Soaring Dancers Tell 'West Side Story'

West Side Story

Based on a conception of Jerome Robbins, Book by Arthur Laurents, Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Entire Original Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerome Robbins; Choreography Reproduced by Joey McKneely, Directed by David Saint, Broadway Production Directed by Arthur Laurents;  Music Director, John O'Neill; Scenic Design, James Youmans; Costume Design, David C. Woolard; Lighting Design, Howell Binkley; Sound Design, Dan Moses Schreier; Translations, Lin-Manuel Miranda

Starring: Kyle Harris, Ali Ewoldt, Michelle Aravena, Joseph J. Simeone, German Santiago; With: Mike Boland, Ryan Christopher Chotto, Stephen DeRosa, Drew Foster, Alexandra Frohlinger, Jay Garcia, Grant Gustin, Nathan Keen, Christopher Patrick Mullen, John O'Creagh, Kyle Robinson, Cary Tedder

Performances through July 9 at The Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston Street, Boston, MA (Box Office hours Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm); Ticketmaster 1-800-982-2787 or www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com/Boston

It is impossible to write about West Side Story, one of the greatest Broadway musicals ever conceived, without a giant helping of superlatives. The 1957 groundbreaking original production, which played 732 performances on Broadway, was a collaboration among arguably four of the greatest talents from the annals of musical theatre: Arthur Laurents (book), Leonard Bernstein (music), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics), and Jerome Robbins (concept, director, choreographer). As much as Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern's Show Boat, and Richard Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! were deemed revolutionary in their time, West Side Story redefined the art form of the American musical theatre as the first show in which the choreography was integral to the narrative, the dance steps and movements propelling the story in equal measure to the dialogue and songs.   

In 2009, nonagenarian Laurents (deceased May 5, 2011) directed a new Broadway production of West Side Story that enjoyed a run of 748 performances, making it the longest-running production of WSS in history. The highly anticipated national tour of the smash hit revival, under the direction of Cape Cod native David Saint, opened at Boston's Colonial Theatre on June 15 for a four-week engagement. This fresh iteration infuses the beloved classic with a twenty-first century sensibility, adding more grit and fulfilling Laurents' desire to make the show much tougher. Before a note is played by the orchestra, Riff, the leader of the Jets, stands downstage glaring at the audience. Other members of his gang silently trickle into a phalanx behind him, taking a similarly intimidating stance. After a moment, Riff snaps his fingers signaling the start of the Prologue with its expressive dance routine. And the spell has been cast.

The darker shadings of the revival are apparent in the perpetual scowls on the gang members' faces and their downtrodden demeanor; the drab grayness of their little piece of turf; the unqualifiedly nasty prejudice of Sgt. Krupke and Lt. Schrank, both of whom had comic elements in the well-known 1961 film version; and a pervasive feeling of danger mixed with hopelessness. Some changes were made to the choreography for extra edginess, but the second act ballet ("Somewhere") actually feels light and dreamy as it imagines a paradise where everyone gets along despite their differences. Perhaps the most talked about change is the introduction of Spanish language to parts of the book and selected songs, totaling about 10% of the show. It succeeds in leveling the playing field for the Puerto Rican Sharks and the white boy Jets, as well as in making it feel more authentic and contemporary, but at the cost of leaving the English-speaking audience in the dark at times.

Choreographer Joey McNeely has skillfully reproduced Robbins' artistry and has a troupe of accomplished, energetic dancers who impress with their uncanny ability to hang suspended in the air when balletic leaps are involved. Joseph J. Simeone (Riff) and German Santiago (Bernardo) are not only the fictional leaders of the Jets and Sharks respectively, but take the lead on the dance floor as well, especially in the frenetic "Dance at the Gym." Robbins' created a particular dance style for the men in WSS that merges athleticism and artistry with a dollop of swagger.  The women's style is no less artistic, but replaces athleticism with sensuality and assertiveness. Michelle Aravena (Anita) fronts the Shark girls with eyes flashing and great confidence.

Aravena is a triple threat who commands attention, giving a realistic performance as Bernardo's sultry girlfriend and the advisor/confidante to Maria, while adding her strong vocals to "America" and "A Boy Like That/I Have a Love." Ali Ewoldt (Maria) is a petite woman with a powerful voice that blends beautifully with both Aravena and Kyle Harris (Tony). Ewoldt and Harris have instant chemistry and share some very hot moments in their forbidden romance, but on a couple of occasions, I found his voice jarring when he seemed to strain for a note. I think the role of Tony is very challenging because the audience has to believe that he was a hoodlum who formed the gang with Riff, but is now serious about going straight. Far too often, the actor playing Tony errs on the side of softness and Harris fails to overcome this dichotomy.

The actors in the adult roles are terrific across the board. Stephen DeRosa deserves special mention as Glad Hand, the fey school administrator who tries to get everyone to mingle at the dance. John O'Creagh brings world weariness to Doc, and Christopher Patrick Mullen (Schrank) and Mike Boland (Krupke) show their characters' enjoyment abusing the little power they have on these mean streets. Boston Conservatory graduate Alexandra Frohlinger gives a noteworthy performance as the misfit Anybodys, including her singing of "Somewhere" during the ballet sequence. The members of the Jets are more easily discerned by name than the Sharks, but they all make a solid contribution to the cohesive ensemble.

One of the more exciting scenes in WSS is the rumble under the highway. James Youmans' set design ups the ante as the underside of a huge section of roadway looms above the stage and slowly lowers into place. Fight Director Ron Piretti has crafted a tense, realistic knife fight that moves in sync with the Bernstein orchestration for the scene. As the work of Dan Moses Schreier (sound) and Howell Binkley (lighting) does throughout the show, the distant wail of sirens and pulsating red cruiser lights add to the harsh reality as the curtain comes down to end act one.

FYI to theatergoers familiar with the original: Laurents restaged the closing moments with an ending that he found more believable. Without revealing exactly what has changed, I'll report that it felt like a letdown and didn't work for me. Perhaps it has a different effect on others, especially those who are seeing West Side Story for the first time. In the final analysis, although the production is uneven, it is enjoyable and has more to recommend it than not. Ensconced in the historic Colonial Theatre, it has all of the qualities of a big Broadway musical, and it is a classic American story that, for better or worse, still rings true today. Everybody's looking for a way to make the world go away, even if only for a little while. Try spending two and a half hours on the Upper West Side.

Photo Credit: National Tour of West Side Story (Joan Marcus)

 

 

 

 

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