Post by Katy J. Salmalin on Feb 7, 2006 18:20:02 GMT -5
This is a basic idea of what happens in this years production, West Side Story. It also includes where musical numbers fit in, marked in capital letters.
This story takes place in Manhattan, New York City. It is mainly based on Romeo and Juliet, though is in my opinion, a lot more fun and cool. Here's how it goes:
Throughout the PROLOGUE, the Jets (an American gang led by Riff) and the Sharks (a Puerto Rican gang led by Bernardo) taunt each other as they move about neighborhood streets. A fight breaks out between them, but it is cut short by the arrival of the cops.
Riff tells his buddies he's determined to drive the Sharks off their neighborhood's streets, and that he's sure he can get Tony, the now inactive co-founder of the Jets, to help him. Riff says he'll challenge Bernardo that night at the dance un the gym. He reassures the Jets of their own invincibility (JET SONG).
Tony senses that something besides gang loyalty is about to enter his life (SOMETHING'S COMING), but he isn't sure what. At the dace (DANCE AT THE GYM), Tony meets Maria, Bernardo's younger sister, newly arrived from Puerto Rico, and meant to marry a member of the Sharks, Chino. For both Tony and Maria, it's love at first sight. But Bernardo stops them from dancing together and insists that several of the Sharks take Maria home. Tony walks through the streets afterward, thinking only of his newfound love (MARIA).
On a tenement rooftop after the dance, Bernardo, his girlfriend Anita, and their friends sing about the relative merits and demerits of life amon Puerto Ricans in New York (AMERICA).
Meanwhile, Tony finds the building where Maria lives, and calls up to her. When she appears on the fire escape outside her window, he climbs up to her (typical). They pledge their love for each other (TONIGHT).
At Doc's drugstore, Riff and Bernardo meet in a "war council" to agree on a place for a rumble the next day. Later, Riff and the Jets are warned by a cop, Officer Krupke, not to cause any trouble on his beat. When he leaves, the Jets sarcastically make fun of him (GEE, OFFICER KRUPKE).
The next day, in the dress shop where she works, Maria tells her fellow workers how wonderful it feels to be in love (I FEEL PRETTY). When Tony comes to visit Maria, she makes him promise to stop the rumble. Before he leaves, the two of them pretend that the shop's bridal clothes are for them, and imagine their wedding (ONE HAND, ONE HEART).
That night, the rival gangs prepare for the rumble, as Anita makes plans to meet Bernardo later, and Tony and Maria individually sing of their love (QUINTET).
In a deserted place under a highway, the rumble is about to begin. True to his word to Maria, Tony tries valiantly to convince Riff and Bernardo to call it off. Bernardo only insults Tony for being a chicken, and pushes him away. Riff steps in and strikes Bernardo. In the fight that follows (THE RUMBLE), switch-blades appear in both Riff and Bernardo's hands, and Riff is killed by Bernardo. A stunned Tony seizes Bernardo's knife and kills him. As police sirens come nearer, the gangs hightail it into the night.
Maria has no sooner learned of her brother's death from Chino, when Tony climbs up her fire escape and begs her forgiveness for what's happened. After a moment of frightened half-anger/half-sobbing, she tells him she cannot hate him, despite her grief. They vow to find some way to stay together (SOMEWHERE).
The Jets, meanwhile, reassemble in a local garage. Their new leader, Ice, advises them to stay cool and act as calmly as they can while they go back out onto the streets (COOL). They learn that Chino has a gun and is looking for Tony.
Anita's arrival at Maria's apartment and her insistance on Maria's letting her in forces Tony to leave. He says he will wait for her at Doc's store. Anita chides Maria mercilessly for loving Tony (A BOY LIKE THAT). Maria replies that she can only hate the conditions they all must live under, not Tony (I HAVE A LOVE). When a police lieutenant arrives to question Maria about her brother, Maria (speaking in code) convinces Anita to go to Doc's to tell Tony she is detained but will soon find a way to join him.
At the store, the Jets rudely taunt Anita before she can deliver her message, and they begin to rough her up. In anger, she spits out a false message: that Chino found out about Matia and Tony, and shot Maria. Tell Tony, she says, that Maria is dead. When Tony hears this, he runs out into the streets shouting "Come and get me too, Chino!"
At the playground, Tony sees a figure in the distant darkness. It is Maria. He rushes toward her, but another figure suddenly steps out of the shadows. It is Chino, who points his gun at Tony and fires. Tony falls into Maria's arms. As they reaffirm their love (Reprise: SOMEWHERE), Tony dies. Maria seizes Chino's dropped gun as gang members and the police arrive. She curses both gangs for their hate. "You all killed him- and my brother and Riff too!" she cries out. As the tragedy sinks in, the two gangs slowly come together to lift Tony's body and carry him off, with Maria following.
I hope this sounds fun for all of you, I certainly love it. It's a classicly wonderful plot, with modern setting and characters. I think it's a perfect combination. Let me know if you have any questions via PM.
This story takes place in Manhattan, New York City. It is mainly based on Romeo and Juliet, though is in my opinion, a lot more fun and cool. Here's how it goes:
Throughout the PROLOGUE, the Jets (an American gang led by Riff) and the Sharks (a Puerto Rican gang led by Bernardo) taunt each other as they move about neighborhood streets. A fight breaks out between them, but it is cut short by the arrival of the cops.
Riff tells his buddies he's determined to drive the Sharks off their neighborhood's streets, and that he's sure he can get Tony, the now inactive co-founder of the Jets, to help him. Riff says he'll challenge Bernardo that night at the dance un the gym. He reassures the Jets of their own invincibility (JET SONG).
Tony senses that something besides gang loyalty is about to enter his life (SOMETHING'S COMING), but he isn't sure what. At the dace (DANCE AT THE GYM), Tony meets Maria, Bernardo's younger sister, newly arrived from Puerto Rico, and meant to marry a member of the Sharks, Chino. For both Tony and Maria, it's love at first sight. But Bernardo stops them from dancing together and insists that several of the Sharks take Maria home. Tony walks through the streets afterward, thinking only of his newfound love (MARIA).
On a tenement rooftop after the dance, Bernardo, his girlfriend Anita, and their friends sing about the relative merits and demerits of life amon Puerto Ricans in New York (AMERICA).
Meanwhile, Tony finds the building where Maria lives, and calls up to her. When she appears on the fire escape outside her window, he climbs up to her (typical). They pledge their love for each other (TONIGHT).
At Doc's drugstore, Riff and Bernardo meet in a "war council" to agree on a place for a rumble the next day. Later, Riff and the Jets are warned by a cop, Officer Krupke, not to cause any trouble on his beat. When he leaves, the Jets sarcastically make fun of him (GEE, OFFICER KRUPKE).
The next day, in the dress shop where she works, Maria tells her fellow workers how wonderful it feels to be in love (I FEEL PRETTY). When Tony comes to visit Maria, she makes him promise to stop the rumble. Before he leaves, the two of them pretend that the shop's bridal clothes are for them, and imagine their wedding (ONE HAND, ONE HEART).
That night, the rival gangs prepare for the rumble, as Anita makes plans to meet Bernardo later, and Tony and Maria individually sing of their love (QUINTET).
In a deserted place under a highway, the rumble is about to begin. True to his word to Maria, Tony tries valiantly to convince Riff and Bernardo to call it off. Bernardo only insults Tony for being a chicken, and pushes him away. Riff steps in and strikes Bernardo. In the fight that follows (THE RUMBLE), switch-blades appear in both Riff and Bernardo's hands, and Riff is killed by Bernardo. A stunned Tony seizes Bernardo's knife and kills him. As police sirens come nearer, the gangs hightail it into the night.
Maria has no sooner learned of her brother's death from Chino, when Tony climbs up her fire escape and begs her forgiveness for what's happened. After a moment of frightened half-anger/half-sobbing, she tells him she cannot hate him, despite her grief. They vow to find some way to stay together (SOMEWHERE).
The Jets, meanwhile, reassemble in a local garage. Their new leader, Ice, advises them to stay cool and act as calmly as they can while they go back out onto the streets (COOL). They learn that Chino has a gun and is looking for Tony.
Anita's arrival at Maria's apartment and her insistance on Maria's letting her in forces Tony to leave. He says he will wait for her at Doc's store. Anita chides Maria mercilessly for loving Tony (A BOY LIKE THAT). Maria replies that she can only hate the conditions they all must live under, not Tony (I HAVE A LOVE). When a police lieutenant arrives to question Maria about her brother, Maria (speaking in code) convinces Anita to go to Doc's to tell Tony she is detained but will soon find a way to join him.
At the store, the Jets rudely taunt Anita before she can deliver her message, and they begin to rough her up. In anger, she spits out a false message: that Chino found out about Matia and Tony, and shot Maria. Tell Tony, she says, that Maria is dead. When Tony hears this, he runs out into the streets shouting "Come and get me too, Chino!"
At the playground, Tony sees a figure in the distant darkness. It is Maria. He rushes toward her, but another figure suddenly steps out of the shadows. It is Chino, who points his gun at Tony and fires. Tony falls into Maria's arms. As they reaffirm their love (Reprise: SOMEWHERE), Tony dies. Maria seizes Chino's dropped gun as gang members and the police arrive. She curses both gangs for their hate. "You all killed him- and my brother and Riff too!" she cries out. As the tragedy sinks in, the two gangs slowly come together to lift Tony's body and carry him off, with Maria following.
I hope this sounds fun for all of you, I certainly love it. It's a classicly wonderful plot, with modern setting and characters. I think it's a perfect combination. Let me know if you have any questions via PM.
~luv from Katy~
