The landmark Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim-Arthur Laurents musical opened September 26, 1957.
By
Logan Culwell-Block, Michael Wiltbank
September 26, 2022
Carol Lawrence and Larry Kert in a promotional photo for West Side Story.
Before its five Broadway revivals, two major screen adaptations, and countless tours, regional runs, and school productions, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents' modernized take on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, made its Broadway debut September 26, 1957.
The musical famously did not win big at that season's Tony Awards, losing Best Musical to The Music Man, but the work has become one of the most enduring musicals in the canon. It set new standards for what it meant to be a triple-threat performer—meaning an actor who acts, sings, and dances—with Jerry Robbins' direction and choreography taking storytelling through dance to new heights. Bernstein and Sondheim's score introduced songs that would become true standards in households worldwide, including "Something's Coming," "Maria," "I Feel Pretty," "America," and "Somewhere," among others.
Today, as the landmark musical celebrates the 65th anniversary of its Broadway bow, we're taking a look back at more than half a century of West Side Story, beginning with the original production, which starred Larry Kert as Tony, Carol Lawrence as Maria, Ken Le Roy as Bernardo, and Chita Rivera as Anita.
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Celebrate 65 Years of West Side Story With a Look Back at the Original Production From Rehearsals to Backstage to Showtime
Celebrate 65 Years of West Side Story With a Look Back at the Original Production From Rehearsals to Backstage to Showtime
Composer Leonard Bernstein, playwright Arthur Laurents, choreographer Jerome Robbins (seated), costume designer Irene Sharaff, lyricist Stephen Sondheim, producer Robert Griffith, and production assistant Sylvia Drulie
Jerome Robbins and cast
Leonard Bernstein
Larry Kert and Carol Lawrence
Peter Gennaro and Tony Mordente
Chita Rivera, Ken LeRoy, Larry Kert, and Carol Lawrence
Peter Gennaro
Stephen Sondheim on piano with Leonard Bernstein and Carol Lawrence
Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents, Hal Prince, Robert Griffith, Leonard Bernstein, and Jerome Robbins
In 2017 following a project to digitize photos from the original production of West Side Story from the New York Public Library's Martha Swope, Friedman-Abeles, Florence Vandamm, Kenn Duncan, and Avery Willard collections, the institution created these "moving" photos made up of multiple shots taken in a flurry, offering a chance to revisit Broadway history before as never before.
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15 Moving Pictures from the Original West Side Story
15 Moving Pictures from the Original West Side Story
The New York Public Library took promotional and rehearsal images from the original production and created short movies.
The work's third Broadway revival opened February 14, 1980, at the Minskoff Theatre, a re-mount of the original production with Robbins' original staging and the original physical designs. Featured in the cast was Debbie Allen, then freshly off the massive success of Fame, as Anita, along with Ken Marshall as Tony, Josie de Guzman as Maria, and Héctor Jaime Mercado as Bernardo.
Jossie de Guzman and Ken Marshall in the 1980 revival of West Side Story
Debbie Allen and cast in the 1980 revival of West Side Story
Book writer Arthur Laurents was at the helm for the fourth Broadway revival in 2009, which placed Robbins' original staging in a new physical production. The revival also introduced new Spanish-language material by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Starring in the cast were Josefina Scaglione as Maria, Matt Cavenaugh as Tony, KO (formerly Karen Olivo) as Anita, and George Akram as Bernardo. KO won a Tony Award.
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A Sneak Peek at Broadway's West Side Story
A Sneak Peek at Broadway's West Side Story
The new Broadway revival of the ground-breaking musical West Side Story is set to begin performances at the Palace Theatre Feb. 23. The production is staged by librettist Arthur Laurents.
West Side Story got the ever-so-rare second big screen adaptation in 2021 via director Steven Spielberg, with a new screenplay from Tony Kushner. Starring were Ansel Elgort as Tony, Rachel Zegler as Maria, and Broadway favorites Ariana DeBose as Anita and Tony winner David Alvarez as Bernardo, with DeBose going on to win a 2022 Academy Award for her performance.
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Check Out New Photos of Steven Spielberg’s Film Adaptation of West Side Story
Check Out New Photos of Steven Spielberg’s Film Adaptation of West Side Story
Next year, Carnegie Hall's house band will perform Bernstein’s “Kaddish” Symphony, unfinished works by Schubert, and the final concert of Conductor Bernard Labadie.
