[NEohioPAL]Frantic West Side Story at Cain Park

[Roy Berko]

FRANTIC WEST SIDE STORY AT CAIN PARK

	Roy Berko
	(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

	--The Times Newspapers-- 
	Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times-Olmsted-Fairview Times

In 1949 Jerome Robbins brought together composer
Leonard Bernstein and playwright Arthur Laurents to
work on a modern musical version of ROMEO AND JULIET. 
Originally called EAST SIDE STORY, it was about a
Jewish boy’s star-crossed romance with an Italian
Catholic girl set against the clashing street gangs on
New York’s lower East Side.  Eventually, Polish was
substituted for Jewish, Puerto Rican replaced
Catholic, and the setting was moved to the west side. 
A 27 year-old lyricist by the name of Stephen Sondheim
was brought onto the production team to participate in
his first Broaway show.  A master musical and many
legends emerged.  

The show concerns Tony, a second generation
Polish-American who once was the leader of the Jets
street gang.  He becomes committed to peaceful
coexistence between the “Americans” and the “Puerto
Ricans” when he meets and falls in love with Maria at
a high school dance.  The star-crossed lovers run into
complications, when, in spite of his best efforts at
avoidance, Tony kills Maria's brother, who has killed
Tony’s best friend in a rumble gone awry.  Eventually
total tragedy hits when Tony is murdered.  The show
contains such memorable songs as “Something’s Coming,”
“Maria,” “One Hand, One Heart,” “I Have a Love, and
“Tonight.”

WEST SIDE STORY was one of the first Broadway shows I
ever saw.  I was entranced by the powerful dancing,
the integration of story and song, the quality of the
music and the depth of the performances.   I have seen
many productions of the show since.  Each, of course
has its own interpretation.  I must admit, however, I
have never seen an interpretation quite like the one
conceived by Victoria Bussert.  The concept can best
be described as “frantic.” 

It must be realized that Bussert is generally working
with a group of theatrical amateurs.  In the main,
these are not Actors Equity performers.  These are
mostly college and high school kids who give their
time and effort free of charge.  Even so, there were
many talented thespians on stage, enthusiastic
performers who put forth full-effort throughout the
show.
	
The usual competent and wise Bussert chose to pace the
show at a breakneck speed.   Maybe she did this
because her cast are mainly suburban intelligent clean
scrubbed kids whose life experiences don’t parallel to
inner city gangs.   By pacing rapidly she may have
been trying to substitute excitement for emotional
intensity.  It didn’t work as well as one might hope.
Some dramatic scenes didn’t have time to develop,
emotions were shown by shouting and screeching, songs
were often sung at a rapid pace that didn’t allow the
audience to understand the words.  Even the delightful
“Officer Krupke” got few laughs because the words were
swallowed.

Janiece Kelley-Kiteley’s fine choreography was often
turned into speed dancing.  In spite of great physical
effort of the dancers the overall effect was often
chaos.  Larry Hartzell’s orchestra must have been
gasping for breath as they plowed rapidly through song
after song, sometimes drowning out the singers.  Even
the set changes were done as marathon dashes.  

The show does have fine moments.  The fight scene in
which Bernardo and Riff are killed was masterfully
done.  Tony and Maria’s meeting at the dance was
finely honed.  The famous balcony scene was both
touching and humorous, filled with the youthful joy of
first love.   

Many of the performances were also on key.  Trista
Moldovan, a recent Baldwin Wallace grad, who is New
York bound following this show, was excellent as
Maria.  She has a fine voice and her character
development was clear and consistent.  Joelle Graham
smoldered her way through the part of Anita.  Her eyes
flashed, her intensity light up the stage.  Kevin
David Thomas, who earlier this year took the part of
Tony for Baldwin Wallace College’s production of WEST
SIDE STORY, sings well but was inconsistent in his
character development.  Ryann Green was right on
target as Bernardo.

One patron as she was exiting the theatre said, “I’m
exhausted.”  Too bad, she should have been
exhilarated, not exhausted. 

WEST SIDE STORY runs through July 7 at Cain Park’s
Alma Theatre in Cleveland Heights.  For tickets call
216-371-3000.  Free parking is available on the
streets around the theatre.  The theatre’s next major
production is the Northeastern Ohio premiere of AVENUE
X running from August 1-18.  Patrons are advised that
this show contains strong language and adult themes.

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