“West Side Story” Review

By Hannah Blackwell

The sixty-seventh season of the Huron Playhouse will open on Tuesday, July 7 with their first show, “West Side Story”,  at McCormick Junior High School.  In a modernized rendition of the musical by Arthur Laurents, the Playhouse cast, along with director Lisa Wiley, encapture the essence of the characters in such a way that they truly seem to become the Sharks and the Jets.  Innocence contrasted by loss of innocence is brought to its’ poignant best by lead actors Benjamin Frankart and Jennifer Barnaba who play Tony and Maria, respectively.  The show revolves around a theme with which we as humans are forever enamored; love.

The play is set in the Upper West Side neighborhood of New York City and is a spin on the classic, “Romeo and Juliet”.  The two main characters, Tony and Maria, fall in love, but their love is not welcomed by members of the opposing street gangs to which they belong.  The two gangs, the Sharks and the Jets, rival over control of the streets of the neighborhood.  All together, it is a mix of love, blood, and tragedy.  The story line of the play is intensified by the well-written script.  It keeps the audience intrigued as well as entertained, and the lines are believable for a teen gang of the time period in which it is set.

In this well-known play centered around a timeless topic, all the Playhouse actors can do is shine.  And shine they do.  Hours upon hours of hard work have gone into making this play something special, something better than other renditions you may have seen, something unexpected.  Throughout the performance, the actors continually impress with fun, energized dances and top-notch voices.  The choreography is intricate and is focused mostly on group dances with differing individual parts throughout.  The actors do a good job of maneuvering their way through the dances as well as the multi-part songs.  In addition, they have developed their characters well enough that the disdain between the opposing gang members is apparent.  Furthermore, the chemistry between Tony and Maria is completely believable.  The difficulties Tony and Maria must overcome to be with one another are portrayed in such a way that you will ache for the young couple.   

Looking past the script and acting, the background aspects of this production play a large part in it’s greatness.  The set used throughout the play does a wonderful job of depicting the environment in which the play is set.  A skyline, graffiti-covered brick walls, and chain-link fencing all give the feeling of the Upper West Side.  Along with the set, the music sets the mood of each scene quite well.  In rehearsals, only a piano was used, but audiences will be treated to a full orchestra.  It is modest music, nothing over the top, but it has just enough zip to make audiences wonder what will happen next.

Overall, this production is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.  The storyline, the acting, and the music all work well together, and every detail seems to fit into place just right.  The members of this sixty-seventh season have clicked, and “West Side Story” will be the first time audiences can witness this. Another great Playhouse season is well underway.