West Side Story the Musical

Pulled directly from the pages of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the musical takes place on New York's West Side in the mid-1950s amidst widespread racial and social tension. The show begins as a war is building between two rival gangs fighting over the same piece of turf: born and bred New York boys, The Jets, and Puerto Rican immigrants The Sharks. In the midst of the battlefield are two young romantics, good-boy Tony, a Jet ready to leave the gang life behind, and wide-eyed Maria, the sister of Sharks leader, Bernardo. When Tony and Maria unexpectedly meet and fall for one another, tension between the rival groups only escalates, leading to a bloody and senseless rumble that costs both sides young lives. In spite of the violence, the true story at the core of the show is two lovers trying to find a way to be together—and whether either can survive when hate and ignorance are unwilling to yield.

From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Arthur Laurents' book remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The score by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim — a collection of standards that includes "Tonight," "America," "Maria," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere" — is widely regarded as one of the best ever written. And the extraordinary, Tony-winning choreography by Jerome Robbins completely changed the language of Broadway dance.

• "This production is enthralling, electric and taken to a level of pure physical exhilaration. The irresistible score, gloriously rendered here, remains a ravishment, with some of the most gorgeous love songs ever." -New York Times
• "The exhilarating choreography is high-jumping, fist-pumping and iconic, and the thrilling tunes still elicit tears." -Entertainment Weekly
• "This fresh, bold production is so exciting it makes you ache with pleasure. It's both airborne and transcendent." -The New Yorker

• Buy Tickets - Popular Broadway Shows
• Buy Tickets - Broadway Shows A-Z