a positive attitude to work, an uplifting one because we’re all tired these past couple of weeks. If one of us or some of us can at a ten while others are maybe at a a six or a seven, then it balances everything out.
Deadline: You were working at an Equinox Health Club when you got the news that you’d been cast in & Juliet. What a ride this must have been. How do you think coming so far so quickly impacts your performance as a leader?
Courtney: I think that because of all this great press and publicity that there are certain expectations of excellence, right? Well, this is live theater. Anything can happen, particularly with my character. The reason I love my character so much – and she’s a lot like me – is that she learns there is no such thing as perfection and it’s in the imperfections that we find grace and that we learn and that we grow as human beings. That’s what I love about my job, knowing that I don’t have to carry all of the burden because it’s really not about me. It really does take every single person in our production to make this show happen every night, and every single person was specifically picked for a reason that’s so individual, even in the way that they move. We don’t all move the same.
Deadline: Let’s talk about the Max Martin songs. Did knowing these hits beforehand give you any trepidation in performing them?
Courtney: I think initially the thought came into my head that, oh my gosh, these are songs that everyone knows and everyone knows so well. There is a bit of fear associated with that if you think of it as doing a cover version, but we are not doing covers of the songs. We’re actually storytelling using the lyrics, and even though a lot of the songs are recognizable, I think because of the new orchestrations they’re a bit different than what people expect. So you might not realize what the song is until certain lyrics come up, and then some people chuckle or giggle or laugh because they’re like, Oh! I know this song. Then they really listen because they’re hearing the words in a completely different way. And that’s how I approached them as an actor. Who am I talking to with this song, what am I trying to say? And that’s how I was able to disassociate them from the fact that they’re so famous. And it works.
Deadline: So there wasn’t the pressure of thinking, Ok, I’ve got to sound like Britney Spears here.
Courtney: I could try and sound like Britney Spears if we were doing that type of, like, impersonation, you know, that type of musical, but we’re not, and there’s so much freedom in that. Not once did Max say to me, ‘You need to sound this way.’ Maybe he gave me a little, like, ‘Oh you can scoop up on this part,’ but I think that’s why they chose me – they liked all of the musical experience and background that Lorna has, which comes from gospel music, jazz, R&b, pop, and studying opera in high school and musical theater in college.
Deadline: Yes, I suppose the songs have to be recognizable for the show but at the same time you have to bring yourself to them, or what’s the point?
Courtney: Exactly.
Deadline: Speaking of bringing yourself, let’s talk about the shows you did before & Juliet. What did you learn from Dear Evan Hansen and West Side Story. Especially West Side Story, which I think was a really interesting production that should have lasted longer.
Courtney: With Dear Evan Hansen, I went into that show a week after I graduated from U Mich and I was thrown into a show that had already been set, a show that was a commercial success. The direction was very specific and particular because they knew what worked and what didn’t. So there was some room for creativity but not much. But I will say that working with a smaller cast was really amazing and you become like family, which I love.
And then on the flip side of that, there was West Side Story, a revival. We all know West Side Story, but that version completely turned everything on its head and really looked at it with a different lens, literally because they integrated film into the musical and that was the first time that I’ve ever experienced having mixed media with theater. I thought it was beautiful. I mean, it took all of the elements of why we love film, the close-ups and the things that we normally wouldn’t be able to see sitting in a large Broadway theater.
And the dance was all new choreography, and the fight scenes looked like actual fight scenes because they weren’t doing ballet. They had knives. So it was dark, but it was human, and it was beautiful. We had two months of rehearsals figuring out what to do and creating a show as if it was a workshop, but we were going to Broadway. The cast was huge, and the orchestra was huge, and it was an amazing experience.
But Mia [Pinero] – the other understudy for the role of Maria – and I were put in an uncomfortable position. I didn’t even have a dance call for the show and I was thrown in as a dancer. It was completely new to me. I had no clue what style of dance [choreographer] Anne Teresa creates, and I didn’t know how to move my body like that, so it was very challenging. I think in the end it helped push me into expanding beyond what I think I can’t do, if that makes sense.
Courtney (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: What you think you can’t do that maybe you actually can.
Courtney: Exactly. Exactly. I can do it. And with this show, & Juliet, I mean, it is pretty impossible to do eight times a week. It’s very, very hard. Physically and of course vocally, it’s very challenging. The way I’m able to do it is when I’m not on stage I spend time working on my body and working with [movement consultant] Marcia Polas, who does craniosacral therapy and myofascial release techniques, and with Matt Farnsworth, our voice consultant for this show, to ensure that I’m keeping myself as healthy as possible. I haven’t had an injury. Yay!
Deadline: That’s really good to hear. People who are do eight shows a week, injuries are pretty common.
Courtney: After the show I get home as quickly as I can. I run a bath with Epsom salt. Heat up my prepared meals from CookUnity, and to save time I eat in the tub. Then after that I get on the ground and use different Pilates balls to release tension and reset my spine before I go to bed. Sometimes I’ll put on magnesium lotion and arnica gel. Cool down vocally. And then do it all again the next day.
Deadline: What’s the day like before you go into the show?
Courtney: It changes every day but as of late I haven’t had a day off really for the past month. Today is a Monday and I’m working. I’m doing performances whether it’s singing or interviews, which I’m happy and I’m blessed to do. I’m so blessed that this show is what it is and that people react to it the way that they do. The crowd goes wild, they absolutely love it, and they have the best time and they come back. They often message me or I’ll see them at the stage door and they’ll tell me, especially little girls, that they look up to me and are inspired. I’ll see them in the audience and that’s all that I want to do, to be there for them. I want them to be able to see themselves on stage and to see themselves as a lead and as a person of color who’s a lead.
Melanie La Barrie and Courtney (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: And Juliet is, finally, a lead in her own story. She’s not the plus-one anymore.
Courtney: And she let’s girls see that there is no such thing as perfection. As Mel [Melanie La Barrie, who plays Juliet’s nurse] sings, ‘You’re f’ing perfect to me.” It’s okay to make mistakes and it’s okay to pick yourself up and to try again. Juliet realizes that she loves herself, and that maybe the people who you think you should love the most, when they’re not there for you, it’s okay. You have your friends. You have the people in your life that are not your biological family but are family to you. She gives so much of her heart and supports everyone in the show, and by the end when she needs the support everyone comes to her, and she’s able to rise up on that platform and sing.
Deadline: One more question then I’ll let you go. The Tonys are this Sunday. What do you plan to do that day?
Courtney: You know, I don’t even have a dress yet, I really don’t. But I’m not worried about it. I’m hopeful everything will come together. I’m taking it as an opportunity to celebrate Broadway, to celebrate my peers, and I’m really glad that it’ll be happening and that it’s happening at the United Palace theater, such a historic theater, such a beautiful venue and space. And I will be performing at the Tony Awards! Like, I could cry. I will actually be performing on the Tony Awards, and that in and of itself is it for me. I’m so glad that I’m doing it with this show and with this cast. And then we’ll just see how the rest of the night goes.
Both shows, but particularly the short-lived 2020 West Side Story – which closed due to the Covid pandemic shutdown and never re-opened – were learning experiences for Courtney, who now draws upon those earlier shows for her Tony-nominated performance as the star and title character of & Juliet. The musical, which features songs written by hit-maker Max Martin, has become one of Broadway’s most successful crowd-pleasers, routinely pulling in weekly grosses well in excess of $1 million and filling seats at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
Deadline spoke this week to Courtney as she gears up for Sunday’s Tony Awards. She’d just taped an appearance for The View and seemed to be operating on a combination of excitement, pride and maybe a jitter or two. She spoke of & Juliet, the Tonys, West Side Story, and the responsibilities and joys of leading a Broadway production night after night.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Lorna Courtney, ‘& Juliet’ (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: So, congratulations. What has this week been like for you?
Lorna Courtney: This week has been challenging in the best ways and also tiring in the best ways. Today I got up at 4:30 and performed on The View, and I met Whoopi Goldberg.
Deadline: Is it just the crazed schedule that’s challenging or are there other things weighing on you?
Courtney: Because this is my first lead role I didn’t know what to expect. I knew what it took to be a leader, but I didn’t know all of the expectations and all of the press things. It’s more than just doing the eight shows a week, and that I didn’t know, and I didn’t know how it would affect my body. First and foremost, I want to be as healthy as possible so I can do my job every night.
Deadline: I thought you were going to say “First and foremost I want to sleep.”
Courtney: Well, that too.
Deadline: You said you know how to be a leader. But I’m wondering how you learned that. This is your first lead role on Broadway.
Courtney: I like to think it’s because I take everyone into consideration and have everyone’s thoughts in my mind, that way I don’t not include anyone’s voice, by making sure everyone is heard, their concerns even if it’s like something in their personal life, I’ll talk to them and I’ll check in with them. I also like to bring a positive attitude to work, an uplifting one because we’re all tired these past couple of weeks. If one of us or some of us can at a ten while others are maybe at a a six or a seven, then it balances everything out.
Deadline: You were working at an Equinox Health Club when you got the news that you’d been cast in & Juliet. What a ride this must have been. How do you think coming so far so quickly impacts your performance as a leader?
Courtney: I think that because of all this great press and publicity that there are certain expectations of excellence, right? Well, this is live theater. Anything can happen, particularly with my character. The reason I love my character so much – and she’s a lot like me – is that she learns there is no such thing as perfection and it’s in the imperfections that we find grace and that we learn and that we grow as human beings. That’s what I love about my job, knowing that I don’t have to carry all of the burden because it’s really not about me. It really does take every single person in our production to make this show happen every night, and every single person was specifically picked for a reason that’s so individual, even in the way that they move. We don’t all move the same.
Deadline: Let’s talk about the Max Martin songs. Did knowing these hits beforehand give you any trepidation in performing them?
Courtney: I think initially the thought came into my head that, oh my gosh, these are songs that everyone knows and everyone knows so well. There is a bit of fear associated with that if you think of it as doing a cover version, but we are not doing covers of the songs. We’re actually storytelling using the lyrics, and even though a lot of the songs are recognizable, I think because of the new orchestrations they’re a bit different than what people expect. So you might not realize what the song is until certain lyrics come up, and then some people chuckle or giggle or laugh because they’re like, Oh! I know this song. Then they really listen because they’re hearing the words in a completely different way. And that’s how I approached them as an actor. Who am I talking to with this song, what am I trying to say? And that’s how I was able to disassociate them from the fact that they’re so famous. And it works.
Deadline: So there wasn’t the pressure of thinking, Ok, I’ve got to sound like Britney Spears here.
Courtney: I could try and sound like Britney Spears if we were doing that type of, like, impersonation, you know, that type of musical, but we’re not, and there’s so much freedom in that. Not once did Max say to me, ‘You need to sound this way.’ Maybe he gave me a little, like, ‘Oh you can scoop up on this part,’ but I think that’s why they chose me – they liked all of the musical experience and background that Lorna has, which comes from gospel music, jazz, R&b, pop, and studying opera in high school and musical theater in college.
Deadline: Yes, I suppose the songs have to be recognizable for the show but at the same time you have to bring yourself to them, or what’s the point?
Courtney: Exactly.
Deadline: Speaking of bringing yourself, let’s talk about the shows you did before & Juliet. What did you learn from Dear Evan Hansen and West Side Story. Especially West Side Story, which I think was a really interesting production that should have lasted longer.
Courtney: With Dear Evan Hansen, I went into that show a week after I graduated from U Mich and I was thrown into a show that had already been set, a show that was a commercial success. The direction was very specific and particular because they knew what worked and what didn’t. So there was some room for creativity but not much. But I will say that working with a smaller cast was really amazing and you become like family, which I love.
And then on the flip side of that, there was West Side Story, a revival. We all know West Side Story, but that version completely turned everything on its head and really looked at it with a different lens, literally because they integrated film into the musical and that was the first time that I’ve ever experienced having mixed media with theater. I thought it was beautiful. I mean, it took all of the elements of why we love film, the close-ups and the things that we normally wouldn’t be able to see sitting in a large Broadway theater.
And the dance was all new choreography, and the fight scenes looked like actual fight scenes because they weren’t doing ballet. They had knives. So it was dark, but it was human, and it was beautiful. We had two months of rehearsals figuring out what to do and creating a show as if it was a workshop, but we were going to Broadway. The cast was huge, and the orchestra was huge, and it was an amazing experience.
But Mia [Pinero] – the other understudy for the role of Maria – and I were put in an uncomfortable position. I didn’t even have a dance call for the show and I was thrown in as a dancer. It was completely new to me. I had no clue what style of dance [choreographer] Anne Teresa creates, and I didn’t know how to move my body like that, so it was very challenging. I think in the end it helped push me into expanding beyond what I think I can’t do, if that makes sense.
Courtney (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: What you think you can’t do that maybe you actually can.
Courtney: Exactly. Exactly. I can do it. And with this show, & Juliet, I mean, it is pretty impossible to do eight times a week. It’s very, very hard. Physically and of course vocally, it’s very challenging. The way I’m able to do it is when I’m not on stage I spend time working on my body and working with [movement consultant] Marcia Polas, who does craniosacral therapy and myofascial release techniques, and with Matt Farnsworth, our voice consultant for this show, to ensure that I’m keeping myself as healthy as possible. I haven’t had an injury. Yay!
Deadline: That’s really good to hear. People who are do eight shows a week, injuries are pretty common.
Courtney: After the show I get home as quickly as I can. I run a bath with Epsom salt. Heat up my prepared meals from CookUnity, and to save time I eat in the tub. Then after that I get on the ground and use different Pilates balls to release tension and reset my spine before I go to bed. Sometimes I’ll put on magnesium lotion and arnica gel. Cool down vocally. And then do it all again the next day.
Deadline: What’s the day like before you go into the show?
Courtney: It changes every day but as of late I haven’t had a day off really for the past month. Today is a Monday and I’m working. I’m doing performances whether it’s singing or interviews, which I’m happy and I’m blessed to do. I’m so blessed that this show is what it is and that people react to it the way that they do. The crowd goes wild, they absolutely love it, and they have the best time and they come back. They often message me or I’ll see them at the stage door and they’ll tell me, especially little girls, that they look up to me and are inspired. I’ll see them in the audience and that’s all that I want to do, to be there for them. I want them to be able to see themselves on stage and to see themselves as a lead and as a person of color who’s a lead.
Melanie La Barrie and Courtney (Credit: Matthew Murphy)
Deadline: And Juliet is, finally, a lead in her own story. She’s not the plus-one anymore.
Courtney: And she let’s girls see that there is no such thing as perfection. As Mel [Melanie La Barrie, who plays Juliet’s nurse] sings, ‘You’re f’ing perfect to me.” It’s okay to make mistakes and it’s okay to pick yourself up and to try again. Juliet realizes that she loves herself, and that maybe the people who you think you should love the most, when they’re not there for you, it’s okay. You have your friends. You have the people in your life that are not your biological family but are family to you. She gives so much of her heart and supports everyone in the show, and by the end when she needs the support everyone comes to her, and she’s able to rise up on that platform and sing.
Deadline: One more question then I’ll let you go. The Tonys are this Sunday. What do you plan to do that day?
Courtney: You know, I don’t even have a dress yet, I really don’t. But I’m not worried about it. I’m hopeful everything will come together. I’m taking it as an opportunity to celebrate Broadway, to celebrate my peers, and I’m really glad that it’ll be happening and that it’s happening at the United Palace theater, such a historic theater, such a beautiful venue and space. And I will be performing at the Tony Awards! Like, I could cry. I will actually be performing on the Tony Awards, and that in and of itself is it for me. I’m so glad that I’m doing it with this show and with this cast. And then we’ll just see how the rest of the night goes.
- 6/7/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The French director on being mesmerised by the film Memoria, and her love of Tindersticks, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and the Mediterranean
Born in Paris in 1946 but raised in west Africa, the film director Claire Denis worked as an assistant to film-makers such as Jacques Rivette and Wim Wenders before making her unforgettable debut with Chocolat (1988), a semi-autobiographical film set in Cameroon. Her work is broad-ranging, including fiction and documentary. Highlights include Beau Travail (1999), loosely based on Herman Melville’s Billy Budd, and more recently High Life (2018), her first film in English, which starred Robert Pattinson. She has two new films: Both Sides of the Blade, which won the best director prize at the Berlin film festival and is in cinemas and on Curzon Home Cinema now, and Stars at Noon, joint winner of the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes.
Born in Paris in 1946 but raised in west Africa, the film director Claire Denis worked as an assistant to film-makers such as Jacques Rivette and Wim Wenders before making her unforgettable debut with Chocolat (1988), a semi-autobiographical film set in Cameroon. Her work is broad-ranging, including fiction and documentary. Highlights include Beau Travail (1999), loosely based on Herman Melville’s Billy Budd, and more recently High Life (2018), her first film in English, which starred Robert Pattinson. She has two new films: Both Sides of the Blade, which won the best director prize at the Berlin film festival and is in cinemas and on Curzon Home Cinema now, and Stars at Noon, joint winner of the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes.
- 9/10/2022
- by Sarah Crompton
- The Guardian - Film News
The revival of West Side Story will not return when Broadway repoens its doors in September, producer Kate Horton said on Monday. The iconic musical was one of only a handful of major titles that had not made an official announcement about its return plans after New York declared back in May that theatres could return to 100% capacity on September 14, more than 18 months after the industry was shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.
“It is with great regret that we are announcing today that the 2020 Broadway revival of West Side Story will not reopen,” Horton said. “This difficult and painful decision comes after we have explored every possible path to a successful run, and unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, reopening is not a practical proposition. We thank all the brilliant, creative artists who brought West Side Story to life at the Broadway Theatre, even for so brief a time,...
“It is with great regret that we are announcing today that the 2020 Broadway revival of West Side Story will not reopen,” Horton said. “This difficult and painful decision comes after we have explored every possible path to a successful run, and unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, reopening is not a practical proposition. We thank all the brilliant, creative artists who brought West Side Story to life at the Broadway Theatre, even for so brief a time,...
- 8/9/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The 65th Annual Drama Desk Awards honoring the best in New York theater were announced Saturday night, with The Inheritance being named Outstanding Play and A Strange Loop taking the trophy for Outstanding Musical.
The remote ceremony was hosted by Frank Dilella. Normally, the awards are announced at a gathering of theater artists and critics in New York City. But this year, the gathering was replaced by a pre-recorded ceremony because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The awards show had initially been scheduled to air May 31, but was postponed due to the Black Lives Matter protests in New York City.
Tonight’s ceremony aired on NY1 and streamed on NY1.com and DramaDeskAwards.com. The Drama Desk Awards recipients were decided by theater critics, journalists, editors and publishers covering theater. Read the complete list of winners below.
65th Annual Drama Desk Award Winners:
Outstanding Play
Cambodian Rock Band, by Lauren Yee,...
The remote ceremony was hosted by Frank Dilella. Normally, the awards are announced at a gathering of theater artists and critics in New York City. But this year, the gathering was replaced by a pre-recorded ceremony because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The awards show had initially been scheduled to air May 31, but was postponed due to the Black Lives Matter protests in New York City.
Tonight’s ceremony aired on NY1 and streamed on NY1.com and DramaDeskAwards.com. The Drama Desk Awards recipients were decided by theater critics, journalists, editors and publishers covering theater. Read the complete list of winners below.
65th Annual Drama Desk Award Winners:
Outstanding Play
Cambodian Rock Band, by Lauren Yee,...
- 6/14/2020
- by Anita Bennett
- Deadline Film + TV
“West Side Story,” one of the most beloved and enduring Broadway musicals of all time, has often been seen on the Great White Way since it premiered more than sixty years ago, but never quite like this. The revolutionary musical has been reimagined in equally revolutionary fashion this season by Tony-winning director Ivo van Hove (“A View From the Bridge”), whose production opened at the Broadway Theatre on February 20.
This modern, taut staging of the Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents musical stars Isaac Powell and Shereen Pimentel as star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria, who lead a company that boasts dozens of Broadway debuts. To distinguish his take on this iconic material, van Hove enlisted Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker to contribute new choreography––controversially replacing Jerome Robbins’ original, indelible dances––as well as designer Luke Halls to create videos that accompany the onstage action on a massive screen that...
This modern, taut staging of the Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents musical stars Isaac Powell and Shereen Pimentel as star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria, who lead a company that boasts dozens of Broadway debuts. To distinguish his take on this iconic material, van Hove enlisted Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker to contribute new choreography––controversially replacing Jerome Robbins’ original, indelible dances––as well as designer Luke Halls to create videos that accompany the onstage action on a massive screen that...
- 2/21/2020
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
It’s safe to say you’ve never seen West Side Story like this before.
Visionary director and Tony winner Ivo Van Hove has completely transformed Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s legendary 1957 musical for its new Broadway revival, which opened at New York City’s Broadway Theatre Thursday night. And while his wild changes sometimes clash with Arthur Laurents’ celebrated book, this bold and gritty new West Side Story stands apart from any production before it in a fresh and admirable way.
So just how different is this West Side Story? Well, the Romeo and Juliet-inspired plot remains,...
Visionary director and Tony winner Ivo Van Hove has completely transformed Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s legendary 1957 musical for its new Broadway revival, which opened at New York City’s Broadway Theatre Thursday night. And while his wild changes sometimes clash with Arthur Laurents’ celebrated book, this bold and gritty new West Side Story stands apart from any production before it in a fresh and admirable way.
So just how different is this West Side Story? Well, the Romeo and Juliet-inspired plot remains,...
- 2/21/2020
- by Dave Quinn
- PEOPLE.com
One of the breathtaking moments in director Ivo van Hove’s bold, gorgeous multi-media re-imagining of the great New York musical West Side Story comes when those famously brawling street gangs restrain the tale’s star-crossed lovers from kissing. Each side pulls its own, tug-of-war-style, one holding back Tony, the other Maria, and it takes every last Jet and Shark to do the job. They succeed, more or less and just barely.
If there’s a fresher, more vivid way to interpret “Tonight,” that classic ballad of hope and anticipation, it likely hasn’t been seen since this 1957 Broadway masterwork debuted all those decades ago. The tableau – at once funny and ominous – is set against a video backdrop depicting a New York street as rainy and full of shadow as any film noir. Theatrical stylization collides bang-on with cinematic realism, and the result is thrilling.
Opening tonight at the Broadway Theatre,...
If there’s a fresher, more vivid way to interpret “Tonight,” that classic ballad of hope and anticipation, it likely hasn’t been seen since this 1957 Broadway masterwork debuted all those decades ago. The tableau – at once funny and ominous – is set against a video backdrop depicting a New York street as rainy and full of shadow as any film noir. Theatrical stylization collides bang-on with cinematic realism, and the result is thrilling.
Opening tonight at the Broadway Theatre,...
- 2/21/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
If we’re being honest, West Side Story has seemed a little out of date for quite a while.
Rather than having the rebellious teenagers of the 1950s represented through rock & roll, the musical about Puerto Ricans newly arrived to New York City being targeted by earlier immigrants (Irish, Poles, and Italians) had Leonard Bernstein’s magnificent dissonant score coupled with Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics that capture the collision of rhythms and impulses. The book by Arthur Laurents is lean but filled with lines like, “Ya done good, Buddy boy” and “Thanks,...
Rather than having the rebellious teenagers of the 1950s represented through rock & roll, the musical about Puerto Ricans newly arrived to New York City being targeted by earlier immigrants (Irish, Poles, and Italians) had Leonard Bernstein’s magnificent dissonant score coupled with Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics that capture the collision of rhythms and impulses. The book by Arthur Laurents is lean but filled with lines like, “Ya done good, Buddy boy” and “Thanks,...
- 2/21/2020
- by Jerry Portwood
- Rollingstone.com
A second actor in Broadway’s West Side Story has suffered an onstage injury, and this time he’ll leave the show: Ben Cook, who played the role of Riff, sustained the unspecified injury Sunday evening and will be replaced by cast member Dharon E. Jones.
Jones, making his Broadway debut, currently plays the character Action in director Ivo van Hove’s staging in previews at the Broadway Theatre. No announcement was made about a replacement for Action.
The switch was announced today by producers Scott Rudin, Barry Diller and David Geffen today.
The news comes just short of three weeks after the show’s leading man Isaac Powell sustained an onstage knee injury, prompting the postponement of the revival’s opening from Feb. 6 to Feb. 20 as Powell’s understudy temporarily fills in.
The West Side Story revival, with all new choreography by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker replacing the classic Jerome Robbins steps,...
Jones, making his Broadway debut, currently plays the character Action in director Ivo van Hove’s staging in previews at the Broadway Theatre. No announcement was made about a replacement for Action.
The switch was announced today by producers Scott Rudin, Barry Diller and David Geffen today.
The news comes just short of three weeks after the show’s leading man Isaac Powell sustained an onstage knee injury, prompting the postponement of the revival’s opening from Feb. 6 to Feb. 20 as Powell’s understudy temporarily fills in.
The West Side Story revival, with all new choreography by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker replacing the classic Jerome Robbins steps,...
- 1/9/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Producer Scott Rudin is postponing the Feb. 6 Broadway opening of director Ivo van Hove’s much-anticipated West Side Story by two weeks after an onstage knee injury Friday left leading man Isaac Powell limping toward the end of the show.
“We’re postponing two weeks – from February 6 to February 20 – to give Isaac the chance to recover from an injury to his knee, so that he can have the same duration of preview playing period we’ve always had scheduled,” Rudin tells Deadline. “Luckily he is much braver than me and will be back and playing his full, remarkable show very shortly.”
The exact nature of the injury was not disclosed, but apparently occurred during the Friday Dec. 20 performance. Powell, who plays Tony – the male half of West Side Story‘s Romeo and Juliet tale – is expected to return for the Feb. 20 opening.
Powell’s stand-by Jordan Dobson will play the role until Powell returns.
“We’re postponing two weeks – from February 6 to February 20 – to give Isaac the chance to recover from an injury to his knee, so that he can have the same duration of preview playing period we’ve always had scheduled,” Rudin tells Deadline. “Luckily he is much braver than me and will be back and playing his full, remarkable show very shortly.”
The exact nature of the injury was not disclosed, but apparently occurred during the Friday Dec. 20 performance. Powell, who plays Tony – the male half of West Side Story‘s Romeo and Juliet tale – is expected to return for the Feb. 20 opening.
Powell’s stand-by Jordan Dobson will play the role until Powell returns.
- 12/24/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Well, that was fast: Director Ivo van Hove’s West Side Story joined Broadway’s Million Dollar Club after only six previews, grossing $1,254,440 in its first week of performances.
The musical revival, with all-new choreography by Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, filled all seats at the Broadway Theatre for the week ending December 15, with a hefty $120 average ticket price pushing box office receipts to 97% of the production’s potential.
The strong showing chipped in to keep total Broadway box office of $38,869,141 about even with the previous week, despite a roster of 34 productions that’s one fewer than the week before. Total attendance was 302,872, about 2% more than the previous week.
West Side Story, featuring a record-setting cast of 32 Broadway first-timers, certainly is one of the most anticipated shows of the season, stoked by van Hove’s reputation, the beloved score and an intriguing New York TV ad campaign that preceded the show by months.
The musical revival, with all-new choreography by Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, filled all seats at the Broadway Theatre for the week ending December 15, with a hefty $120 average ticket price pushing box office receipts to 97% of the production’s potential.
The strong showing chipped in to keep total Broadway box office of $38,869,141 about even with the previous week, despite a roster of 34 productions that’s one fewer than the week before. Total attendance was 302,872, about 2% more than the previous week.
West Side Story, featuring a record-setting cast of 32 Broadway first-timers, certainly is one of the most anticipated shows of the season, stoked by van Hove’s reputation, the beloved score and an intriguing New York TV ad campaign that preceded the show by months.
- 12/16/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Something great is coming Rehearsals are currently underway for this season's Broadway revival of the classic musical West Side Story, directed by Tony winner Ivo van Hove.Thenew production is directed by Tony Award winner Ivo van Hove and for the first time ever in the United States, will feature all-new choreography by the internationally acclaimed Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker. West Side Story will begin previews on December 10, 2019 and open February 6th, 2020 at the Broadway Theatre.
- 12/2/2019
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Casting for director Ivo van Hove’s upcoming Broadway revival of West Side Story was announced today by producers Scott Rudin, Barry Diller and David Geffen, with what they’re calling an unprecedented 23 actors making their Broadway debuts.
The production, with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s all-new choreography in place of the familiar moves of Jerome Robbins, begins performances on December 10 at the Broadway Theatre, with opening night set for February 6, 2020.
The cast will include Shereen Pimentel as Maria, Isaac Powell as Tony, Yesenia Ayala as Anita, Amar Ramasar as Bernardo, Ben Cook as Riff, Ahmad Simmons as Diesel, Danny Wolohan as Officer Krupke, Jacob Guzman as Chino, Kevin Csolak as A-Rab, Matthew Johnson (debut) as Baby John, Dharon E. Jones (debut) as Action, Zuri Noelle Ford (debut) as Anybodys, Daniel Oreskes as Doc, Pippa Pearthree as Glad Hand and Thomas Jay Ryan as Lt. Schrank.
The ensemble will include...
The production, with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s all-new choreography in place of the familiar moves of Jerome Robbins, begins performances on December 10 at the Broadway Theatre, with opening night set for February 6, 2020.
The cast will include Shereen Pimentel as Maria, Isaac Powell as Tony, Yesenia Ayala as Anita, Amar Ramasar as Bernardo, Ben Cook as Riff, Ahmad Simmons as Diesel, Danny Wolohan as Officer Krupke, Jacob Guzman as Chino, Kevin Csolak as A-Rab, Matthew Johnson (debut) as Baby John, Dharon E. Jones (debut) as Action, Zuri Noelle Ford (debut) as Anybodys, Daniel Oreskes as Doc, Pippa Pearthree as Glad Hand and Thomas Jay Ryan as Lt. Schrank.
The ensemble will include...
- 7/10/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The UTA board of directors said Friday that the agency has promoted eight agents to partner, repping a 13% expansion of the group. The promotions come from across UTA’s businesses including theater, music, TV, movies and video games.
The new partners include two division heads — Video Games’ Ophir Lupu and Theatre’s Mark Subias — along with Jacob Fenton, Ken Fermaglich, Susie Fox, Ben Jacobson, John Sacks and Bec Smith.
“These eight individuals from across our business have been a critical part of UTA’s growth over the past years,” UTA said in a statement announcing the news. “Their appointments reflect not just the longstanding contributions each has made, but their leadership, innovation and commitment to creating unique opportunities for our clients. We are proud to have them join our partnership.”
More info her, per UTA:
Jacob Fenton, an 18-year UTA veteran who started in the mailroom in 2001 and rose through...
The new partners include two division heads — Video Games’ Ophir Lupu and Theatre’s Mark Subias — along with Jacob Fenton, Ken Fermaglich, Susie Fox, Ben Jacobson, John Sacks and Bec Smith.
“These eight individuals from across our business have been a critical part of UTA’s growth over the past years,” UTA said in a statement announcing the news. “Their appointments reflect not just the longstanding contributions each has made, but their leadership, innovation and commitment to creating unique opportunities for our clients. We are proud to have them join our partnership.”
More info her, per UTA:
Jacob Fenton, an 18-year UTA veteran who started in the mailroom in 2001 and rose through...
- 1/25/2019
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
The forthcoming Broadway revival of West Side Story will hold a nationwide search for contemporary dancers of all ethnicities Think you have what it takes to join director Ivo van Hove and choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for this reimagining of one of the most famous theatrical works of all time The open dance call will take place on Saturday, December 8, with sign-in beginning at 830 Am for men, and 1230 Pm for women.
- 11/16/2018
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
On Broadway and beyond, a curtain can rise as quickly as it can fall; a star can be swapped as easily as Bernie Telsey can say, “That’s enough.” Theater is the beating heart of New York show business and, if you want to make it here, it’s crucial you’re up to date on incoming projects, latest castings, and other industry news. Don’t worry, Broadway baby, Backstage has your back. Every week, we’re rounding up the can’t-miss stories no thespian should live without, so you can focus on important matters like hitting your high F. Curtain up and light those lights! A girl named Maria will re-introduce herself.The golden age classic “West Side Story” will return to Broadway in a new production in 2019, producer Scott Rudin has announced. The Jerome Robbins, Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim tuner will be directed by Ivo...
- 7/12/2018
- backstage.com
Director Ivo van Hove will stage a major new production of West Side Story for Broadway next season, with new choreography by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. The revival, produced by Scott Rudin, will begin performances December 10, 2019, with an official opening night of February 6, 2020, at a theater to be announced.
“This is Ivo van Hove’s first Broadway musical,” said Stephen Sondheim, the classic musical’s lyricist, “and I’m eager to see what he does with it. What keeps theater alive over time is reinterpretation, and when that reinterpretation is as invigorating as his productions of A View from the Bridge and The Crucible, it makes for something to look forward to with excitement.”
The new production of the 1957 Jerome Robbins/Arthur Laurents/Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim classic, which was adapted for the screen in 1961 (see photo above) was announced today by Rudin.
David Saint, literary executor of the Arthur Laurents Estate,...
“This is Ivo van Hove’s first Broadway musical,” said Stephen Sondheim, the classic musical’s lyricist, “and I’m eager to see what he does with it. What keeps theater alive over time is reinterpretation, and when that reinterpretation is as invigorating as his productions of A View from the Bridge and The Crucible, it makes for something to look forward to with excitement.”
The new production of the 1957 Jerome Robbins/Arthur Laurents/Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim classic, which was adapted for the screen in 1961 (see photo above) was announced today by Rudin.
David Saint, literary executor of the Arthur Laurents Estate,...
- 7/12/2018
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
When Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker set a challenge for anyone to dance a section of her work Rosas Danst Rosas, 1,500 people responded, and in the process entirely changed the piece
Reading on mobile? Click to view
Back in 2011, the Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker famously got into a brief spat with Beyoncé, accusing the singer of plagiarising elements of her choreography for the video Countdown.
De Keersmaeker claimed acidly that she'd seen local schoolkids perform these moves with greater skill than Beyoncé. And in June she acted on that claim, inviting children all over the world to film themselves dancing this particular section of choreography, along with any other interested fans.
The material in question is taken from the 1983 dance Rosas Danst Rosas, in which four seated women perform a sequence of repetitive moves, fiercely exaggerated versions of ordinary gestures like fiddling with their hair, adjusting their clothes, slouching,...
Reading on mobile? Click to view
Back in 2011, the Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker famously got into a brief spat with Beyoncé, accusing the singer of plagiarising elements of her choreography for the video Countdown.
De Keersmaeker claimed acidly that she'd seen local schoolkids perform these moves with greater skill than Beyoncé. And in June she acted on that claim, inviting children all over the world to film themselves dancing this particular section of choreography, along with any other interested fans.
The material in question is taken from the 1983 dance Rosas Danst Rosas, in which four seated women perform a sequence of repetitive moves, fiercely exaggerated versions of ordinary gestures like fiddling with their hair, adjusting their clothes, slouching,...
- 10/9/2013
- by Judith Mackrell
- The Guardian - Film News
Washington, Oct 12(Ani): Beyonce has admitted that the dance moves in her latest single 'Countdown' have been inspired by Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker's 1983 piece 'Rosas danst Rosas'.
Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker vented out her anger for not being approached before 'her' moves were used in the clip and threatened to sue Beyonce on charges of plagiarism. She claimed that the singer and video director Adria Perry stole the moves, costumes and staging from her piece.
Reacting to the accusation, the singer admitted that De Keersmaeker's work was an influence on the video.
"Clearly, the ballet Rosas danst Rosas was one of many references for my video Countdown. It was one of the inspirations used to.
Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker vented out her anger for not being approached before 'her' moves were used in the clip and threatened to sue Beyonce on charges of plagiarism. She claimed that the singer and video director Adria Perry stole the moves, costumes and staging from her piece.
Reacting to the accusation, the singer admitted that De Keersmaeker's work was an influence on the video.
"Clearly, the ballet Rosas danst Rosas was one of many references for my video Countdown. It was one of the inspirations used to.
- 10/12/2011
- by Shiva Prakash
- RealBollywood.com
Beyoncé is coming under some heavy fire after the release of her Beyonce’s latest music video, “Countdown.” Several people are now saying that Beyonce might have stolen some of the choreography from Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s “Rosas danst Rosas.” De Keersmaeker has released a response about Beyoncé using her choreography, saying, “Like so many people, I was extremely surprised when I got a message through Facebook about the special appearance of my two choreographies in Beyoncé’s new video clip ‘Countdown’…People asked me if I’m angry or honored. Neither, on the one hand, I am glad that ‘Rosas danst Rosas’ can perhaps reach a mass audience which such a...
- 10/12/2011
- by monique
- ShockYa
It's not exactly a fun day to be a part of the Creole Custard Vagina Of All That Is Good Preach Holy Tabernacle. Not only are rumors raging like the Red Sea about Our Lady Of Golden Perfection supposedly faking her pregancy (gasp), but that choreographer who just found out that Bey Bey bit her moves for that countdown video decided to finally address the fact that she was used as inspiration for the new clip without her permission. From her company's website:
"Like so many people, I was extremely surprised when I got a message through Facebook about the special appearance of my two choreographies – Rosas danst Rosas (1983) and Achterland (1990) in Beyoncé’s new videoclip Countdown. I was asked if I were now selling out Rosas into the commercial circuit… When I saw the actual video, I was struck by the resemblance of Beyoncé’s clip not only with...
"Like so many people, I was extremely surprised when I got a message through Facebook about the special appearance of my two choreographies – Rosas danst Rosas (1983) and Achterland (1990) in Beyoncé’s new videoclip Countdown. I was asked if I were now selling out Rosas into the commercial circuit… When I saw the actual video, I was struck by the resemblance of Beyoncé’s clip not only with...
- 10/11/2011
- by Terron R. Moore
- Celebsology
Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker is not 'angry or honored' by similarities to her '80s and '90s dances.
By Gil Kaufman
Beyoncé in her video for "Countdown"
Photo: Columbia
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker is not flattered — nor angry — about claims that Beyoncé's "Countdown" video pays unattributed homage to one of her clips.
"Like so many people, I was extremely surprised when I got a message through Facebook about the special appearance of my two choreographies — 'Rosas danst Rosas' (1983) and 'Achterland' (1990) — in Beyoncé's new videoclip 'Countdown,' " De Keersmaeker wrote in a statement on the Performance Club website on Monday.
Not long after the clip for B's latest debuted, a number of websites pointed out the similarities between De Keersmaeker's work and the steps in Beyoncé's video. Before those side-by-side comparisons started popping up, the video's director,...
By Gil Kaufman
Beyoncé in her video for "Countdown"
Photo: Columbia
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker is not flattered — nor angry — about claims that Beyoncé's "Countdown" video pays unattributed homage to one of her clips.
"Like so many people, I was extremely surprised when I got a message through Facebook about the special appearance of my two choreographies — 'Rosas danst Rosas' (1983) and 'Achterland' (1990) — in Beyoncé's new videoclip 'Countdown,' " De Keersmaeker wrote in a statement on the Performance Club website on Monday.
Not long after the clip for B's latest debuted, a number of websites pointed out the similarities between De Keersmaeker's work and the steps in Beyoncé's video. Before those side-by-side comparisons started popping up, the video's director,...
- 10/11/2011
- MTV Music News
A glowing and makeup-free Beyonce stepped out over the weekend, showing off her growing belly, but the "Single Ladies" singer wasn't alone. Her hubby, Jay-z, was spotted out with the mom-to-be shopping at Intermix in New York City with another famous friend -- Kanye West.
The trio browsed the clothing store, while sipping on some beverages, and Jay-z even managed to squeeze in a quick Pda moment with his bride. The threesome exited the store and sped off in the waiting town cars but it wasn't before they created some buzz in the store.
Beyonce's shopping spree isn't the only thing creating a little buzz today. After debuting her video for "Countdown" last week, she found herself in the middle of quite a controversy. Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, a Belgian choreographer, is accusing the superstar of ripping off her dance moves for the new video.
Photos:
Check out more...
The trio browsed the clothing store, while sipping on some beverages, and Jay-z even managed to squeeze in a quick Pda moment with his bride. The threesome exited the store and sped off in the waiting town cars but it wasn't before they created some buzz in the store.
Beyonce's shopping spree isn't the only thing creating a little buzz today. After debuting her video for "Countdown" last week, she found herself in the middle of quite a controversy. Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, a Belgian choreographer, is accusing the superstar of ripping off her dance moves for the new video.
Photos:
Check out more...
- 10/10/2011
- by Katelyn Mullen
- Huffington Post
It’s hard to question the perfection of Beyoncé’s “Countdown” video; when we first saw it, we thought our faces would melt off like in Raiders Of The Lost Ark from its flawlessness. Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, however, is definitely not pleased with Queen Bey’s creation, and is now alleging Beyoncé’s “Countdown” video plagiarizes her dance routines. “I didn’t know anything about it. I’m not mad, but this is plagiarism,” De Keersmaker allegedly told a Danish blog. Thus the seeds of the world’s greatest breakdance fight were planted.
The targets of De Keersmaeker’s accusation include a section of the video performed by ballerinas while Beyoncé looks into the camera, as well as another dance that is supposedly similar to one that won the choreographer the Dance Screen award in 1994. Say De Keersmaker, “What’s rude about it is that they don...
The targets of De Keersmaeker’s accusation include a section of the video performed by ballerinas while Beyoncé looks into the camera, as well as another dance that is supposedly similar to one that won the choreographer the Dance Screen award in 1994. Say De Keersmaker, “What’s rude about it is that they don...
- 10/10/2011
- by Halle Kiefer
- TheFabLife - Movies
Beyonce has been getting a ton of buzz for her new video for "Countdown," in which she shows off her baby bump and went for a retro look, channeling Audrey Hepburn. But the buzz isn't all good and the pregnant diva has been accused of ripping off dance moves by Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker.
According to AceShowbiz.com De Keersmaker told a Danish blog that she had not been asked permission for her choreography to be performed, "I didn't know anything about it. I'm not mad, but this is plagiarism," she said.
The video contains two dance routines that have come under scrutiny, reports The Gaurdian.
The first uses a spit-screen effect with Beyonce on the left and three ballet dancers performing a routine on the right, that closely resembles moves that appear in the Belgian choreographer's first work with her company, Rosas Danst Rosas. In another part of the video,...
According to AceShowbiz.com De Keersmaker told a Danish blog that she had not been asked permission for her choreography to be performed, "I didn't know anything about it. I'm not mad, but this is plagiarism," she said.
The video contains two dance routines that have come under scrutiny, reports The Gaurdian.
The first uses a spit-screen effect with Beyonce on the left and three ballet dancers performing a routine on the right, that closely resembles moves that appear in the Belgian choreographer's first work with her company, Rosas Danst Rosas. In another part of the video,...
- 10/10/2011
- by Stephanie Marcus
- Huffington Post
Beyoncé has been accused of plagiarism over her new music video. The singer debuted the promo for her latest 4 single 'Countdown' last week, but has now faced claims of plagiarism from Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. The video's director Adria Petty has previously confirmed that she and Beyoncé took inspiration from a number of European sources. Petty told MTV News: "I brought Beyoncé a number of references and we picked some out together. Most were German modern-dance references, believe it or not. But it really evolved." However, Keersmaeker has criticised the star's team for not contacting her for directly using her choreography. She told a Danish blog: "I didn't (more)...
- 10/10/2011
- by By Lewis Corner
- Digital Spy
Washington, Oct 10: Beyonce Knowles has been accused of plagiarising a Belgian choreographer's dance moves in her new music video 'Countdown'.
According to AceShowbiz.com, the singer is facing fresh allegations that she copied a routine from two of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker's productions for the latest video, reports Contactmusic.
"I didn't know anything about this. I'm not mad, but this is plagiarism... This is stealing. They took pieces from Achterland and Rosas danst Rosas," Keersmaeker wrote on a Danish blog.
"It's a bit rude, I must say. What's rude about it is that they don't even bother about hiding it. They seem to think they could do it because it's a famous work... Am I honoured? Look, I've seen local school.
According to AceShowbiz.com, the singer is facing fresh allegations that she copied a routine from two of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker's productions for the latest video, reports Contactmusic.
"I didn't know anything about this. I'm not mad, but this is plagiarism... This is stealing. They took pieces from Achterland and Rosas danst Rosas," Keersmaeker wrote on a Danish blog.
"It's a bit rude, I must say. What's rude about it is that they don't even bother about hiding it. They seem to think they could do it because it's a famous work... Am I honoured? Look, I've seen local school.
- 10/10/2011
- by Machan Kumar
- RealBollywood.com
Beyonce's new 'Countdown' video is filled with flashy colors, dance numbers and a revealing baby bump. It's also filled with supposed ripped off dance moves from another choreographer.
Beyonce is being accused once again of stealing someone else's dance moves and creativity. This time it's not for being 'inspired' by other choreographers for her 'Single Ladies' video. Instead, its for taking a variety of sequence shots from Belgian contemporary choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker.
The last time an artist was accused of stealing a style was Rihanna with her 'S&M' video. It looked exactly like the work by famed photographer Dave Lachapelle.
Check out the similarities here.
--
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Follow me on twitter: @rosewebber
Want to connect with more Celebrity Ologists? Join the conversation at My.Ology and enter for a chance to win $1,000.
...
Beyonce is being accused once again of stealing someone else's dance moves and creativity. This time it's not for being 'inspired' by other choreographers for her 'Single Ladies' video. Instead, its for taking a variety of sequence shots from Belgian contemporary choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker.
The last time an artist was accused of stealing a style was Rihanna with her 'S&M' video. It looked exactly like the work by famed photographer Dave Lachapelle.
Check out the similarities here.
--
What do you think? Write your comments here.
Follow me on twitter: @rosewebber
Want to connect with more Celebrity Ologists? Join the conversation at My.Ology and enter for a chance to win $1,000.
...
- 10/9/2011
- by Stephanie Webber
- Celebsology
The Observer's critics pick the season's highlights, from Degas to Depp, and Britney to the Bard
September
1 Theatre: Decade In a former trading hall on London's St Katharine Docks, Rupert Goold's production evokes the legacy of 9/11, with the help of Simon Schama and Abi Morgan. Until 15 October.
4 Pop: Adele After her summer to die for (No1 album, ubiquitous single), Adele starts her UK tour in Plymouth. She's in London on the 19th and 20th and ends in Glasgow (25).
6 Dance: Tezuka New evening-length piece by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, inspired by the work of renowned Japanese manga artist Osamu Tezuka. Starring Daniel Proietto, the piece features a specially commissioned score by Nitin Sawhney. At Sadler's Wells until 10 September.
8 Pop: Bestival The Isle of Wight weekender always has a hefty line-up: this yearboasts new kids James Blake and Odd Future alongside the Cure, Brian Wilson and Björk.
9 Theatre: We are Three Sisters...
September
1 Theatre: Decade In a former trading hall on London's St Katharine Docks, Rupert Goold's production evokes the legacy of 9/11, with the help of Simon Schama and Abi Morgan. Until 15 October.
4 Pop: Adele After her summer to die for (No1 album, ubiquitous single), Adele starts her UK tour in Plymouth. She's in London on the 19th and 20th and ends in Glasgow (25).
6 Dance: Tezuka New evening-length piece by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, inspired by the work of renowned Japanese manga artist Osamu Tezuka. Starring Daniel Proietto, the piece features a specially commissioned score by Nitin Sawhney. At Sadler's Wells until 10 September.
8 Pop: Bestival The Isle of Wight weekender always has a hefty line-up: this yearboasts new kids James Blake and Odd Future alongside the Cure, Brian Wilson and Björk.
9 Theatre: We are Three Sisters...
- 8/27/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
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