West Side Story

In 2009 ARC presented the musical masterpiece West Side Story which proved to be one of ARC's most successful productions to date. Sold out shows were a regular occurrence with the cast and artistic team earning fantastic reviews for their work.

History

West Side Story was written by Arthur Laurents (book), Leonard Bernstein (music), and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and has one of the most popular storylines of all time being based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Set in Manhattan's west side/hell's kitchen in the mid 1950s, the musical explores the rivalry between two teenage gangs of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theatre. Bernstein's score has become extremely popular over the years; it includes: Something's Coming, Maria, America, Somewhere, Tonight, I Feel Pretty, and Cool.

The original 1957 Broadway production, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins and produced by Robert E. Griffith and Harold Prince, marked Stephen Sondheim's Broadway debut. It ran for 732 performances (a successful run for the time), before going on tour. The production garnered several Tony Award nominations including Best Musical in 1958 and won the Tony in the same year for Jerome Robbins' choreography. The show has enjoyed an even longer-running London production, a number of revivals, international success, and spawned an innovative, award-winning 1961 musical film of the same name.

Performance Season

For the second year running the performance season comprised of 7 shows and was once again held at the Banyule Theatre, Buckingham Drive, Heidelberg.

8pm	Fri 3rd July (Gala Opening)
8pm	Sat 4th July
8pm	Wed 8th July
8pm	Thu 9th July
8pm	Fri 10th July
2pm	Sat 11th July
8pm	Sat 11th July

Producers

	President		Mark Kearney
	Vice President		Julian Campobasso
	Treasurer		Zoe Hallwright
	Secretary		Jessica Broadbent
	General		Deanna Bellen Portia Chiminello Ashleigh Kreveld Diana Perini

Artistic Team

	Co-Directors		Matthew Spiteri Anthony Ventura
	Musical Director		Christine Munro
	Choreographer		Carla Gianinotti
	Assistant Directors		Rebecca Mignone Stephen Valeri
	Assistant Choreographer		Stephanie Laiacona

Production Team

	Costume Manager		Priya Namana
	Front of House Co-ordinator		ARC Committee
	Graphic Designer		Frank Gullone
	Lighting Designer/Operator		Karla Engdahl
	Make-up Designer		Tegan Brockley
	Properties Manager		Portia Chiminello
	Publicist		Paul Campobasso
	Set Construction Manager		Andrew McDougall
	Set Designer		Andrew McDougall
	Sound Designer		Marcello Lo Ricco
	Sound Operator		Steven Cooke
	Sound Assistant		Patrick Gooden
	Stage Manager		Andrew Jameson
	Assistant Stage Manager		Olivia Scalzo
	Ticket Secretaries		Mark Kearney Sara Lacey Amelia van Lint

Cast

Jets Tony Robert Clark Riff Julian Campobasso Action Joseph Bootten A-Rab Nicholas Kyriacou Baby John Nicholas Barca Snowboy Nathan Slevin Big Deal Tyler Delacretaz Diesel Liam Smith		Sharks Bernado Adrian Ventura Chino Kristian Bressanutti Pepe Anthony Economou Toro Giulian De Vincentis Indio Evan Mullholland Jose Luciano Parissi Juano Reginald Tan Luis Douglas Costello
Their Girls Anybody's Lillian Broadbent Graziella Portia Chiminello Velma Meaghan Kominiarski Minnie Ashleigh Psaila Clarice Ellen Lane Pauline Lisa Shannon Cherie Jessica King Mary Jane Alicia Braumberger		Their Girls Maria Lydia Killerby Anita Lara Ishkan Rosalia Louise Parsons Consuela Natalie Torcaso Francisca Michaela Ryan Teresita Lydia Day Estella Lucy Greco Margarita Antigone Koutoulas
The Adults Lieutenant Schrank James R Phillips Doc Andrew McDougall Officer Krupke Nick Durbridge Glad Hand Jevon Scandrett

Synopsis

ACT 1

The production opens with a danced Prologue indicating the bitter tensions between the Jets, a self-styled "American" street gang, and the Sharks, a group of young Puerto Ricans. The leader of the Jets, Riff, swears to drive the Sharks, led by Bernardo, from the streets (Jet Song). Riff determines to challenge Bernardo that night at a dance in the gym, and prevails upon his old friend and the co-founder of the Jets, Tony, to help him. Tony has been growing away from the gang, and feels the stirrings of other emotions (Something's Coming) but agrees.

Bernardo's sister Maria, newly arrived from Puerto Rico to marry his friend Chino, attends the dance (The Dance at the Gym) and despite the obvious hatred between the gangs meets Tony, who at once falls in love with her (Maria). Later, after the dance, while the gangs begin to assemble at Doc's drugstore to choose a place and weapons for their rumble - a gang fight - Tony visits Maria on the fire escape of her apartment, and they pledge their love (Tonight), promising to meet the next afternoon at the bridal shop where Maria works. As he departs, the Sharks take their girls home and go off to the drugstore, while a playful argument develops between Anita and two homesick Puerto Rican girls over the relative merits of life back home and in Manhattan (America).

At the drugstore, the Jets are nervous about the approaching meeting with the Sharks, but Riff advises them to play it cool (Cool). When the Sharks arrive an agreement is reached, at Tony's insistence, to have a fair, bare-handed fight between the two best fighters in each gang the next night, under the highway. Next day, Tony visits Maria at the shop and among the clothing dummies they enact a touching wedding ceremony (One Hand, One Heart). Maria makes him promise to stop the fight between his gang and her brother's. In the quintet Tonight, Tony and Maria sing of their love, Anita makes plans for a big evening, and Bernardo and Riff and their gangs make their own plans for the rumble.

In a deserted area under the highway, the gangs meet for the fight. As it is about to get under way, Tony hurries in and begs them to stop, as he has promised Maria. Bernardo, enraged that Tony has been making advances to his sister, pushes him back furiously. Suddenly switch-blade knives appear, and Riff and Bernardo begin to fight (The Rumble). In the ensuing action, Riff is knifed, and Tony, grabbing his weapon, in turn knifes Bernardo. Frenzied, the gangs join battle, until they are interrupted by a police whistle. They flee, leaving behind the bodies of Riff and Bernardo.

ACT 2

In her room, Maria is gaily preparing for her meeting with Tony (I Feel Pretty). She is unaware of what has happened, until Chino bursts into her room and tells her that her brother has been killed by her lover. Seizing a gun, he rushes out in search of Tony. Tony, however, has climbed the fire escape to Maria's room, and in spite of her grief she is unable to send him away. Clinging together desperately they envision a place where they can be free from prejudice (Somewhere). In the streets and alleys the gangs flee the police, panic-stricken by the killings. Two of the Jets, Action and Snowboy, have already been questioned, and they explain to the rest of them how to handle the adults (Gee, Officer Krupke!).

The sorrowing Anita knocks at Maria's door, and Tony leaves by the window, taking refuge in the basement of Doc's drugstore. Anita upbraids Maria for allowing Tony to come near her (A Boy Like That), but Maria's answer (I Have a Love) carries its irrefutable force, and at length Anita agrees to go warn Tony that Chino is gunning for him. She goes to the drugstore, but is brutally taunted by the Jets for her nationality, and finally in hysteria spits out a different message for Tony: that Chino has killed Maria in revenge.

Doc tells Tony what Anita has said, and Tony leaves his hiding place, wandering numbly on the streets. At midnight, he runs into Maria, who has been searching for him, but their moment is brief: Chino appears from behind a building and shoots Tony dead. The stunned gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, appear from the shadows and, drawn together by the tragedy, lift up the body of Tony and carry it off.

Imagery