West side story
Title of Show: West Side Story
Synopsis:
Inspired by William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, the story is set in the mid-1950s in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, then a multiracial, blue-collar neighborhood. The musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. The members of the Sharks, from Puerto Rico, are taunted by the Jets, a white gang.[1] The young protagonist, Tony, a former member of the Jets and best friend of the gang’s leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in musical theatre.
Director: Leah Tirado
Ages Called: Casting ages 16+
AUDITIONS
Saturday, June 18 (12pm – 4pm)
@ La Casa de Amistad
3423 S Michigan St, South Bend, IN
Sunday, June 19 (5pm – 8pm)
@ La Casa de Amistad
3423 S Michigan St, South Bend, IN
REHEARSAL SCHEDULE
- First Rehearsal: Monday, August 22, 2022
- Rehearsals: Sunday-Thursday, 6:30-9:30 pm
- Tech Week: Saturday, October 3-7, 2022
LIVE SHOWS
- Performances at the Morris PAC:
- Saturday, October 8 @ 7:30pm
- Sunday, October 9 @ 2:00pm
- Monday, October 10 @ 10:30am
What to prepare
ROLES
All Chorus Roles
A note from the director
It’s been a long time coming, folks, but it is finally happening. It has been several years since Aaron Nichols approached me about directing West Side Story, to say the anticipation has been killing me is a wild understatement at this point. In that time I moved to Phoenix, AZ and 15 months later moved to San Jose, CA. During my pandemic-imposed sabbatical, there’s been a lot of assessing what kind of director I want to be and what I want to contribute to my theatre community and community at large. I have had many conversations about race and identity, what representation really means, how to be true to the story, serve the actors and the people they are portraying, and give our audiences a thought-provoking, entertaining experience. I want this story to hit hard, and ring true, while also maintaining the awe-inspiring spectacle that makes audiences fall in love with this troubling tale. So, maybe I needed my travels and time away to see what this show really needs to be. In a time with so much uncertainty, finding common empathy and understanding is so important, and I can’t think of a better way to accomplish that than through the theatre. Afterall, “Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos,” -Stephen Sondheim. I am supremely excited to be reunited with Jon Martinez -choreographer, the wonderful people of South Bend Civic. I look forward to new connections with Juan Carlos Alarcon as our music director, and of course, working with the tremendous talents of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. This promises to be an experience you do not want to miss!