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Home , Anyone Can Whistle, Arthur Laurents, Fancy Free (ballet), Fiddler on the Roof, Gypsy (musical), Mass (Bernstein)

A Closer Look The creators

Leonard Bernstein is an American composer, conductor, Arthur Laurents was born Arthur Levine on July 14, 1917 author, educator, and musician. He was born on August 25, in , NY. He had his Broadway debut as the author 1918 in Lawrence, Massachusetts to Ukranian immigrant of Home of the Brave (1945) and later collaborated with parents. He is one of the most celebrated American on the musical Look Ma, I’m Dancin’! musicians in history. His fame comes primarily from his long (1948). Laurents worked for several years in Hollywood tenure as the Music Director of the Philharmonic where he wrote the thriller (1948) and from composing some of the most beloved Broadway before being blacklisted during the McCarthy hearings. musicals including (1944), Later he wrote the screenplays for (1953), (1956), and (1957). As a (1973) and The Turning Point (1977). Laurents is best passionate and dedicated educator, Bernstein was known known for his work as a playwright and director. His for his “Young People’s Concerts” which aired on CBS from plays include The Bird Cage (1950), The Time of the 1958-1972. This popular TV show introduced children Cuckoo (1952), A Clearing in the Woods (1952), and An around the world to classical music and inspired generations Invitation to March (1960) which included incidental of musicians and music-lovers. Bernstein received many music by and also marked Laurents’ honors during his career including a Lifetime Achievement directorial debut. He collaborated again with Robbins Grammy Award, 11 Emmy Awards, a Tony Award®, election and Sondheim on the musicals West Side Story (1957) to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and many and (1959) and with Sondheim on Anyone other awards. In 1990, he received the Praemium Imperiale, Can Whistle (1964) and Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965). a prize awarded by the Japan Arts Association for lifetime Laurents received many awards including two Tony achievement in the arts. Bernstein used the $100,000 Awards® for his work on Hallelujah, Baby! (1968) and prize to establish the Bernstein Education Through La Cage Aux Folles (1983). He died on May 5, 2011. the Arts (BETA) fund. He died on October 14, 1990.

Photo from . Photographer: Al Ravenna Photo from Digital Collections. Photographer: Fred Fehl The creators

Jerome Robbins Stephen Sondheim

Jerome Robbins was born in , NY on October Stephen Sondheim was born on March 22, 1930 in 11, 1918 and began dancing in high school. As a Manhattan, NY. One of the most pivotal figures in member of the , Robbins made Sondheim’s life as a young man was lyricist Oscar his choreographic debut in 1944 with . On Hammerstein II who was a father figure as well as a Broadway, he choreographed On the Town (1944), Billion mentor. When Sondheim was 27 years old, he got his first Dollar Baby (1945), and (1947), before big break when he was asked to write the lyrics for a new co-directing Look Ma, I’m Dancin’! with Arthur Laurents. musical re- of . That musical Also on Broadway, Robbins directed and choreographed was West Side Story and it was his introduction to the Gypsy (1959), (1964) and Jerome Broadway stage. Sondheim worked alongside composer Robbins’ Broadway (1989). As Associate Artistic Director of Leonard Bernstein to write the lyrics for the musical. the Ballet he created more than 50 ballets. Sondheim has often been criticized for writing dark lyrics During his career, Robbins won five ®, two and tunes that are not “hummable”, but his musicals Academy Awards and was a recipient of the Kennedy have received critical acclaim. Some of Sondheim’s most Center Honors. Robbins died on July 29, 1998. popular musicals include (1964), (1970), (1971), the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sunday in the Park with George (1984), and (1987). Sondheim has received numerous awards during his career including an Academy Award, eight Grammys, eight Tonys®, and a Pulitzer Prize.

Photo from New York Public Library Digital Collections. Photographer: Radford Bascome Photo from New York Public Library Digital Collections. Photographer: Fred Palumbo CULTURAL CONTEXT

Photos from Library of Congress. Photographer: Orlando Fernandez

“Hey, I Got a Social Disease!” By Carla Steen Production Dramaturg Juvenile Delinquency in the 1950S the Guthrie Theater Used with permission from the Guthrie Theater.

lthough young people misbehaving wasn’t anything E. Salisbury had a seven-part series in A new in the 1950s, the scope and scale of the problem about what he called the “Shook-” generation. “Shook- of juvenile delinquency was. A marked rise in crime and up in teen-age terminology means upset, disturbed,” he violence among teenagers post-World War II proved to be wrote. “The consequences of this shook-up condition a matter of grave concern and frequent discussion. In the constitute one of the principal social problems of our day.” late 1950s alone – the time of West Side Story – Look and Through his seven articles, Salisbury wrote about youth Life magazines, , Newsweek, U.S. News and gangs, New York City schools, lack of housing and difficult World Report and other news organizations had many and home life – all of the problems that contributed to juvenile lengthy stories about the rise and increase of delinquency delinquency among this “Shook-Up” generation. Salisbury among teens and preteens, the crisis in the schools, police bookended his pieces with references to West Side Story, and governmental response to delinquency or the latest which was still running strong on Broadway. Around the gang incident. These articles frequently speculated about same time, stories of juvenile delinquency were also or offered up suggestions for what the solution could be. playing out on the silver screen, with movies like The Wild In March 1958, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Harrison Bunch in 1953 and Rebel Without a Cause in 1955 setting the stage for later films likeThe Delinquents (1957) and Part of New York City’s response to the growing problem of High School Confidential (1958) about kids getting caught juvenile delinquency was to form a Youth Board in 1947, up in the wrong crowd or with local gangs and the rising which was intended to coordinate the services to youth use of alcohol and drugs, especially marijuana, among provided by public and private agencies. Two years later, the young people. The Delinquents, written and directed by Youth Board created two of its own service programs – one Robert Altman, ended with a voiceover epilogue exhorting for outreach to street gangs and another for services to people to deal with the problem of delinquency: families and children. In 1960, the Youth Board published a book titled Reaching the Fighting Gang based on the “This is one story. Who’s to blame? The answers organization’s experience and outreach with gangs. Many are not easy nor are they pleasant. We are all of its descriptions of gang structure, membership, activity responsible. And it’s our responsibility not to and behavior parallel those depicted in West Side Story. The look the other way. Violence and immorality like Jets’ frustration pouring out in “Gee, Officer Krupke,” as they this must be controlled and channeled. Citizens describe the ineffectual adults and structures of society that everywhere must work against delinquency continually fail them, is strongly echoed in the words of the just as they work against cancer, cerebral palsy Youth Board: “He reacts negatively to a community which or any other crippling disease. For delinquency shows its concern only when he or his group is in trouble is a disease. But the remedies are available. and then acts repressively. The application by the community Patience, compassion, understanding and of the label of ‘delinquency’ or ‘gang’ crucially affects the respect for parental and civil authority. By self-definition or self-image of the member and the group. In working with your church group, with a youth many instances a feeling of self-rejection is projected onto organization in your town, by paying closer the community and the boys talk about how ‘the world ain’t attention to the needs of your children, you no good, the neighborhood ain’t no good and I am no good.’ can help prevent the recurrence of regrettable … He both fears and dreads apprehension by the police and events just like the ones you have just witnessed. other law enforcement institutions, seeing these not in terms You can help halt this disease before it cripples of their societal function, but only as they impinge upon him our children. Before it cripples society.” and the group. His rejection of adults and the community is characterized by a ‘no one cares for us’ attitude.” GANG SLANG (both real and made up by Laurents)

CRABBIN’ — Find fault with, criticize, peck at KICK — Stimulating or intoxicating effect CRACKO JACKO — “Cracko” is 20th century slang for MIX — Fight, brawl lunatic, insane, eccentric RUMBLE — fight between rival gangs DADDY-O — Term of address between males SCHMUCK — Fool, putz DIG — Appreciate, enjoy, understand SQUARE — Conventional, old-fashioned — Nonsensical chatter; FRABBAJABBA — Drugs, especially marijuana derived from “jabber” TEA TIN-HORN – Inferior, second-rate GASSIN’ – Chattering, offering only hot air, talking inconsequentially TOMATO — Attractive woman HOODLUMS – Street ruffians, thugs or gangsters TURF – Street(s) or block(s) that constitute a gang’s territory JITTERBUG — Participate in gang fighting; go into combat CULTURAL CONTEXT PUERTO RICANS IN NEW YORK CITY Puerto Ricans are the second largest Hispanic group in the the Spanish-American War, and the United States took over United States and the population of Puerto Ricans on the U.S. when Spain ceded control in 1898. Puerto Ricans have been mainland is growing faster than the population in Puerto Rico. U.S. citizens since 1917. As a U.S. commonwealth, the island Puerto Rico, called San Juan Baptista by explorer Christopher is mostly self-governed. Its citizens are not represented in Columbus, is a tropical island in the Caribbean Sea and is the Electoral College so they cannot vote in presidential smaller than the state of Connecticut. Puerto Rico’s history is elections unless they have established residency in one interesting and complicated. During the last four centuries, of the 50 states. When they first started migrating to the its fate has been determined by two nations that have ruled United States, most Puerto Ricans settled in New York City. it—Spain ruled the country from the sixteenth century up to

The first Puerto Ricans move to New York after 1898, settling 1898 primarily in three spots: one in Brooklyn and two in East Harlem.

The Foraker Act establishes a civilian government for Puerto Rico. 1900 It also put all federal U.S. laws into effect in Puerto Rico, though it is exempt from federal taxes.

Responding to demand by Puerto Ricans for more local control, Congress 1917 passes the Jones Act, which gives Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship, creates a TIMELINE OF bill of rights and establishes a locally elected House of Representatives and Senate. The number of Puerto Ricans settling in New York increases after PUERTO RICAN citizenship is given, though it doesn’t hit significant numbers until the 1930s. MIGRATION TO U.S. military sets up garrisons on Puerto Rico as part of the defense of the 1942 Panama Canal, and a large naval base is built as a destination for the British NEW YORK CITY fleet if it should have to flee Britain. About 60,000 Puerto Ricans serve in the - military during World War II. 13,000 Puerto Ricans enter New York in 1945. Used with permission from the Guthrie Theater. The number almost triples the next year. When direct flights to New York are Compiled from The Columbia Gazetteer of the 1945 World, Britannica, Encyclopedia Americana, established after the war’s end, five- to six-hour flights replace a four-day trip The New Yorker, Library of Congress, Vampires, Dragons and Egyptian Kings : Youth Gangs by sea, with tickets dropping from $85 ($740 today) to $35 ($300 today). in Postwar New York and other sources. Public Law 600 authorizes Puerto Rico to draft its own constitution, and 1950 President Truman signs the Puerto Rico Commonwealth Bill. 70% of Puerto Ricans in New York worked in the three lowest-paying job sections (garment industry, service and light manufacturing). The number was the same in 1960.

1953 Annual migration from the island reaches 75,000.

The estimated population of Puerto Ricans living in New York is 550,000 (out 1957 of 7.7 million total) – about 7% of the city’s population. Most had arrived – by birth or immigration – during the last 10 years. In Puerto Rico, 15% of the workforce is unemployed, with another 15% only employed part-time.