West Side Story: Education Beyond the Classroom Being at an Ivy League institution‚ it is easy to think that the best learning experiences for a student comes from the classroom‚ but I was able to witness that this is not always the case. This semester I had the privilege of participating in Melodramatics production of West Side Story. I was cast as Chino‚ second hand man of his best friend Bernardo who is the leader of the Puerto Rican gang called the Sharks. I was a bit unfamiliar with West Side
Premium Actor Puerto Rico
West Side Story is a romantic musical that is set in Manhattan‚ New York City during the 1950’s‚ where a large migration of Puerto Rican immigrants started to enter the United States. A White American gang‚ also known as the Jets‚ live in the city and have had a “turf” that they protected and ran for years. When the Puerto Ricans‚ known by the Sharks started looking for a “turf” for themselves‚ they interfere with the Jets and this causes multiple conflicts. There have been an abundance of different
Premium New York City Los Angeles Native Americans in the United States
There have been several moments in theatre that seems to whitewash the ethnic characters. West Side Story is one of those musicals. West Side Story is a loose musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The twist is that it’s set in 1950s New York‚ with the plot set around youth street gangs entangled in a racially charged conflict over their “territory” in the lower West Side of Manhattan. There is the Puerto Rican “Sharks” led by Bernardo‚ who has recently brought his family‚ including
Premium
West Side Story is the modern take on the well-known William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliette‚where Tony and Maria replaced Romeo and Juliette and are involved in New York street gangs. On the harsh streets of the upper west side‚ two gangs battle for control of the turf. The situation becomes complicated when a gang member falls in love with a rival’s sister.Jerome Robbins(Director and choreographer)‚ Arthur Laurents(Author) and Leonard Bernstein(Composer) came together with the idea to write a
Premium Romeo and Juliet Juliet Capulet Romeo Montague
“I feel pretty. Oh‚ so pretty‚ I feel pretty and witty and gay. And I pity any girl who isn’t me tonight”. One of the most popular songs from the world wide successful musical West Side Story. The book was written by Arthur Laurents. Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and Music by Leonard Bernstein. The star Maria who moved from Puerto Rico to live in New York wasn’t feeling pretty all the time. It was a temporary joy when she decided to love the American sharks gang member Tony. Her love lead to many major
Premium Musical theatre Gang Puerto Rico
Love and Lust are two different things with regards to relationships. Love is when two people like something about each other‚ but having a desire for someone is called Lust. In the book "West Side Story" by Stephen Sondheim‚ two people from different gangs think they love each other‚ but from my point of view‚ they are just attracted to each other. They don’t show true love because they keep on thinking about their looks and they showed desire towards each other. First of all‚ true love is when
Premium Love Interpersonal relationship Romance
The musical direction and sound design in the Orlando Shakespeare Theater’s production of West Side Story contributed to its success and excellence. The musical director of this production is Steve MacKinnon‚ and the sound designer is Craig Beyrooti. The production contained a live orchestra on stage for the music. The music reflected the tone of the scene and the play. As I walked into the theater‚ I was greeted by the sound of old Jazz that in some moments turned into suspenseful music. This music
Premium Love Performance Music
West Side Story written by Arthur Laurents is actually a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The West Side Story is set in Upper West Side Manhattan. It is about rivalry between two teenage gangs of different backgrounds. Anton‚ a member of the white gang‚ fell in love with Maria‚ the sister of the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang. Romeo and Juliet is undoubtedly the most popular romantic love story to ever hit the literary world. It talks about intense passion between the
Premium William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Romeo Montague
Juliet Andy Warhol once said‚ "They say that time changes things‚ but actually you have to change them yourself." Two hundred fifty years passed between the original Romeo and Juliet and the premiere of West Side Story on Broadway in 1957. However‚ time did not change the message of the story‚ simply the creators’ unique visions evolved. Shakespeare’s delivery of the timeless tale of desperate love in his classic Romeo and Juliet proves to only intensify through retelling and modern interpretation
Premium Romeo and Juliet
West Side Story: The Romeo & Juliet Connection (Trivia Quiz at bottom of page) Character Analogies | Maria = Juliet |A-Rab = Sampson |Sharks = Capulets | |Tony = Romeo |Riff = Tybalt |Jets = Montagues | |Anita = Nurse |Bernardo = Mercutio |Det. Shrank = Escalus | |Baby John = Gregor |Doc = Friar Laurence |Chino = Paris
Premium Romeo and Juliet Characters in Romeo and Juliet