West Side Story Stage Direction- Molly & Renua

The use of stage direction in “West Side Story” allows us as the audience to view the similarities between the two gangs and the need for unity. The stage directions allowed the audience to see the subliminal plot points. We are able to get insight on the past and see the foreshadowing of the future. In the opening scene and throughout the play dance is used to show the religious imagery. Many times the Jets and the Sharks execute a dance move that resembles Jesus on the cross. This shows how important religion was in both of the gangs past. The fact that both the groups are christian is important because it shows how people with the same ideals can hate each other. They are able to hate each other just because of a small difference, for example a skin color.During the scene in the gym, the audience is able to see the division between Tony, Maria, and the two gangs. The audience can see how Tony and Maria want the two gangs to be in unity. The dance demonstrates how the gangs and mingling without conflict. When both gangs take note of Maria and Tony the scene takes a turn and the gangs resume to being divided with the jets on the left and Sharks on the right. In the dream/heaven sequence, the audience sees a unity of the Jets and Sharks. In that one scene there is no longer race or a feud. The characters that died, Riff and Bernardo, are held up and then fall into the arms of a mixed group, people from both gangs. Then Maria and Tony are held up, they then fall over in the same way Riff and Bernardo did. They circle each other and reach out to show that there is too much separating the gangs for them to be together. The only way they will be together is in heaven. The main point of the stage direction used in this scene was to show how silly the feud was, and that if the two gangs didn’t hate each other, no lives would have been lost. Overall the stage directions show how the two gangs compare to one another and how they contrast. As the audience we are able to see the need for an alliance and peace.

Questions:

1. How could the stage directions be changed in Act 3.2 to show the importance of the ring that is given to the nurse from Juliet?

2. In Act III scene iii, How would you show the unity of Romeo and Juliet after they are married and consummated? How would you show Juliet is no longer shows a connection with her mother, and she relies mostly on Romeo?

Costume

 

 

Romeo Und Julia Auf Der Tanzbühne. Digital image. Tagblatt. N.p., 2 Feb. 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. <http://www.tagblatt.ch/osso/so-ku/art304165,3689334>.

 

 

Costumes in West Side Story

 

 

The costumes in West Side Story help to emphasize the personality of the Characters.  The different costumes worn by the characters are used effectivly to communicate the value of each character to the audience. In the begging of the play Tony is dressed in light colours, which potrays the innocent. Later on, after he killed Bernardo, his costumes overcomes with darker colours, like dark blue pants. This emphasizes the lost of innocent and the change the character went through being more involved in the feud.  Anitas dresses are colourfull, short and feathery to underline, that she is more liberal with her emotions. Also to show that she has experinced, which later on leads to the gang rape. In addition, through out the play Maria wears a white drees, which points out her innocent, caused by the lack of freedom. In conclusion, costumes are important to convey the characters personality.

 

 

1. What would Juliet wear  in the begging of Act 3 Scene 2 and how would her costume change, after the Nurse talked to her?
2. How does the desperation of Juliet in Act 3 Scene 5 about the arranged marriage, reflect in her costume?

 

Verena and Caroline W.



Music and Singing West Side Story

Richard/CarolineV.W

The singing and music in West Side Story foreshadows and supports the scenes while different lyrics are used to give other meanings to the songs. They used the songs to communicate their feelings and emotions and also in the action scenes. The flute was always foreshadowing the happy feelings and followed by a love song, whereas the base was used for suspense before a fight scene. The song "Tonight" was used during the balcony scene with a flute supporting the melody. In contrary, "The Rumble" was played after the gang leaders draw their switchblades, which included a lot of base and low sounds foreshadowing the two deaths that followed. Furthermore the song "America" was sung to show how happy the girls were in New York, but it was also played when Anita was raped by the Jets, when she wanted to create peace. In conclusion different instruments were used to create different moods to the audience and songs were repeated to give other meanings.

How could music be used to support Act 3 Scene 1 when Tybalt and Mercutio fight, and would you choose different music than they used in West Side Story?

How could songs have been used to communicate long speeches like Friar Lawerence's in Act 3 Scene 3?



Sulaiman, Yasmin. West Side Story/ The List. Digital image. The List. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.

Jets Characterization - Devarsh and Ruben

Post Title : Jets

http://www.buehnenfotos.de/musical-west-side-story.htm

The Jets have more control of the stage and they tend to be bad tempered. Jets would always start the fight and were always interested in fighting. When the Sharks entered the Jets territory, the Jets responded straight away in anger, which almost caused a fight, but got stopped by officer Krupke. The Sharks left right after in anger, and Krupke scolded at the Jets for fighting them. The Jets  go to the dance to fight with the Sharks. They were about to fight once again, but got stopped by Officer Krupke. The Jets decide to arrange a rumble against the Sharks with weapons. Officer Krupke comes in and tells the Jets that it should a fair brawl with fists. This shows how eager the Jets want to fight against the Sharks.




Questions:

1. How does the hatred differ between the two sides in West Side Story, as opposed to Romeo and Juliet?
2. Why do you think the Jets were presented more on the stage than the Sharks?

Cédric Hyafil and Billie Tyrell-Dancing

Dancing in West side story

 

 

The use of dancing in West Side Story sets the actions and installs themes.

Dancing is effective in this play because it represents the roles and the emotions they try to create during the play.Dancing helps us to understand what the emotions of the characters are, for exapmle if they are dancing violently it shows us that they feel anger while when they are dancing gracefully we can understand they are in a happy situation. For example at the beginning of the fighting scence between Bernardo and Raff,all the attacks and the dodges are dancing moves,and are mostly danced with the fists and the blade of their knife.In contrast the part when Maria and Tony are talking on balconies,their movement are slow and peacefull.Overall, the dancing scenes are used to emphazise the movments and actions of the characters,from love to hostility.

1.Are the dancing fights better than the fights in Romeo and Juliet?
2. In which scene would you include Dancing in Act 3 ?

 West Side Story Zurich. Digital image. Bollie. Jake Disaper, n.d. Web

Sharks Characterization

Characterization of the Sharks

By Riley Jones and Katharina Christensen

The characterization of the Sharks is used to distinguish the two groups from one another. The characterization is effective because it shows the different cultures and behaviors of the members of the Sharks, as opposed to the members of the Jets. The most prominant example of the differences is the Sharks' accent. All of the members of the Sharks have heavy Puerto Rican accents and often interject Spanish into their dialogue. This serves to remind the audience that the Sharks are immigrants and gives them an exotic feel. In the dance scenes, the Sharks' way of dancing often includes more sexual or suggestive movements. The effect is that the Sharks seem more rough than the Jets, but also more open. This reflects the Puerto Rican culture, that they have brough to the States when they immigrated. The ties within the Sharks seem tigher, because many members of the gang are related. The members don't necessarily have to be family, but because there are many familial ties, the overall feel of the gang is more caring and close emotionally than the Jets. This is shown by the way the Sharks have less fights between gang members than the Jets. Therefore, the characterization of the Sharks is used to set them apart from the Jets, in the way they speak with an accent, dance more freely, and treat each other with respect.

 Rosegg, Carol. 2012. Photograph. Dance Informa. Dance Informa, 13 Dec. 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. http://www.danceinforma.com/USA_magazine/2012/12/15/west-side-story-the-gas-south-broadway-series/.

 

 

Questions

1. What are some similarities between the Capulets and the Sharks?

2. What are some parallels between Tybalt and Bernardo?



Similarities to Romeo and Juliet

Sonja
Jaclyn
Ambre

     West Side Story's adaption of Romeo and Juliet trasnformed the content into a modern and relatable play. The similarities formed a refrence point, while the diffrences made the play more logical for the time period. The characters in the play paralleled those in Romeo and Juliet, but included their own modern take on the roles. For example, the Jets represented the Montagues and the Shark represented the Capulets, in the theme of New York City gangs. Though both plays had different scenes, yet under the same focus, the atmosphere remained the same. Friar Lawrence bleieves trheir union will end the feud, while Doc believes that their relationship will only cause trouble; but in the end both shuned the families/gangs lack of inhabition. Thirdly, certain aspects were depreciated to add as sense of normality. Such as, Maria and Tony only acting as they were getting married instead of Romeo and Juliets impulsive elope. Also, Maria's devestation and anger represented the feuds damage better, as opposed to Juliet's suicide. The take of Romeo and Juliet made the play more appealing to the younger audiences of today.


QUESTIONS:
1. What are the similarities and diffrences between the Nurse's delivery of the message and Anita's?
2. Why is the inclusion of Romeo/Tony's apprehention important to the theme?




Romeo and Juliet. N.d. Photograph. JustJared. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. http://cdn04.cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/steinfeld-clip/hailee-steinfeld-douglas-booth-first-kiss-in-romeo-juliet-exclusive-clip-02.JPG.

Maria and Tony. N.d. Photograph. Shut up and Deal. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. <https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91qli28hEB_5NP_k1f7Z6ChLWhnH85CFzXvEPvcGPgLkmG68Cl14sakO3OrlLUarLPb6rUL2G7NQ5MwN3D73bXxYf1ROLBU1nZS0tdaY3i7eMqHRE6a7sErtk64KQ7WoJdNZfYGb10QMH/s400/West-Side-story-Tony+and+Maria.jpg>.

Use of Lighting in West Side Story

Joanne Ruf, Ladina Brunner

English 10

Ms. Klasen

27/02/14

The use of Lighting in West Side Story

Lighting was clearly used to emphasize emotion and mood in West Side Story. Each mood and feeling had a respective color to show the contrast of situations and the transition of emotions between scenes. For example, blue light in the first half of the play was used when Tony and Maria were thinking lovingly about each other. Purple light was used when Tony and Maria were together and in love; crucially, it was used during Tony and Maria's marriage to emphasize their love for each other. After their marriage, blue and purple were used in different scenes to have different meanings. The colors red, yellow and orange were shown boldly during the fight scene in Maria's dream and during the gang rape of Anita. The colors were prominent to show how serious and strong the emotions were during the scenes. In conclusion, the intensity and colors of the lights during the play indicated and strengthened the emotions and moods.

Related Romeo and Juliet Questions

1.What scenes in act 3 could the red, yellow and orange lighting be used for? Why?

2.What color should be used in act 3.4 and 3.5 when Romeo spends the night with Juliet? Why?

Robin&Alex

Acitons and the effect on the play

        The scens in West Side Story are played differently then in Romeo and Juliet but the main idea and the effect on the play are simmilar. In the opening scene in Romeo and Juliet is a fight between the two families. The same happens in West Sied Storry, the two gangs have a fight too but it is performed in a dance. The effect of both events is the same on the play. It shows that there is a reall oposition bettwen the two sides. It highlights the deep hate for each other. The same is shown in the balcony scene in both plays. The scene make the play more dramatic and symbolyses the love of the both protagonists. It also shows that it is not alowed for them to be toghether because it is played in the night that highlights how dangerous it is for them both. Even if the is play in modern days and the scens a totaly different interpreted the meaning is the same than in Romeo and Juliet.

What is the different of the fighting between West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet?

How can dance represents words which are spoken in Romeo and Juliet?

Julian Pohl, Kai Ohlig

English 10

Ms. Klasen

27.2.14

Setting effect on Play

                The Setting used in West Side story was very effective because little changes had to done to from scene to scene. On both sides of the stages were two metal structures that could be easily moved and turned to create another setting. Little props were added to a scene to create another setting. For example when Maria was working in her cloth sotre, and Toni visited her, only a hanging rod and a window was placed to create a store atmosphere. This was very effective because it was very easy and quick for them to set up the scene, without letting the audience get bored. Also small changes like moving the metal structures, let the setting seem different and unique, it was very strong and effectively used. At the fighting scne the metal structures were moved into a V shape, having a metal net in the back it made it successfully look like a baseball field. The conclusion we can draw from this is that the settig was the same for every scene and only the positioning of the metal structures were changed and little props were added.

1. How is the setting from Romeo and Juliet similar to the west side story?


2. How is the fighting scene from West side story different to the one in Romeo and Juliet?

The background helps to create the tone of the play: it is in set in New York, were similar stuctures are present. These structure include balconies, two stores, windows and an open stage space if a lot of dancers perform at once. By simply turning them, different aspects of the structures gain importance, which helps to switch over to scenes quickly and therefore effectively.

Works Cited

"Liam Tobin as Tony and Elena Sancho Pereg as Maria." The Darkroom Exploring Visual Journalism from the Baltimore Sun RSS. The Darkroom, 10 Sept. 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.