West side story summary and study guide supersummary. West side story was the kind of musical people thought was good for them, a pious expression of admirable but unrealistic liberal sentiments. Learn by example and become a better writer with kibins suite of essay help services. The crisis is the point where the action has reached a point where no more development happenssomething must give. The story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid1950s. West side story is the awardwinning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy romeo and juliet. The story is loosely based on shakespeares romeo and juliet, telling the tale of.
West side story is groundbreaking in a lot of ways, but when it comes to delivering the information, it tends to rely on the triedandtrue technique of moving to the character we need to see when we need to see him or her, then moving back as the story demands. At the time, the phrase broadway musical was synonymous with musical comedy. Analysis the tonight ensemble from west side story. They run into each others arms as chino shoots tony.
West side story tells a story of how tony a polish america who used to lead the local gang, the jets and maria a puerto rican teen part of the rivaling gang find love despite their backgrounds and public opinions. The leader of the first ones decided on the next dance to challenge bernardo, the leader of the second. West side story movie souvenir programme program on. On the other hand, in the rise and fall of the broadway musical, mark grant concentrates on the growth of the musical in light of changes in technology and music, and in writing the book and lyrics. However, robbins insisted on so many takes of his scenes that he was fired before the movie was completed. West side story simple english wikipedia, the free. Jun 16, 2017 west side story west side story chapters 15 quiz. The opening is a carefully choreographed, half dancedhalfmimed ballet of sorts. Steven spielberg is officially remaking west side story.
She falls in love with tony and finds herself at the center of the violent conflict between the two gangs. Five fast facts winner of 10 academy awards soundtrack was no 1 on the billboard charts for 54 weeks 94% on rotten tomatoes based on romeo and juliet, which is based on a poem by arthur brooke called the tragic historye of romeus and juliet, which is based on a poem by the roman poet ovid called. The scene that we have chosen for our project is america from west side story. Choreographer robbins was hired to direct the dance scenes, with the remaining scenes to be directed by robert wise. Ask anything you want to know, or answer other peoples questions.
Leonard bernsteins most significant contribution to the world of shakespeare was west side story, the 1957 smash broadway hit adaptation of romeo and juliet. Irving shulman 191995 was a novelist and screenwriter, known for his depictions of urban life. Mar 26, 2010 read analysis the tonight ensemble from west side story free essay and over 89,000 other research documents. I honestly liked this book because it was a quick read with a good plot. Broadway musicals have been around for more than a century, but only a handful can be considered groundbreaking. The scenes in the book mostly take place at a drugstore, a playground and on the streets. Although west side story was named the best picture of 1961 and won 10 academy awards, it is not much mentioned by movie fans these days, and the old warhorse singin in the rain is probably more seen and certainly better loved. The scherzo is a lighthearted, carefree movement that comes from the dream ballet of the musical, in which tony imagines a world of peace and harmony to which he can take maria. The production opens with a danced prologue indicating the bitter tensions between the jets, a selfstyled american street gang, and the sharks, a. West side story the plot summary the movie takes place in the west side of new york, in the late 1950s. The plot of the west side story is loosely adapted from what william shakespeare play.
Riff and his lieutenants move to challenge bernardo and his lieutenants, but they are interrupted by glad hand, the chaperone who is overseeing the dance, and officer krupke. West side story, american musical film, released in 1961, that was inspired by shakespeare s romeo and juliet. This 39page guide for west side story by irving shulman includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 2 chapters, as well as several more in. Four dances from west side story by leonard bernstein.
Miscellaneous notes and facts about west side story, 1961, directed by robert wise, with natalie wood, richard beymer, russ tamblyn. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. West side story, american musical film, released in 1961, that was inspired by shakespeares romeo and juliet. West side story was the kind of musical people thought was good for them, a pious expression of admirable but unrealistic liberal sentiments, and certainly its street gangs at war one puerto rican, one the descendants of european immigrants seem touchingly innocent compared to contemporary reality. The climax and the crisis are two different things in dramatic structure. It looks like we dont have any plot summaries for this title yet. And unlike the typical broadway musical of the 1950s and before, west side story does not offer audiences a happy ending. The fullydanced prolog shows the tension built up between the jets and the sharks two rival gangs in new yorks upper west side. Tensions exist between the jets, a selfstyled american street gang, and the sharks, a group of young puerto ricans. Access west side story archives from 2010today here. Tonight ensemble maria, tony, anita, riff, bernardo, jets and sharks in this number, all the. West side story is a magnificent show, a milestone in movie musicals, a boxoffice smash. The feuding families become two warring new york city gangsthe white jets led by riff and the latino sharks, led by bernardo.
Let it be noted that the film musical, the one dramatic. After owning their miserable little neighborhood for years, the jets, the fingersnapping street gang led by riff russ tamblyn, find themselves in a turf war with the upstart puerto rican sharks, led by bernardo george chakiris. Screenwriter ernest lehman adapted the film west side story from the hit play of the same name, which opened on broadway in 1957 and ran there for 732 performances. At the dance in the local gym, the group is divided. Actually there were a number of changes made in the movie adaptation compared to the original stage version. This shakespeare unlimited podcast episode honors bernsteins legacy, in the runup to the 100th anniversary of his birth. West side story full plot summary including detailed synopsis and summaries for each scene. The musical explores the rivalry between the jets and the sharks, two teenage. Terms in this set 8 a variety show without a plot but with a unifying idea is called. After owning their miserable little neighborhood for years, the jets, the fingersnapping street gang led by riff. In west side story, the crisis or turning point is when anita chooses not to give tony the message from maria, and instead tells him that maria is dead. West side story 1961 film study guide contains a biography of robert wise, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a.
The leader of the jets, riff swears to drive the sharks, led by bernardo, from the streets jet song. When four theatrical giants jerome robbins, leonard bernstein, arthur laurents and stephen sondheim created west side story, it was immediately hailed as. The characters in this scene are anita, consueslo, bernardo, roselina, chino, and pepe. Browse essays about west side story and find inspiration. West side story chapter 3 big trouble in this chapter. Four dances from west side story by leonard bernstein wind.
Murphy 7 december 2006 west side story chapter 3 in this chapter, anita is making the dress for maria. The jets are a teenage gang of american boys determined not only to check but to destroy the growth of puerto rican population and influence on their block. The members of the sharks, from puerto rico, are taunted by the jets, a white gang. Analysis the tonight ensemble from west side story essay. Few musicals, however, wield as much impact and emotion, or examine more substantive themes than west side story, which took broadway by storm in 1957 by brilliantly merging song and plot with muscular, balletic choreography that advanced the story, delineated character, and added a thrilling, edgy quality to the production. It is a workingclass neighborhood with a mixture of ethnic groups. There were cuts, new additions, and changes to music, lyrics, dialogue, and characters.
The jets are a teenage gang of american boys determined not only to check but to destroy the growth of puerto rican population a. Just as romeo and juliet are born to rival families, tony and maria are associated with rival gangs. Shulman also wrote the original treatment for rebel without a cause, the film that shot james dean to stardom. Riff determines to challenge bernardo that night at a dance in the gym, and prevails upon his old. West side story movie analysis linkedin slideshare. They are opposed by a puerto rican gang, the sharks, led by bernardo. West side story chapter 4 instead bernardo is kind of like. West side story shows how racism and xenophobia create a system that dooms the youths of working class families. Five fast facts winner of 10 academy awards soundtrack was no 1 on the billboard charts for 54 weeks 94% on rotten tomatoes based on romeo and juliet, which is based on a poem by arthur brooke called the tragic historye of romeus and juliet, which is based on a poem by the roman poet ovid called pyramus and thisbe actors worked over 16.
Join stageagent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. The musical explores the rivalry between the jets and the sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. The story revolves around quarrelsome families of two new york city gangs the white jets led by the riff and the puerto rican sharks, led by bernardo. In the early 1960s, much of the neighborhood would be cleared to make room for lincoln center, which changed the neighborhood.
Voted one of the years ten best films by the 1961 new york times film critics. He is the author of ten books, including the novels the amboy dukes, cry tough, and the square trap, which were all adapted into movies. An adaptation of the 1957 musical, west side story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the jets and the sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. West side story is a musical tragedy film, directed by robert wise and jerome robbins, which is an awardwinning and adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy, romeo and juliet. The movie, filled with exhilarating dance sequences choreographed by jerome robbins and memorable songsincluding tonight, maria, and somewhereby leonard bernstein music and stephen sondheim lyrics, won 10. This shakespeare unlimited podcast episode honors bernsteins legacy. This quiz has been developed to test your knowledge about the. Nov 28, 2010 four dances from west side story features some of the highlights of these dance sequences transcribed for band. The jets and the sharks come together to remove tonys body.
The hoodlums in west side story appear a bit quaint to my 21st century eyes with their leaveittobeaverish and greaser looks. Their hatred escalates to a point where neither can coexist with any form of understanding. Try searching for an outline or summary of romeo and juliet west side story is an update of the play. She looks and sings like an angel and puts to rest an inability to buy into the loveatfirstsight plot device among other lessthanbelievable things were asked to believe to make this. When four theatrical giants jerome robbins, leonard bernstein, arthur laurents and stephen sondheim created west side story, it was immediately hailed as an indisputable, boundarybusting. There is palpable tension in the air as two gangs vie for dominance of the area. Leonard bernstein was a wellknown conductor as well as. Setting compare and contrast plot the book west side story takes place on the west side of new york city in the 1950s. The above documentation is transcluded from template. The story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, a multiracial, bluecollar neighborhood.
The sharks debate what is good and bad about living in new york. Shes josefina scaglione, the charming actress from argentina starring at maria in the fabulous new revival of west side story on broadway. Access west side story archives from 19682009 here. Get ready for the 21stcentury edition of the jets vs. The plot in this seen is is about a group of puertorricans fighting on whether. The production opens with a danced prologue indicating the bitter tensions between the jets, a selfstyled american street gang, and the sharks, a group of young puerto ricans. Having said that, it still pulls off the odd trick or two that deviates from. West side story chapter 3 big trouble in this chapter maria. West side story chapter 4 instead bernardo is kind of. Musical theatre typically took a lighthearted approach, even when broaching serious issues. West side story simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The story is loosely based on shakespeares romeo and juliet. Steven spielberg is officially remaking west side story, the classic romantic musical about rival.
Swain spend an entire chapter on the analysis of west side story. The jets are boys who were born in america, but have polish roots. West side story synopsis north shore music theatre. Anita tells the jets that chino shot and killed maria.
Anita is marias friend and, so far, has nothing to do with the plot. An adaptation of the 1957 musical, west side story explores forbidden love and the. Just click the edit page button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the plot summary submission guide. When west side story opened on broadway in 1957, it was a new kind of musical. Few musicals, however, wield as much impact and emotion, or examine more substantive themes than west side story, which took broadway by storm in 1957 by brilliantly merging song and plot. Wood and beymer were in their 20s, and rita moreno anita was 30 and looked and acted it.
Mar 31, 2009 shes josefina scaglione, the charming actress from argentina starring at maria in the fabulous new revival of west side story on broadway. Murphy 7 december 2006 west side story chapter 4 this is the party chapter. Posts about west side story written by orwhatyouwill. The film is set in the rough neighborhood of lincoln square on the west side of manhattan during the summer of 1957.
And they are hard for me to accept as high schoolers. An adaptation of the 1957 musical, west side story explores forbidden love, and the rivalry between the jets and the sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. They are getting ready for the party thats in a few hours. Location and time upper west side, new york, 1950s, during the last days of summer. A few of the musical numbers were switched around because it was felt the storyline flowed better on screen, for different reasons. The leader of the sharks, riff, swears to drive the sharks, led by bernardo, from the streets. Four dances from west side story features some of the highlights of these dance sequences transcribed for band. Read analysis the tonight ensemble from west side story free essay and over 89,000 other research documents. West side story was a broadway musical by leonard bernstein that was turned into an awardwinning musical film. Ice advises the jets how to act when life gets tough. Plot summary for west side story 1961, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. The jets meet the sharks there, with both sides bringing their girlfriends. Leonard bernstein and west side story folger shakespeare. Jets and their girls on one side and sharks and their girls on the othe.
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