They planned to stage the conflict between rival Catholic and Jewish groups. … Laurents then presented the idea of changing the conflict to involve Puerto-Rican versus white gangs on the then-grungy Upper West Side of Manhattan. All at once, the project took off.

What was the purpose of West Side Story?

Inspired by William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, the story is set in the mid-1950s in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, then a multiracial, blue-collar neighborhood. The musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.

What is the moral of West Side Story?

West Side Story is said to be a “morality play about “our” everyday problems: racism, poverty, and the destructiveness of violence” . New York circa 1950 to 1960, when the film would take place, was full of gang violence and juvenile delinquents.

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 influenced West Side Story?

It is widely known that West Side Story (WSS) is based directly on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (R&J). Far less well known is the fact that Shakespeare based his play (1594) on other material, particularly a narrative poem by Arthur Brooke entitled The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet (1562).

Why is West Side Story so important to musical Theatre?

Arguably, its greatest influence was in the theatricality of its presentation—the seamlessness and cinematic flow of its staging—and the integration of script, song, dance, and set. In its original Broadway run, West Side Story ran for 732 performances—a success, but not a smash hit.

Why is the beginning of West Side Story so long?

The lengthy credits for West Side Story were shifted to an epilogue, because those for the Broadway musical as well as the film had to be incorporated. This also gave viewers time to compose themselves after the tragic climax. Saul likened the effect to a decompression chamber: … I had a lot of fun making those credits.

How does West Side Story end?

Tony dies in Maria’s arms, surrounded by members of both street gangs. Maria grabs Chino’s gun and tells the gang members that they are all responsible for the deaths of Riff, Bernardo, and Tony. The police arrive and arrest Chino while members of the Jets and the Sharks carry Tony’s body away.

Was West Side Story successful?

“West Side Story” was the show that turned “musical comedy” into The Musical. … Because of the enormous success of the 1961 film, Hollywood rushed a whole bunch of mammoth, big-budgeted musicals into production. A couple, like “My Fair Lady” (1964) and “The Sound of Music” (1965), were hits.

Did Steven Spielberg direct the original West Side Story?

West Side StoryProduced bySteven Spielberg Kristie Macosko Krieger Kevin McCollum

Article first time published on

Who created the West Side Story poster?

Full title:Film poster for West Side Story directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert WiseCreated:1961Format:Poster, ImageLanguage:EnglishUsage terms© UNITED ARTISTS

How did West Side Story impact society?

When West Side Story debuted on Broadway in September 1957, the show immediately gained fame for its bold artistic vision and unflinching engagement with social concerns of the day: racial unrest, urban gang violence, immigration and altercations with the police.

Did West Side Story flop?

The release of director Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story was supposed to be one of the biggest movie events of the year. But even positive reviews from critics couldn’t save the film from a major stumble at the box office, with an opening weekend of $10.5 million last week.

What show ended the Golden Age and why was it a landmark musical?

The golden age of the American book musical came to an end in the 1960s. It had started with Show Boat in 1927 and ended almost forty years later with the premiere of Fiddler on the Roof.

Where was the original West Side Story filmed?

But after the exhilarating introduction it’s off to the studio in Hollywood with great music, claustrophobic sets and naff filters. The majority of West Side Story was shot on sound stages at the Samuel Goldwyn Studio, now known as The Lot, 1041 North Formosa Avenue at Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood.

Why do the Jets hate the Sharks?

The Jets hate the Sharks because the Sharks are trying to take the Jets’ land. The Sharks hate the Jets because of racial insults and profiling. It wasn’t uncommon back then for different races to hate each other.

Who killed Riff in West Side Story?

Riff, the leader of the Jets and Tony’s best friend, is the first character to die in West Side Story after he’s stabbed to death by Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks, Maria’s older brother and Anita’s boyfriend. Riff dies in the middle of a musical after a fight between the Jets and the Sharks.

Did Natalie Wood do her own singing in West Side Story?

Wood, who played Maria in 1961’s West Side Story, was dubbed by actress Marni Nixon for Maria’s singing parts, which include songs like “Tonight,” “I Feel Pretty,” “One Hand, One Heart” and “Somewhere.” Wood recorded all of Maria’s songs in a studio with an orchestra, which were then re-recorded by Nixon, according to …

Is West Side Story on Hbomax?

West Side Story will not be on HBO Max at the same time the film is playing in theaters. West Side Story is a 20th Century Studios movie, and only Warner Bros. films like Dune are being released simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters.

Is West Side Story a remake?

Review: Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” Remake Is Worse Than the Original. … This is not the plot of the latest horror film from A24 but the unfortunate tale of Steven Spielberg’s efforts to remake “West Side Story,” the movie musical about love and ethnic rivalry among New York City gangs.

Can Ansel Elgort sing?

Like his co-star Zegler has done with Maria, Ansel Elgort is switching things up from how the role of Tony was previously played on screen. In the 1961 version, Richard Beymer’s voice was dubbed by Jimmy Bryant for all the songs, but Elgort is doing his own singing in the remake.

How was West Side Story innovative?

Narrative dances had appeared in musicals for many years, but the bold innovation of West Side Story is that it uses dance to tell most of the story. The whole conflict between the warring gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, is set up in the opening, through choreography.

What are the key themes explored in West Side Story?

West Side Story is truly everywhere — and with its themes of love striving to rise above hatred; the fear of immigrants; and the toxicity of racism, West Side Story speaks to us today as urgently as ever.