West Side Story
i change my mind i don't really like it but im really glad it exists.
no brown face in this one, the latino characters actually speak spanish, transgender anybodys, rita moreno
but it lacks a soul that the original did not. the 1961 version was more colorful in a way that did not distract from the story, where i felt like the 2021 version did distract. it felt like a movie set to me and i couldn't get immersed in the story and that's something i HATE when i'm watching movies. the 1961 wss is just so much more expressionistic in a way where the 2021 wss falls flat to me.
"america" and "gee, officer krupkee" are my favorites and they just really didn't work for me in this version. HOWEVER. "i have a love/a boy like that" IS EASILY the best song in this version. it was SO good. chills. dance fight choreography in "cool" was good, that is something i always love.
not every musical needs to have bfa belting!!!! rachel zegler's voice, while great, doesn't have the head voicey dreamy feel of the 1961 version, and that's part of what i like so much about it -- being paired with beautiful colors and choreography is why it stands so well today.
on the other hand i'm very glad the 2021 version exists because the 1961 version is politically abhorrent. it stands strong where 1961 wss falls flat while giving so much more meat and life and connection to these characters. rachel zegler's portrayal of maria is so rebellious teenage girl and i just loved it. + rita moreno cameo! thought that was cool, they should've got richard beymer back for this though too.
west side story 2021 stands better as a movie, where west side story 1961 stands better as a musical