“West Side Story,” one of the most popular musicals in the history of American theater, follows the romance between two star-crossed lovers on either side of a gang conflict in 1950’s New York.
To this day, 250 productions of the classic take place across the country each year – in schools, community theaters, and on Broadway.
It’s a show whose history features many important firsts. It’s the first Broadway production that theater legend Stephen Sondheim worked on.And the 1961 movie version of the musical was a box office success, making Rita Moreno the first Latina to win an Oscar for her role in the film.
Now, 60 years later, “West Side Story” is back on the big screen in a new film revival directed by Steven Spielberg.
So how does the new film hold up? The 1A Movie Club discusses that and more.
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