The musical West Side Story was created in 1961 as a modern adaptation of
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The story involves two rival gangs, the Jets who are
native-born, Caucasian Americans and the Sharks, who are Puerto Rican immigrants, and
their fight for turf in the west side of Manhattan. Tony, a former member of the Jets and
Maria, the sister of the Sharks’ leader, fall in love, however they encounter tragedy which
results in the ending the gang war.
Interesting facts
1) The West Side Story was created by Jerome Robbins in 1957 as a Broadway musical
and later developed as a musical in 1961
2) The music was created by Leonard Bernstein.
3) Chita Rivera was cast as Anita in the Broadway production.
4) In 1962 The West Side story won the Academy Award for Best Picture of the Year.
5) In 1962 Rita Moreno won an Oscar for her role as Anita, which made her the second
Hispanic American and the first Hispanic female to win an Academy Award.
Short character list
Riff-Founder and leader of the Jets
Tony-Co-founder and former member of the Jets
Bernardo-Leader of the Sharks
Chino-Sharks member who is attracted to Maria
Maria-Bernardo’s sister
Anita-Bernardo’s girlfriend
Doc-Drugstore owner and Tony’s boss
Officer Krupke-neighborhood police officer
Previewing
1) What is a tragedy? Name some tragedies that you’ve studied.
2) What are the major themes and conflicts in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet?
Viewing
1) What happens in the opening scene (“singing and dancing” are not acceptable
answers)?
2) Why do the Jets have a problem with the Sharks?
3) Who is Tony and what is his current relationship with the Jets?
4) Explain reasons for Bernardo’s reaction when he sees Maria and Tony at the
dance.
5) What are the terms of the War Council?
6) Who is Anybody’s? Why does she have this name?
7) How does Maria react when she learns the outcome of the fight between the Jets
and Sharks?
8) What do Maria and Tony decide to do after the fight?
9) What happens to Anita in the drugstore?
10) What does Anita tell the Jets?
11) What happens to Tony after he hears the news from Anita? (This should be a
couple of sentences)
12) Who shoots the gun and why?
13) Who carries out the body at the end of the play? What might this symbolize?
Teacher discussion on the West Side Story
Reference: www.westsidesidestory.com
1. What are the comparisons and Contrasts between Romeo and Juliet and
the West Side Story?
2. What themes do both works share? What themes are specific to their
respective stories?
3. What inferences can you make about the following:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
young people from the west side of Manhattan
race relations in the 1950’s
socioeconomic opportunities for young people
immigration in NYC
conflicts of Puerto Rican immigrants
4. Why do you think Jerome Robbins chose the characters, setting, and plot
for his story?
5. What tragic characteristics does the WSS (as a non-literary work) have
when compared to other literary characteristics?
Points for discussion
mood
theme
how the plot was resolved
conflict
creator’s (author’s) purpose
xenophobia
socio-economic conditions
race relations
roles of women (Graziella (Riff’s girlfriend), Maria, Anita, Anybody’s)
immigration