“Dance at the Gym” in West Side Story Photography by Joan Marcus One of the most innovative and breathtaking collaborations ever to happen in Broadway’s history is West Side Story. The musical was a meeting of the most
talented and creative minds in theatre back in 1957. With Arthur Laurents creating the musical’s book, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim on music and lyrics and the stunning choreography of Jerome Robbins, it all seemed to come together to create a lasting legacy of amazing theatre brilliance. With the brand new touring company hitting the road in 2011, The Rage Monthly caught up with one of the legacy’s newest stars, Kyle Harris. As the hands of fate would have it…it was a YouTube video of him on
collegehumor.com playing Tony in a parody called “Web Site Story,” that brought him to the attention of the new team behind this revitalization of West Side Story. Talk about the fickle finger of fate…and we do with Kyle Harris.
The Rage Monthly: I read that the original author of the book for the musical West Side Story, Arthur Laurents, got a second chance with creating this revival of the original 1957 musical…can you elaborate on just exactly how the production has changed? Kyle Harris: Oh yes. First of all, they’ve added 12 percent of the script now in Spanish.
That’s a change from the original production. It’s really given the Puerto Ricans and The Sharks more of a voice in the production. Before…you used to solely root for The Jets because they were the essential things to the story. Now, giving the language back to The Sharks, you are able to get a genuine opinion of both sides of the story, which Tony and Maria are kind of interfering with.
Rage: The road to where you are right now playing the male lead, Tony…when did this turn of events begin for you? KH: This happened for me when I was doing a Broadway production as a stand-by in
Sondheim by Sondheim. I was finishing up my last month there and I found out about the role of Tony at the end of June [2010]. Then, we started rehearsals for this in August.
Rage: How was the audition process for you? Was it nerve-racking? KH: In the audition process, they actually found me from a YouTube video. [“Web Site
Story” ]
Rage: Now, that’s a new spin on getting a major role. KH: I know. That’s how the casting director found me. They originally brought me in a
year ago, before the process, for the matinee “Tony” on Broadway. They wanted to see me for that and I went in and sang for Arthur Laurents and everything. They originally told me, “They love me so much…they want to save me for the national tour.” Of course, you’re the young actor and you think, “Okay. I’m sure you’re going to remember me a year from now when the tour is about to launch.” But, then I got a call a year later and they were like, “We’d love to have you back.”
Rage: You mentioned auditioning for Arthur Laurents. These are like the Jedi warriors of American
musical theatre. KH: Exactly. Getting to work with Stephen Sondheim and jumping from that to get to
work with Arthur Laurents. I’ve worked with some pretty heavy hitters who are luckily still around. Arthur is 93-years-old.
Rage: How long are you scheduled to be on the road with this new touring production? Is your home base in New York right now? KH: Yes, I’m scheduled to be on the tour for a year. I’ll still be doing this in October of
2011.
Rage: Please tell me what it’s been like working opposite Ali Ewoldt as Maria? KH: It’s been a dream. She is the most fantastic actress that I’ve ever gotten the
chance to work with. Her voice is flawless. Our chemistry is so alive every night, work- ing opposite her. Arthur was saying, “If you don’t believe Tony and Maria…you don’t believe the show.”
Rage: Being involved in theatre, were you familiar with the music of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim as a teenager? KH: I grew up as a soccer player…100 percent that was going to be my life. But, then I got the theatre bug my senior year in high school. I did a musical, which happened to be Into The Woods. I thought, “Maybe I could do this the rest of my life.” I knew about the movie, West Side Story and knew who Stephen Sondheim was. Yet, I could kind of get into it…this is something cool. Here I am, a couple years later, doing West Side Story. Amazing.
West Side Story Pantages Theatre November 30 – January 2, 2011 800.982.2787
BroadwayLA.org
West Side Story San Diego Civic Theatre January 4 – 9, 2011 619.570.1100
broadwaysd.com
DECEMBER 2010 | RAGE monthly 17
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