When West Side Story debuted on Broadway six decades ago, it was clear that it was a hit. People fell in love with the updated take on Romeo and Juliet that focuses on fighting families, teenage gangs, and star-crossed lovers who want to defy the odds and be together. It’s a story as old as time, and you can see it live at the Mill Mountain Theatre on Oct. 3–21. Tickets for West Side Story range from $20 to $38 and are on sale now.
Get ready for the show by checking out some West Side Story facts.
Practice Made Perfect
People thought West Side Story was an instant hit, but it didn’t come out of nowhere. When it first debuted, musical casts usually rehearsed for four or five weeks. The director realized that this musical had a lot of moving parts and that the actors would need longer to practice. That is why he demanded that they practice for eight weeks. It was close to twice as long as normal, and it paid off. The cast had an epic opening night performance, and the rest is history.
The “Gangs” Were Hostile to Each Other
The musical’s gangs didn’t have to do much acting to show their animosity toward each other in the original Broadway show. The director didn’t let the two gangs socialize with each other. They didn’t even get to eat lunch together. He wanted to generate hostility toward the two groups, and it worked. The hostility was palpable when the two gangs took the stage.
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It Was Almost a Very Different Show
Can you imagine West Side Story without rival gangs? That’s almost what happened. Initially, the story was going to be about a Jewish girl and a Catholic boy, but the creators realized that that wasn’t a very original idea. They realized they needed to come up with something fresh, and that’s when they decided on the rival gangs. It’s a good thing they did. People fell in love with the story, and they still love it to this day.
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