Sep 24, 2019 when it opened on september 26, 1957, west side story received a mixed critical response. 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. It opened on broadway at the winter garden theatre on 26 september 1957, and on the west end at her majestys theatre on 12 december 1958. Essay about analysis of west side story 1161 words bartleby. West side story has been one of my favourite films since it first appeared.
Short scripts multiple genre a showcase for original scripts on the net. West side story script transcript from the screenplay and. The musical explores the rivalry between the jets and the sharks, two teenage. Directed by robert wise and jerome robbins and scripted by ernest lehman, the film combines leonard bernstein and stephen sondheims unforgettable score maria, america, somewhere, tonight with robbins own exuberant choreography to achieve an exhilarating. West side story was originally about jews and catholics. The opening is a halfdanced, halfmimed, dance of sorts. In the early 1960s, much of the neighborhood would be cleared to make room for lincoln center, which changed the neighborhood. West side story is a tragic love story set in new york city in the mid1950s on the west side of the city.
When this film arrived i noted the script on the rear of the cover were in italian and also the same on the very small heading over the main title very hard to spot on the small amazon illustration. The music was composed by leonard bernstein, and the lyrics were written by stephen sondheim. A musical set on the west side of new york city around 1957. I saw it when originally released, then on 16mm, then on vhs, then on a rerelease on 70mm in the west end, then on dvd. And unlike the typical broadway musical of the 1950s and before, west side story does not offer audiences a happy ending. West side story is one of the few broadway musicals that can make a genuine claim to transforming the genre. Your task in pairs will be to take a scripted scene from west side story and perform it as a duologue script between two people.
Bernardo they do not know the country any better than she does. They needed someone else to pump them up, and suddenly west side story scored a dream team for its songs. For example, let us take a novel or short story and comprehend the specific elements that can be seen in a story. The idea of taking one of the most famous and tragic love stories of all time and translating it to modern america, focusing it around the racial and inner city problems arising at that time and which still exist today. Their hatred escalates to a point where neither can coexist with any form of understanding. Griffith and hal prince based on shakespeares romeo and juliet. West side story full script free download as pdf file.
Debuting one day after the forced integration of central high school in little rock, the musicals story. It is primarily a condensation of the growing rivalry between two teenage games, the. 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. It is based on shakespeares play, romeo and juliet. 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. It is primarily a condensation of the growing rivalry between two teenage games, the jets and the. A comparison of the power struggles in romeo and juliet and west side story. Analysis of west side story west side story came out in 1961 as a melodramatic musical that took place in new york. If you are looking to purchase tickets to opera australias west side story on sydney harbour, please click here. Nigel simeone begins by exploring the long process of creating west side story, including a discussion of bernsteins sketches, early drafts of the score and script, as well as cut songs. Principal, linde, bailey, sally, kasia until end of. Rival street gangs engage in relatively harmless activities until one fight spells tragedy for two young lovers.
In the midst of the deepseated rivalry between the puerto rican gang, the sharks, and the white gang, the jets, maria and tony discover that. Bifr szcr, lnnocenccl buddy boys are gonea play ball witb me. Fasten your seat belts for the upcoming film remake of west side story with a script by tony kushner, and directed by no less than steven spielberg. The musical is a 20thcentury american adaptation of the shakespearean tale of romeo and juliet.
See new additions below or pick your genre on the left. May 07, 2015 unlike a script, a story can be defined as an account of imaginary or real events. I know, i know, i still need to get the cast names in there and ill be eternally tweaking it, so if you have any corrections. It is a tale of two rival gangs, which despises the other in a vicious circle of hate. Stephen spielberg west side story news, premiere date. Tensions are high between the gangs but two kids, one from each rival gang, fall in love leading to tragedy.
Like bernstein and robbins, stephen sondheim was a name to note in the broadway world of the 1950s. It takes the same theme as shakespeares, romeo and juliet, in that it is about two lovers whose relationship is not accepted by others because of conflicting backgrounds. Just as romeo and juliet are born to rival families, tony and maria are associated with rival gangs. Plot summary for west side story 1961, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. The story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid1950s. It was inspired by william shakespeare s play romeo and juliet. Both are stories of unrequited love that end tragically, but there are many elements that make them very different. Thewestmenu gives you the possibility to rearrange the menus of the west.
When it opened on september 26, 1957, west side story received a mixed critical response. The photos are amazing, the bios of the participants, the cast lists, and more, make this purchase the most valuable in recent history. 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. Aug 22, 2018 as west side story celebrates its 60th anniversary, it stands as more than art. An incident between the jets and shark leader bernardo escalates into an all out fight between the two gangs. I absconded with itthis was the cast album from the 1957 broadway musicaland just fell. This was put into place to keep dopey spammers from harvesting email addresses from the site. This is the place for you if youve ever been involved in, or infatuated with, west side story as an actor, singer, dancer, musician, producer, director, designer, crew or just as important as a fan. The play romeo and juliet by william shakespeare was. Because it is set in 1950s new york city the scenes, characters, and plot have their own interpretations.
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. This allows you to see the works as individual parts of a larger whole. West side story shows how racism and xenophobia create a system that dooms the youths of working class families. West side story script broadway musical act i scene one 5. West side story is a modern version of shakespeares classic love story that ended in tragedy. West side story script transcript from the screenplay. West side story script taken from a transcript of the screenplay andor the natalie wood musical movie based on the broadway play. This area is full of west side story has been a play that i have been wanting to read for quite a long time.
Mar 02, 2009 west side story was born eight years before that day when robbins, then at new york city ballet, approached bernstein and laurents, then a californiabased screenwriter, about creating a modern. West side story west side story was first presented by robert e. This little book is worth ten times its weight in gold. Short a chance meeting between two people from different backgrounds and with little in common, proves that you cant judge a book by its cover. And were kind of okay with it being a classic, just look at the recent revival of south paci directorlibrettist arthur laurents contd and what will annoy you is that im not going to tell you what it is. The timeless musical australia needs right now e news lights up the stage with passion, drama and brilliant orchestrations herald sun if you buy. The sharks are puerto ricans, the jets an anthology of what is called american. It was an artistic confrontation of social issues from immigration and bigotry to economic inequality and gang. For me west side story beats both titanic and ben hur by a zillion points.
The film west side story is based on the 1950s broadway stage play, from an idea inspired by shakespeares romeo and juliet. West side story is the awardwinning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy, romeo and juliet. The sharks and the jets are two feuding street gangs in 1950s new york, the jets being white and the sharks being puerto rican. Mar 18, 2020 west side story was actually the first piece of popular music our family ever allowed into the home.
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. 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. In the midst of the deepseated rivalry between the puerto rican gang, the sharks, and the white gang, the jets, maria and tony discover that ancient grudges are no match for true love. Short a man takes the phrase jumping to your death to a new height. The incredible saga of west side story broadway buzz.
Everything free in america for a small fee in america. West side story the musical the original broadway classic. West side story simple english wikipedia, the free. Inspired by the timeless story of romeo and juliet, west side story takes shakespeares starcrossed lovers, and places them in the vibrant battleground of new york citys west side in the 1950s. By the time west side story began development, he was famous. Some quick facts about the broadway production of west side story. West side story is a musical adapted from shakespeares play and was first performed in 1957.
West side story, american musical film, released in 1961, that was inspired by shakespeare s romeo and juliet. Finally, the west side story script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the natalie wood musical movie based on the broadway play. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay andor viewings of west side story. West side story musical by bernstein and sondheim and. My brother, sister, and i have always had west side story in our lives.
The feuding families become two warring new york city gangs the white jets led by riff and the puerto rican sharks, led by bernardo. At a dance at a gym, jet tony falls in love with a sharks sister, maria. 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. 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. West side story 410 movie clip america 1961 hd youtube. In the slums of the upper west side of manhattan, new york, a gang of polishamerican teenagers called the jets compete with a rival gang of recently immigrated puerto ricans, the sharks, to own the neighborhood streets. Here on this site, you can indulge your fascination with this groundbreaking musical in any number of ways. 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. Opened on broadway september 26, 1957 script by arthur laurents music by leonard bernstein lyrics by stephen sondheim directed and choreographed by jerome robbins producted by robert. Great art borrows from the past and gives to the future. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of west side story 1961 film by robert wise.
West side story summary and study guide supersummary. Celebrating 60 years of west side story and the musical genius of leonard bernstein. West side story, theatre music by american composer leonard bernstein that premiered august 19, 1957, in washington, d. West side story is the awardwinning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy romeo and juliet. It shows the growing tensions between the sharks, a puerto rican gang, and the jets, a gang made up of american boys. Therefore, one way to learn more about works of art is to compare and contrast them. As west side story celebrates its 60th anniversary, it stands as more than art. The fullydanced prolog shows the tension built up between the jets and the sharks two rival gangs in new yorks upper west side.
It is a workingclass neighborhood with a mixture of ethnic groups. The core of the book is the commentary on the music itself. Difference between story and script compare the difference. Essays for west side story 1961 film west side story 1961 film essays are academic essays for citation. A story has a clear plot and maybe a few subplots as well. Prologue instrumental the neighborhood the months before the opening, half danced half mimed, is a condensation of the growing rivalry between two teenage gangs. Prologue the opening is a halfdanced, halfmimed, dance of sorts. West side story 1961 film essays are academic essays for citation. West side story was born eight years before that day when robbins, then at new york city ballet, approached bernstein and laurents, then a californiabased screenwriter, about creating a. Location and time upper west side, new york, 1950s, during the last days of summer. The feuding families become two warring new york city gangsthe white jets led by riff and the latino sharks, led by bernardo.
The movie, filled with exhilarating dance sequences choreographed by jerome robbins and memorable songsincluding tonight, maria, and somewhereby leonard bernstein music and stephen sondheim lyrics, won 10. Not only is the screenwriting brilliant, there also are added elements that blew me away. West side story simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. West side story was actually the first piece of popular music our family ever allowed into the home. This brilliant the new republic film sets the ageless story of romeo and juliet against a backdrop of gang warfare in 1950s new york. West side story 1961 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Essay about analysis of west side story 1161 words.
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