What was the original concept of West Side Story?
The original idea for “West Side Story” dates back to 1949 when Jerome Robbins conceived of a musical update of “Romeo & Juliet.” Originally set on the New York’s East Side, and conceived as a societal war between Jews and Gentiles, “West Side Story” eventually morphed into a tale of two street gangs, the mostly Puerto …
What does red symbolize in West Side Story?
Instead, they dance separately and keep to opposite sides of the gym. Moreover, the rival gangs and their supporters are further sepa- rated through the colors they wear: blues, browns, oranges and yellows for the Jets; purples, black, navy, and red for the Sharks.
Was Jerome Robbins fired from West Side Story?
In 1960, Robbins co-directed, with Robert Wise, the film adaptation of West Side Story. After about 45 days of shooting, he was fired when the production was considered 24 days behind schedule.
Are the Jets Irish in West Side Story?
In the original West Side Story, the Sharks and the Jets are Puerto Rican and white (though some have read them as specifically Polish) respectively. As revealed in the new trailer, Spielberg’s Jets are Irish.
What did the Sharks wear in West Side Story?
As Bernardo, Riff and their gangs set terms for the Rumble, the Sharks, in their dark sports jackets with darker lapels, contrast with the Jets in their white shirts or light t-shirts and soft jackets.
When was West Side Story colorized?
1961
Color system West Side Story (USA 1961, Jerome Robbins; Robert Wise).
What real life New York conflict was paralleled in the musical West Side Story?
Bernstein and Robbins, drawing on their backgrounds as Russian-American Jews, set the conflict on the Lower East Side, between Jewish and Irish-Catholic gangs — a real-life rivalry that did lead to bloody turf wars in the early 1900s.
What neighborhood is West Side Story set?
West Side Story was originally set in the neighborhood of Lincoln Square, or San Juan Hill, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Until the 1950s, the neighborhood was predominantly African-American and Afro-Caribbean. Though it suffered from poverty and crime, it was also a cultural hotspot, especially for music.
What is the plot of West Side Story?
West Side Story is the award-winning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy, “Romeo and Juliet”. The feuding families become two warring New York City gangs- the white Jets led by Riff and the Puerto Rican Sharks, led by Bernardo. Their hatred escalates to a point where neither can coexist with any form of understanding.
Is West Side Story a Broadway show?
the original Broadway cast of West Side Story . West Side Story (Original Broadway Cast) is the 1957 recording of a Broadway production of the musical West Side Story. Recorded 3 days after the show opened at the Winter Garden Theatre , the recording was released in October 1957 in both mono and stereo formats.
Who made West Side Story?
West Side Story was based on a 1957 Broadway play written by American playwright Arthur Laurents, composer Leonard Bernstein, lyricist Stephen Sondheim and choreographer Jerome Robbins who, in turn, based it on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
What is a West Side Story?
West Side Story is a musical with book by Arthur Laurents , music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim . It was inspired by William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet.
