Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Aug. 7--To be honest, West Side Story has never been my favorite musical.
It's not so much the jazzy-cool songs by lyricist Stephen Sondheim and composer Leonard Bernstein -- I just have a hard time finding high-kicking, song-singing gang members threatening (unless you're sitting too close to the stage).
The new Theatre Downtown production, running through Aug. 20, thankfully revives a bit of the swagger and edge in a nostalgic tribute to Jerome Robbins' original vision. This stage version, directed by Paul Castaneda, is a little rougher around the edges than the squeaky clean '60s film version. The violence is a little more stark, the consequences a little more real.
Set in a tough New York City neighborhood in the '50s, West Side Story adapts the story of Romeo and Juliet to tell the story of America in conflict and transition.
Handsome ex-gang member Tony (Steve MacKinnon) is a second-generation American, while pretty Puerto Rican immigrant Maria (Ana Martinez) has been in the country for only a short time. When they spot each other across a crowded dance floor, neither realizes the barriers that stand between them. Tony's best friend Riff (animated and talented Brian Tierney) is the leader of the Jets, while Maria's brother Bernardo (Ricky Avila, looking truly menacing) heads the rival Sharks.
These gangs may be fighting over a small slice of blacktop, but they're also fighting over identity and a way of life. Unfortunately, Tony and Maria's innocent love will be a victim of the struggle.
Castaneda assembles a thoroughly enjoyable cast and works with it around the tight space of the theater's thrust stage, scaling down the enormous feel of the show (though the first couple of rows look a little hazardous thanks to high kicks).
The show opens with a riff of dancing that's breathless, if not terribly tight, while the second act features an energetic rendition of "Gee, Officer Krupke" that shows off Jets members in a boyishly fun number.
As the star-crossed couple, MacKinnon and Martinez evoke a touching sense of hope and youthful naivete. Though they are good singers working with a tough score, too often lyrics get lost in vibrato and soft dynamics. Standout performances include veteran Orlando actress Leesa Halstead as Bernardo's sassy girlfriend Anita, a street-smart and passionate chica. Though a small role, Dean Walkuski's angry Detective Shrank embodies the frustration felt among a group of adults who are at a loss for how to deal with the gang violence. He also serves as a stark reminder that no matter how long you've been in America, it may never be long enough for some.
Though the production may not always be perfect, the cast clearly enjoys this chance to revisit a musical-theater favorite, and in turn, so does the audience.
Rebecca Swain can be reached at 407-420-5677 or rswain@orlandosentinel.com.
-----
Copyright (c) 2006, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
