West Side Story closing weekend at Meralco Theater
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West Side Story transports the classic tale of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to the turbulent streets of the Upper West Side in 1950's New York City. Star-crossed lovers, Tony (Christian Bautista) and Maria (alternately played by Karylle and Joanna Ampil), find themselves caught between the rival street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds, the "Jets," led by Riff (Magdangal), and the "Sharks," led by Bernardo (Macapagal or Singson). The young lovers' struggle to exist together in a world of violence, hate, and prejudice is one of the most heart-rending, relevant, and innovative musical masterpieces originally conceived for the stage by director and choreographer Jerome Robbins.
West Side Story highlights the many show-stopping numbers, and immortal songs of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, like "Somewhere," "Tonight," "One Hand, One Heart," "America," and "Something's Coming."
While the new Broadway production is said to present the "Sharks" speaking and singing in Spanish, Ms. Yulo says that the local production is staying true to what West Side Story was in 1957. It will re-create Jerome Robbins' choreography, delivering it as it was originally written.
The director challenges her cast to come up with extremely organic characters though. "My actors attack their characters in a more real, more edgy manner as compared to the musical's movie version. I don't set rules and tell them what to do during rehearsals. I take it on how they give it," shares Yulo. "I don't expect Karylle's Maria will be like Joanna's, for instance. I don't make them copy each other, but I still make sure that there's not a great disparity in their performances."
West Side Story runs at Meralco Theater until this weekend, October 11-12. For tickets, call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or STAGES at 818-1111 loc. 225. Ticket prices range from P500 to P1,200.
Click HERE to buy tickets to West Side Story.
