The scene that we have chosen for our project is america from west side story. Tonight the new york philharmonic performs leonard bernsteins beloved west side story score from america and tonight to somewhere and maria as the complete, remastered, oscarwinning film is projected in hidef, with original vocals and dialogue intact. Musical masterpiece tackles race, with some violence. York and the urban experience as central to the storys appeal at a time when the. My brother, sister, and i have always had west side story in our lives. West side story by irving shulman, 1967, pocket books edition, in english west side story 1967 edition open library. Immediately download the west side story summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching west side story. West side story, with book by arthur laurents, music by leonard.
Crazy to think that what happens takes place in that time frame. The musical explores the rivalry between the jets and the sharks, two teenage. The musicals that were produced around that time period were meant to be strictly for entertainment, for the most part. West side story musical by bernstein and sondheim and. West side story actually started out as east side story in jerome robbins original pitch to bernstein in 1947 srsly. West side story context message board broadwayworld. The feuding families become two warring new york city gangsthe white jets led by riff and the latino sharks, led by bernardo. Shulman also wrote the original treatment for rebel without a cause, the film that shot james dean to stardom. Why west side story is still relevant the girl who knew. Ive mentioned several times before how much i love living in lamostly because of the cool movie events which are held all year round. With natalie wood, george chakiris, richard beymer, russ tamblyn. West side story, untold opinion the harvard crimson. The story is set against the backdrop of clashing street gangs on the citys west side.
Swain spend an entire chapter on the analysis of west side story. The story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, a multiracial, bluecollar neighborhood. A classical story with a modern setting, it still stands as one of the major contributions of the american theater. West side story was very innovative, especially for its time period. The sharply snapping fingers of sauntering hoodlums set up a menacing rhythm as the jets and the sharks, the two street gangs of west side story, take over the westbury music fairs center stage. West side story dazzled uis students and community members nov. They are getting ready for the party thats in a few hours. It is based on william shakespeares romeo and juliet. West side story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, an ethnic, bluecollar neighborhood in the early 1960s, much of the neighborhood was cleared in an urban renewal project for the lincoln center, which changed the neighborhoods character. Gang warfare is the material of west side story, which opened at the winter garden last evening, and very little of the hideousness has been left out. Luckily for us, they found an entirely new way to tell the story of romeo and juliet. And they are hard for me to accept as high schoolers. Its success as a motion picture was equally spectacular.
Manhattan, where he lived for much of his life, formed the setting for three of his five musicals on the town, 1944, wonderful town, 1953, west side story, 1957. Interesting facts about the creation of west side story. The show continues to seduce in a theatrical language that remains universal. This is the musical story of a nativeborn polish boy tony and a puerto rican girl maria that has just arrived in america. West side story is a fairly strict adaptation of one of shakespeares greatest works. West side story opened on broadway at the winter garden theatre on 26 september 1957, and on the west end at her majestys theatre on 12 december 1958. When it premiered on broadway in 1957, it showed how dancing, singing, acting, and design could merge into a single means of expression, a seamless unity.
Riff has a harder time convincing his best friend tony to become part of the action by joining the gang at a. It was a very brave move for the creative team of this musical to tackle themes like racism, violence, and death. West side story simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wood and beymer were in their 20s, and rita moreno anita was 30 and looked and acted it. Instead of fair verona, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean, its the mean streets of 1950s new york city, where young gangs rumble over the right to walk down the street. The musical is a 20thcentury american adaptation of the shakespearean tale of romeo and juliet. Instead of fair verona, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean, its the mean streets of 1950s new york city, where young. The story of the broadway musical and film west side story is detailed on the official website see below. It is based on shakespeares play, romeo and juliet. The musical was adapted to a movie in 1961, starring natalie wood.
West side story, the jungles of the city by brooks atkinson. Not too long after the opening scene, a scuffle between rival gang members occurs and police officers. Although west side story was named the best picture of 1961 and won 10. Anita is marias friend and, so far, has nothing to do with the plot. After taking down the man responsible for his best friends death, stuart ramey believes the case. Social issues in west side story the odyssey online. West side story is a tragic love story set in new york city in the mid1950s on the west side of the city.
Having said that, it still pulls off the odd trick or two that deviates from. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was inspired by william shakespeares play romeo and juliet. But the plot of this beloved musical remains intact. A summary of west side story 378 words 123 help me. Better yet, there was a panel with walter mirisch the producer, george chakiris. West side story is a musical about of two lovers, maria and tony, growing up in the 50s and 60s in the upper west side of new york city. West side story is a musical with a book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein and lyrics by stephen sondheim. Should i just watch the movie, if so, where can i watch it. There is palpable tension in the air as two gangs vie for dominance of the area.
On the other hand, in the rise and fall of the broadway musical, mark grant concentrates on the growth of the musical in light of changes in technology and music, and in writing the book and lyrics. On monday, july 18th, the academy of motion picture arts and sciences screened a 70mm print of the 1961 movie musical west side story. Posts about west side story written by orwhatyouwill. The further we get in time from when west side story was written, the more the musicals mythic dimensions come into focus.
West side story suite is a ballet made by new york city ballet balletmaster jerome robbins to the 1957 music by leonard bernstein and lyrics of stephen sondheim and extracted from the eponymous musical which he had choreographed, with scenery by oliver smith, costumes by irene sharaff and lighting by jennifer tipton. Upper west side story which i won through goodreads first reads is an enthralling story set in a multiracial community in new york citys upper west side where bettina grosjean a professor in womens studies and her husband stephen an environmental policymaker in the new york city mayors office live with their two highly intelligent children thirteen year old max and nine year old nellie. Murphy 7 december 2006 west side story chapter 3 in this chapter, anita is making the dress for maria. With roles in hit musicals such as hot shoe shuffle and jesus christ superstar, and the highly dramatic gallipoli for the sydney theatre company, nigel brings a defining edge to. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Aug 02, 2016 why west side story is still relevant ive mentioned several times before how much i love living in lamostly because of the cool movie events which are held all year round. Spielberg and kushner to take on west side story remake amid controversy, a bunch of jewish creatives to reboot the iconic american immigrant tale about the tragic. West side story and new york and millions of other books. In terms of the making of wss, i have a book whose author i cant remember, havent read it in a while, but found a book called the making of west side story which is filled with all those facts. Very interesting to compare contrast on that side of the. My west side story experience is from playing the show in basel, switzerland at the musical theater basel from 2002 2003 with a full pit orchestra 3 trumpets and i think 22 total in the pit. It is only fitting that the current north american tour of west side story is. Having said that, it still pulls off the odd trick or two that deviates from our.
The hoodlums in west side story appear a bit quaint to my 21st century eyes with their leaveittobeaverish and greaser looks. Jun, 2016 west side story was very innovative, especially for its time period. Why west side story is still relevant the girl who. There is no grand song that says new york city, such as new york, new york declaring that this is a helluva town. It starred carol lawrence as maria west side story opened on broadway at the winter garden theatre on 26 september 1957, and on the west end at her. This area is full of west side story has been a play that i have been wanting to read for quite a long time. Tonight is one of the most popular songs from this 1957 broadway musical smash hit.
The company of west side story in the dance at the gym. The scenes in the book mostly take place at a drugstore, a playground and on the streets. Whether it was completely new vision as a concept musical, or the pinnacle of an already established tradition, it marked the most impressive body of choreography in a single show. This is a digitized version of an article from the timess print archive, before. Tobin when i was in the ninth grade, i took a music history class especially designed for those of us who liked to listen to music but had no business. Two youngsters from rival new york city gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy. I honestly liked this book because it was a quick read with a good plot. Irving shulman 191995 was a novelist and screenwriter, known for his depictions of urban life. The members of the sharks, from puerto rico, are taunted by the jets, a white gang.
Ive ordered it, but it will arrive too late and i need to do a book project on it. The characters in this scene are anita, consueslo, bernardo, roselina, chino, and pepe. There are some nice solo lines for alto in the first book, lots of flute playing including some exposed passages in the third octave, and two fun spots. West side story began on the broadway stage and was immediately recognized as one of the most creative musical productions of the 20th century. Experience this iconic new york city love story as never before. The production subsequently toured the uk for a second time. If any aspect of west side story is still undervalued it is the book by arthur laurents. Those familiar with leonard bernsteins west side story are generally aware that it is an updating of shakespeares tragic love story romeo and juliet. The show is their story, the story of coming to america, and the story of how love overcomes hate. West side story 1961 is an energetic, widelyacclaimed, melodramatic musical a modernday, loose retelling of shakespeares romeo and juliet tragedy of feuding families, although the setting is the upper west side of new york city in the late 1950s with conflict between rival street gangs rather than families. The setting is moved from verona to manhattan in the 1950s, and the rival street gangs the jets and the sharks replace the feuding families of montague and capulet. The plot in this seen is is about a group of puertorricans fighting on whether.
West side story is set in and around the 1950s on the west side of manhattan, new york city. He is the author of ten books, including the novels the amboy dukes, cry tough, and the square trap, which were all adapted into movies. The sharply snapping fingers of sauntering hoodlums set up a menacing. It was inspired by william shakespeares play romeo and juliet the story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, a multiracial, bluecollar neighborhood. Bernardo west side story anybodys west side story riff west side story chino west side story the jets west side story the sharks west side story griefmourning.
It is a duet sung by lovers tony and maria, and features one of bernsteins bestknown and loved melodies. Need reed 1 book from west side story sax on the web forum. This is the place for you if youve ever been involved in, or infatuated with, west side story as an actor, singer, dancer, musician, producer, director, designer, crew or just as important as a fan. Playing west side story with small pit orchestra view. West side story, theatre music by american composer leonard bernstein that premiered august 19, 1957, in washington, d. It stars natalie wood, richard beymer, russ tamblyn, rita moreno, and george chakiris, and was photographed by. It is a tale of two rival gangs, which despises the other in a vicious circle of hate. The film is set in the rough neighborhood of lincoln square on the west side of manhattan during the summer of 1957. West side story chapter 3 big trouble in this chapter maria. Aug 30, 1987 the sharply snapping fingers of sauntering hoodlums set up a menacing rhythm as the jets and the sharks, the two street gangs of west side story, take over the westbury music fairs center stage. After owning their miserable little neighborhood for years, the jets, the fingersnapping street gang led by riff russ tamblyn, find themselves in a turf war with the upstart puerto rican sharks, led by bernardo george chakiris. I need to read the book by friday, saturday at the latest and i cant find it anywhere. The bad boys of west side story are the swarthy, hot tempered bernardo and the allamerican troublemaker riff.
Tobin when i was in the ninth grade, i took a music history class especially designed for those of us who. West side story 1957 was originally east side story. West side story tells a story of how tony a polish america who used to lead the local gang, the jets and maria a puerto rican teen part of the rivaling gang find love despite their backgrounds and public opinions. An analysis of tonight from the well known and tear jerking musical west side story. Their hatred escalates to a point where neither can coexist with any form of understanding. West side story is a 1961 american romantic musical tragedy film directed by robert wise and jerome robbins. The story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the. The music was composed by leonard bernstein, and the lyrics were written by stephen sondheim. Doc is one of the most authentic characters in the film, but really. It was inspired by william shakespeares play romeo and juliet. Note that in modern times, players use a bb piccolo trumpet for the d parts so they have to transpose anyway. The latest broadway revival also tried out at the national in 2008.
West side story is groundbreaking in a lot of ways, but when it comes to delivering the information, it tends to rely on the triedandtrue technique of moving to the character we need to see when we need to see him or her, then moving back as the story demands. West side story is the awardwinning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy romeo and juliet. Bernardo will be brought to life by the highly experienced nida graduate nigel turnercarroll. It set the irish catholic jets against the jewish emeralds, which was in keeping with the ethnic makeup of the lower east side area of manhattan.
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