West Side Story

Senior Company, 13–17 November 2006

Based on a concept by Jerome Robbins
Book by Arthur Laurents: Music by Leonard Bernstein: Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Entire original production directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins
Originally produced on Broadway by Robert E Griffith & Harold Prince
by arrangement with Roger L Stevens
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Limited
On behalf of Music Theatre International of New York

West Side Story is a modern re-telling of Shakespeare’s great love story Romeo and Juliet, transferred to 1950s New York, and set against the backdrop of gang warfare between the white American ‘Jets’ and the Puerto Rican ‘Sharks’. Jet member, Tony, and Maria, the sister of Bernardo the leader of the Sharks, meet and fall in love. Maria begs Tony to try and stop a planned ‘rumble’ between the two gangs, and in doing so he accidentally stabs Bernardo. Although devastated by her brother’s death, Maria still loves Tony and they plan to escape the city. But before they can do so, tragedy strikes when Chino, a member of the Sharks, sets out to avenge Bernardo’s death by killing Tony.

Leonard Bernstein’s unrivalled score, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, has produced some of the greatest numbers ever written for the musical theatre — ranging from the lyrical beauty of Maria and Tonight, through the Latin passion of America and the humour of Gee, Officer Krupke, to the menace of When You’re a Jet.

Leamington Spa Courier review, 16 November 2007

Warwickshire Telegraph review, 15 November 2007