West Side Story in all its glory

With stunning singing, acting and dancing talent and sets worthy of the professional stage, Blair's production of West Side Story is an emotional, engrossing experience that never fails to entertain.

Working with an impressively large ensemble, director Kelly Newman has forged together a colorful, vivacious production, utilizing the various talents of her cast, whether they be break-dancing or stage combat. Her use of costumes, blocking, and body language set the perfect tone for the rough story of two rival gangs in New York City.

West Side Story is a modern re-working of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Set in New York, it tells the tale of the Jets, a native gang, and the Sharks, their Puerto Rican nemesis. Tensions between the two gangs and their leaders, the intense Riff (junior Jesse Galef) and suave Bernardo (sophomore Anthony Coello), are running high as the Sharks intrude on the Jets hard-won turf. Angry at the influx of immigrants into the neighborhood, Riff challenges Bernardo to a rumble to settle the matter once and for all.

Meanwhile, Tony (junior Ben Martinez), a former Jet, and Maria (senior Febe Huezo), Bernardo's younger sister, have fallen madly in love with each other. Determined to stop their friends and family from killing each other, the couple unknowingly sets in place the inevitable tragedy that follows from their love and the hate that surrounds them.

Particularly noteworthy in Blair's production are the several fight scenes, which are breathtaking to watch. From the opening brawl to the knife fight between Riff and Bernardo, the choreography is realistic and interesting, and it is executed with a level of proficiency not often seen in teen theatre.

Both Martinez and Huezo are well up to the task of hitting both the emotional and vocal high notes of their characters. Martinez's boyish innocence is particularly endearing. However, through no fault of the lead actors, the supporting cast steals the show; frankly, after their bazillioneth love duet, Tony and Maria become predictable and repetitive. Junior Jessica Lynn Favin, a veteran of both Blair and community theatre, plays Bernardo's worldly girlfriend, Anita, with snap and flair. She acts, she dances, she sings, and she's completely unstoppable in the spotlight. Galef's agility and energy brings the wiry Riff to life, and he is perfectly offset by Coello's more focused, controlled mannerisms. Both actors, though a little rough around the vocal edges, act, dance and fight skillfully and through it all still manage, of course, to die in their light.

This production would not have been the same without the sweeping sets and backdrops designed and built by the stage crew. Maria's mammoth balcony is a structural wonder and one of the highlights of the show. Additionally, the highway backdrop for the rumble, designed by seniors Danielle Prados and Christine Wang, is a visual masterpiece that brings grungy realism to that scene, complimented by the dramatic lighting.

The pit orchestra under the direction of Kurt Lucas brought the challenging music of West Side Story up to the level of the production onstage. Their months of work has paid off tremendously, strengthening the overall appeal of the show.

Though much of West Side Story is mostly innovative and original, there are points strongly reminiscent of the movie, especially during the song "Officer Krupke," the comic highlight of the show, and the War Council between the Jets and the Sharks. However, the movie tidbits are well-used, and even a slight feeling of dejà vu and a few minor technical errors could not detract from the overall presentation. West Side Story is a show not to be missed.

West Side Story is playing Friday, Apr 4, and Saturday, Apr 5 in the auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are five dollars for students and eight dollars for adults. Tickets are now on sale at the attendence office.