Research Catalog

Title

The making of West Side story [sound recording]

Author

Robbins, Jerome

Publication

[1985]

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Sondheim, Stephen.
• Sondheim, Stephen
• Bernstein, Leonard, 1918-1990.
• Bernstein, Leonard, 1918-1990
• Laurents, Arthur
• Lazarus, Paul.
• Dramatists Guild.

Description

1 sound disc (ca. 29 min.) : digital; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

• Track 1 (ca. 29 min.) The making of West Side story is the subject of this radio program. It includes excerpts from a Dramatists Guild symposium with panelists Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim. The excerpts are introduced by host Paul Lazarus and interspersed with music from the original cast recording of West Side story. Robbins describes the origin of his concept of a modern version of Romeo and Juliet. Bernstein and Laurents discuss the initial conception as East Side story focussing on conflict between Jews and Catholics, and how they decided to focus on Puerto Rican immigrants. Bernstein and Sondheim discuss Bernstein's original intention to write lyrics as well as music, and how Sondheim joined the project. Robbins discusses the collaboration between the creators. Bernstein discusses the difficulty in presenting a tragic musical, and describes unsuccessfully auditioning the score for Columbia Records with Sondheim.
• Sondheim discusses two disagreements about the ordering of numbers in the stage and film versions of the show. Sondheim discusses Robbins' decision to keep actors portraying the Sharks and Jets separate during rehearsals. Sondheim and Robbins discuss the innovative use of individual characters in the chorus. Bernstein and Robbins discuss their experiences of collaborating. Sondheim and Laurents discuss the difficulty of finding contemporary equivalents for plot devices in the Shakespeare text. Sondheim discusses the influence of motion pictures on the show's staging. Songs played during the program are "The Jet song," "Something's Coming," "Maria," "Tonight quintet," "Gee, Officer Krupke," "A boy like that/I have a love."

Donor/Sponsor

Oral History Archive.

Series Statement

Jerome Robbins Collection

Alternative Title

Anything goes, a celebration of the American musical theatre past, present and future.

Subject

• Musical theater
• Artistic collaboration

Event (note)

• Broadcast on WBAI-FM in New York, date unidentified, probably 1985. Excerpts recorded at a Dramatists Guild symposium, in New York, on Apr. 18, 1985.

Funding (note)

• Preservation made possible in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biography (note)

• Anything goes: a celebration of the American musical theatre past, present future was a radio series hosted and produced by Paul Lazarus for WBAI-FM and National Public Radio. It ran from 1978 to 1986.
• The original cast recording of West Side story was sung by Larry Kert (Tony), Carol Lawrence (Maria), Mickey Calin (Riff), Chita Rivera (Anita), and others.

Call Number

*MGZTL 4-3302 JRC

OCLC

NYPT04-R172

Author

Robbins, Jerome, interviewee.

Title

The making of West Side story [sound recording]

Imprint

[1985]

Series

Jerome Robbins Collection

Event

Broadcast on WBAI-FM in New York, date unidentified, probably 1985. Excerpts recorded at a Dramatists Guild symposium, in New York, on Apr. 18, 1985.

Funding

Preservation made possible in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biography

Anything goes: a celebration of the American musical theatre past, present future was a radio series hosted and produced by Paul Lazarus for WBAI-FM and National Public Radio. It ran from 1978 to 1986.

The original cast recording of West Side story was sung by Larry Kert (Tony), Carol Lawrence (Maria), Mickey Calin (Riff), Chita Rivera (Anita), and others.

Local Note

For a complete recording of the Dramatists Guild symposium, see *MGZTL 4-3284.

Archive original: *MGZTCO 3-3302 JRC

Preservation master: *MGZTP 10-3302 JRC

Dubbing master: *MGZTD 4-3302 JRC

Local Subject

Musical comedies. West Side story.

Autiotapes -- Robbins, J.

Added Author

Sondheim, Stephen. Lyricist

Sondheim, Stephen, interviewee.

Bernstein, Leonard, 1918-1990. Composer

Bernstein, Leonard, 1918-1990, interviewee.

Laurents, Arthur, interviewee.

Lazarus, Paul. Host. Producer

Dramatists Guild.

Research Call Number

*MGZTL 4-3302 JRC