WEST SIDE STORY CAST
STORCHI THEATRE MAY 24- 25 friday + saturday
THE JETS (European immigrants to America)
Ruolo
1.***Riff (the leader, killed by Bernardo) m
2.****Tony (his best friend, in love with Maria) m
3.**Annie f
4.***Action
5.**J-Ax
6.**Baby Jo Jo
7.*Snowboy
Nome
Ruolo
Giovanni
Daniele
Monica
Giorgia 2
Giorgia A.
Lisa
Lorenzo
8.*BigDeal
9 *Diesel m
10.*Mouthpiece
11.*Tiger
12.*Shorty
Nome
Elena
Giulio
Giovanna
Giulio
Anna
+ Chours
THE SHARKS (Porto Rican immgrants)
Ruolo
14.***Bernardo (the leader, killed by Tony) m
15.****Maria (bis sister, engaged to Chino) f
16.***Anita (Bernardo’s giri, Maria’s best friend) f
17.**Chino (Maria’s fiancé, who kills Tony) m
18.**Rosalia f (Maria’s friend)
Nome
Carlo
Melly
Alessia
Massimo
Francesca
Ruolo
Nome
19.**Consuelo f
Veronica
20.*Luisa f
Koso
21.*Indio
Francesco
23.*Nico
Paola
+ Chours
THE ADULTS
Ruolo
25.**Doc, shopkeeper, Tony’s employer and friend
26.**Schrank, police chief m
27.**Krupke, police officer m
28.*Glad a rather ridiculous youth club organiser or teacher
Nome
Valentina
Fabio
Simone
Enrico
CREW
Music
Musicians
Pr
Lights
Elena
One Good Round
Enrico
?
THE STORY
Romeo and Juliet of 2002, Tony and Maria are members of rival gangs who fight in the back streets of New York
The police, represented by the rather comic figures of Schrank and Krupke, vow to clean up the city, while other
adults ineffectually try to make peace. Maria’s brother, Bernardo, has arranged a marriage for her with Chino, a
shy compatriot, but Maria falls in love with Tony at the high school dance. A rumble (a fight) is organised and
things get out of hand: Bernardo kills Riff, Tony’s best friend, and Tony, in fury, kills Bernardo...
1
SCENE ONE
Opening scene: Danced and mimed. The Jets are playing (basketball, etc); they are interrupted by the entrance of the
Sharks: the two rival gangs fight. Baby John is attacked and the others defend him. The cops, Krupke and Schrank, break
them up.
KRUPKE: Knock it off! Settle down ya punks!
SCHRANK: All right: kill each other! … but not on my beat.
RIFF: Oh, it’s Lieutenant Schrank!
GEE-TAR, TIGER: Good day to you, sir, Lieutenant Schrank!
BERNARDO: and Officer Krupke!
INDIO, ANXIOUS, NICO: Good day to you, sir, Officer Krupke.
SCHRANK: Boy, what you PortoRicans have done to this neighbourhood. Which one of them clobbered you,
Baby John?
RIFF: As a matter of fact, sir, we suspect the job was done by a cop.
SNOWBOY: Two cops.
J-AX: Oh, at least!
KRUPKE: Impossible!
ACTION: Maybe Buddy boy here was responsible (indicating Schrank)
SCHRANK: Don’t buddy boy me, Action! I’ve got a hot surprise for you: you hoodlums don’t own the streets. There’s
been too much rumbling between you and the PRs. All right, Bernardo, get your trash out of here … Please.
BERNARDO: vamos, Sharks (they exit)
SCHRANK: now you guys are gonna play ball with me, you’re gonna be nice to the PRs from now on. Because otherwise
I’m gonna beat the crap out of every one of ya and then run ya in. Say goodbye to the nice boys, Krupke.
KRUPKE: Goodbye, boys. (They exit)
SNOWBOY: Goodbye, boys. (imitating)
J-AX: they make a very nice couple.
ACTION: “You hoodlums don’t own the streets.”
SNOWBOY: Go play in the park!
ACTION: Keep off the grass!
BABY JOHN: Get outa the house!
J-AX: Get outa here!
ACTION: Keep off the world! A gang that doesn’t own a street is nothin!
RIFF: We do own it!
TIGER: gee, Baby John, your ear’s got blood on it… the PRs – they branded you!
SNOWBOY: that makes you a PortoRican tomato. Cha cha cha señorita!
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RIFF : cut it out. Which one of the Sharks did it?
J-AX: Bernardo. bastard!
ACTION: My old man says the PRs are the reason he went bust.
BABY JOHN: My old man says the PRs are ruining everything.
ACTION: and what are we doing about it? (Annie enters)
ANNIE: gassing, gossiping
DIESEL: You still around?
ANNIE: Listen, I was a smash in that fight. Oh, Riff, I was murder!
TIGER: come on, Annie
ANNIE: Riff, how about letting me get in the gang now?
J-AX: How about letting the gang get in now? (general laughter)
ACTION: ha ha , who’d want to?
ANNIE: You cheap beast! (she tries to hit him, but Riff intervenes)
RIFF: this way, little lady, this way. (Annie exits ungraciously, spits) OK guys, round me! We fought hard for this territory
and we gotta protect it. The PRs can move in under our noses unless we move fast and clean them out!
SHORTY, MOUTHPIECE: let’s have a rumble! A rumble!
RIFF: Cool it guys. The Sharks want a place too, and they are tough. They might ask for bottles or knives…
BABY JOHN: knives…forget it!
ACTION: go, go. We gotta go!
SNOWBOY: but knives and guns…I dunno
DIESEL: What do you say Riff?
RIFF: I say we gotta protect our territory. If they say knives, I’ve got a knife. But protocol calls for a War Council to decide
weapons. I'll make the challenge to Bernardo.
SHORTY: You gotta take a lieutenant
ACTION: That’s me!
RIFF: That’s Tony.
ACTION: who needs Tony?
RIFF: Against the Sharks we need every man we got.
ACTION: Tony doesn’t belong any more.
RIFF: Cut it, Action man. Tony and I started the Jets.
ACTION: Well, he acts like he doesn't wanna belong.
BABY JOHN: Who wouldn't wanna belong to the Jets?!
TIGER: Tony hasn't been with us for over a month.
SNOWBOY: What about the day we clobbered the Emeralds?
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J-AX: Which we couldn't have done without Tony.
BABY JOHN: He saved my ever-loving neck!
RIFF: Right! He's always come through for us and he will now.
RIFF,
rap with the others
When you're a Jet,
You're a Jet all the way
From your first cigarette
To your last dyin' day.
When you're a Jet,
If the shit hits the fan,
You got brothers around,
You're a family man!
You're never alone,
You're never disconnected!
You're home with your own:
When company's expected,
You're well protected!
Then you are set
With a capital J,
Which you'll never forget
Till they cart you away.
When you're a Jet,
You stay a Jet!
(spoken) I know Tony like I know me. I guarantee you can count him in.
ACTION: In, out, let's get going.
J-AX: Where are you gonna find Bernardo?
RIFF: At the dance tonight at the gym.
BIG DEAL: But the gym's neutral territory.
RIFF: (innocently) I'm gonna be nice there! I'm only gonna challenge him.
J-AX: Great, man!
RIFF: So everybody dress up sweet and sharp.
ALL: rap yeah! when the chicks dig us in our Jet black ties,
They're gonna flip, gonna flop, gonna drop like flies!
RIFF: (Spoken) Hey. Cool. Easy. Sweet. Meet Tony and me at ten. And walk tall!
J-AX: We always walk tall!
BABY JOHN: We're Jets!
ACTION: The greatest!
ALL
When you're a Jet,
You're the coolest thing:
Little boy, you're a man;
Little man, you're a king!
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Here come the Jets
Yeah! and we’re gonna beat
Every last buggin’ gang
On the whole buggin’ street!
On the whole
Ever
Mother
Lovin’
Street!
(Exit, blackout)
SCENE TWO
Music. A back street. a sign over a shop “Doc’s”, Tony is working, Riff and other Jets watching him.
RIFF: Why not? You can’t say you won’t, Tony, without saying why not.
TONY: Why not?
RIFF: because it’s me asking, Riff, your mate … womb to tomb!
TONY: Sperm to worm! Now let me get on with my work. You guys bug me, just hanging around.
RIFF: Tony, this is important!… four and a half years I have lived with you, and I don’t understand you.
TONY: Run away and play with the Jets.
SNOWBOY: The Jets are the greatest!
TONY: Were.
BIG DEAL: ah, you’ve found something better then? What?
TONY: I dunno. It’s something … every damn night I wake up, I reach out for it…
RIFF: what?
TONY: I dunno… it’s like the kick I used to get from being a Jet.
DIESEL: man, that kick comes from people, from buddies, without a gang you’re an orphan.
TONY: man, I’ve had it.
RIFF: Tony! We need you, there’s trouble, the Sharks bite, we’ve got to stop them. Tony I’m asking you, come to the
dance tonight. I’ve already promised the gang you’ll be there.
BIG DEAL: yeah, shit man
TONY: what time?
RIFF: ten
TONY: ten it is!
RIFF: womb to tomb!
TONY: sperm to worm. And I’ll live to regret this.
RIFF: who knows? (Jets exit)
TONY: (dreamily) yeah, who knows. I got a feeling. Something’s coming and it’s gonna be great! Maybe tonight….
(Music, lights dim)
5
SCENE THREE
A dressmaker’s shop. The Shark girls. Anita is altering a white communion dress for Maria to wear to the dance.
MARIA: Por favor, Anita, make the neck lower!
ANITA: Stop it Maria
MARIA: one inch. What difference can a little inch make?
ROSALIA: Too much!
MARIA: but now it is a dress for dancing, not for kneeling in front of an altar.
CONSUELO: with those boys you start by dancing and end up kneeling!
MARIA: come on, Anita, un poco poco
ANITA: Bernardo made me promise…
MARIA: Bernardo! One month I’ve been in this country – do I ever touch excitement? All day I sit – what did my fine
brother bring me here for?
ANITA: to marry Chino.
MARIA: when I look at Chino, nothing happens.
LUISA: what do you expect to happen?
MARIA: I don’t know: something. Anita, what happens when you look at Bernardo?
ANITA: It’s when I don’t look that it happens!
MARIA: I’m gonna tell mama and papa about you and Nardo at the movies.
ANITA: I’ll rip this to shreds!
MARIA: No!! but just lower the neck a bit…
ANITA: next year.
MARIA: next year I’ll be married and nobody will care if it’s down to here!
ROSALIA: then don’t wear it and don’t come to the dance with us
MARIA: Don’t come. No way! … Ugh, I hate this dress. Can’t we dye it red? White is for babies…
(But she tries on the dress, discovers it’s beautiful) ahhhhh, sì! It’s a beautiful dress. I love you
Chino enters shyly with Bernardo.
BERNARDO: Are you ready?
MARIA: come in Nardo. Isn’t it lovely! He kisses Maria like a sister, and Anita passionately…Maria watches
Nardo it’s important that I have a wonderful time at the dance tonight.
BERNARDO: why?
MARIA: Because tonight is the real beginning of my life as a young lady of America! Music. She dances, excited, the girls
join in, exit.
SCENE FOUR (THE DANCE)
All the kids enter the gym, decorating it with balloons, streamers, etc, and begin to dance wildly. A well-meaning youth
leader tries to organise them.
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GLAD HAND: All right, girls and boys, attention please … attention! Enter Krupke and they finally quieten. It’s going to
be a great night tonight… now we want you all to make friends here, so we’re going to have a few get-together dances (the
kids groan and mutter) You form two circles, when the music starts you walk around in opposite directions, then you dance
with whoever’s opposite. Got it kids? (the kids imitate “got it kids”) Ok let’s go (nobody moves) well, it won’t hurt you to
try ….
SNOWBOY: Oh, it hurts, it hurts… (everyone imitates. Krupke steps forward and the kids decide to obey)
GLAD HAND: That’s it kids, keep it going, round she goes and where she stops, nobody knows. All right, here we go! Old
fashioned music, the kids mock the childish dance. But when the music stops, the organised dance soon breaks up and the
kids have a rowdy dance. Strobe lights, wild music.
GLAD HAND: No, not like that! But they ignore him.
Maria and Tony see each other: it’s love at first sight, just like Romeo and Juliet. They move together and dance slowly.
Lights gradually dim, music down, dancers freeze.
TONY: You’re not thinking I’m someone else?
MARIA: I know you are not.
TONY: or that we have met before?
MARIA: I know we have not.
TONY: I felt…I knew something was going to happen…had to happen, but this is…
MARIA: my hands are so cold. He takes them in his. Yours too. He moves her hands to his face. So warm
She moves his hands to her face.
TONY: yours too
MARIA: of course…
TONY: you’re not kidding?
MARIA: I have not learnt to joke, I think I never will… he kisses her hands, then her lips. they kiss tenderly. Suddenly the
music bursts up, lights flare and Bernardo is upon them in an icy rage.
BERNARDO: Go home American!
INDIO: Cool it Bernardo
BERNARDO: stay away from my sister!
TONY: sister!!!?
BERNARDO: couldn’t you see he’s one of them?
MARIA: no, I only saw him.
BERNARDO: I told you there’s only one thing they want from a PortoRican girl!
TONY: That’s a lie!
RIFF:
cool, boy.
CHINO: get away.
TONY: you keep out Chino. (to Maria) Don’t listen to them!
BERNARDO: she will listen to her brother before…
RIFF: if you guys want to settle…
GLAD HAND: Please kids! Everything was going so well! Do you guys get pleasure outa making trouble? Now come on,
it won’t hurt you to have a good time! (the rival groups separate)
BERNARDO: (to Maria) I warned you…. Chino, take her home
MARIA: but Nardo, it’s my first dance…
CHINO: come on Maria exit, Maria gazing at Tony
TONY: dreamily Maria!
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RIFF: Bernardo! A war Council – Jets and Sharks.
BERNARDO: ironically The pleasure is mine
RIFF: let’s go outside
BERNARDO: no, we’ll meet in half an hour.
RIFF: Doc’s drugstore? And no rumbling before then.
BERNARDO: I know the rules, Yank!
RIFF: spread the word, Diesel. …Hey Tony! But Tony is wandering off, in a dream. Hey man! You crazy?
DIESEL: where’s he going?
ACTION: man, the guy’s in love!
BIG DEAL: Love! oh, shit! Goddam lunatic!
ACTION: Let’s get going. We’ll meet him at Doc’s. exit
SCENE FIVE (THE BALCONY SCENE) Maria is leaning out her window
TONY: Maria! Maria!
MARIA: shhhh, quiet!
TONY: Come down.
MARIA: I can’t
TONY: Please, Maria
MARIA: No, if Bernardo…
TONY: he’s at the dance with Anita.
MARIA: he’ll soon be home…
TONY: just for a minute
MARIA: a minute is not enough
TONY: then for an hour, a day, forever!
MARIA: I’m not coming down
TONY: then I’m coming up he piles up some boxes and starts to climb on them
VOICE OFF: Maria! Che pasa?
MARIA: un momentito, mama
TONY: Maria, give me your hand… she reaches out
MARIA: it’s dangerous.
TONY: Nothing’s dangerous for us. I’m not one of them, I’m me.
VOICE OFF: Maria!
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MARIA: sì, vengo mama!
TONY: your mama will love me.
MARIA: she will not! I will love you.
TONY: tonight … I knew something was going to happen tonight.
VOICE OFF: Maria! Che pasa? Es tarde!
MARIA: I cannot stay. Go quickly. Buenos noches.
TONY: I love you, Maria
MARIA: Tony! What’s your real name?
TONY: Anton.
MARIA: te adoro, Anton (goes inside)
TONY: te adoro, Maria. ( exit, blackout, enter all the Sharks)
BERNARDO: calls
Maria?
ANITA: leave her free a bit, here girls are free to have fun. She’s in America now.
BERNARDO: but PortoRico is in America now.
ANITA: beh!
BERNARDO: hey, Anita Josefina Teresita Beatriz del Carmen Margarita, et cetera, et cetera… (Indio, Anxious and Nico
join in after Josefina)
ANITA: shut up! It’s just Anita now!
INDIO: Immigrant!
LUISA: we’re all immigrants…
ANXIOUS: Including that Polack
BERNARDO: (Chino enters) hey, Chino, how was Maria when you took her home?
CHINO: ok. But man, she was only dancing.
PEPE: With an American.
CONSUELO: Who is really a Polack
ROSALIA: Cute, too. And he works
CHINO: a delivery boy.
ANITA: and what are you?
CHINO: a shop assistant
PEPE: yeah, and the Polack makes twice the money you make cos the Polack is American… but us? Foreigners!
CONSUELO: Lice!
ROSALIA: Cockroaches!
9
NICO: worms!
PEPE: Well things have sure changed: do you remember how it was when we first came? Did we ever think of going back?
ANITA: No, we came with our hearts open
CONSUELO: with our arms open!
PEPE: you came with your pants open!
CONSUELO: you did, pig!! And you’ll go back with handcuffs.
BERNARDO: I’m going back with a Cadillac…
CHINO: air-conditioned!
ANXIOUS: Telephone!
LUISA: television!
BERNARDO: and a king-size bed …. Come on Anita…
ANITA: and the Council? Your big, important war Council? The Council or me?
BERNARDO: first one, then the other.
ANITA: I am an American girl now. I don’t wait.
BERNARDO: Back home, women know their place.
ROSALIA: (dreaming) Home… it’s so nice at home, just a little visit, I’d love it, such a pretty place…
ANITA: (sarcastic) home, home, such a pretty word…
ROSALIA: home: clean, sunny, beautiful…
ANITA: home!!puh! you can have it!
AMERICA (all the Sharks)
ROSALIA’S GROUP
PortoRico,
You lovely island . . .
Island of tropical breezes.
Always the pineapples growing,
Always the coffee blossoms blowing . . .
ANITA’S GROUP
PortoRico . . .
You ugly island . . .
Island of tropic diseases.
Always the hurricanes blowing,
Always the population growing . . .
And the money owing,
And the babies crying,
And the bullets flying.
I like the island Manhattan.
Smoke on your pipe and put that in!
ALL OTHERS
I like to be in America!
OK by me in America!
10
Everything free in America
For a small fee in America!
ROSALIA’S GROUP
I like the city of San Juan.
ANITA’S GROUP
I know a boat you can get on.
ROSALIA’S GROUP
Hundreds of flowers in full bloom.
ANITA’S GROUP
Hundreds of people in each room!
ALL
Automobile in America,
Chromium steel in America,
Wire-spoke wheel in America,
Very big deal in America!
ROSALIA’S GROUP
I'll drive a Buick through San Juan.
ANITA’S GROUP
If there's a road you can drive on.
ROSALIA’S GROUP
I'll give my cousins a free ride.
ANITA’S GROUP
How you get all of them inside?
ALL
Immigrant goes to America,
Many hellos in America;
Nobody knows in America
PortoRico's in America!
ROSALIA’S GROUP
I'll bring a TV to San Juan.
ANITA’S GROUP
If there's a current to turn on!
ROSALIA’S GROUP
I'll give them new washing machine.
ANITA’S GROUP
What have they got there to keep clean?
ALL
I like the shores of America!
Comfort is yours in America!
Knobs on the doors in America,
Wall-to-wall floors in America!
ROSALIA’S GROUP
When I will go back to San Juan.
ANITA’S GROUP
When you will shut up and get gone?
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ROSALIA’S GROUP
Everyone there will give big cheer!
ANITA’S GROUP
Everyone there will have moved here!
SCENE SIX (THE WAR COUNCIL)
Midnight. Doc’s drugstore. The Jets are sitting around, tensely, waiting for the War Council. Baby John is reading a
Superman comic. Riff, Snowboy and Tony are missing.
ACTION: where the hell are they? Are we having a War Council tonight or not?
BABY JOHN: he doesn’t use knives. He doesn’t even use ray guns.
J-AX: who doesn’t?
BABY JOHN: Superman. Gee, I love him.
TIGER: So marry him.
ANNIE: I’m never gonna get married: too boring
TIGER: you’re never gonna get married: too ugly!
ANNIE: pow pow!
TIGER: arggh! Down goes a teenage hoodlum! (he rolls around)
BABY JOHN: could a ray gun make you go down like that?
DIESEL: come on Superman, get real!
SNOWBOY: (entering suddenly) I nearly got caught!
BIG DEAL: where?
SNOWBOY: sneaking into the movies!
ACTION: a war Council on and he goes to the movies!
ANNIE: kick him out!
ACTION: we’ll be kicking you out soon!
DOC: bed time, guys. Gotta close up now.
BABY JOHN: we’re gonna have a war Council here Doc.
DOC: a what?
J-AX: to decide on weapons for the big-time rumble!
DOC: a rumble?
SNOWBOY : we’re gonna mix with the PRs.
DOC: Weapons…why don’t you guys play basketball instead?
ANNIE: get with it man.
DOC: war councils … weapons … rumbles…
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ACTION: don’t go on about it Doc
DOC: when I was your age…
ACTION: when you were my age…when my old man was my age…when my teacher was my age… none of you was my
age!! The sooner you creeps dig that, the sooner you’ll dig us!
DOC: I'll be digging your graves, that’s what I’ll dig.
J-AX: dig, dig, dig…
DOC: what are you gonna be when you grow up?
RIFF: entering hey guys!
ACTION: are they coming?
RIFF: cool it, Action. Hey Doc, Tony here?
DOC: No, Riff, it’s closing time.
DIESEL: at the door They’re coming!
DOC: you guys are making trouble for the Porto Ricans.
SNOWBOY they make trouble for us
DOC: for you trouble is fun!
RIFF: we’ve got to stand up to the PRs Doc. it’s important.
DOC: fighting over a little piece of street is so important?
ACTION: to us it is
DOC: to hoodlums it is.
ACTION: creep! Don’t you call me a hoodlum!
BABY JOHN: yeah, I wear a T-shirt like my buddies, so my teacher calls me a hoodlum
ACTION: I swear the next creep that calls me a hoodlum… (aggressively approaching Doc)
RIFF: hey guys, cool…
COOL (RAP)
RIFF AND OTHERS
Boy, boy, crazy boy,
Get cool, boy!
Got a rocket in your pocket,
Keep coolly cool, boy!
Don't get hot,
'Cause man, you got
Some high times ahead.
Take it slow and Daddy-O,
You can live it up and die in bed!
Boy, boy, crazy boy!
Stay loose, boy!
Breeze it, buzz it, easy does it.
Turn off the juice, boy!
Go man, go,
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But not like a yo-yo schoolboy.
Just play it cool, boy, real cool A frenetic dance follows… until the Sharks enter
RIFF: Doc! Drinks all round
BERNARDO: Don’t piss around. Let’s get down to business
DIESEL. Shit, I don’t like your manners, man
BERNARDO: I don’t like you either, so cut it out.
DOC: kids, couldn’t you …
RIFF: cut it out Doc! … to Bernardo we challenge you to a rumble.
BERNARDO: on what terms?
RIFF: the terms are yours, man. You started it.
BERNARDO: who jumped me the first day I got here?
GEE-TAR: who asked you to move here?
PEPE: who asked you?
SNOWBOY: get back where you came from!
BERNARDO: we accept! (they shake hands)
RIFF: time?
BERNARDO: tomorrow.
RIFF: after dark (they shake hands)..place?
BERNARDO: the park
RIFF: the river
BERNARDO: the back street (they shake hands… Tony enters suddenly)
RIFF: weapons?
BERNARDO: sticks
RIFF: rocks
BERNARDO: bricks
RIFF: chains
TONY: sticks, rocks, chains, what a lot of goddam chickens. The big tough boys are scared, eh? Afraid to use plain skin?
BABY JOHN: that’s not a rumble.
TONY: who says? A rumble can be clinched by a fair fight. Best man from each gang to fight it out.
BERNARDO: OK! Fair fight
RIFF: fair fight (they shake hands .. suddenly there is a whistle and Shrank and Krupke enter)
DOC: Good evening lieutenant. Tony and I were just closing up.
SCHRANK: Listen here you hoodlums! Don’t think I’m ignorant. I'm not the village idiot. I know there’s a rumble
planned and I’m gonna find out where. I should put the lot of you in the can right now!. I’ll find out, you’ll see. But be sure
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to finish each other off. Save me a lot of trouble, because if you don’t I will. Shrank looks at Doc well, you try keeping
hoodlums in line and see where it gets you. Watch it. Exit
KRUPKE: and I’ll crack the top of your skulls if you punks don’t stop.
BABY JOHN: stop what, sir?
KRUPKE: let’s make a little deal – you guys tell me where the rumble is…
BABY JOHN: rumble? We’re going to the playground sir
J-AX: we like the playground. It keeps us off the streets.
SNOWBOY: The dangerous streets!
DIESEL: we make new friends at the playground.
KRUPKE: furious OK punks, down to the station! The kids imitate him and with a few clever acrobatic movements, succeed
in confusing him so he runs after Baby John, who soon re-appears.
SNOWBOY Look at the brass-ass run!
ACTION: ahhh, to him we’re not human. We’re goddam juvenile delinquents.
SNOWBOY imitating Krupke to Action: Hey you!
GEE, OFFICER KRUPKE (SPOKEN, RAP OR SONG)
ACTION
Dear kindly Sergeant Krupke,
You gotta understand,
It's just our bringin' up-ke
That gets us out of hand.
Our mothers all are junkies,
Our fathers all are drunks.
Golly Moses, natcherly we're punks!
ACTION AND JETS
Gee, Officer Krupke, we're very upset;
We never had the love that every child ought to get.
We isn’t delinquents,
We're misunderstood.
Deep down inside us there is good!
ANXIOUS
There is good!
SHARKS
There is good, there is good,
There is untapped good!
Like inside, the worst of us is good!
NICO: That's a touchin' good story.
ACTION: Let me tell it to the world!
NICO: Just tell it to the judge.
ACTION
Dear kindly Judge, your Honour,
My parents treat me rough.
With all their marijuana,
They won't give me a puff.
They didn't wanna have me,
But somehow I was had.
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Leaping' lizards! That's why I'm so bad!
DIESEL: (As Judge) Right!
Officer Krupke, you're really a square;
This boy don't need a judge, he needs an analyst's care! It's just his neurosis that ought to be curbed.
He's psychologically disturbed!
ACTION
I'm disturbed!
JETS
We're disturbed, we're disturbed,
We're the most disturbed,
Like we're psychologically disturbed.
DIESEL: (as Judge) In the opinion on this court, this child is depraved on account he isn’t had a normal home.
ACTION: Hey, I'm depraved on account I'm deprived.
DIESEL: So take him to a headshrinker.
ACTION (Sings or chants)
My father is a bastard,
My ma's an S.O.B.
My grandpa's always plastered,
My grandma pushes tea.
My sister wears a moustache,
My brother wears a dress.
Goodness gracious, that's why I'm a mess!
J-AX: (As Psychiatrist) Yes!
Officer Krupke, you're really a slob.
This boy don't need a doctor, just a good honest job.
Society's played him a terrible trick,
And sociologically he's sick!
ACTION
I am sick!
ALL
We are sick, we are sick,
We are sick, sick, sick,
Like we're sociologically sick!
J-AX: In my opinion, this child don't need to have his head shrunk at all. Juvenile delinquency is purely a social disease!
ACTION: Hey, I got a social disease!
J-AX: So take him to a social worker!
ACTION
Dear kindly social worker,
They say go earn a buck.
Like be a soda jerker,
Which means like be a schumck.
It's not I'm anti-social,
I'm only anti-work.
Gloryosky! That's why I'm a jerk!
INDIO: (As Female Social Worker)
Eek!
Officer Krupke, you've done it again.
This boy don't need a job, he needs a year in the pen.
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It isn’t just a question of misunderstood;
Deep down inside him, he's no good!
ACTION
I'm no good!
ALL
We're no good, we're no good!
We're no earthly good,
Like the best of us is no damn good!
DIESEL (As Judge)
The trouble is he's crazy.
J-AX (As Psychiatrist)
The trouble is he drinks.
INDIO (As Female Social Worker)
The trouble is he's lazy.
DIESEL
The trouble is he stinks.
J-AX
The trouble is he's growing.
INDIO
The trouble is he's grown.
ALL
Krupke, we got troubles of our own!
Gee, Officer Krupke,
We're down on our knees,
'Cause no one wants a fellow with a social disease.
Gee, Officer Krupke,
What are we to do?
Gee, Officer Krupke,
Krup you!
they all saunter out, except Tony.
DOC: do you think it will be a fair fight?
TONY: yeah, sure
DOC: you’re strange tonight. What have you been taking?
TONY: A trip to the moon … and I’ll tell you a secret. On the moon there’s a girl… a lady… Buenas noches, señor..
DOC: Buenas noches!!?? So that’s why you want a fair fight. Tony, son, things are tough enough already.
TONY: Tough? Doc, I’m in love.
DOC: how do you know?
TONY: because there isn’t any other way I could feel.
DOC: and you’re not frightened?
TONY: should I be?
DOC: I'm frightened for both of you. Blackout
SCENE SEVEN. THE WEDDING SCENE
The dressmakers shop
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CONSUELO: She’s gone! The old bag has gone! The day is over. The prison’s open, we’re free!
MARIA: You go cara. I’ll lock up.
ANITA: finish tomorrow! Come on!
MARIA: but I’m in no hurry.
ANITA: I am. I’m going to take a bubble bath instead of supper! Black Orchid bubble bath…
MARIA: You won’t eat?
ANITA: After the rumble…with Nardo
MARIA: Rumble?
ROSALIA: Yeah, rumble. They’ve got to get rid of their feelings somehow.
MARIA: what?
ROSALIA: too much feeling, and they get rid of it with the rumble and, well … after the fight, like, that brother of yours
with Anita!
TONY: entering Buenas noches!
ANITA: imitating Maria you go, cara, I’ll lock up
CONSUELO: not “noches”, it’s too early, you have to say: “buenas tardes”
TONY: oh, gracias, señorita, buenas tardes!
ANITA: you two are out of your minds.
MARIA: girls, you will not tell?
ANITA, CONSUELO: ROSALIA: we will not tell, adios! exit
TONY: don’t worry
MARIA: I’m worried, but about the rumble
TONY: I won’t go
MARIA: you have to go!
TONY: go?
MARIA: yes stop it, stop the rumble, promise me Tony!
TONY: it’s only a fist fight.
MARIA: listen to me. You must go and stop it.
TONY: all right. I promise!
MARIA: you are magic! Magic! She picks up a bridal veil, laughs at her reflection, Tony puts on a top hat. They both
laugh. Suddenly they become solemn
TONY: I, Anton, take thee, Maria . . .
MARIA: I, Maria, take thee, Anton . . .
TONY: For richer, for poorer . . .
MARIA: In sickness and in health . . .
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TONY: To love and to honour . . .
MARIA: To hold and to keep . . .
TONY: From each sun to each moon . . .
MARIA: From tomorrow to tomorrow . . .
TONY: From now to forever . . .
MARIA: Till death do us part.
TONY: With this ring, I thee wed.
MARIA: With this ring, I thee wed. Music, lights fade
SCENE EIGHT: TONIGHT (to be shortened!!)
RIFF
The Jets are gonna have their day
Tonight.
BERNARDO
The Sharks are gonna have their way
Tonight.
RIFF
The PortoRicans grumble: "Fair fight."
But if they start a rumble,
We'll rumble 'em right.
BERNARDO
We're gonna hand 'em a surprise
Tonight.
RIFF AND JETS
We're gonna cut 'em down to size
Tonight.
BERNARDO AND SHARKS
We said, "OK, no rumpus,
No tricks."
But just in case they jump us,
We're ready to mix
Tonight.
ALL
We're gonna rock it tonight,
We're gonna jazz it up and have us a ball!
They're gonna get it tonight;
The more they turn it on the harder they'll fall!
RIFF AND JETS
Well, they began it!
BERNARDO AND SHARKS
Well, they began it!
ALL
And we're the ones to stop 'em once and for all,
Tonight!
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ANITA
Anita's gonna get her kicks
Tonight.
We'll have our private little mix
Tonight.
He'll walk in hot and tired,
So what?
Don't matter if he's tired,
As long as he's hot
Tonight!
TONY
Tonight, tonight,
Won't be just any night,
Tonight there will be no morning star.
Tonight, tonight, I'll see my love tonight.
And for us, stars will stop where they are.
Today
The minutes seem like hours,
The hours go so slowly,
And still the sky is light . . .
Oh moon, grow bright,
And make this endless day endless night!
RIFF
I'm counting on you to be there
Tonight.
When Diesel wins it fair and square
Tonight.
That PortoRican punk'll
Go down.
And when he's hollered "Uncle"
We'll tear up the town!
(RIFF, TONY, and MARIA sing simultaneously)
RIFF
So I can count on you, boy?
TONY
All right.
RIFF
We're gonna have us a ball.
TONY
All right.
RIFF
Womb to tomb!
TONY
Sperm to worm!
RIFF
I'll see you there about eight.
TONY
Tonight . . .
MARIA
Tonight, tonight
Won't be just any night,
20
Tonight there will be no morning star,
(JETS, SHARKS, MARIA, TONY, and ANITA sing simultaneously)
SHARKS
We're gonna rock it tonight!
They're gonna get it tonight,
They began it,
They began it,
They began it.
We'll stop 'em once and for all.
The Sharks are gonna have their way,
The Sharks are gonna have their day,
We're gonna rock it tonight.
Tonight!
JETS
We're gonna jazz it tonight!
Tonight!
They began it,
And we're the ones to stop 'em once and for all!
The Jets are gonna have their way,
The Jets are gonna have their day.
We're gonna rock it tonight.
Tonight!
ANITA
Tonight, tonight,
Late tonight,
We're gonna mix it tonight.
Anita's gonna have her day,
Anita's gonna have her day,
Bernardo's gonna have his way
Tonight, tonight,
Tonight, this very night,
We're gonna rock it tonight!
MARIA
Tonight, tonight,
I'll see my love tonight.
And for us, stars will stop where they are.
MARIA AND TONY
Today the minutes seem like hours.
The hours go so slowly,
And still the sky is light.
Oh moon, grow bright,
And make this endless day endless night,
ALL
Tonight!
SCENE NINE; THE RUMBLE
The back street. An atmosphere of tension. The two gangs form semicircles. Bernardo and Diesel have been chosen for the
fist fight. They take off their jackets.
BERNARDO: ready!
DIESEL: ready!
RIFF: ready… come into the centre and shake hands
21
BERNARDO: for what?
RIFF: that’s how it’s done buddy.
BERNARDO: More gracious living? Look: I don’t go for that pretend crap you guys go for in this country. Every one of
you hates every one of us, and we hate you right back. I don’t drink with anybody I hate, I don’t shake hands with anybody I
hate. Let’s get at it.
RIFF: OK.
BERNARDO: here we go…the fight begins
TONY: jumping in suddenly hold it!
RIFF: Get back! get with the gang
TONY: no
RIFF: what are you doing man?
BERNARDO: maybe he’s found the guts to fight.
TONY: it doesn’t take guts. There’s no battle to fight.
BERNARDO: (mocking) afraid, pretty boy? Afraid chicken? Afraid gutless?
TONY: don’t Bernardo!
BERNARDO: What did you say, chicken?
NICO: Chicken!! Chicken!
ACTION: get him Tony!
RIFF: Tony, don’t just stand there…
BERNARDO: yellow-bellied chicken
NICO: Gutless Polack
SNOWBOY: murder him!
ACTION: kill him!
TONY: DON’T PUSH ME!!
BERNARDO: come on you yellow-bellied Polack bastard! Riff hits him, Bernardo pulls out a knife, Riff pulls out a knife,
they circle each other. Tony tries to get between them
TONY: Riff, don’t Bernardo takes his chance and knifes Riff who falls, dying. All freeze as Tony approaches Riff.
RIFF: he’s got me Tony. Damn these bastard gangs. Damn the Sharks. Damn the Jets. Womb to tomb….Tony… He dies
TONY: Riff!!! No!! He picks up Riff’s knife and charges blindly at Bernardo, killing him. when he realises what he’s
done, he screams: MARIA!!! Action helps him to exit, running. Police sirens. All exit, terrified and shocked.
SCENE TEN
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The dress shop. Maria and her friends know nothing of the tragedy. Maria is trying a lot of hats etc in the shop, looking in
the mirror and joking.
MARIA: I feel so pretty, so pretty, I feel pretty and great! And I pity any girl who isn't me. I hardly can believe I'm real. I
feel stunning I feel like running and dancing for joy, ahhh, all because I'm in love with a wonderful boy!
ANITA, CONSUELO, LUISA, ROSALIA: (spoken)
Have you met my good friend Maria,
The craziest girl on the block?
You'll know her the minute you see her,
She's the one who is in an advanced state of shock.
She thinks she's in love.
She thinks she's in Spain.
She isn't in love,
She's merely insane.
Keep away from her,
Send for Chino!
This is not the
Maria we know!
Modest and pure,
Polite and refined,
Well-bred and mature
And out of her mind!
MARIA
I feel pretty, I feel dizzy, I feel sunny, I feel fizzy and funny and so pretty, Miss America can just resign!
The girls laugh and dance but they are interrupted by Chino’s voice, off stage.
CHINO: Maria!
CONSUELO: It’s Chino
ROSALIA: The happy bridegroom!
MARIA: please, girls…
CONSUELO: yes, little bride, we’re going (the girls exit)
CHINO: (enters, terrified, filthy from the fight) Maria!!
MARIA: oh, Chino, you’ve been fighting!
CHINO: yes, I’m sorry, but listen Maria…
MARIA: Go and have a wash
CHINO: Maria, listen! At the rumble…
MARIA: there was no rumble
CHINO: there was, Maria…no-one wanted it to happen…
MARIA: what happened!!??
CHINO: it’s bad
MARIA: tell me…Chino, tell me, tell me…
CHINO: there was a fight, and …and Nardo…there were knives, and …someone…
MARIA: Tony!! What happened to Tony?…Chino is Tony all right?
CHINO: (very cruelly) He killed your brother.
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MARIA: (long pause) you are lying! You are lying! Chino turns away, takes a gun from his pocket, looks at it, leaves
quickly. Maria prays Make it not be true…please make it not be true… Tony quietly enters, Maria sees him, first furious,
then she breaks down and falls into Tony’s arms. killer, killer, killer…
TONY: Maria, I tried to stop it, I really did. I didn’t mean to hurt him, but…he killed Riff. Riff was like my brother.
Bernardo killed him…he didn’t mean it either. I’ve just come to ask you to forgive me before I go to the police. Maria…
MARIA: No, the police NO!!
TONY: whatever you want…
MARIA: stay with me.
TONY: I love you so much
MARIA: hold me tight, tighter
TONY: we’ll be all right. I know. There must be somewhere for us. I’ll take you away, far away from here. I know there’s
a place for us….somewhere.
While they walk hand in hand in search of the ideal world a girl sings a sad romantic song: (Anita’s song)
SCENE ELEVEN
The street. Action, Diesel, and the other Jets are walking sadly, Annie enters
ANNIE: hey guys!
ACTION: aw, get lost.
ANNIE. Listen guys, do you know where Tony is and who’s looking for him?
SNOWBOY: Ok what do you know?
ANNIE: I heard the Sharks say that Chino’s out looking for Tony and he’s got a pistol! And I heard Chino say: “If it’s the
last thing I do, I’ll get Tony”.
SNOWBOY: See! Those PRs won’t stop!
ACTION: we gotta help Tony. He helped us. Snowboy, go look out for Tony!! J-Ax, get to Doc’s! Baby John, cover the
back streets! Diesel, the park.
DIESEL: yes boss!
ANNIE: and me?
ACTION: You too! you’ve done a great job, man!
ANNIE: thanks, boss!
They all run off in various directions
SCENE TWELVE Maria’s bedroom
ANITA: off, knocking at the door Maria, Maria!, open the door! I need you.
TONY: Meet me at Doc’s store in half an hour. He’ll get some money for us so we can get away!
MARIA: at Doc’s, yes, hurry! Tony exits
ANITA: opening the door and understanding the situation.
sung or spoken: A boy like that who'd kill your brother,
Forget that boy and find another,
One of your own kind,
Stick to your own kind!
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A boy like that will give you sorrow,
You'll meet another boy tomorrow,
One of your own kind,
Stick to your own kind!
A boy who kills cannot love,
A boy who kills has no heart.
And he's the boy who gets your love
And gets your heart.
Very smart, Maria, very smart!
A boy like that wants one thing only,
And when he's done, he'll leave you lonely.
He'll murder your love;
He murdered mine.
Just wait and see,
Just wait, Maria,
Just wait and see!
MARIA
Oh no, Anita, no, Anita, no!
It isn't true, not for me, It's true for you, not for me.
I hear your words and in my head
I know they're smart, but my heart, Anita, my heart
Knows they're wrong And my heart
Is too strong, I belong to him. One thing I know:
I am his, I don't care what he is.
I don't know why it's so,
I don't want to know.
ANITA: Very smart Maria, very smart!
MARIA
Oh no, Anita, no,
You should know better!
You were in love - or so you said.
You should know better . . .
I have a love, and it's all that I have.
Right or wrong, what else can I do?
I love him; I'm his,
And everything he is I am, too.
ANITA: Maria, listen! Chino has a gun…he’s out to get Tony…
SCHRANK: knocking and entering suddenly Sorry to disturb you ladies. Just a couple of questions
MARIA: later please, later…my brother…
SCHRANK: Just a couple of minutes.
MARIA: Anita, please do me a favour. My headache is so bad. I need my special medicine. Can you go to Doc and tell him
I can’t come to get it? You get it please.
ANITA: understanding the message si, cara.
SCHRANK: now, miss. Last night at the high school dance, your brother got into a fight over a boy you danced with. Who
was that boy?
MARIA: another from my country
SCHRANK Who was that boy?? His name?
MARIA: er, José exit
25
SCHRANK: now listen señorita, you’d better tell me the truth. He follows her out
SCENE THIRTEEN
the store. The Jets are there. Anita enters. Immediate tension.
ANITA: I’d like to see Doc
ACTION: he isn’t here.
ANITA: Where is he?
ACTION: gone to the bank.
ANITA: the banks are closed at night tonto! Let me pass
J-AX: please!
TIGER: por favor!
ANITA: listen! I have a message for Tony!
DIESEL: he’s not here.
GEE-TAR: Who’s the message from?
SHORTY: It could be from Chino.
MOUTHPIECE: He wants to kill Tony.
ANITA: I want to help Tony!!
BIG DEAL: Liar ! Bernardo’s girl wants to help?!
TIGER: Bitch! the Jets gather around pushing Anita around the circle until she falls. Doc enters
DOC: Stop it. What’s going on?
ACTION: The bitch said she had a message for Tony.
ANITA: furious and hurt: yes! And the message is this: Chino found out about Maria and Tony, and he killed Maria! Maria
is never going to meet Tony again! Maria is DEAD!! The Jets are stunned as Anita leaves.
DOC: What does it take to get through to you guys? When do you stop? you make this world SHIT!!
ACTION: that’s the way we found it Doc. they exit slowly
SCENE FOURTEEN later, the store. Doc is drinkin at the bar, Tony enters
DOC: Tony! Forget it all.
TONY: forget what Doc?... you know, I was dreaming, planning…Maria and I, we’re gonna live in the country, have kids,
name them after you, even the girls, then when you come to visit…
DOC: Tony! Wake up! It’s never going to happen. Maria is dead! Chino found out about you and her … and shot her.
TONY: NO!! Maria!! exits, in the street, desperate: Chino, come and get me too, Chino!!
FINALE the street
TONY: Chino, come and get me too, Chino!! Chino!! Chino!! Chino!!
MARIA: whispering: Tony!
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TONY: Maria!! they run together. As they meet, there is a gun shot. Chino enters, gun in hand, Tony collapses in Maria’s
arms.
TONY: Maria. We’ll make it. We’ll get away together. We can. We will. There’s a place for us, somewhere. Hold my
hand…He dies
MARIA
Hold my hand and we're halfway there… Some day… some how… Somewhere. . .
The Jets and the Sharks all enter, followed by the adults. Stay Back! YOU ALL KILLED HIM!! And my brother, and Riff.
You ALL killed him!! all of you. Stay away!!…… te adoro Anton.
A GIRL sings
Somewhere
There's a place for us,
Somewhere a place for us.
Peace and quiet and open air
Wait for us
Somewhere.There's a time for us,
Some day a time for us,
Time together with time to spare,
Time to learn, time to care,
Some day!
Somewhere.
We'll find a new way of living,
We'll find a way of forgiving
Somewhere . . .
There's a place for us,
A time and place for us.
Hold my hand and we're halfway there.
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow,
Some day,
Somewhere!
THE END
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