They planned to stage the conflict between rival catholic and jewish groups. See all books authored by arthur laurents, including gypsy, and west side story vocal score, and more on. Filming of west side story in jets led by russ tamblyn frontr as riff, confront members of the sharks. Somewhere from west side story leonard bernstein, conductor marilyn horne, mezzosoprano book by arthur laurents music by leonard bernstein lyrics by stephen sondheim entire original production. The jets and sharks form a procession and together they carry tony. May 06, 2011 laurents wrote the book for west side story, which updated romeo and juliet to the streets of new york, with gangs called the jets and the sharks replacing the houses of montague and capulet. The feud between two new york teenage gangs abruptly ends the brief happiness shared by maria, a puerto rican girl, and tony, a member of the jets. Arthur laurents july 14, 1917 may 5, 2011 was an american playwright, stage director and screenwriter after writing scripts for radio shows after college and then training films for the u.
West side story, book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein, lyrics by. West side story musical west side story wiki fandom. As west side story celebrates its 60th anniversary, it stands as. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Arthur laurents american playwright, director, and. Luckily, she has recreated the numbers in some of the earliest of her 18 shows in various concert performances, tv broadcasts, and her 2005 autobiographical show on broadway. Comparing shakespeares romeo and juliet versus arthur laurents west side story in approximately 1594, william shakespeare began to write one of the most well known tragedies in history, romeo and juliet. One last time, arthur laurents speaks out hartford courant.
For leonard bernstein music, arthur laurents book, sondheim and. When playwright arthur laurents joined the creative team, he saw the setup as tired. Rita moreno joins steven spielbergs west side story film. Glenbrook high schools district 225 news details page. Nov 27, 2018 arthur laurents wrote the book of west side story, which united two broadway titans composer leonard bernstein and directorchoreographer jerome robbins. West side story broadway musical 20102012 tour ibdb. This classic romantic tragedy, directed by robert wise and jerome robbins, is one of the greatest achievements in the history of movie musicals, featuring robbins breathtaking choreography and a screenplay by ernest lehman based on the masterful book by arthur laurents. Whittled down to one hour and fortyfive minutes, west side story with book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein, lyrics by stephen sondheim, and. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of west side story 1961 film by robert wise.
With kiri te kanawa, jose carreras, and tatiana troyanos. It has everything you need to rehearse each song of the musical. This is the place for you if youve ever been involved in, or infatuated with, west side story as an actor, singer, dancer, musician, producer, director, designer, crew or just as important as a fan. The kravis center for the performing arts is located at 701 okeechobee boulevard in west palm beach, florida. Whittled down to one hour and fortyfive minutes, west side story with book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein, lyrics by stephen sondheim, and choreography by jerome robbins. Terms of use west side story film 1961 metrogoldwynmayer studios inc. Photos from the set of a hollywood classic west side story is an american musical with a libretto by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein, lyrics by stephen sondheim, and conc. I have to admire arthur laurents, not just for writing the book to a couple of. It was inspired by william shakespeare s play romeo and juliet. May 07, 2011 arthur laurents, 93, playwright for gypsy, west side story natalie wood, george chakiris, and richard beymer in the film version of west side story. The book by arthur laurents is lean but filled with lines like, ya done good, buddy boy and thanks, daddyo. May 15, 2019 west side story tells about two warring new york city gangs the jets led by riff and the puerto rican sharks led by bernardo. The situation becomes complicated when a gang members falls in love with a rivals sister. West side story is a musical with a book by arthur laurents, music by.
West side story was originally about jews and catholics history. West side story 1961 metrogoldwynmayer studios inc. From the mambo craze of the 1950s to the works ongoing permeation of popular culture, wells looks at the myriad ways in which this canonic musical. West side story has been called a nearperfect musical. He even claims cary grant threw pebbles one night at his window pane. The social realism of his book for west side story continued to animate laurents work for decades to come. This play is about to rivial gangs fighting over a street. Dec 02, 2010 if youve only seen the movie, youve never seen west side story. Natalie wood, richard beymer, russ tamblyn, rita moreno, george chakiris, simon oakland, ned glass. Its not a revival, says arthur laurents, 90, its original librettist and the man behind the latest production. Essays for west side story 1961 film west side story 1961 film essays are academic essays for citation. West side story revisited, west side story, arthur laurents. Say his name, and images of west side story, gypsy, anastasia, the turning point.
Arthur laurents books list of books by author arthur. West side story transposes shakespeares romeo and juliet to the gangridden streets of 1950s manhattan, dominated by the sharks and the jets. Early photos of cary grant hollywood story, old hollywood stars. Considering the degree of extraordinary talent involved arthur laurents book, leonard. Chaos by carey perloff the dramatic imagination by robert edmond jones. Dont get laurents started about the 1961 movie of west side story. This production of west side story is scheduled to appear through march, 2011, on the marden stage of dreyfoos hall, in the raymond f. The infamous poison boot west side story story retold with award winning costumes and flawless acting. Arthur laurents contribution by of west side story edition. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was inspired by william shakespeare s play romeo and juliet. West side story is a 1961 american musical romantic drama film directed by robert wise and jerome robbins. Leonard bernstein, stephen sondheim, arthur laurents, and jerome robbins. Arthur laurents, 93, playwright for gypsy, west side story. Books by arthur laurents author of west side story edition.
Playwright and screenwriter who wrote the books for. His credits included the stage musicals west side story and gypsy and the film the way we were. Army during world war ii, laurents turned to writing for broadway, producing a body of work that includes west side story 1957, gypsy 1959, and hallelujah, baby. Published by random house new york in june 1966 tenth printing. Broadway san diego presents west side story, book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein, lyrics by stephen sondheim, originally directed and choreographed by jerome robbins, choreography reproduced by joey mckneely.
West side story is the awardwinning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy romeo and juliet. Nov 01, 2017 west side story was laurents first involvement in a musical, and he followed up by directing i can get it for you wholesale, which starred a young actress who was in fact his discovery. Last season, west side story returned to broadway and became a huge hit, proving as powerful and poignant to modern audiences as it was when it forever changed theater a more than fifty years ago. We are rehearsing west side story in the community theater and this book is excellent for rehearsals. Well, this west side story is the tale of an america in 2020 that is destroying itself from within.
On a crisp, sunny march afternoon, arthur laurents welcomed me into his. The leader of the jets whites riff doesnt the leader of the sharks purto ricans benardo. Irving shulman 191995 was a novelist and screenwriter, known for his depictions of urban life. West side story, with a book by arthur laurents, score by leonard bernstein and lyrics by stephen sondheim, premiered on broadway in 1957, and went on to win the tony awards for jerome robbins choreography. Presented by contra costa musical theatre music by leonard bernstein book by arthur laurents lyrics by stephen sondheim march 30 april 29, 2018 inspired by the timeless story of romeo and juliet, shakespeares starcrossed lovers are transplanted to the vibrant battleground of new york citys west side in the 1950s. Notes the matrix numbers on the labels appear in brackets. Robbins next chore for this new york stage, however, will be for the new musical by arthur laurents and leonard bernstein, once tentatively labeled east side story and now called west side story. Far less well known is the fact that shakespeare based his play 1594 on other material, particularly a narrative poem by arthur brooke entitled the tragicall historye of romeus and juliet 1562.
The gangs fight for territory and cant coexist with each other. Arthur laurents, arthur levine, american playwright, director, and screenwriter born july 14, 1917, brooklyn, n. West side story and gypsy would figure in most historians top 10 stage musicals indeed, gypsy is often cited as having the best book of any. Featuring jerome robbins awardwinning adaptation with music from leonard bernstein, lyrics by stephen sondheim, and book by arthur laurents with a cast of broadway. Mainly on directing is an interesting book mostly because laurents is.
In his autobiography, arthur laurents makes it sound like every guy in hollywood was after him, from farley granger to orrykelly. Here is the original story of a true original, the celebrated and internationally renowned director, playwright and screenwriter arthur laurents. West side story special edition dvd collectors set. Directed by david saint from broadway direction by arthur laurents, with scenic designs by james youmans, costumes by. After writing scripts for radio shows after college and then training films for the u. Arthur laurents has 27 books on goodreads with 6920 ratings. Written by ernest lehman, based on the broadway musical with book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein, lyrics by stephen sondheim, conceived by robbins. It was later adapted as a major motion picture and has enjoyed numerous revivals worldwide. West side story broadway get the best prices with headout. Jerome robbins riveting choreography of stylized street ballets.
Arthur laurents s most popular book is romeo and juliet and west side story. Arthur laurents was an american playwright, librettist, stage director, and screenwriter. West side story, film with live orchestra works works leonard. Beautiful chaos by carey perloff the dramatic imagination by robert edmond jones. Book by arthur laurents lyrics by stephen sondheim. 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 masterpiece by the new york times and new york magazine exclaimed that the show explodes every imaginable idea of what a musical can be.
The film stars ansel elgort and rachel zegler and is an adaptation of the broadway musical of the same name by arthur laurents, leonard bernstein and stephen sondheim, which is based loosely on shakespeares romeo. Romeo and juliet and west side story laurel leaf library by william shakespeare, arthur laurents and stephen sondheim jan 1, 1967. Yesenia ayala, who plays anita, and the cast of the 2020 west side story. Jan versweyveld a new america laurents set the stage for west side story to be reconceived. Full script of the musical west side story in hardcover format. In his attempt to defend a fellow jet, tony kills marias brother and shortly thereafter is.
When they first conceived the show in 1949, robbins, bernstein and laurents set their story on the east side of manhattan, and gave it the working title east side story. West side story revival breaks all the rules for all the. On the harsh streets of the upper west side, two gangs battle for control of the turf. Thats a fact even if you dont share 1957 librettist arthur laurents antipathy to the 1961 mirischua oscar. West side story is an upcoming 2020 american romantic musical film directed and coproduced by steven spielberg, with a screenplay by tony kushner. Comparing shakespeares romeo and juliet versus arthur laurents west side story 1066 words 5 pages. West side story is presented through special arrangement with music theatre international mti all authorized performance materials are supplied by mti.
A comparison of the power struggles in romeo and juliet and west side story. A musical in which a modern day romeo and juliet are involved in new york street gangs. The music is challenging to play, but very helpful to the singers as they can get an idea of what the full orchestra will sound ike. Did arthur laurents really get as much ass as he claimed.
Nov 14, 2011 among the bonus material for both sets is the fine hourlong documentary west side memories, which was included with the 2003 dvd release, plus a place for us. And laurents provided the book or story for both of them. From arthur laurents, playwright, screenwriter, directoraa me. George schools musical theater and stagecraft classes presented west side story book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein, and lyrics by stephen sondheim 46 on friday, february 19. After all, with a score by leonard bernstein, lyrics by stephen sondheim, choreography by jerome robbins and a book by arthur laurents the. Author arthur laurents, composer leonard bernstein, lyricist stephen sondheim and choreographer jerome robbins collaborated brilliantly, if also heatedly, on this musical inspired by shakespeares romeo and juliet. Tickets west side story lesher center for the arts.
West side story leonard bernstein, arthur laurents, stephen sondheim snippet view 1958. Arthur laurents, leonard bernstein, stephen sondheim. A memoir of broadway and hollywood applause books arthur laurents on. Deutsche grammophon, 2005 originally leonard bernstein conducts west side story, 2002 bernstein, leonard, stephen sondhiem, arthur laurents, et al. West side story at the kravis center lacks electricity. The west side of new york city during the last days of summer. Considering the degree of extraordinary talent involvedarthur laurents book, leonard. See more ideas about arthur laurents, west side story and jerome robbins. The playwright and screenwriter arthur laurents wrote the books for two true classics of musical theatre, west side story 1957 and gypsy 1959, and directed the hit. The feuding families become two warring new york city gangsthe white jets led by riff and the latino sharks, led by bernardo.
West side story is based and inspired by williams shakespeares romeo. West side story,the way we were writer arthur laurents dead at. Chita rivera visits west side story and arthur laurents in 2009. West side story is a musical with a book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein and lyrics by stephen sondheim. West side story is a play that was on broadway and also made into a book and a movie. While the movie version of west side story is among the most faithful of hollywood adaptations, a number of changes were made in translating the work to film, some to suit the medium, others to suit the audience sensibilities, and one or two socalled artistic choices. How west side story then and now uses music, dance and.
West side story is a 1961 film set in the mid1950s in the upper west side of new york. The creators of west side story were a restless crew all gay or bisexual, none of them publicly out in the censorious 1950s. Somethings comingand its coming with an authenticity that should galvanize an already acclaimed classic love story. 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. West side story original cast recording 1957 added to the national registry. In 1957, four theater greats came together to create the original west side story. Nick and nora book by arthur laurents, music by charles strouse, lyrics by. Cultural perspectives on an american musical, wells presents a major scholarly study of the famous american musical west side story, viewing the work from cultural, historical, and musical perspectives. The jets and sharks form a procession, and together carry tony away, with maria the. Five decades after west side story debuted at the national theatre in washington, d. West side story 2020 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. With arthur laurents penning the book, leonard bernstein composing the music, stephen sondheim writing the lyrics, and jerome robbins directing and choreographing the show, the runaway hit musical ran for a record 732 performances on broadway before going on tour.
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