Maybe theres a new edition if the networks run the film, usually. Theres a lot of plot in west side story but its scenes are probably the shortest of any book musical thats ever existed. From the silver screen to the great white wayone of the greatest stories of all time. He is the author of ten books, including the novels the amboy dukes, cry tough, and the square trap, which were all adapted into movies. In my book club we took the comparison between this and the outsides. The film is set in the rough neighborhood of lincoln square on the west side of manhattan during the summer of 1957. In the early 1960s, much of the neighborhood would be cleared to make room for lincoln center, which changed the neighborhood. Setting compare and contrast plot the book west side story takes place on the west side of new york city in the 1950s. West side story plot summary, character breakdowns, context and analysis, and performance video clips. When it opened on september 26, 1957, west side story received a mixed critical response. Celebrating 60 years of west side story and the musical genius of leonard bernstein. The east side of town represents poverty and dysfunction. Crazy to think that what happens takes place in that time frame. West side story is a beautifullymounted, impressive, emotionridden and violent musical which, in its stark approach to a raging social problem and realism of unfoldment, may set a p.
Who are the main characters and who played them in the movie and original broadway version. In 1960 on a cold morning in february, the makers of west side story began filming along manhattans west 68th street. The setting is also credible because dorian lives in the upper west side where he lives a life of wealth, luxury and pleasure. West side story is set in and around the 1950s on the west side of manhattan, new york city. West side story overview the best broadway source for west side story tickets and west side story information, photos and videos. Tonight is one of the most popular songs from this 1957 broadway musical smash hit. The scenes in the book mostly take place at a drugstore, a playground and on the streets. West side story simple english wikipedia, the free. Its integration of dance and song into the plot was very innovative, because even though it had been done before, it had never been done this well. Maria and the rest of the gang members and girls except anita from the sharks and jets run over and see why there was a gun shot. From the first notes to the final breath, west side story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time.
East side story, set in the slums at the coincidence of easterpassover celebrations. Released in 1961, the soundtrack spent 54 weeks at no. The story of west side story was based on romeo and juliet, a play by william shakespeare. West side story is a musical with a book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein and lyrics by stephen sondheim. I need to read the book by friday, saturday at the latest and i cant find it anywhere. Dec 23, 2016 although many readers may only be familiar with the sleek, incolor west side story, there was a time when the paper contained stories about beatlemania, nixon and student animosity toward iteds.
For west side story, choreographer joey mckneely has been charged with the difficult task of recreating jerome robbinss work for a new generation. Its teamrobbins, bernstein, book by arthur laurents, lyrics by the. West side story the musical no works cited west side story is one of the most influential musicals of all time. But marias brother was leader of the sharks and tony had once. West side story is groundbreaking in a lot of ways, but when it comes to delivering the information, it tends to rely on the triedandtrue technique of moving to the character we need to see when we need to see him or her, then moving back as the story demands. The novel the picture of dorian gray by, oscar wilde is set in london england in the nineteenth century. West side story original, musical, drama, broadway opened in new york city sep 26, 1957 and played through jun 27, 1959. They wrote about what they knew, and what they knew were those working class neighborhoods full of kids with not a lot of hope. To ask other readers questions about west side story, please sign up. Debuting one day after the forced integration of central high school in little rock, the musicals story. And unlike the typical broadway musical of the 1950s and before, west side story does not offer audiences a happy ending. Sep 24, 2019 when it opened on september 26, 1957, west side story received a mixed critical response.
Jan 03, 2018 the genesis, impact, and influence of west side story has been explained and analyzed in countless histories and memoirs. It is a workingclass neighborhood with a mixture of ethnic groups. West side story the musical essay 498 words bartleby. For those who care about the how and why of the music is west side story this book is essential. When robbins opted to drop out, the three men went their separate ways, and the piece was shelved for almost five years. Leonard bernstein, jerome robbins, and the road to west. This groundbreaking collaboration among bernstein, jerome robbins conception and choreography, arthur laurents book, and stephen sondheim lyrics captured the fiber of american society through its best and worst characteristics.
Ive ordered it, but it will arrive too late and i need to do a book project on it. Although west side story was named the best picture of 1961 and won 10 academy awards, it is not much mentioned by movie fans these days, and the old warhorse singin in the rain is probably more seen and certainly better loved. While the movie version of west side story is among the most faithful of hollywood adaptations, a number of changes were made in translating the work to film, some to suit the medium, others to suit the audience sensibilities, and one or two socalled artistic choices. After owning their miserable little neighborhood for years, the jets, the fingersnapping street gang led by riff russ tamblyn, find themselves in a turf war with the upstart puerto rican sharks, led by bernardo george chakiris. There is palpable tension in the air as two gangs vie for dominance of the area. With west side story, dance becomes the mode of communication for these streetwise but inarticulate characters and is absolutely essential to the story.
Those familiar with leonard bernsteins west side story are generally aware that it is an updating of shakespeares tragic love story romeo and juliet. The gem of broadway musicals, west side storys commentary on love and prejudice is relevant to any time and place. At the end of the west side story tony gets killed by chino. Nov 01, 2011 the opening prologue from the 10time academy award winning musical film west side story, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary on november 15, 2011.
It was a required reading my freshman year in highschool. West side story is a beautifullymounted, impressive, emotionridden and violent musical which, in its stark approach to a raging social problem and realism of unfoldment, may set a pattern. West side story was the kind of musical people thought was good for them, a pious expression of admirable but unrealistic liberal sentiments, and certainly its street gangs at war one puerto rican, one the descendants of european immigrants seem touchingly innocent compared to contemporary reality. The complete book and lyrics of the broadway musical. It is a testament to the musical and theatrical brilliance of west side story that this teenage urban love story, set to shakespeares classic romeo and juliet, has survived its outmoded 50sstyle book arthur laurents replete with dead end kids posturings and corny, streetwise lingo i still cringe when i hear the word daddio. West side story prologue official full number 50th. The film version of 1961 was a smashing success, earning 10 oscars, including.
Although many readers may only be familiar with the sleek, incolor west side story, there was a time when the paper contained stories about beatlemania, nixon and student animosity toward iteds. On a hot late1950s summer in new yorks upper west side, william shakespeares timeless story of romeo and juliet 1968 comes to life, as a fierce enmity between two antagonistic street gangs paves the way for heartbreak and tragedy. What happens at the end of west side story answers. The story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, a multiracial, bluecollar neighborhood. Author and authors purpose the author of west side story is aurthur laurents. Westside story is a modern musical representation of the classic story romeo and juliet. While it seems only natural now, the idea of filming on actual city streets took some time in. Arthur laurents book remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. West side story summary and study guide supersummary. Stephen sondheim, who wrote west side story s lyrics, was a twentysomething when the show was being developed too young to have established a track.
West side story won an almostrecord ten oscars, including best picture, supporting awards to chakiris and rita moreno as bernardos girlfriend, anita, and best director to robbins and wise. Maria was young and innocent and had never known loveuntil tony. The title was changed to west side story when the creators realized that gang warfare in new york had moved from the east side to the west. Whenever i see a movie or stage production of a play, i am always interested to read the actual book to have a different perspective on the characters and overall plot. The music was composed by leonard bernstein, and the lyrics were written by stephen sondheim. When was west side story written jerome robbins proposed the idea for writing a musical based on romeo and juliet to leonard bernstein in january of 1949 working title. Sep 26, 2007 50 years of west side story an hourlong documentary hosted by nprs scott simon, a place for us explores the creation and the cultural influence of a musical that changed the way broadway. Once more, the clan of the montagues are at odds with the capulets. It was inspired by william shakespeare s play romeo and juliet. West side story opened at new yorks winter garden theater on september 26, 1957, and has remained in the repertory ever since.
The sharks and the jets are rival gangs fighting for the same territory. Published april 15th 1990 by pocket books first published 1961. Two youngsters from rival new york city gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy. Works stage west side story 1957 leonard bernstein. Decades later, in the final volume of his memoir, arthur laurents recalled that the show was. Very interesting to compare contrast on that side of the. The authors purpose was to show the racial discrimination of the puerto ricans in new york during the 1950s. The story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, an ethnic, bluecollar neighborhood in the early 1960s, much of the.
After all, if you change the setting, you largely change. The score by leonard bernstein and lyrics by stephen sondheim are. And he, who had been seeking something beyond the savagery of the streets, discovered it with her. Il particolare che mi stava piu a cuore era larmonizzazione originale del brano. West side story mass market paperback april 15, 1990. It starred carol lawrence as maria west side story opened on broadway at the winter garden theatre on 26 september 1957, and on the west end at her majestys theatre on 12. Arthur laurents, who wrote the book for west side story, had previously confronted racial injustice in home of the brave, a play and film from the 1940s that featured a mixedrace cast.
West side story is a musical with a book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein and. The genesis, impact, and influence of west side story has been explained and analyzed in countless histories and memoirs. Just beyond where they were filming stood half a block of boarded tenements destined for demolition which would soon make way for the newly constructed lincoln center. An analysis of west side story with the audio attached for some of the key features that bernstein uses. The wss first issue came out in 1969, and since then. The setting comes at least partially from the fact that everyone who created west side story was from new york. They came together through love but violence threatened to tear them apart. After owning their miserable little neighborhood for years, the jets, the fingersnapping street gang led by riff. Anche tonight non scherza e poi vi sono interessanti passaggi dorchestra.
The generational conflict that is present at times but takes a background role racism and the power struggle being two. He proposed that the plot focus on the conflict between an irish catholic family and a jewish family. Throughout the story, the author uses the setting as an analogy. West side story, american musical film, released in 1961, that was inspired by shakespeares romeo and juliet. The problem is that novelizations normally go out of print almost as soon as the secondrun theaters stop running the flick. It is a testament to the musical and theatrical brilliance of west side story that this teenage urban love story, set to shakespeares classic romeo and juliet, has survived its outmoded 50sstyle book arthur laurents replete with dead end kids posturings and corny, streetwise lingo i still cringe when i. Jul 30, 20 west side story won an almostrecord ten oscars, including best picture, supporting awards to chakiris and rita moreno as bernardos girlfriend, anita, and best director to robbins and wise. The opening prologue from the 10time academy award winning musical film west side story, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary on november 15, 2011. West side story 1961 is an energetic, widelyacclaimed, melodramatic musical a modernday, loose retelling of shakespeares romeo and juliet tragedy of feuding families, although the setting is the upper west side of new york city in the late 1950s with conflict between rival street gangs rather than families. West side story simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
West side story also featured a unified, symphonic score by leonard bernstein that was unprecedented in its ambition. West side story is a tragic love story set in new york city in the mid1950s on the west side of the city. Ivo van hoves thrilling take on a musical theater masterpiece. It is based on shakespeares play, romeo and juliet. Just as romeo and juliet are born to rival families, tony and maria are associated with rival gangs.
The setting is also credible because dorian lives in the upper west side where he lives a. Plus, west side story was the first broadway credit of someone who. It is really hard to imagine my side of the mountain taking place in a setting different from the one in which it occurs. As we approach the centennial of leonard bernsteins birth on august 25, 2018 cultural institutions around the world are beginning to celebrate the varied life of this decidedly american icon this composer, conductor, teacher, and activist. The creative team of west side story made their civil rights agenda quite clear. Leonard bernstein, jerome robbins, and the road to west side. Very interesting to compare contrast on that side of the story. It is a duet sung by lovers tony and maria, and features one of bernsteins bestknown and loved melodies. When is the time period that west side story is based around. The sharks mostly recent puerto rican immigrants and the jets mostly second generation european immigrants circa 1960.
In his personal copy of romeo and juliet, now housed at the library of congress, bernstein wrote that west side story was an out and out plea for racial tolerance. With natalie wood, george chakiris, richard beymer, russ tamblyn. West side story actually started out as east side story in jerome robbins original pitch to bernstein in 1947. This area is full of west side story has been a play that i have been wanting to read for quite a long time.
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