West Side Story

West Side Story (1957), a musical play by Arthur Laurents (book), Leonard Bernstein (music), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics). [ Winter Garden Theatre, 734 perf.] The Puerto Rican Sharks and the American‐born Jets are rival street gangs in New York City's West Side neighborhoods. Tony (Larry Kert), a founder of the Jets who has more or less drifted away from them, falls in love with Maria (Carol Lawrence), the sister of the Sharks' leader, Bernardo (Ken LeRoy). When Tony tries to stop a fight between the groups, Bernardo kills Tony's friend Riff (Mickey Calin) so, in a fury, Tony kills Bernardo. When Bernardo's girl friend, Anita (Chita Rivera), in a rage, tells the Jets that Maria has been killed by a Shark for her involvement with a white boy, Tony comes out of hiding, only to be shot by Maria's fiancé. Before Tony dies, he and Maria are briefly reunited and humble both gangs by the consequences of their hate. Notable songs: I Feel Pretty; Maria; Tonight; Gee, Officer Krupke; Somewhere; I Feel Pretty; Something's Coming; America. A modern version of the Romeo and Juliet story, it was devised at the suggestion of Jerome Robbins, whose direction and choreography caught, as one critic observed, the “tautness and malevolence” of the work. The extensive dance sections of the show revealed new ways choreography and drama could be integrated. Also, the Bernstein‐Sondheim score was unique in its use of opera forms translated into theatre terms, as in the complex “Tonight Quintet.” Although the Robert E. Griffith–Hal Prince production was initially a success, West Side Story soon became even more popular across America, overseas, on film, and in revivals on Broadway.

Musical, produced and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, with libretto by A. Laurents, music by Bernstein, sets by Oliver Smith, and costumes by Irene Sharaff. Premiered 26 Sept. 1957 at Winter Garden Theater, New York. This updating of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to a story of modern gang warfare in New York was a huge popular and critical success and was staged all around the world. A film version was produced in 1961 and in 1995 Robbins produced a suite of dances, West Side Story Suite, for New York City Ballet. Neumeier produced and choreographed a version for Hamburg State Opera in 1978.