CurtainUp
The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features,
Annotated Listings
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CurtainUp The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features,
Annotated Listings |
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A CurtainUp Berkshire Review
West Side Story
Chain link fences against anonymous public housing by set designer Kristen Robinson lit by David Lander's whimsical windows opens the show with the intimidating gang swagger in the Jets Song. Against this backdrop of the gritty 1950's New York's west side, now Lincoln Center, the doomed lovers, third generation American Tony (Will Branner) and newly arrived Puerto Rican Maria (Addie Morales,) experience a tectonic upheaval when they meet at a neighborhood dance. It's an updated version of Romeo and Juliet for the uninitiated, and the fallout rocks their world for a glorious two hours and twenty minutes of enduring music and captivating dance — and why not? Leonard Bernstein's music, Jerome Robbins' choreography and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics have not lost the luster of their combined genius. Julianne Boyd, Barrington's Artistic Director, along with Robert LaFosse's staging of Robbins'original choreography and Darren R. Cohen's musical direction, transports the rapt audience back in time when racial antipathy ruled the grittier streets of New York's street gangs in their clearly demarcated "turf wars." However, present day immigrant struggles shimmer behind every expressed cruelty and insult exchanged by not only the gang members, but the police force's Lieutenant Schrank (Douglas Rees) and Sergeant Krupke (Christopher Tucci) who are sworn to protect all equally. Add a little rap music, lose the antiquated slang and move to another neighborhood; nothing much has changed. The set, costumes, lighting that support the multi-talented singers and dancers unifies the piece into a memorable celebration of the American Broadway musical. The cast of twenty-seven fills the stage to bursting with youthful physicality and commanding vocal registers. The collection of talent is simply staggering in this visual and aural feast. Addie Morales's Maria is sheer perfection as the innocent young woman struck by lightning at the first sight of the forbidden Tony. Sheltered by over-protective parents and, Sharks' leader, brother Bernardo, she is ripe for a fairy tale lover. Morales simple body language and Madonna-like face telegraphs every finely nuanced emotion available in the human repertoire. When she sings it is as if the notes float effortlessly from her lips. Will Branner's Tony is appropriately handsome, virile and complicated. His tender duets with Maria are a sharp contrast to his vengeful action at the rumble. Branner has mined the testosterone imbalance of teenage love and hate. His clear enunciation and ringing tenor sell each lyric's intent. Something's Coming sets up his aspirations and Tonight is the couple's brief exaltation of that "Something." Their voices do not always mesh, but neither do their backgrounds, so perhaps that is an innovative interpretation. Though it's Tony and Maria's story, it's Skyler Volpe as Anita who makes the production pop. Volpe is a sex engine who drives the subplot of her steamy relationship with Bernardo. She can only be described with a thesaurus's supply of synonyms such as exotic, erotic, and heart-palpitatingly seductive. Her every eyebrow movement could dominate a stage and it does! Anita and her girls deliver a riveting America. Her "Tonight Quintet, A Boy Like That/I Have A Love" are inspired. Bernardo (Sean Ewing) is her counterweight with his darkly controlled menace as the Sharks "El jefe," pitted against the arrogant red-headed punk Riff (Tyler Hanes,) the Jets' bully boy. Hannah Balagot's Anybodys is a wannabe who shines as the Jet misfit hanger-on; her antics provide comic relief, but also sympathy for the misguided attempts to belong, which is really the theme of the play itself. Who belongs? Who has the right to be part of a gang, New York, America? The rival gangs of dancing bad boys and their female counterparts deliver performances to compete with any Broadway show. A glance at their bios reveals an extensive list of professional credits. Each cast member has been carefully chosen to create a cohesive wall of talent that washes over the stage to carry this classic to a new level: "The Dance at the Gym" is a thrilling swirl of life; The often cut "Dream Ballet" id s revelation with everyone, even Tony and Maria, dancing. Sara Jean Tosetti's costumes are sumptuous layers of Mambo chic which contrast clearly with Maria's delicate symbolic finery. All the characters are dressed in precise representations of the time period. This is a West Side Story made even more relevant by our present global mass immigration and its subsequent cultural upheaval. Congratulations to Julie Boyd and the entire ensemble for this seamless sensual vision. Editor's Note: We've seen and reviewed numerous productions of this iconic musical, including one at Barrington StageThis latest and very timely production once again proves that this is one of those shows worth mounting again and again. Curtainup, has caught quite a few of them, including one also directed by Julianne Boyd at Barrington. To read that review which includes a complete song list go here. |
Search CurtainUp in the box below PRODUCTION NOTES West Side Story Book: Arthur Laurents Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Directed by Julianne Boyd Cast: Hannah Balagot (Anybodys) Danny Bevins (Indio) Will Branner (Tony) Juan Caballer (Action) Julio Catano-Yee (Pepe) Jerusha Cavazos (Consuela) Kyle Coffman (A-Rab) Sarah Crane (Minnie/Margarita) Sean Ewing (Bernardo) Linedy Genao (Rosalia) Tamrin Goldberg (Francisca) Jennifer Gruener (Pauline) Tyler Hanes (Riff) Dylan Gabriel Hoffinger (Baby John) Abbey Hunt (Velma) Kelly Loughran (Graziella) Addie Morales (Maria) Michael Pesko (Diesel) Douglas Rees (Schrank/Gladhand) Magdalena Rodrigues (Teresita/"Somewhere" Soloist) Brandon Keith Rogers (Swing) Raynor Rubel (Snowboy/Big Deal) Antony Sanchez (Nibbles) Gordon Stanley (Doc) Alex Swift (Chino) Christopher Tucci (Krupke) Skyler Volpe (Anita) Scenic Design: Kristen Robinson Costume Design: Sara Jean Tosetti Lighting Design: David Lander Sound Designer: Matt Kraus Wig Designer: Dave Bova Stage Manager: Renee Lutz Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, one intermission Barrington Stage Company Quinson-Boyd Main Stage, Union St., Pittsfield, MA Opening:8/3/2018; Closing: 9/1/2018 Reviewed by Gloria Miller at August 10, 2018 performance REVIEW FEEDBACK Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
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