'Eye-opening experience': Theater group brings beloved 'West Side Story' to Lakeland stage
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LAKELAND — Inspired by William Shakespeare’s classic play “Romeo and Juliet,” Jerome Robbins’ 1957 musical “West Side Story” with endearing songs by composer Leonard Bernstein has become one of America’s most beloved plays.
Far from the lights of Broadway but under the stars of Lakeland, With Love Productions is bringing to the stage the tale of two youngsters from rival New York City gangs falling in love as tensions between each other’s friends begin to head toward tragedy.
On the Harrison School for the Arts stage Friday, Saturday and Sunday, under the direction of Jeff Luty, “West Side Story” will be WLP’s second licensed mainstage show since the theater group’s formation. Founded in 2010, by Creative Director Alessandra Stillinger, WLP provides the community with free instruction in performing arts where students and adults have the opportunity to collaborate with experienced choreographers and directors with instruction in various aspects of the performing arts.
Stillinger said she, Luty and WLP staff decided to produce “West Side Story” after WLP member-actors requested it. Additionally, “West Side Story” takes place in New York City, where many WLP cast members were raised, many of them in the Puerto Rican-Hispanic cultures engrained in NYC neighborhoods.
Stillinger, who co-founded WLP with Alicia Nobles, said the theater company’s production of “West Side Story” has a cast and crew of about 40 and the show’s sets were built in her home driveway by set designer Juan Casasnovas. His daughter, Isabel Casasnovas-Martino plays the lead “Maria” along with Xander Allen as the other lead, “Tony.” WLP’s production is under the musical direction of Tony Mercer and choreographed by Freddie DeJesus.
“West Side Story” focuses on the rivalry between the Jets, a white gang, and the Sharks, a group of migrants from Puerto Rico, as they vie for dominance of the neighborhood while the police try to keep order.
“But we have such a diverse cast. We literally have every ethnicity in this production. The original was white and Puerto Rican, so we’ve really made it much more diverse,” she said. “There’s so much talent in this play; the bar is set much higher for this performance.”
WLP’s first licensed mainstage show was “In the Heights,” performed in July 2022.
Luty — in his 26th year as theater instructor at Rochelle School of the Arts in Lakeland — said “West Side Story” has become an “American classic” that offers opportunities for actors of all skill levels. He called the musical a “fun show” that touches on the worldwide issue of race relations and ethnic rivalries.
“We’re all human and have the same emotions. ‘West Side Story’ touches on prejudices that, in my opinion, are ridiculous,” he said. “It’s a very fun show with a lot of very recognizable songs.”
The play’s songs have become familiar through “West Side Story’s” longevity on Broadway, most recently in 2020 when it had a revival. The original 1957 production, directed and choreographed by Robbins and composed by Bernstein, was lyricist Stephen Sondheim's Broadway debut. It ran for 732 performances before going on tour. The production was nominated for six Tony Awards in 1958, including “Best Musical,” winning two.
Although too young to have enjoyed its original runs, Allen and Casasnovas-Martino, both 16 and soon-to-be juniors at Harrison, said acting and dancing in WLP’s adaptation of “West Side Story” has been a lot of work with intense roles vocally. Casasnovas-Martino said she and the other actors have become not only cast members but friends since rehearsals began in May.
As for the hopes for opening night, Casasnovas-Martino said she wants to see a full theater so the audience could see “we put ourselves into these characters.”
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“It has been a very eye-opening experience. I’m doing things I wasn’t too sure I could do, but I’ve exceeded my expectations of myself,” she said. “Everyone has worked so hard to give this show meaning and make it impactful.”
Casasnovas-Martino said she’s dedicating her performance to Joe Sniegocki, Harrison’s musical theatre dean who died in June.
If you go
WHAT: "West Side Story"
WHEN: Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Harrison School for the Arts, 750 Hollingsworth Road, Lakeland
COST: $20; available at Eventbrite; Facebook: With Love Productions website; at the door.
INFO: 863-944-8298; www.withloveproductionsinc.com
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: 'West Side Story' comes to Lakeland stage this weekend
