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Music By Stephen Sondheim
Lyrics By Stephen Sondheim
Book/Libretto by: Arthur Laurents
Based on: based on a concept by Jerome Robbins
Choreography by: Jerome Robbins
Directed by: Jerome Robbins
Type of Musical: Broadway, Movie
Opened: September 26, 1957
Theatre: Winter Garden Theatre
# of Performances: 732

Synopsis

Act One

In the opening, a danced Prologue, two rival teenage gangs, the Jets (Americans) and the Sharks (Puerto Ricans) enact their conflict over who will control the neighborhood. Accented by police whistles and taunting phrases, the Prologue establishes the fierce rivalry between the two groups.

Following a brief exchange with the ineffective policeman, Lt. Schrank and Officer Krupke, Riff, the leader of the Jets, devises a plan to gain control of the street (When You're A Jet"). The members of the gang boast of their strength, restate their bond to one another and declare their intention to protect their turf.

Riff has a harder time getting his best friend Tony to re-join the gang. Riff convinces Tony to join the Jets at the neighborhood dance where the Riff's plan will be put into motion. Tony agrees out of a sense of loyalty to Riff, but expresses his unhappiness with his current life. He feels himself growing away from the gang and envisions a different and better future ("Something's Coming").

Maria, the sister of the Shark leader, Bernardo, has only been in America a short time. She works with Anita, Bernardo's girl friend, in the bridal shop. Anita is making Maria a dress to wear to the neighborhood dance. Maria sees this dance as the official beginning of her life in this country. Like Tony, she is full of hope. Bernardo arrives with Chino, a quiet, intense member of the Sharks. Maria's family has selected Chino to be her future husband.

A social worker, Gladhand, introduces the rival gang members and their girls; they dance sociably for about two minutes. Then a challenge dance erupts. Tony and Maria, however, suddenly see one another. In a moment of romantic suspension, they dance together, oblivious of the tension around them. They fall in love. The romantic idyll is interrupted when Bernardo roughly pulls Maria from Tony's arms. Maria is sent home, as Riff and Bernardo arrange a War Council at the drugstore.

Unaware of the plan between the two leaders, an ecstatic Tony sings "Maria." As he sings, Maria appears on a fire escape above him. They profess their love for each other ("Tonight").

Anita and her friends are gathered on a city rooftop, where they express conflicting views about their lives in "America."

At the Drugstore, the proprietor, Doc, tries to convince the Jets not to have a rumble (an all-out fight) with the Sharks. The gang expresses their pent-up tension in "Cool." Ignoring Doc, Riff and Bernardo set up the rumble for the next day and agree on weapons. Tony suggests a less dangerous fist fight. After the others leave, Tony dismisses Doc's fear with his conviction nothing can go wrong because he is love with Maria.

The next day, Maria learns about the rumble from Anita at the Bridal Shop. When Tony arrives, Anita leaves. Maria begs Tony to stop the rumble and he promises her he will. They enact a mock marriage ceremony ("One Hand, One Heart") swearing that "even death can't part us now."

Tony tries to stop the rumble in progress under a highway. In the midst of insults, pushing, and shoving, Bernardo stabs Riff. In blind fury, Tony stabs Bernardo. The sirens scream; everyone runs except Tony, who stands transfixed. Anybodys, a tomboy whose dream is to become a Jet, has followed the gang, and prods Tony to escape, just in time. The curtain comes down on a stage which is empty except for the bodies of Riff and Bernardo.

Act Two

Unaware of the tragedy under the highway, Maria sings to her girl friends about how beautiful she feels ("I Feel Pretty"). She speaks of marriage, and her friends assume she is thinking about Chino. Chino enters with the news Tony has killed Bernardo. Left alone, Maria is praying; Tony enters through the window. He explains why he killed Bernardo in a moment of anger over Riff's death. Maria forgives him, and they declare their determination to be together. Shark and Jet couples dance together in a dream-like, peaceful, sunlit world - the "Somewhere" where Maria and Tony are allowed to love one another. At the end of the dream, Tony and Maria are in her bed, in each other's arms.

In an alley, the bumbling Office Krupke is questioning the Jets about the murders. The gang ridicules him as they sing "Officer Krupke," a put-down of the social workers, cops, psychiatrists, and judges who fail to understand what motivates their behavior.

Anita arrives at Maria's apartment. Tony escapes through the window, telling Maria to meet him at the drugstore so they can run away together. Anita realizes Tony has been with Maria and turns on Maria in fury for making love to the boy who killed her brother ("A Boy Like That"). However, when Maria explains ("I Have a Love"), Anita realizes Maria loves Tony as much as she loved Bernardo. She warns Maria Chino has a gun and is planning to kill Tony. When Shrank arrives to question Maria, Anita agrees to go to the drugstore to tell Tony to wait for her.

Anita is prevented from reaching Tony by the ethnic prejudice of the Jets. The gang's verbal taunting of Anita gets physical and is turning into rape when she is saved by Doc. In her fury and humiliation, Anita lies and tells Tony's buddies Chino has killed Maria.

Doc tells Tony, who is hiding in his cellar, Maria and his dreams for the future are dead because she is dead. Tony runs out to find Chino. On the street, Tony sees Maria. Chino appears and kills Tony. As Maria kneels over Tony's body, the Jets and Sharks enter. Maria takes Chino's gun, but is unable to bring herself to fire it. The cycle of violence ends with her.

Gradually, members of both gangs assemble on either side of Tony's body. Maria kisses him gently. The Jets and Sharks form a procession and together they carry Tony offstage while the adults stand by, still helpless. The lights fade.

Song List

Overture
Prologue
Jet Song
Change of Scene (instrumental)
Something's Coming
Change of Scene
The Dance At The Gym (Part 1: Blues)
Part 2: Promenade/Mambo/Cha-Cha
Part 3: Meeting Scene
Part 4: Jump
Maria
Balcony Scene
America
Change of Scene
Cool
Continuation of Scene
Under Dialogue and Change of Scene
Under Dialogue and One Hand One Heart
Tonight
The Rumble
I Feel Pretty
Under Dialogue and Ballet Sequence part 1 (Transistion to Scherzo/scherzo/Somewhere)
Ballet conclusion (Procession and Nightmare)
Gee Officer Krupke
Change of Scene
A Boy Like That/I Have A Love
Change of Scene
Taunting Scene part 1
Taunting Scene part 2
Taunting Scene part 3
Finale part 1
Finale part 2
Finale part 3

Cast List

Carol Lawrence, Larry Kert, Chita Rivera, Art Smith, Mickey Calin, Ken LeRoy, Lee Becker Theodore, David Winter, Tony Mordente, Eddie Roll & Martin Charnin

1961 Movie version cast included: Richard Beymer, Natalie Wood, George Chakiris & Rita Moreno

Awards & Nominations

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ANTOINETTE PERRY AWARDS (for the original Broadway production)
· Scenic Design - Oliver Smith
· Choreography - Jerome Robbins

Also nominated:
Carol Lawrence, Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Best Conductor/Musical Director, Max Goberman
Best Costume Design, Irene Sharaff

NEW YORK FILM CRITICS
· Best Picture West Side Story

ACADEMY AWARDS
· Best Picture, West Side Story
· Best Supporting Actor, George Chakiris
· Best Supporting Actress, Rita Moreno
· Best Direction, Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins
· Best Cinematography, Color, Daniel L. Fapp
· Best Art Direction, Color, Boris Leven (Art Direction), Victor Gangelin (Set Decoration)
· Best Sound, Fred Hynes, Gordon Sawyer
· Best Scoring of a Musical, Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Sid Ramin, Irwin Kostal
· Best Editing, Thomas Stanford
· Best Costumes, Color, Irene Sharaff
· Special Award, Jerome Robbins for his brilliant achievement in the art of choreography

Also nominated:
Best Screenplay, Ernest Lehman

GRAMMY AWARDS
· Best Soundtrack - West Side Story, Johnny Green, Saul Chaplin, Sid Ramin, Irwin Kostal

(That same year, Stan Kenton was awarded a Grammy for Best Jazz Performance, Stan Kenton's West Side Story)

Writers Guild of America
· Best Written Musical, Ernest Lehman (for the adapted screenplay, 1962)

New York Film Critics Circle Award
· West Side Story, Best Film

Laurel Awards
· Cinematography, Color, Daniel L. Fapp
· Female Supporting Performance, Rita Moreno
· Best Musical

Golden Globes (1962)
· Best Motion Picture - Musical
· Best Supporting Actor, George Chakiris
· Best Supporting Actreess, Rita Moreno

Directors Guild of America
· Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures, Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise and Robert E. Relyea (assistant director)