The West Side

Probably one of the most popular musicals of all time is, West Side Story. One of my favorites, and a classic, West Side Story takes you through many social issues in 50s. First you meet the Jets. The Jets leader is Tony or for lack of leadership Riff-Raff. Tony is the main protagonist in this musical. He feels that the boys all need to stop fighting with the Puerto Ricans, known as the Sharks. Later we see Tony fall in love with Bernardo's sister Maria. Bernardo being the leader of the Sharks, wants to rumble, or fight, with the Jets because of the racial tension. The love we see grow between Tony and Maria defies the social rules of that time. Their love epitomizes a lot of what we strive for in life. To break from the mold of society set. I think this is a common theme throughout the whole musical. I think that the first edition is always the best. When I first saw West Side Story it was at my local theater and I instantly fell in love with the characters because of the different styles of musical. The Sharks had a very Latin vibe while the Jets were more of a swing style. My favorite character is Anita. Anita is Bernardo's fiancé who has come to like America for it's less oppressive lifestyle. She makes a stereotypical change in that she stops judging on what she is told and judged by action. Although she received harsh treatment from the white people in the area, she is a strong woman and perseveres through.  She is a symbol of change and courage in a time where many people lacked the ability to stand up for what is right. This musical does not disappoint because it holds the underlying key of not judging people for their skin color or race. It shows that all people are equal and that we all see the negative side of human nature. For me West Side Story is the most energetic way to teach people how what we say and do effects not only our lives but the lives of people we may not fully know. To understand this timely classic you have to be able to look past the glitz and glam and realize that our society has a twisted way of view the world. With that little food for thought, Asian Out!!