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West Side Story |
| West Side Story | |
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| Original Cast Recording | |
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| Music | Leonard Bernstein |
| Lyrics | Stephen Sondheim |
| Book | Arthur Laurents |
| Based upon | Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare |
| Productions | 1957 Broadway 1958 Broadway revival 1958 West End 1960 Broadway revival 1961 Film 1980 Broadway revival 2008 West End revival 2009 Broadway revival |
West Side Story is a musical written by Arthur Laurents (book), Leonard Bernstein (music), and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics). The musical is one of the most popular storylines based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
Set in Manhattan's west Side/Hell's Kitchen in the mid 1950s, the musical explores the rivalry between two teenage gangs of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The young protagonist, Anton ("Tony"), who belongs to the White gang, falls in love with Maria, the sister of the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theater. Bernstein's score for the musical has become extremely popular; it includes "Something's Coming," "Maria," "America," "Somewhere," "Tonight," "Jet Song," "I Feel Pretty," "One Hand, One Heart," and "Cool."
The original 1957 Broadway production, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins and produced by Robert E. Griffith and Harold Prince, marked Stephen Sondheim's Broadway debut. It ran for 732 performances (a successful run for the time), before going on tour. The production garnered a Tony Award nomination for Best Musical in 1957, but the award ultimately went to Meredith Willson's The Music Man. It won a Tony Award in 1957 for Jerome Robbins' cheoreography. The show has enjoyed an even longer-running London production, a number of revivals and international success, and spawned an innovative, award-winning 1961 musical film of the same name. West Side Story is produced frequently by local theaters and, occasionally, by opera companies.
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Two teenage gangs, the "American" Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks, struggle for control of the neighborhood, amidst police whistles and taunts (Prologue). They are warned by Lt. Schrank and Sgt. Krupke to stop fighting on their beat. The police chase the Sharks off, then the Jets plan how they can assure their continued dominance of the street. The Jets' leader, Riff, suggests setting up a rumble with the Sharks. He plans to make the challenge to Bernardo that night at the neighborhood dance. Riff wants to convince his friend and former member of the Jets, Tony, to meet the Jets at the dance but some of the Jets are unsure of his loyalty("Jet Song"). Riff meets Tony while he's working at Doc's Drug Store to persuade him to come. Loyal to Riff, Tony agrees, but he wants no further part of gang life and imagines a better future ("Something's Coming"). Maria works in a bridal shop with Anita, the girlfriend of her brother, Bernardo, who is the Sharks' leader. Maria's family has selected Chino to be her future husband. Maria has newly arrived from Puerto Rico, and, like Tony, is full of hope. Anita makes Maria a dress to wear to the neighborhood dance.
At the dance, after introductions, the young people begin to dance; soon a challenge dance is called ("Mambo"). Tony and Maria see each other across the room and are drawn to each other. They dance together, forgetting the tension in the room, fall in love, and kiss. An enraged Bernardo pulls his sister from Tony's arms and sends her home. Riff and Bernardo agree to meet for a War Council at Doc's, which is considered neutral ground. An infatuated and happy Tony finds Maria's building and serenades her outside her bedroom ("Maria"). He appears on her fire escape, and the two profess their love for one another ("Tonight"). Meanwhile, Anita and the other Shark girls discuss the differences between Puerto Rico and America ("America"). The Jets get antsy while waiting for the Sharks at Doc's while Doc attempts to convince the Jets to call off the rumble, to no avail but Riff tells them to stay cool ("Cool"). The Sharks arrive to discuss weapons to use in the rumble. Tony suggests "a fair fight" (fists only), which the leaders agree to, despite the other members' protests. Bernardo believes that he will fight Tony, but must settle for fighting Diesel instead. This is followed by a monologue by the ineffective Lt. Schrank trying to find out the location of the rumble. Tony tells Doc about Maria. Doc is worried for them while Tony is convinced that nothing can go wrong; he is in love.
Tony meets Maria at the bridal shop the next day, where they dream of their wedding ("One Hand, One Heart"). She asks Tony to stop the fight, which he agrees to do. Tony, Maria, Anita, Bernardo (and the Sharks), and Riff (and the Jets) all anticipate the events to come that night ("Tonight Quintet"). Tony arrives and tries to stop the rumble. Though Bernardo taunts Tony, ridiculing his attempt to make peace and provoking him in every way, Tony keeps his composure. When Bernardo pushes Tony, Riff punches him in Tony's defense. The two draw their switchblades and get in a knife fight ("The Rumble"). Tony warns Riff to back away, but Riff shakes him off and continues the fight. In an important moment of the show, Riff has an opportunity to stab Bernardo, but Tony holds him back leaving Riff vulnerable. Bernardo stabs Riff. Tony then kills Bernardo in a fit of rage. The two gangs then go into a free-for-all. The sound of approaching sirens is heard, and everyone scatters, except Tony, who stands in shock at what he has done. The tomboy, Anybodys, who wishes that she could become a Jet, tells Tony to flee from the scene at the last moment. Only the bodies of Riff and Bernardo remain.
In her bedroom, Maria has not heard the news and daydreams happily about seeing Tony with her friends-Rosalia, Consuela, Teresita and Francisca ("I Feel Pretty"). Just then, Chino brings the news that Tony has killed Bernardo. Maria flees to her bedroom, praying that Chino is mistaken. Tony arrives to see Maria, in a fit of rage she repeatedly hits him until he finally calms her down and they plan to get away together, as the walls of Maria's bedroom disappear they find themselves in a "dream" world where everyone gets along. "Dream Consuela" sings ("Somewhere").
Jet members A-Rab and Baby John are still on the run from the police and talk about their fear about what will happen next. Krupke shows up and attempts to arrest them, but they table-top him and run away. They join the rest of the Jets and lampoon the police, judges, psychiatrists and social workers ("Gee, Officer Krupke") Anybodys brings news that she overheard Chino planning to hunt down Tony and kill him with a gun. The Jets then spread out to find Tony and protect him from Chino.
A grieving Anita arrives at Maria's apartment. Tony leaves through the window, telling Maria to meet him at Doc's so they can run away to the country. Anita sees that Tony has been with Maria, and asks in horror how she can love the man who killed her brother ("A Boy Like That"). Maria responds passionately ("I Have a Love"), and Anita understands that Maria loves Tony as much as she had loved Bernardo. She admits that Chino has a gun and is looking for Tony. Lt. Schrank arrives to question Maria, and Anita reluctantly agrees to go to Doc's to tell Tony to wait.
At the store, the Jets taunt Anita with racist innuendo and insults. The taunts turn into physical abuse, and Anita is nearly raped before a horrified Doc arrives to stop the boys. In her anger, Anita tells the Jets that Bernardo was right about them, and she tells them that Chino has killed Maria. Doc relates the news to Tony, who has been pacing in Doc's cellar and dreaming of heading to the country to have children with Maria. Feeling there is no longer anything to live for, Tony leaves to find Chino, begging for Chino to kill him too. Just as Tony sees Maria alive, Chino arrives and shoots Tony. As Tony dies in Maria's arms, the Jets and Sharks flock around the lovers ("Somewhere" Reprise). Maria takes Chino's gun and tells everyone that hatred is what killed Tony and the others, and now she can kill, because now she hates, too. But she is unable to bring herself to fire the gun and collapses in her grief, ending the cycle of violence. Gradually, all the members of both gangs assemble on either side of Tony's body, suggesting that the feud is over. The Jets and Sharks form a procession, and together they carry Tony away.
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The Jets
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Their Girls
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The Sharks
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Their Girls
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The Adults
Many of the key characters in West Side Story have counterparts in Romeo and Juliet:
After tryouts in Washington, DC and Philadelphia beginning in August 1957, the original Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 26, 1957 to positive reviews. The production was directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, produced by Robert E. Griffith and Harold Prince and starred Larry Kert as Tony, Carol Lawrence as Maria and Chita Rivera as Anita. Robbins won the Tony Award for Best Choreographer, and Oliver Smith won the Tony for Best Scenic Designer. Also nominated were Carol Lawrence, as Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical, Max Goberman as Best Musical Director, and Irene Sharaff for Best Costume Design. Carol Lawrence received the 1958 Theatre World Award. The production ran for 732 performances at the Winter Garden Theatre before touring and then returning to the Winter Garden Theatre in 1960 for another 253 performance engagement
The other principal or notable cast members in the original production were: Anybodys: Lee Becker, Riff: Mickey Calin, A-Rab: Tony Mordente, Action: Eddie Roll, Baby John: David Winters, Big Deal: Martin Charnin, Gee-Tar: Tommy Abbott; Bernardo: Ken Le Roy, Chino: Jamie Sanchez, Nibbles: Ronnie Lee; Rosalia: Marilyn Cooper, Consuela: Reri Grist, Teresita: Carmen Gutierrez, Francisca: Elizabeth Taylor; Lt. Schrank: Arch Johnson, Doc: Art Smith, and Krupke: William Bramley.
The 1958 European premiere at the Manchester Opera House transferred to London where it opened at Her Majesty's Theatre in London's West End in December 1958 and ran until 1961 with a total of 1,039 performances. Robbins directed and choreographed, and it was co-Choreographed by Peter Gennaro, with scenery by Oliver Smith. George Chakiris, who won an Academy Award as Bernardo in the 1961 film version originated the role of Riff, Marlys Watters played Maria, David Holiday played Tony, and Chita Rivera played Anita.
In February of 1962, the West End (H.M. Tennent) production launched a five-month Scandinavian tour opening in Copenhagen, continuing to Oslo, Goteborg, Stockholm and Helsinki. Robert Jeffrey took over from David Holiday as Tony and Jill Martin played Maria.
The New York City Center Light Opera Company production opened on April 8, 1964 at the New York City Center and closed May 3, 1964 after a limited engagement of 31 performances. Tony was Don McKay, and Maria was Julia Migenes. It was staged by Gerald Freedman based on Robbins' original concept, and the choreography was re-mounted by Tom Abbott.
The Musical Theater of Lincoln Center and Richard Rodgers production opened at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center, on June 24, 1968 and closed on September 7, 1968 after 89 performances. Direction and choreography were reproduced by Lee Theodore, and scenery was by Oliver Smith. Tony was Kurt Peterson and Maria was Victoria Mallory.
A 1961 a tour of Israel, Africa and the Near East was mounted.[1]
A Broadway revival opened at the Minskoff Theatre on February 14, 1980 and closed on November 30, 1980, after 333 performances. It was directed and choreographed by Robbins with the assistance of Tom Abbott and Lee Becker Theodore and scenery was by Oliver Smith. It starred Debbie Allen as Anita, Josie de Guzman as Maria, and Ken Marshall as Tony. Both Allen and de Guzman received Tony Award nominations as Best Featured Actress in a Musical, and the musical was nominated as best Reproduction (Play or Musical). Allen won the Drama Desk Award as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.
A 1987 tour starred Jack Wagner as Tony.
Several dances from West Side Story were presented as the featured performances in the Tony Award-winning 1989 Broadway production, Jerome Robbins' Broadway.
A UK national tour started in 1997 and starred David Habbin as Tony, Katie Knight Adams as Maria and Anna Jane Casey as Anita. The production was very well received and transferred to London's West End opening at the Prince Edward Theatre in October 1998 subsequently transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre where it closed in January 2000. The production then toured the UK again.
A U.S. national tour, directed by Alan Johnson, was produced in 2002.[2]
A Hong Kong production directed by Jacob Yu was produced in 2000. A new set of Cantonese lyrics by Chris Shum and Rensen Chan was sung in the production. The Hong Kong rock star Paul Wong is starred as Tony. This production was staged at the outdoor plaza of Hong Kong Cultural Center next to the Victoria Harbour, while the venue is exactly the place mentioned in the new story titled Victoria Harbour Story. The orchestra was conducted by Henry Shek.
The Austrian Bregenz Festival presented West Side Story in a German translation by Marcel Prawy in 2003 and 2004, directed by the Francesca Zambello, followed by a German tour.[3]
In 2007, the Fulton Opera House in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, Washington were the only professional theaters in the U.S. to be granted the production rights to West Side Story on the 50th anniversary of its Broadway opening. To mark the occasion, the Fulton joined with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra for the first time ever to supply the musical score under the direction of Maestro Stephen Gunzenhauser. The production, during the Fulton's 155th season, ran from September 6, 2007 to September 30, 2007.
A French language adaptation, translated by Philippe Gobeille, is scheduled to premiere in Montreal, Quebec in 2008.[4]
A Philippine version is scheduled to premiere on September 7, 2008 at the Meralco Theatre. It will feature Christian Bautista as Tony and Karylle as Maria.citation needed
A West End revival begins July 22, 2008 at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London, directed by Joey Mckneely and produced by BB promotion. The production has been performed in Tokyo, Paris and Beijing. The production stars Sofia Escobar as Maria, Scott Sussman as Tony, Lana Gordon as Anita, Leo Ash Evens as Riff, Marco Santiago as Bernardo, Sara Dobbs as Anybodys, Julian Alvarez as Chino, John Arthur Greene as Action and Ian Paget as A-Rab.
Arthur Laurents has announced that he will direct a Broadway revival of West Side Story, expressing disappointment in the 1980 revival stating "I've come up with a way of doing it that will make it absolutely contemporary without changing a word or a note." [5] The Laurents directed revival is scheduled to start at the National Theatre in Washington, DC from December 16, 2008 through January 17, 2009 and to begin previews on Broadway at a Nederlander theatre to be announced on February 23, 2009 with an official opening in March 2009. [6] The production "will introduce the unprecedented element of selectively weaving Spanish throughout both the book and songs." Also, Laurents stated, "This show will be radically different from any other production of West Side Story ever done. The musical theatre and cultural conventions of 1957 made it next to impossible for the characters to have authenticity. Every member of both gangs was always a potential killer even then. Now they actually will be. Only Tony and Maria try to live in a different world…" [7]
The 1961 film version was directed by Robert Wise and Robbins and starred Natalie Wood, Rita Moreno and George Chakiris. It won 10 Academy Awards out of 11 nominations.
The creators' innovations in dance, music and theatrical style resulted in strong reactions from the critics. Walter Kerr wrote in the New York Herald Tribune on September 27, 1957:[8]
| “ | The radioactive fallout from West Side Story must still be descending on Broadway this morning. Director, choreographer, and idea-man Jerome Robbins has put together, and then blasted apart, the most savage, restless, electrifying dance patterns we've been exposed to in a dozen seasons. ...the show rides with a catastrophic roar over the spider-web fire-escapes, the shadowed trestles, and the plain dirt battlegrounds of a big city feud.... there is fresh excitement in the next debacle, and the next. When a gang leader advises his cohorts to play it "Cool," the intolerable tension between an effort at control and the instinctive drives of these potential killers is stingingly graphic. When the knives come out, and bodies begin to fly wildly through space under buttermilk clouds, the sheer visual excitement is breathtaking. ...Mr. Bernstein has permitted himself a few moments of graceful, lingering melody: in a yearning "Maria," in the hushed falling line of "Tonight," in the wistful declaration of "I Have a Love." But for the most part he has served the needs of the onstage threshing machine.... When hero Larry Kert is stomping out the visionary insistence of "Something's Coming" both music and tumultuous story are given their due. Otherwise it's the danced narrative that takes urgent precedence...." | ” |
The other reviews generally joined in speculation about how the new work would influence the course of musical theatre. Typical was John Chapman's review in the New York Daily News on September 27, 1957, was headed: "West Side Story a Splendid and Super-Modern Musical Drama."
| “ | The American theatre took a venturesome forward step when the firm of Griffith & Prince presented West Side Story at the Winter Garden last evening. This is a bold new kind of musical theatre – a juke-box Manhattan opera. It is, to me, extraordinarily exciting. ...the manner of telling the story is a provocative and artful blend of music, dance and plot – and the music and the dancing are superb. In [the score], there is the drive, the bounce, the restlessness and the sweetness of our town. It takes up the American musical idiom where it was left when George Gershwin died. It is fascinatingly tricky and melodically beguiling, and it marks the progression of an admirable composer.... | ” |
Time Magazine found the dance and gang warfare more compelling than the love story and noted that the show's "putting choreography foremost, may prove a milestone in musical-drama history...."[9][10]
| “ | While critics speculated about the comic-tragic darkness of the musical, audiences were captivated. The story appealed to society's undercurrent of rebellion from authority that surfaced in 1950s films like Rebel without a Cause. West Side Story took this one step farther by combining the classic and the hip. Robbins' energetic choreography and Bernstein's grand score accentuated the satiric, hard-edged lyrics of Sondheim, and Laurents' capture of the angry voice of urban youth. The play was criticized for glamorizing gangs, and its portrayal of Puerto Ricans and lack of authentic Latin casting were weaknesses. Yet, the song "America" shows the triumph of the spirit over the obstacles often faced by immigrants. The musical also made points in its description of troubled youth and the devastating effects of poverty and racism. Juvenile delinquency is seen as an ailment of society: "No one wants a fella with a social disease!" One writer summed up the reasons for the show's popularity in these terms: "On the cusp of the 1960s, American society, still recovering from the enormous upheaval of World War II, was seeking stability and control." | ” |
The score for West Side Story was orchestrated by Bernstein himself, with assistance from Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal. The orchestra personnel required is among the largest in the musical theater repertoire. The score calls for five woodwind players (four of whom play on multiple instruments, the fifth playing bassoon), two horn players, three trumpeters, two trombonists, A drum set player, two percussionists, a pianist, a guitarist (classical and electric), seven violinists, four cellists, and two double bassists. In all, 30 musicians are needed to perform the score as intended by the composer. In some performances, especially in amateur productions, as many as 60+ musicians may be needed to perform the music as it is intended because there may not be many woodwind players who play multiple instruments.
Bernstein later prepared a suite of orchestral music from the show, entitled Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Although the suite is most frequently performed in its entirety, it is occasionally abbreviated. The full sequence is:
Recordings of West Side Story include:
The popularity of West Side Story is evidenced by the number and variety of references to it in popular culture, including adaptations, musical pastiches and references in other media. In addition to Bernstein's own West Side Story Suite, the music has been adapted by The Buddy Rich Big Band, which arranged and recorded "West Side Story Medley" on the 1966 album Buddy Rich's Swingin' New Big Band, and The Stan Kenton Orchestra, which recorded Johnny Richards' 1961 Kenton's West Side Story, an album of jazz orchestrations based on the Bernstein scores. It won the 1962 Grammy award for Best Jazz Recording by a Large Group.
Popular artists have covered songs from the musical. For instance, Selena, the Tejano singer, recorded "A Boy Like That" in 1995, seven days before her death. In 1996, that song was released as the first single from the album The Songs of West Side Story. This album also included such diverse artists as Little Richard ("I Feel Pretty"), Trisha Yearwood ("I Have A Love") and Salt-N-Pepa, Def Jef, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, the Jerky Boys, and Paul Rodriguez all collaborating on "Gee, Officer Krupke." "America" has been covered by The Tijuana Brass in an upbeat version on an early album; 1960s progressive rock band, The Nice, recorded it as an instrumental protest song and Keith Emerson continued to perform it in concerts with his later groups, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer and 3. The song was also sampled at the beginning of the Yes cover of Paul Simon's America and at the beginning of the Metallica song "Don't Tread on Me," from their Black Album (1991). Yes also covered "Something's Coming" as a single. Tom Waits opened his 1978 album Blue Valentine with a cover of "Somewhere"; and 19 years later (1997), British singing group The Pet Shop Boys recorded a cover version of the song, using elements of "I Feel Pretty." During their 1997 series of concerts at the Savoy Theatre, London, they used an extended version of "Somewhere" that started with "One Hand, One Heart."
P. J. Proby, Len Barry, Pet Shop Boys and Barbra Streisand each had hit singles with versions of the song "Somewhere", while Johnny Mathis and Roger Williams did likewise with "Maria". Ferrante & Teicher scored a top ten hit with "Tonight"; Eddie Fisher also scored a chart hit with the song. [12]
The show has inspired some surprising musical uses. Many pastiches and parodies of the show or its music have made their way into popular media. In particular, the gang war has been spoofed frequently.
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| Characters | Romeo • Juliet • Mercutio • Tybalt • Benvolio • Friar Lawrence • Nurse • Paris
Prince Escalus • Lord Capulet • Rosaline • Full Character List |
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| Sources | The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet • Pyramus and Thisbe | |
| Musical Adaptations | West Side Story (musical) • Roméo et Juliette (musical) • Giulietta e Romeo (musical)
Roméo et Juliette (opera) • Romeo und Julie (singspiel) • I Capuleti e i Montecchi (opera) • Romeo and Juliet (ballet) |
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| On Screen | Romeo and Juliet (1908) • Romeo and Juliet (1916) • Romeo and Juliet (1936) • Romeo and Juliet (1954)
Romeo and Juliet (1968) • Romeo and Juliet (1978) • The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet (1983) Romeo and Juliet (1988) • Romeo and Juliet (1992) • Romeo + Juliet (1996) |
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| Beneath the 12 Mile Reef (1953) • Romanoff and Juliet (1960) • West Side Story (1961)
Romie-0 and Julie-8 (1979) • The Sea Prince and the Fire Child (1981) Tromeo and Juliet (1996) • Love Is All There Is (1996) • Shakespeare in Love (1998) • Romeo Must Die (2000) • حبك نار Hobak Nar (2004) • Pizza My Heart (2005) West Bank Story (2005) • Romeo & Juliet: Sealed with a Kiss (2006) • Romeo x Juliet (2007) |
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