6 July 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Topeka Civic Theatre and Academy will open Westside Story, Friday evening in Sheffel Theatre.
West Side Story, by Arthur Laurent, was inspired by the play, Romeo and Juliet. The musical is about the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. The Sharks, who are recent migrants from Puerto Rico, and the Jets, who are white, vie for dominance of the neighborhood, and the police try to keep order.
The original Broadway production came out in 1957. It ran for 732 performances and was nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, in 1958, winning two. A 1961 musical film adaptation, was nominated for eleven Academy Awards and won ten, including Best Picture.
For show times and tickets, click here.