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9th Grade |
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Study Guide |
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9th Grade |
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Study Guide |
| West Side Story is a musical based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It is a love story, a tragedy, and a story of prejudice and injustice brought to life with dance and united with music. Its themes are universal and everlasting spanning centuries and social strata. |
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Production Personnel | |
Theme |
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Characters | |
Staging |
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Setting | |
Assignments |
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Point of View | |
Song Lyrics |
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Plot | |
9th Grade Home Page |
| Book | Arthur Laurents |
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| Music | Leonard Bernstein | |
| Lyrics | Stephen Sondheim | |
| Choreography | Jerome Robbins | |
| Producer | Robert Wise | |
| Director | Wise & Robbins | |
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| Jets | established white | Sharks | new Puerto Rican |
| neighborhood gang | neighborhood gang | ||
| Tony | former co-founder of Jets | Bernardo | leader of Sharks |
| in love with Maria | brother of Maria | ||
| close friend of Riff | boyfriend of Anita | ||
| Riff | co-founder of Jets | Chino | second in command |
| engaged to Maria | |||
| now leader of Jets | |||
| shy, quiet | |||
| Ice | second in command of Jets | Maria | sister of Bernardo |
| cool,steady | in love with Tony | ||
| Action | hot head, agressive | Anita | girlfriend of Bernardo |
| confidante to Maria | |||
| Baby John | innocent | Doc | soda shop owner |
| peacemaker | |||
| youngest gang member | |||
| Tony's boss | |||
| Lt. Shrank | plain clothes police, strong | Officer Krupke | beat cop, goon like |
| prejudice | Shrank's cohort | ||
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Originally a broadway production then a memorable film |
| West Side Story ran on Broadway starting in 1957 for 743 performances, then on a national tour before returning to Broadway and completing a total of performances just under 1,000. In 1961 West Side Story was made into a film, one of the finest musicals ever, starring Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer. The film won 10 Acaemy awards including 'Best Picture.' |
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West Side Story is a love story. This is the story of two teens who meet and experience love at first sight. Unfortunately, the two are from different social and ethnic backgrounds. Their idealistic love is doomed from the start as they try to overcome the barriers of prejudice and fear. |
conflict |
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| man vs. man | Bernardo vs. Tony |
| Bernardo vs. Riff | |
| Jets vs. Sharks | |
| Generation vs. generation | |
| man vs. society | Tony & Maria vs. prejudice |
| Gangs vs. prejudice | |
| Gangs vs. police | |
| Puerto Ricans vs. prejudice | |
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West Side Story is a story of prejudice and injustice. This is a story of racism and fear centered around gang activity and the protection of territory. |
| The themes in West Side Story evolve from the major conflicts. | |
topics |
love vs. hate |
| individual vs. society | |
| man vs. fate | |
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| In a broadway show or movie the staging is very important and helps to make the plot and action believable. In West Side Story the staging, especially in certain parts of the production, help to carry and add to the meaning of the scene. The music and dance unite the scenes and also expand on the meaning. | |
| watch for color | in the opening or prologue |
| in the clothing | |
| lighting | throughout the video, especially in the dress shop |
| props | throughout the video, especially in the dress shop, may be symbolic |
| lyrics | express the feelings of the characters |
| advance the action of the plot | |
| dance | express the feelings of the characters |
| advance the action of the plot | |
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