West Side Story
One of the true landmarks of American musical theatre
Why see West Side Story?
Score by Sondheim and Bernstein
It's Sharks vs Jets in the classic West Side Story, which closes out 5th Avenue's 2018/19 season. One of the most influential musicals of all time, this fiery, Latin music infused show relocates Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to the Upper West Side, replacing Montagues and Capulets with warring street gangs. Caught in the crossfire are Tony and Maria, whose forbidden love will result in tragic consequences. Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein's score includes one classic after another, including 'I Feel Pretty' and 'America'.
Presented in association with Spectrum dance Company, this 5th Avenue production promises to the honor the show's legacy, with a cast of 40 performances backed by a 25-piece orchestra. Bill Berry directs.
Key Information
Audience
Suitable for ages 12+
Run Time
Approximately two hours and 40 minutes with one intermission
Dates
Finished Jun 23, 2019
Creative
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Arthur Laurents
Based on conception of Jerome Robbins
Directed by Bill Berry
Reviews
Customer reviews
3 reviews, average rating: (4.0 Stars)
Linda Sherrington
Fabulous!
What a masterpiece. The quality at the 5th Avenue theatre is not short of amazing. The set, lights, and costume are spectacular. West Side
Story is a hit! Standout performance by Danielle Marie Gonzalez who played Anita. She captivated you the moment she stepped foot on that stage ... Read more
sandy
good but could have been better
I watched this show, and while it was ok, it just wasn't great. The actress who plays maria is trying very hard.... but she's going thru the motions. Ex. her true love , Tony, is shot right in front of her, and she sobs, for exactly 1.5 min, and then stands up and walks to Chino and does the monologue about the gun . But really she should be devastasted.... hysterical.... sobbing so much she can barely deliver lines.... so tense that her anger is just visible on her body. But this actress is just delivering lines.
The staging was lackluster. Many of the songs are just two people.... they sing, while staring at each other for 30 seconds.... but then they should be given something else to do. Put her in a "sweetheart cuddle", so they can both sing to the audience. Give them something else to do that reinforces their feelings, but makes it interesting. Tony delivers his songs, running from stage R to stage L and back again. Was this director out of ideas? ... Read more
Richard A. Barnes
Please change or explain to me the "new" ending.
In a review by Jody Feinberg in the Quincy Patriot Ledger of 6/9/11 it states regards the new ending "a single Shark brings Maria her shawl." I believe that ending to be oh so wrong as Maria is the dead Bernardo's sister, so to my way of thinking a Shark is bringing a shawl to a Shark. Where is the togetherness of both the Jets and the Sharks being, finally at the end, together? With a Shark bringing Maria the shawl and no Jet apparently involved there is no apparent togetherness as shown in the film or former plays. If the review was erroneous in this matter so be it. But, as for me, I would rather see the Sharks and Jets do something TOGETHER regards the deceased Tony. That is the way it has been since the start and the way that it should remain. My 5 star rating is a result of my seeing the movie so many times and hoping to be able to see the play at the Colonial Theater in Boston.
... Read more
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