Set in New York City's west side in the 1950's, this classic musical explores the rivalry between two teenage gangs of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Based on Shakespeaere's Romeo and Juliet, Bernstein's score features "Maria", "Somewhere", "Tonight", and "I Feel Pretty".
Approximate running time: 2:15, including intermission.
West Side Story is an iconic show, not just because it is a retelling of William Shakespeare's best known tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, not just because it combines the genius of a Broadway Dream Team (Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins, and Arthur Laurents); not only because it requires its cast to be multi-talented actors, singers, and dancers. The musical is one of America's -- and my -- favorites because of its message, an urgent, relevant message about hate and tolerance and youth and love and how explosive those things can be when they're thrown together.
To communicate that message, one needs a cast that "gets it" -- a group of people who have as much passion as technical talent. And boy, do I have that cast. From talented newcomers who came for extra rehearsals on free nights, to visionary veterans who inspired the group with their commitment both on - and off - stage, this cast exhibited wisdom, emotional vulnerability, and excitement on a nightly basis. This production has always been about the actors - with a set and lighting designed to reflect that vision - and they understood that responsibility from the start.
We hope that you'll feel the heat, the sadness, the joy, and the love that we felt throughout this process. This was a special experience for all of us, and I thank everyone who was involved.
