West Side Story

       The 1961 musical, West Side Story is a story about a forbidden love. It is an adaptation of the tragedy Romeo and Juliet. It was meant to be a modern retelling which took place in Manhattan between two rival gangs. The tension between the Sharks and the Jets can be seen through their choreography. The entire first scene had no dialogue, yet a story was told through the music and the dance. The snapping of fingers was like a heartbeat. The music sped up when they were tense and it slowed down when they were trying to be cool. Also, the gangs fought by using dance moves. At first it seemed awkward and silly, but the strength, energy and acrobatics used helped to suspend the disbelief. I could appreciate the physicality of the moves.

At the dance hall Maria and Tony meet and instantly fall in love. Everyone and everything around them becomes blurred. However, the image of them is clear. This was because they only saw each other. The chaos between the two fighting gangs around them meant nothing to them because of their love. This blurring of everything around them is used in other scenes as well. It was a vision of hope because they were looking for a place apart from everything that was reality.

 I love the song “I like to be in America.” For the women being in America was a lot better than in Puerto Rico because they were free to have fun. The men on the other hand do not feel the same way. For Bernardo and the other guys being in America means they must fight. They are not free to do what they want. I thought this contrast was very interesting. Anita believed in the American Dream, but Bernardo believed that "life is alright if you're white." Again their feelings are expressed through the choreography and music.

The scene where Tony calls out to Maria mimics the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet. She is on a fire escape above him and he climbs up to reach her. It was dangerous for him to be in Shark territory. He tells Maria he loves her and she tells him she loves him in Spanish. To me this proves love has no language.

 I enjoyed the song the Jets sang about being juvenile delinquents. They blame society and their family for their actions. They make a joke of it because there is nothing else they can do. They can't change that their mother's are junkies and their father's are drunks. They think that life on the streets is all there is. Tony on the other hand has grown out of this life. He gets a job and says there are more important things than fighting. Unfortunately, the Jets do not see it the same way and Tony is pulled back in to intercede on their behalf.

The "Tonight" song united them all. Anita sings about the night because she will be with her love Bernardo after the fight. The Sharks and the Jets sing about the night and the fight. Tony and Maria sing about the night and how they will meet again. Each separate song is woven together brilliantly. To me this underscored the fact that they are all connected. They all believe their dreams or conflicts will be resolved that night. However, the fight goes horribly wrong and causes even more harm than good. It is a tragedy after all.

Tony is told Maria is dead and so, he wants to die too. This is just like Romeo and Juliet. In the end Maria stands up to both gangs to make them understand that the fighting is for nothing. They all killed not with weapons, but with hatred. She is the last to leave the scene. When she rises from the ground she is strong. She has a presence. She is no longer an innocent child. She became a real lady of America. The ending scene shows both Sharks and Jets carrying Tony (a dead Shark) away. For me the ending brings hope. It brings hope that the two rivals can learn to live with one another.

 It was amazing how so much was said without anything being said. The music, singing and choreography all explained the story better than the dialogue. It conjures an emotional response from the audience. You feel what they characters feel. You feel angry, sad, and hopefulness. I love this musical. It may be dated, but it has a powerful message. I like to live in America and everyone that lives here should be able to as well.