West Side Story

To Our Readers ow can something be as fresh, as bril Hliant, as explosively urgent as "West Side Story," and be 50 years old? How can this brand new idea for the American theatre have been around for half a century? Leonard Bernstein used to say that he wished he could write the Great American Opera. He was still designing such a project shortly before his death. But in retrospect, we can say that he fulfilled his wish. "West Side Story" is performed to enthusiastic audiences in opera houses around the world - recently in La Scala and, before this year is out, at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. Is there a Broadway revival in the works? The signs are highly auspicious. In this issue, we celebrate "West Side Story": its authors, its original performers, and its continuing vital presence in the world. Chita Rivera regrets that, due to scheduling conflicts, she was unable to contribute to this issue by print time. [ wEst SIDE ·sronv L "West Side Story" continues to break ground to this very day. Earlier this year, the show was performed by inmates at Sing Sing. A few months later, it was presented as part of a conflict resolution initiative for warring street gangs in Seattle. And if there's a heaven, Leonard Bernstein was up there dancing for joy last summer while Gustavo Dudamel led his sensational 200-piece Simon Bolfvar Youth Orchestra in the "Mambo" at the Proms in London. The audience went bonkers. Check it out: http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/ 6pXLfR60dUfQNjMYZ There are few theatrical experiences as reliably thrilling as a student production of "West Side Story". In high schools and colleges across America, teenagers throw themselves into the show with the passionate commitment that comes from feeling that a work of art is speaking directly to one's soul. Leonard Bernstein's score is notoriously diffi cult, but the young musicians and singers tear into it with gusto. The DVD of "West Side Story" is a top rental for kids, whose parents marvel as their 5 year olds jump around the furniture playing "Jets and Sharks" and singing at the top of their lungs. Clearly "West Side Story" speaks in some essential way to young people - and that, above all, is the quality that will keep this work itself forever young. J.B.• 0 " Ma r ia " A Fa iry Ta Ie by Carol Lawrence continue for years to come. I'm proud to have been there through ecalling the magnificent mem the labor pains that gave birth to Rories of being blessed with such a masterpiece! being a part of the original com With great love and apprecia- pany of West Side Story is like tion, Carol Lawrence. • walking into a wondrous fairy tale of long ago! It was fifty years Carol Lawrence created the ago, and the rules were different. role of Maria in the original First of all, it took me thirteen Broadway production o(West auditions to get the role of Maria; Side Story, and went onto a when Actors Equity found out, career in stage, screen, recording they were furious. They promptly and television. passed a law that only allowed producers three auditions before they must pay the actor to audi tion again. The truth is that I would have auditioned a hundred times if the geniuses creating the show had asked me. "One Hand, One Heart". It was evident to everyone in the company that this project modern idiom, pathos, poignacy, was extraordinary in every aspect. rebellion, and a demand for jus Transposing Shakespeare's tice. Stephen Sondheim was the warring families to the world Wunderkind who brought a cryp of racial strife and bigotry in tic, youthful, stinging insight onto America was enough to place the scene. Hal Prince and Robert the musical in a class all its own. Griffith brought their courageous Leonard Bernstein's operatic/jazz/ vision and practical expertise to classical score was like nothing what every wise Broadway sage ever heard before on a Broadway warned was a commercial impossi stage. The book by Arthur bility. And Jerome Robbins set his La urents revered Shakespeare original concept of telling the heart while adding a biting edge of breaking love story of Romeo and Juliet in the brutal streets of NYC Hal Prince and on a plane of perfection never dreamed of before or since. Robert Griffith Jerry demanded the impossible of everyone around him everyday brought their cou at rehearsals - but demanded even more of himself. He was rageous vision and our model of dedication, integrity, honesty, energy, imagination, The Balcony Scene practical expertise creativity, fortitude, courage, and triumph. He just never gave to what every wise up, and would not allow you the Broadway sage option either. His subtext to the entire effort was: "Intolerance is warned was a com just not acceptable!" I believe that is the underlying mercial impossibility. message the show carries around the world even today. It is being produced in more than sixty ven ues this year, and no doubt it will ~ ~ N 0 0 ---.J ;:, 0 0 00 0 West Side Story- 50 years old? by Reri Grist context of the rivaling gangs, I felt I particularly understood. As trange! - it seems only a we began to coordinate the scenes Sshort time ago that we, the and music into a unified whole Sharks and Jets girls, were on stage, there was increased upstairs in our large, common contact with Leonard Bernstein, dressing room on an upper floor whose warmth, guidance and of the Winter Garden Theater unrestrained enthusiasm with our chatting away happily as we interpretations of his composition changed into our vibrant red created an atmosphere which en and lavender or bright yellow couraged us to keep on movin' on. and blue costumes, preparing for West Side Story allowed me, the next evening show. Although personally, the opportunity to we originated from different parts convince Mr. Bernstein that "I of the USA, from sometimes con could sing other music, too," trasting social and educational such as Zerbinetta's aria from backgrounds, we were joined Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard together to perform a new kind Strauss. And I do remember that of musical which unexplainably audition! Between a matinee and Reri Grist and Leonard Bernstein, 1971 moved and united all of us evening show, racing up 7th beyond anything else we had Avenue to Carnegie Hall with Whenever and wherever I see before known or seen. some of the Shark girls along West Side Story listed to be per During the early period of with me, all still wearing parts formed - on stage, in selections rehearsals Jerome Robbins, the of our colorful costumes. The in concert, in jazz or chamber stage director and great chore stage of the great hall seemed so arrangements, in Italy, Germany, ographer, was the kingpin. He big and intimidating to little me. China or South Africa, in French, wanted all of us to have the When I finished the long and Russian, or Japanese - my heart energy and life he saw in the difficult aria, Mr. Bernstein's reac skips a beat, and I am thrown kids in the area of NYC where tion, "Well, I guess you can sing!" back in time to that first pre I grew up - Spanish Harlem. led me on to other engagements opening night performance for Jerry wanted WSS to be like the in concert with him and the New a New York City audience at the real thing. So we all, especially York Philharmonic. Years later, Winter Garden. When the shot the dancers, dedicated ourselves after my operatic career had been rang out that killed Tony and to the task and worked without established in Europe and the the last chords softly diminished holding anything back to give USA, we again worked together into space, we, the Sharks and the him all that he wanted - and at the Vienna State Opera in Jets on stage and the audience in more. I, in my role of Consuelo, Austria where he conducted a their seats, remained frozen in an had the privilege to be the first beautiful new production of all encompassing silence, held by to sing "There's a place for us," Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier in the meaning of the killing - and ("Somewhere") which, in the which I sang the role of Sophie. perhaps the knowledge that we were part of a great moment in American theatre and music. At first, slowly and almost inau dibly, there arose an electrifying roar from the audience - shouts, applause whistling, stamping of feet - which crescendoed into a fortissimo causing the space and our beings to vibrate with a deafening joy of approval and accomplishment. 50 years ago ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEST SIDE STORY! Keep movin' on! "You done good buddy boy"- real good! • Reri Grist is an internatio nally acclaimed opera singer and teacher. 0 Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein rehearse the original cast. Stephen Sondheim I was worried about bothering Stephen Sondheim with questions about West Side Story; surely, I thought, he'd prefer to talk about the shows for which he'd written both lyrics and music. Robbins, Laurents and Bernstein were partway into the project when Steve was brought in to work on the lyrics. But Steve surprised me with his candor as well as his appreciation of his colleagues. - J.B. don't mind talking about it, but II have to be frank. I certainly feel the pride of being connected to the show; I'm not ashamed of the show, but I'm not happy about all of it, especially my own stuff.

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