Gift of ‘West Side Story’
thousands of school productions of the musical, “West Side Story” has become another vehicle for that educational legacy.
While the musical’s lessons are eternally relevant, they’re not always easy. Even at an arts high school where students studied theater, dance, music and voice, it was enormously challenging to rise to the material in “West Side Story.” In my high school production of “West Side Story,” I played the Jet named Action, who sings the Act II comic relief song “Gee, Officer Krupke.” Watching the new film, I realized I still know every lyric and piece of choreography to the song, something I discovered while subconsciously lip-syncing under my mask. All those hours of rehearsal are still embedded in my core. Looking back, the comedy of the role came easily to me.
But — and this probably won’t surprise loyal readers — the character’s macho hostility was more of a challenge. That included having to angrily lunge at Lt. Schrank when he reveals that Action’s mother is likely a sex worker and leading the other Jets in the attempted assault of Anita. That’s probably another reason the musical has stayed with me: pretty big themes for any actor to confront, let alone a teenager.
Talking to high school friends who were part of the production, we agreed that we came to feel an obligation to the musical and the artists who created it to get the show right. We may have been teenagers, but we knew that this was one of the most superlative works we’d be involved with in our high school careers. When it all finally came together on opening night, we officially became part of the enormous educational legacy of “West Side Story.” Now, with this new film and the musical being produced in reopened schools, the work of Bernstein, Robbins, Laurents and Sondheim continues on, and new generations will reap its rewards.