Connecticut Repertory Theatre ends its summer season with a high-octane, sizzling, and satisfying production of West Side Story, the 1957 musical inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Cassie Abate’s staging and choreography are dynamic, and the West Side Story ensemble are thrilling to watch. For me, this is the surprise summer hit. I liked everything about this production.
Cassidy Stoner (Anita) and Yurel Echezarreta (Bernardo) in West Side Story. Photo by Gerry Goodstein.
Jerome Robbins conceived the idea for West Side Story, and Arthur Laurents wrote the book; Leonard Bernstein provided the music, and Stephen Sondheim, in his Broadway debut, wrote the lyrics. Maybe having recently seen a definitive production of Romeo and Juliet at Hartford Stage interested me in seeing West Side Story again; maybe current racial and ethnic tensions makes West Side Story more relevant, but the show has aged gracefully. Lairents’ book is lean, and Bernstein’s music, from the songs we know to the underscoring, is brilliant. Sondheim’s lyrics sparkle. NDavid Williams’ music direction showcases Bernstein’s intricate rhythms; the orchestra, conducted by Thomas McDonough is great.
Set designer Tim Brown, costume designer Christina Lorraine Bullard, and lighting designer Michael Chybowski created a great look for the tenements and streets of Manhattan that were razed to build Lincoln Center–a stark landscape so different than their swank rendering of Madison Avenue in the season’s earlier How to Succeed.
The entire cast is terrific. Luke Hamilton as Tony delivers a rich performance with a commanding voice that makes “Something’s Coming” so exciting. Julia Estrada is a lovely Maria. Hamilton and Estrada bring magic to the musical’s famous songs “Maria”, “Tonight”, and “One Hand, One Heart”. Cassidy Stoner is an incendiary Anita, and I liked Yurel Echezarreta’s Bernardo, Bentley Black’s Riff, and Adria Swan’s
Julia Estrada (Maria) and Luke Hamilton (Tony) in West Side Story Photo by Gerry Goodstein.
Anybody’s (a completely different portrayal from her earlier Smitty in How to Succeed).
When the ensemble leaps, twists, and slides through Abate’s ballet and jazz choreography for the Prologue, the Dance at The Gym, and the Tonight Quintet, the audience went wild, as well they should. Great staging and great performances combined to a thrilling effect.
West Side Story runs through July 17. Try to head to Storrs early, because a stop at the UConn Dairy Bar for fresh-churned ice cream, a showstopper unto itself, is well worth the visit before a summer performance. I reveled in Coffee Espresso Crunch; my pal Rob gave the Banana Chocolate Chip a rave review. For details: http://dining.uconn.edu/uconn-dairy-bar/
——
The Connecticut Repertory Theatre presents West Side Story. Based on a conception by Jerome Robbins. Book by Arthur Laurents. Music by Leonard Bernstein. Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Directed and choreographed by Cassie Abate. Music direction by NDavid Williams. Scenic design by Tim Brown. Costume design by Christina Lorraine Bullard. Lighting design by Michael Chybowski. Sound design by Michael Vincent Skinner. . Connecticut Repertory Through July 17. Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre. University of Connecticut at Storrs, CT. 860-486-2113 or www.crt.uconn.edu.
Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
