West Side Story : more than a musical

Hello everyone,

As you already know I am a fan of many things like cooking and lifestyle but you are not certainly aware that I love musicals. Everything's started when I was ten. I did a trip to london and at the Prince Edward theater I saw my first musicals : Aladdin. I absolutely loved watching it and I decided that it would be my new passion. This hobby never left me and now I obviously go to see a musical every month. So, as you know it I am sharing with you today my report of the last musical I have seen on Broadway stage at the famous Broadway theater : West Side Story.

The musical takes place in an United States divided between white americans and black americans or immigrants. It is at this time that an idea emerged in the head of Jerome Robbins of recreating a musical which modernize the famous William Shakespeare tragedy : “Romeo and Juliet”. Unlike many musicals at the time Robbins really wanted to convey a message with our modern issues. At the beginning, Robbins was thinking to create a confrontation between a Jew’s family and a Christian one to show the antisemitism that can exist. At this point, the title was “East Side Story”. But when Robbins displays his ideas to his colleagues, they didn’t like the story. But fortunately a few years later, Robbins found some people that agreed to his new story which was denouncing racism by organising two gangs the sharks which are formed with Puerto Ricans and the Jets made up with white Americans.

This show deal with racism in the United States in the early 60s. Puerto Ricans had difficulties to evolve in the American society. They were considered as slaves who can not have access to great jobs like white, native Americans. So obviously they are poor which force them to deal with criminals activities to survive. Even though they didn’t want to do that they were forced so we can say that it is kind of vicious circle. These Puerto Ricans immigrants represented in the musicals as the Sharks are stuck between two cultures, they are neither Porto Ricos anymore but they are nor north americans because they were not welcomed.

Even though I have been speaking about the powerful message that this musicals is delivering, I haven’t been telling you about its story which is amazing ! So as you might have understood two gangs have been bringing into opposition : the Sharks and the Jett. The Sharks are from Puerto Ricans and are suffering discrimination and the Jett are native white Americans. One day, Riff the leader of the Jetts asks Tony who has evolved in American society and is out of the game if he wants to join them in a rumble with Bernado the Sharks’ leader. During this amazing night, Tony meet Maria and fall in love with her even if they come from opposite gangs. But what will happen to them ? Is it a forbidden love ? If you want to know more you have to see the musical.

Let’s speak about my opinion. So I loved this musical, for its characters and also for its staging which were just awesome ! I think this is the best musical I have ever seen for the story which is astonishing but also for the power of its message. The subject choose for this musicals was controversial especially at the end of the 50s in America. So in my opinion, this musical is revolutionary for its way to denounce racism. Families are seeing actors who are performing on this musicals but also learning about United States’ story. However I found the end of West Side Story too predictable for my taste. To conclude, I loved seeing it and I encourage you to do the same, I found this musical appealing and helps also new generations to look forward with hope because love is stronger than hate.