Snap, two, three, four. In the famous opening sequence of “West Side Story,” grown men appear from behind walls and steel bridge beams, snapping their fingers and tapping their feet. Taking a cue from Leonard Bernstein’s score, these gang members jump and glide across the stage without skipping a beat. Dancing evolves (or devolves) into choreographed fighting when the Jets encounter their arch nemeses, the Sharks, who threaten their dominion of the streets.
“West Side Story” is a Romeo and Juliet story set in 1950s Manhattan; it swaps Romeo for Tony, Juliet for Maria. The Jets are to the Sharks as the Montagues are to the Capulets – bitter enemies.
The original Broadway production opened in 1957 to critical and popular acclaim, and the film version won 10 Academy Awards four years later. Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents and Jerome Robbins – each incredibly talented in his own right – collaborated on the project and produced one of the most celebrated musicals of the century.
“West Side Story” exemplifies a strain of musicals made by choreographer-directors, in which dance is used as a storytelling medium integral to the plot, rather than serving as a decorative distraction or afterthought. Movement, text and music contribute equally to the progression of events and character development, with each component complementing the others and enriching the final product.
“West Side Story” unequivocally calls for the triple threat actor/singer/dancer, a demanding versatility of talent that many musicals avoid by discarding or downplaying one or two of the three facets.
By the time he choreographed and directed “West Side Story,” Robbins had under his belt a string of successful musicals, as well as an established reputation as New York City Ballet’s second-in-command, under the inimitable master of 20th-century ballet and company founder, George Balanchine. Though unknown to many popular audiences, Robbins’ illustrious career ties his name to many musical theater classics, including “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Peter Pan,” “Gypsy” and “The King and I.”
The recent Broadway revival of “West Side Story” stayed true to the original in most respects, but introduced a new element: the integration of Spanish-language dialogue and lyrics to more accurately represent the immigrant characters hailing from Puerto Rico. Alternating between the languages, the result was a believable Spanglish that did not detract from non-Spanish speakers’ experiences while lending authenticity to the story’s premise.
Leading and supporting actors alike found nuances in their roles and presented three-dimensional depictions of their characters. The cast, as a whole, embodied the bitter but overblown rivalry between two populations, while Tony and Maria bravely, albeit somewhat naively, broached the taboo of a relationship between members of opposing groups.
“West Side Story” does not forgo the tragedy of Shakespeare’s original, and the show ends on a dismal note rather than with the upbeat full cast finale and several doses of sunshine that are typical of many musicals. The audience is left to contemplate a neighborhood enmity spun out of control. Nevertheless, a measure of hope persists – it seems devastation taught the Jets and Sharks a lesson and that pointless dueling would subside.
A professional and polished production, the national tour of “West Side Story” does all the right things. While it may not go above and beyond or take your breath away, it is a pleasure to see and certainly worth a trip to the theater.
The next stop on “West Side Story’s” national tour is L.A. from Nov. 30 through Dec. 19. The show’s run on Broadway ends on Jan. 2, 2011.