It's been about nine months since the touring company of the terrific, refreshed 2009 Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY hovered in the Southern California 'hood. Luckily, a timeless classic like this is so impervious to what extended gaps in viewing may induce, that seeing the stage show return to the area feels just as moving as the first (or second) time one experiences it. A near-perfect blend of story, lyrics, score and movement, the stage musical—playing this time at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County through September 18—bursts forth with a kind of style and intelligence that practically guaranteed its iconic place in history.
Arguably one of the greatest musicals of all time, this stirring, energetic reboot—spearheaded by the late original book author Arthur Laurents—has been smartly touched up with an awareness of current sensibilities and a healthy dose of heightened reality. For every whip of its antiquated, dated pseudo-slang, the show offers the counterpoint of exposed emotion, ribald bawdiness, and forward-thinking honesty. The end result is a superb (though not quite flawless) update that takes care to not only prop up everything that has made the show a beloved classic in the first place, but to also allow for a fresh perspective to penetrate.
Loosely based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet—itself a classic, time-defying story with contemporary leanings—WEST SIDE STORY presents a stylized portrait of two opposing teenage "gangs" in the Upper West Side enclave of New York City, circa mid-20th Century. There are the Jets, a hodge-podge collection of wisecracking misfits borne from European immigrants, led by charismatic leader Riff (the excellent Joseph J. Simeone). Their chief rivals—besides the local cops tailing their every move—are the Sharks, the local Puerto Rican gang under the direction of old-world stalwart Bernardo (the charming German Santiago). Both gangs want control of the neighborhood, driven by each other's hatred.
In perhaps one of the most gorgeously hypnotic, dance-heavy openings of any musical, the gangs one-up each other in a fight for dominance, leaping and outstretching like peacocks on the street. The Jets clearly have an advantage—by virtue of being Caucasian (despite all being offspring of immigrants themselves), they already look and sound "American." Even the brazenly racist authority figures, Lt. Schrank (Christopher Patrick Mullen) and Officer Krupke (Mike Boland) would like nothing more than to clear the neighborhood of the "foreigners."
Caught in the middle of this ugly turf war is Bernardo's newly-arrived younger sister Maria (the glorious Ali Ewoldt), who works at the local bridal dress shop with Bernardo's vivacious, liberal-minded girlfriend Anita (the terrific Michelle Aravena). Tensions reach an all-time high when Maria catches the eye of a handsome young stranger across the crowded room of the high school dance. The young man turns out to be Tony (Kyle Harris), Riff's best friend and a now-retired member of the Jets. Though still "womb-to-tomb" loyal to Riff, Tony has since abandoned membership with his old gang. More mature and level-headed than his buddies, Tony now prefers a more "responsible" lifestyle as a sales clerk at the teen's favorite neighborhood store owned by Doc (John O' Creagh). Bernardo is, of course, livid when he catches Tony and Maria sharing a kiss, vowing to beat the living crap out of him.
But despite the anger all around them, Tony and Maria's romance goes from instant attraction to deep, mutual passion—culminating in a balcony serenade that cements their love with a blink of an irrational eye. They begin their rapid courtship in secret (their youth and naïvete bursting with sky-high joy), while the Jets and Sharks go forward with their ultimate showdown.
In a well-meaning but ultimately foolish effort to minimize injuries and damages, Tony convinces both sides to settle their beef with a one-on-one, mano-a-mano "fair" fight between just the two strongest boys in each gang—without the aid of weapons. By the time the set switches over to its under-the-highway setting for the gang rumble that closes the first act, it's quite an eerie, foreboding sight. Akin to watching a cagefight between unruly animals, the audience is separated from the action by a floor-to-ceiling chain link fence. It's a nice touch.
