PHOTO BY PAUL LYDEN
The cast of “West Side Story” at a dance in the gym. The show will be playing at North Shore Music Theatre through Nov. 20.
By BILL BROTHERTON
BEVERLY — “West Side Story” premiered on Broadway way back in 1957. And sadly, here we are nearly six decades later, and its story of two warring gangs battling over control of their NYC neighborhood is as relevant as ever. Guns and not switchblades are now the weapons of choice and the comical disrespect for the police depicted in this iconic musical has devolved into utter contempt in today’s world.
The aim is not to turn this review into a political screed, but watching North Shore Music Theatre’s excellent, entertaining production of this groundbreaking show Wednesday night, one couldn’t help but compare the scared, frustrated, angry young men in the Jets (white) and Sharks (Puerto Rican) with the scared, lost, enraged young men in 2016 America.
“West Side Story” was the antithesis of the golly-gee-willikers, nifty-fifties’ “Happy Days” portrayal of life in these United States. Conceived, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, it was nominated for seven Tony awards. Leonard Bernstein composed the music and a kid by the name of Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyrics. It’s one of the greatest, most influential musicals of all time, and it turned Broadway on its ear, with its daring focus on social problems, brilliant score and aggressive dancing.
It also became a fantastic film that won 10 Academy Awards including best picture and best supporting actor prizes for Rita Moreno and George Chakiris.
Based on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” the central story focuses on the young protagonist,Tony (Bronson Norris Murphy), a former member of the Jets and best friend of the gang leader, Riff (Tyler John Logan), who falls in love with Maria (Evy Ortiz), the sister of Bernardo (Alexander Gil Cruz), the leader of the Sharks. Murphy and Ortiz, both blessed with strong voices and solid acting skills, have great chemistry and shine as the idealistic, doomed star-crossed lovers. Their climactic scene is filled with agitation and sadness.
The NSMT cast is uniformly superb. Logan and Cruz stand out as leaders of the rival gangs, acting tough on the outside but scared witless inside. NSMT favorite David Coffee, who will soon move full-time to Beverly, is steady per usual as drugstore owner Doc. Salem State University graduate DJ Petrosino is fine as Chino.
Michelle Alves, as Bernardo’s girlfriend Anita, is a wonder. She brings tenderness to her scenes with Ortiz, humor to her scenes with the girls and appropriate rage to a scene in which she’s assaulted by the Jets. Her voice is lusty and powerful.
The choreography, supervised by Diane Laurenson, is athletic, physical and demanding, and the ensemble handles it with ease. The men shine during the deadly rumble, the women while singing the praises of “America.” All sparkle during the vibrant, energetic, sexy “Dance at the Gym,” the hipster Beat jazz of “Cool” and the dream ballet.
The cruddy, juvenile delinquent Jets add a bit of levity with the hilarious “Gee, Officer Krupke,” the clever rhymes and lyrics by Sondheim a hint of what was to come in his masterful career.
The show is filled with songs that have become standards: “Somewhere (There’s a Place For Us),” “I Feel Pretty,” “Tonight” and “America.”
Director Bob Richard keeps the action moving and the tension building from scene to scene, culminating in a pair of shocking, violent Act 2 scenes (Doc’s Drug Store, 11:40 p.m.) and (The Street, midnight) that draw gasps from the audience.
“West Side Story” is at the Music Theatre through Nov. 20. See it, and bring an impressionable teenager with you: It might change his or her life.
Bill Brotherton can be reached at [email protected]