West Side Story Is Here!

The day has finally arrived! Tomorrow, February 21st, our amazing drama department in association with Pioneer Valley and Santa Maria High will finally be premiering their version of West Side Story! It’s sure to be amazing!

For those who may have never heard or seen this musical before, West Side Story is an acclaimed Broadway musical which first debuted in 1957 and was met with six Tony nominations, including Best Musical. Then in 1961 a film adaptation was created, which was also met with great acclaim and was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, where it won Best Picture! The story is heavily based on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but instead of taking place in Verona, Italy it takes place in 1950’s New York. Instead of two feuding lords, its two opposing gangs battling over some turf. The two gangs are the Sharks, a Puetro Rican gang, and the Jets, a white gang. The gang war gets even more dangerous when a former Jet, who is loyal to his former gang nonetheless, falls in love with the sister of the Sharks Leader. 

The production for the play is massive, with a $30,000 budget, professional set builders, and over 40 students taking part in the play either as a cast member or as a backstage hand. It’s the first time the school district has allowed us to do anything like this, so if you want to see more stellar plays and more interschool interaction like this then please go and see it! 

Dates include Friday, February 21st at 7PM. Saturday February 22nd at 2PM. Saturday February 22nd at 7PM. Thursday, February 27th at 7PM. Friday, February 28th at 7PM. And the last day to see this amazing play will be Saturday February 29th at 2PM, and February 29th at 7PM! For adults the price is $15 and for Sr. Citizens/Students the price is $8.