West Side Story

The most phenomenal experience of a lifetime. Wonderful! Spectacular! Morgan Hernandez is a brilliant performer, and she's only 18. Incredible!......Bianca as Anita was flawless. Marin Alsop and the orchestra brought tears to my eyes, and I felt as if Leonard Bernstein himself was in the room. All performers were extraordinary. This will be next to impossible to top.

This was one of the best shows I've seen. Everyone was AMAZING!

Play was well acted. Singing and dancing were fabulous. Actress that played Maria has the voice of an angel! I saw a production of WSS in downtown Chicago several years ago, & this production was 10X better, less expensive, and in a beautiful, comfortable, intimate venue!! Well worth the money!!

Great cast! The song and dance routines were great!

I thought it was odd that there were lyrics in the playbill for 2 songs. I'd never seen that in a playbill before. After they were performed it became clearHow was the audience supposed to follow along in a darkened theatre? It was quite a letdown for myself & 5 other family members.

For anyone even remotely familiar with the original West Side Story, this production will likely disappoint. Which isn't to say that most of the cast doesn't give it their very best. But there is something missing. Tension, emotion, a sense of importance,,, missing .Josephina Scaglione as Maria was lovely. Karen Olivo as Anita was fine. Matt Cavanaugh as Tony was simply miscast. Pacing seemed off several times when I saw it. Choreography was ok but no blockbuster number in the whole show. The Officer Krupke number was very disappointing- simply not funny. The Spanish worked better at some points than at others. I think most of what irked me came down to director decisions. Also, the costumes were all over the place. What girls wore mini skirts like that in the 1950's? Go see it if you have never seen it before. Go see it for the beautiful music. Just keep your expectations in the average zone.

Its what you would expect and much more! Music brings back memories. The dance is excellent. Josefina Scaglione is very talented and beautiful as Maria.

Ah that music! That dancing! Those brilliant lyrics. The dialog that still zings fifty years later, despite being very much of its era. A legendary playwright, now directing. How can you miss? This isn't flawless, but it's impressive. Some of the voices aren't tip top, but as singing dancing actors, unbelievable overall. Karen Oliva, put away your cops uniform forever and sing to me. I love the use of Spanish; it lends credibility, and it doesn't make the action hard to understand. The orchestra was good, not great, but they we have those lush orchestrations conducted by Lenny himself in our ears, so it may be unfair to try to make a comparison. The direction was peerless. The characterizations were deeply felt and I'm sure that Arthur Laurent's hand was in that: he wrote the story after all. Bottom line, a more than creditable production of what's certainly one of the top ten shows of all time. Don't miss it.

West Side Story is a difficult production to do well. Not many dancers can pull off the intense jumps, leaps, and turns of the Jets and Sharks. Not many actresses can pull off a zesty Puerto Rican Anita or an intensely passionate Maria---but the production at the Palace Theater delivers in every aspect. It is an incredible work that stays absolutely true to the timeless classic. Josefina Scaglione, playing the part of Maria, has a thick, natural Latina accent, and a beautiful operatic voice. As well, Matt Cavenaugh, who plays Tony, is an amazing dancer, actor, and singer. The two together are a good fit. The company dances are extremely well done as well as the set design and music. I would highly recommend this production over the more modern musicals Broadway is currently showing. Why watch Shrek when you can see West Side Story?

It was a great show. Some songs were sung in Spanish, but it made it that much better. The set was awesome, you really felt you were on the west side.

West Side Story, the classic Bernstein/Sondheim/Robbins almost opera is as fresh today as it was when it first appeared on Broadway. The music is so familiar and I think the choreography is close to the original by Jerome Robbins. The cast was splendid, especially Maria. She is beautiful, acts very well and has a wonderful voice. While the play is not a happy story, it is well worth seeing. it was a wonderful evening of real theatre.

The play was excellent, the stage, the characters very well performed and the music was superb.

I thought the singing was terrible and sounded very muffled. I was a little bored. I've seen better West Side Stories

The play was amazing. The dancing was phenomenal and the music was awesome. This is one of my favorite stories and I was not disappointed.

my expectations were very high for this play which was my mistake. i thought the 2 female leads (karen olivo and josefina scaglione) were incredible. their voices and stage prescence commanded all. with that being said, the two male leads (matt cavenaugh and john arthur greene) left a lot to be desired. they were not masculine enough and i found their acting very hard to believe. their voices were constantly overpowered by the rest of the cast. any scene that included the sharks was just amazing! the singing, dancing and anything they did was just superb!!! the jets, not so much. i would recommend this play but set your bar low so your expectations will be exceeded.

I went with a group of friends and we all loved it! The music and dancing was outstanding! The modern twist made it even more entertaining and mesmerizing than the movie.

Since I loved the movie version of West SIde Story I wasn't sure what to expect from this new "revival". Accolades to all involved in this production. The show grabbed me from the opening act with phenomenal dancing to the amazing voices of especially Anita and Maria. The Spanish parts added to the authenticity of the time period. I was impressed by the costumes and blown away by some of the scenery. This new version of West Side Story should have won more Tony's!

As a theatergoer for forty years, few Broadway shows amaze me. I saw West Side Story at the Palace yesterday and this one was in the minority. The choreography, dancing, singing, set design, lighing and new Spanish dialogue and lyrics were all incredible. When you see a set, the rumble under the bridge, receive applause, you know this show is something very special. The Spanish words and lyrics made the play much more realistic for me. I'll close this critique by telling you about the voice of an angel. Not only is the 21 year old opera singer who plays Maria brilliant in her acting ability, her voice is absolutely ASTONISHING. She hits notes that few are able to reach and the emotions behind the voice are perfect. Don't think twice, just go see a show better than the movie, better than any of its other revivals and even better than the original,

Because I know the film so well, I wasn't sure that the play could live up to all my fond memories. Was I wrong! The choreography was amazing. I love Richard Beymer and Natalie Wood- how can anyone replace them? Happy to say that the 2 leads in this play were absolutely fantastic. The few scenes in Spanish made sense and one could get the idea of what was being said. I say this as a person who speaks no Spanish. Even though I know the ending to the story, I was very moved at how this play ended. I highly reccomend West Side Story.

We enjoyed the show from the moment it started till the end. It is a professional and Amazing show, even much better than the one I remember from my twenties! I would warmly recommend the show to all ages - twenties and up - I could see how my daughter (23) was enthusiastic.

Excellent show. Choreography an improvement over the original. The singing was done with enthusiasm and talent. The addition of Spanish actually interfered with my personal enjoyment of the show. The first act at 90 minutes seemed too long. There was a natural spot to pause for intermission prior to when they did. It really is hard to sit for that long.

A great young cast, full of talent. "Baby John" was my favorite dancer to watch, amazing lines & extension. Anita is super as is Tony, but "Maria" steals the show. What an amazing talent this young lady is. She's beautiful, can dance, is a wonderful actress & has a voice that will amaze you!! Can't get over that voice. Bravo!

My wife and I found this play ok.....our major criticism is the fact that there were too many scenes that were done totally in spanish (especially during the 2nd act). At least the movie had english sub-titles!

Awesome. Fabulous musical theatre. A must see! Cast is superb; dancing is sublime; and sets are among NY's finest..

Maria was amazing, her voice, her conviction and credibility. Tony (Matt Cavenaugh) was horrible, like I want my money back horrible. Not only could he not sing, (he was nasaly, conservative, didn't attempt any full blown notes) but he had absolutely no stage presence when he sang. I truly think the show would be soooo much better with a better Tony. I was disappointed that my two favorite songs were sung in Spanish. Also, that my other favorite song was taken on a delusional ride (somewhere). Overall I thought it was just ok. Even my 10 year old son thought the movie was so much better.

This was the most amazing show ever. Its a must see!

Tthe dancing, the music the customes, the performances was extraordinary. I just loved every minute. Even though the seats were not terrific the experience was still great.

Never mess with a classic. West Side Story stands among the giants of contemporary theatre with its timeless tale of love against the odds. The dynamic choreography and creative set designs of the current revival are greatly diminished by the gimmicky on/off use of Spanish during many of the Sharks' scenes. The momentum is lost when, try as the actors may to communicate the passionate story, even experienced theatregoers lose the meaning of critical moments, such as Anita's admonition to Maria to "...stick to your own kind." We are lost in the reverse translation as people throughout the theatre lean into each other, asking "What the hell is happening here?" Staging miscues also detracted from key moments. The imaginative, perfect world dance sequence of "A Place for Us" becomes almost comical when the director, in the throes of a "Billy Elliot" moment, has a red-haired lad open the song and lead Tony and Maria around the stage, while visions of reconciling Sharks and Jets dance in his little ginger head. Bizarre. The show closes prematurely on what should be a powerful, traditional ending of Jets and Sharks carrying Tony's body offstage. Instead, the director simply dropped the curtain on a crying Maria kneeling by a dead Tony, leaving the audience with a truly hopeless, rather than a hopeful feeling. Very un-Obama-esque. Hmmm. Maybe the director did us a favor. I'm sure that red-haired kid was waiting in the wings.

great music and dancing but casting was lacking - particularly the male leads. The 2 female leads were excellent.

Fantastic music, lighting, costumes and dancing!! A few very touching moments where I got goosebumps. Unfortunately, the fellow playing Tony, Matt Cavanaugh, dropped the ball. He underplayed the first half of the show with a small quivery vibrato and missed all big moments to make a connection with his castmates and the audience. Sometimes he was disturbingly nasal and his interpretation was just off. Maybe trying to be creative and do something new each night but this interpretation was just wrong besides the fact that there was no chemistry between him and Maria. Not sure the Spanish speaking parts were helpful to the performance and maybe just a politically correct tribute to the Hispanic community- the songs weren't written for the Spanish words and seemed to lose their impact. Several of the Jets looked alike and wore the same clothes and from our nosebleed seats- hard to recognize. Anita and Maria were superb although Maria underplayed her sweet coloratura a few times, perhaps to accommodate the lackluster Tony. Overall: Fantastic! ( if you can ignore Tony and wishing he was killed off earlier in the performance :-P)

Although I've watched the movie a dozen times, this was the first time I ever saw it as a play. The singing and acting brought me to tears. The main characters made me fall in love with the play's version. And singing and speaking in spanish added realism! For some, you might need to bring a translator if you don't know the story line. But, I would highly recommend the play for anyone to see!

I watched this for school, but I would definitely go watch it again on my own. I went by myself, so I was worried that it would be a boring experience, but the musical was so much fun. Funny and intense, thought-provoking and lots of great dancing.

The play in itself was wonderful. I really enjoyed it. The thing that disappointed me (and most of the audience, I'm sure), was that there was a lot of Spanish spoken, and even two of the best songs were sung in Spanish. If you don't mind that, it's a great play to see!

Fabulous cast, classic story - in an amazing theater - great NY Broadway experience!

You can't go to New York and not see West Side Story.

West Side Story was absolutely fabulous. Singing and dancing was fantastic.You must SEE THIS SHOW. Also do not forget this , I got pictures of Karen and Josephfina they were at the side door outside the building signing autographs. Maybe you can too.

My daughter and I both went to see the play yesterday, and we absolutely loved it. This play is a must see, believe me. Get a ticket and get your butt there, it's a wonderful play and we loved it so much we will be purchasing tickets to go see it again next year with other family members and friends as well.

Still a great show. With the first chord or every song you immediately remember the music and lyrics. Lead male's voice could be more powerful but other than that - brilliant.

West Side Story has always been one of my all time favorite musicals. I planned a trip to NYC to see it on Broadway. It was everything I could have hoped for. The singing was outstanding and the choreography was fantastic. The lead charactors of Tony, Maria, Anita, Chino, Riff and Bernardo were spot on! I saw the show on Thursday night and the cast received a standing ovation. I would recommend this show to anyone.

My husband and I enjoyed the play. Had great seats. Maria was unbelievable. What a great voice. It didn't sound like your typical Broadway voice. Her acting was superb. However, the gentleman that played Tony was not good at all. His voice was leak, and off tune on some songs. His acting was fair. He was too stiff and his character wasn't very likeable. Riff would have made a better Tony. The Officer Kruptkey ( unsure ofspelling) routine was very slow. It did not flow. The actors didn't jive. There was too much time between each segment.

WOW . it was A M A Z I N G!! It was funny and interpreted perfectly. If your ever in New York its a must see musical!

So I took my girlfriend out to see West Side Story for her birthday. I didn't really know much about it. She had seen (and loved) the movie a bunch of times. According to her, the show stays true to the movie. The dancing was impressive, the story line was intriguing, and as with most Broadway plays, the music was spectacular. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was that there were a few scenes and songs in Spanish. You could still tell what was going on, but I would have liked to understand everything. Also, we had a standby play Maria (Haley Carlucci), so we would have liked to see Josefina Scaglione. My g/f suggested that if you do go to this show, bring tissues. We definitely enjoyed our night out.

I went to see West Side Story yesterday, sat in the orchestra and loved it, loved it, loved it. I loved it as a teenager having loved Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. The music was marvelous and the orchestra was brilliant.

After a half-century since it first hit Broadway and in this age of a black US President,, the West Side Story themes of ethnic warfare and inter-racial courtship have slackened in tension, but Bernstein's powerful musical score remains as taut as ever. But that was not enough to recreate the fabled explosiveness of the original production. The effort was not helped by Matt Cavanaugh (Tony) experiencing an off-night and, mercifully, he was replaced by Matthew Hydnik from Scene 6 in the Drugstore. He, however, could not steal the show from Karen Olivo (Anita) and Curtis Holbrook (Action). The latter's performance in Gee Officer Krupke almost made it a show-stopper. The cast was by no means star-studded but they worked together nicely to deliver a neat production under the deft directorial hand of the man who wrote the book, Arthur Laurents. I'm, glad that I made the trip from Delaware for this Broadway experience.

I can't even begin to describe to you the incredible experience that was West Side Story. Now - I may be slightly biased in that WSS is my all time favorite show, but this production was STUNNING. All of the visual aspects were impeccably thought out and executed. The cast was really wonderful. I saw the show with a lot of the understudies playing - and they were fabulous. Tony (Matthew Hydzik) was in it every moment of the show. Not one time did I doubt he was Tony, in love with Maria, and in a dreamworld all his own. The Jets, especially A-Rab (Brendon Stimson) were great, full of energy, and fantastic dancers. The choreography for the show was very traditional for what you would think of for WSS, but absolutely beautifully executed in every way. If you want me to be critical, I can, but it would be nothing that I'm not seeing in all Broadway shows these days - issues with actors projecting, etc. So I will not harp on that. The adults were also fairly mediocre. Standout performances: Tony (Matthew Hydzik), A-Rab (Brendon Stimson), and, of course, Anita (Karen Olivo). I could go on about the scenic (James Youmans), lights (Howell Binkley), and costumes (David C. Woolard) for days - but I doubt people reading this review are interested in that. Let me just say in short - the integration of all three was fantastic. The concept of the set was perfect, very beautiful - everything down to the last comic book in Doc's was fantastic. The lighting - absolutely gorgeous. There were times when - well, take the balcony scene for example. They are SL and the stage is hazy so every beam of light is part of the visual picture. the rest of the stage around them is dark, and then there is a light shining through the portal (which on top has cutouts that with a light shining through...amazing) and from all the way SR there is a light shining making this STUNNING beam all the way to Maria's balcony. What a beautiful scene. Then the costumes - the colors and small connections between each character were so exciting and inspiring. And that hankerchief.... But lots of little things - the blue on Maria's dress and Tony's shirt at the dance, the girl at the dance with the orange and green and the Jet she was dancing with - how they matched beautifully - a lot of small things like that, helping to make connections in your mind. AND then - the ballet. You have to see it. But PERFECT. Okay. So - see this show. That is all I can say. It will be the experience of a lifetime. If you know the show, you will love every minute. And if you know someone who knows NOTHING about WSS, this show will change their lives, I promise.

I have always loved the moveie West Side Story so I was very excited to hera it was comign back to Broadway. I was escatic to leran that a very talented young man (Matthew Hydzik) who I was lucky enough to meet while he was a member of the cast of Grease on Broadway would be joing the cast as the standby for the role of Tony. On Friday September 21st Matthew Hydzik stepped in as Tony while Matt Cavanaugh is on vacation and will be in the starring rol until September 2nd. I may be biased slightly but I am not the only one who has said that Hydzik is far more talented and better in the role than Cavanaugh. His perfomance is nothing short of brilliant and if you can get out to see the show while Hydzik is in it I highly reccomend it.

The singing was extraordinary, especially Maria and Tony. The change of scenes was good, nothing spectacular. The dancing was top notch but did not match the original routines.

The group had great voices and dance technique! They made West Side Story come alive again for me who was profoundly inspired by it (movie version) back in the early 60s.

Terrific performance. Music, singing dancing and set decoration fantastic.

A great production of an American classic. Ashley Marie was outstanding as Maria, her voice is truly phenomenal. The dancing was very athletic and sensual (especially Marlene Martinez as Anita) and true to the original film production. The sets, although minimalist, were very creative and evoked the urban setting of New York City. All in all a very enjoyable performance.

My heart kept skipping beats all night as we watched the play, West Side Story. The music is dear to my heart, as I first read the story in Jr. High. It brought me back to my youth, so I truly enjoyed the play. The orchestra did a great job and the acting was spot on. We all loved it. Anitra was my favorite. What a great role. She stole the show!

They sang every one of the songs from the movie. The dances were great. Much of the movie was followed. For a real lover of the movie, this was GREAT. Oh, and the live orchestra- what a treat!

The combinatiin and balance of music, acting and choreography made this a flawless, moving production. The leads had fabulous voices and sang with commitment and feeling. There is added choreography in this production that showcased a talented group of dancers. The orchestra played besutifully, enhancing the bonus choreography and stitcjed the whole show together from the first moment until the curtain fell.

The whole performance was very good and the two lead performers were great.

The main characters lacked the power they demand as strong personalities. Riff did a good job, but the others should express more emotion and comitment.

Slow first act. Choreography was less than expected. Sound was a bit off for the seat location. Not sure i would go back unless the event was really something I wanted to see. But, better than sitting at home.

I have seen Westside Story onstage on Broadway & in Los Angeles and I have seen the film several times as have my grown children. This was my 11 1/2 -year-old grandaughter's first time seeing it performed onstage, but she had seen the movie. This production was different as it included a fairly graphic rape scene. It was disturbing to my grandaughter and it added nothing to the play. A production is scheduled to be in La Mirada in April. Do check about that scene if you plan to take a young person. Other than that, it was not the best show I have seen, but creative and pleasant.

Some very talented kids out there working really hard.

the quaint little play that we thought we knew takes on a renewed relevance in this age of jingoism and fear of the 'other'. beautiful music, and extraordinary cast.

This was a great show! The cast was so engaging and expressive, even from our nosebleed seats we could feel all the emotions they were portraying. The sound quality was excellent, the music and singing were great. Overall a fantastic performance!

i don't recommend it. we left after intermission.

I really loved the the chemistry between the actors who played Maria and Tony. I was most upset with the sound. Each performer had their own mic which made the background noise very loud. Especially after the dance scene, mics weren't turned off so heavy breathing can be heard through the speakers. Also mics weren't turned on right away when a performer entered back on stage. The perform would start speaking, but the mic wasn't turned on until mid sentence.

Okay, maybe a bit too, but not by much. I have been waiting to put in my two cents worth since Saturday night because it was just that entertaining. The performers were top notch. When Riff started singing, we were blown away, but wait, could Tony even get near what we hoped for. YOU BETCHA! And Maria sang.....the most beautiful voice you could imagine. And with Anita and the remainder of the cast dancing and singing as well as they did for such a small theatre and company, it was amazing and fun. You could feel the audience enjoying it with you and the cast. I would go see it again if the cast was the same. LOVED IT

I thought the play was great!! It was my first time seeing it and I would love to see it again. I also enjoyed the cozy feel of the theatre.

Drury Lane Oak Brook is one of the finest theatre venues in the Chicagoland suburbs. "West Side Story" has not been presented in years and was so enjoyable to see once again. The stage set! The singers! The dancers! All the songs from decades ago were all familiar once again. A very wonderful afternoon :-)

Very easy to get the theater not to mention the show was amazing!

Dancing, Music, Cast, everything about this play was amazing! I would definantly recommended it to adults. There was one "rape" scene that was a little over the top. We would have understood the scope of hatred without actually seeing a rape scene. For this reason I would not recommended this play to families or couples with young children.

Alas, the directors chose to assault & distance the audience from a glorious musical. The dancing, singing, and set design were fantastic, inspired, and beautiful. The directors, however, chose to graphically portray rape and masturbation to "intensify" and "update" the musical. These choices made me quite sorry I had brought my family (could you all have warned us?). While I loved the Spanish dialogue and singing I yearned for super titles (available for operas) to include the audience in every moment instead of creating distance. While the creation/amplification of Anybodys as a butch character on the outside was poignant, her story pulled focus and muddied the intensity of the main story arc (I found it a poor choice--distasteful-- for a tender young dyke to be accepted by a gang that perpetrates violence against those who are "different"---think about Matthew Sheppard!!). I was very impressed with Anita(Michelle Aravena) & Riff (Drew Foster)! Excellent dimension, characterization and depth! Maria (Evy Ortiz) and Tony (Ross Lekites) had gorgeous voices and terrific chemistry. Anybodys (Alexandra Frohlinger) sang beautifully and created a rich character. The dancing was phenomenal and had my young boys on the edges of their seats (YES!). The whole evening left me yearning for a director who could bring freshness and an understanding of the story's power instead of distancing the audience from the beauty and impressive gifts of these talented actors, dancers, and designers. The dancers and actors kept me in my seat, but the direction left me feeling oddly unsettled instead of crying through my stash of tissues.

A classic story. The songs and dance were amazing. I saw the original on Broadway in NYC and saw the movie both many years ago. This time seeing it was as great as it was then. A do not miss event.

A good production all the way around. Sound was excellent. Strong cast with one or two outstanding singers. Interesting interpretation with some Spanish dialogue.

Great performers! Love the voices! Must see with friends or significant other

I remember only two times my parents made it a point to see a show first run because it was supposed to be really good. By really good I mean that the content as well as the production was worth it. One was TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. The other was the release of WEST SIDE STORY at Graumans' Chinese Theator in Los Angeles. I was 10 years old. Both of these addressed racism, tolerance, and goodness to one's fellow men in very different ways. Both are epic in their influence on me as a person. This production of West Side Story was average in my opinion, partially because it is my all time favorite and for once I thought the movie was perfection vs a stage performance. The manner of production was mixed. Again, in my opinion, some things that were not changed should have been, and some things that were changed should not have been changed. The choreography of Jerome Robbins was adhered to religiously, which I was glad to see. However, my grandson who dances modern hip hop dancing in a performing group felt the dance moves were too old fashioned. I was amused by this because Mr Robbins' dance moves were very cutting edge when he designed them. The Puerto Rican Spanish dialog was changed from the original score somewhat as welll as the lyrics to the songs that featured the Puerto Rican characters. As a parent and grandparent of bicultural and bilingual schoolchildren, I approve of these changes even though they altered the original lyrics and dialog. However, they should have completely changed them if the intent was to more accurately represent the culture of the Hispanic people involved, at least when they were speaking amongst themsrlves. The performances of the lead female characters were very good. As in the movie the performance of Anita really stood out. Maria's voice was very good especially when she sang the higher notes softly with control. There were a few parts in duets where her voice was too harsh and overpowering, but overall I liked her performance. Tony was also very good in most of the parts. I am sorry to say but Riff was disappointing. He just did not have the charisma on stage that I would have liked to see. Earlier this past year I saw remakes of SOUTH PACIFIC and MARY POPPINS. I was totally happy with both of those. WEST SIDE STORY was good, but not great.

My 14 year old son thoroughly enjoyed it and said he thought it was better than Wicked, Chorus Line and Mama Mia! Anita was full of energy and her voice was amazing!

I love this story line and have been waiting for a long time to see it......now that I have, it is one of my all time favorites! I will never forget this play!!!

I was so entertained. It was wonderful...my daughter loved it as well. The cast were awesome...the colors....the setting....simply fantastic..

Loved the show, one actor took picture wl my daughter in parking lot

I took my adult children to this memorable version of the classic and was not disappointed. They were thrilled to see a 50-year old musical look fresh, yet reflect the time it was written in. Orchestra was great, hearing the familiar themes played so well gave me chills. The use of color in costuming to delineate the two warring gangs, as well as the neutral lovers was inspired.

I have seen numerous productions of West Side Story including the Broadway revival in 1980. This production, though not quite as good as that one, is the next best that I have seen. The difference in this production is that some of the language is in Spanish, which I did not find off putting. It also is a bit raunchier than other productions. But I thought that that added a little more realistic flavor. If you have never seen West Side Story, don't miss your chance to see this production.

This play is AMAZING! I had such a great time watching it, my face actually hurt from smiling for so long. From start to finish there was so much energy, vibrant color, humor, and of course awesome talent that I actually had trouble mustering up sadness over the tragic ending. Did I mention the music? I've heard it all before (in the movie), but it could never have compared to how unique and beautiful it sounded live. Bottom line: if I could, I would see it five more times and make sure all of my family & friends saw it too!

Excellent play ... was surprised on the anglo attendance and would definitely recommend more Latin peeps attending since there is a lot of spanish dialogue. Only part I didnt like was the premature kissing - tongue action in early on scenes. That shouldve been saved for last scenes. Nevertheless the music, acting and mostly the dancing was AMAZING! So n'sync and coordinated beautifully. The wardrobe AMAZING also - my Mom loved and depicted so well. DEFINITELY A MUST SEE!!!!

Maria's voice was very nice but I didn't find her and Tony to be that great of actors. But the story, choreography, music, lyrics are all so familiar and deeply loved that their lack of "acting" talent was not bothersome (at least to me). Overall, I am glad I went and sealed the memories yet again after a couple of decades since I saw it last on Broadway.

I was really impressed with how the music and songs stood the test of time That said I was hoping for a little more modern version. I think it would be more to the point and could reach a wider audience. I bet if those guys were alive today and did i,t it would be just as topical as it was then ....now. +I didn't care for the operatic singing by the 2 leads Tony and Maria,but they were great and very talented . The whole cast was excellent.The dancing was very cool man cool. I think the songs would have been better if they were sung more pop like now and less opera over all. I did have a great time as I had memorized every word from the cast album ,when I was 12 years old. and I do love the story so I would recommend this show . You will be happy you came with an open mind

Born and raised here in SoCal and after all these years and hanging in Hollyweird in the 60s finally made it inside the Pantages to see "What Else"? West Side Story of course!! It was well worth the wait!! I couldn't stop looking at this place in awe!! Parking was easier then I thought it would be!! Spend the $10. and use parking lots in and around the theater!! The dancers were beautiful and singing top notch

There are many powerful & dynamic elements in West Side Story which is why I would recommend it unreservedly. There is at least one serious drawback which I'll describe momentarily. For starters, the orchestra was fantastic! They delivered Bernstein's score gift-wrapped and with bows on it - superb! Having the percussionists (two of them) above the audience in the opposite stage balconies was neat, something I'd not seen before. Unfortunately we were not treated to an overture, the music began as the curtain rose, too bad. Secondly, the dancing and choreography absolutely sizzled - gritty and athletic, energetic and aggressive, evocative and romantic, all in their proper turns - a real highlight of the production. Curious that "America" ("I like to be in America...") was choreographed without Bernardo and the male Sharks, was performed by Anita and the Shark senoritas only. It was extremely well danced "con mucho gusto", but the dialogue seemed out of place as it was between women only, losing the sexual tension that adds so much to the story. The drawback one cannot escape is the poor acting/emoting and lack of chemistry between Matthew Hydzik (Tony) and Josefina Scaglione (Maria). Both have fine voices and deliver their songs well, but Scaglione can produce little more than a nervous giggle, even at moments of highest drama and romance - and Hydzik compliments this with his own silly smirk and nervous still-life stare at moments when compelling emotion and pleading facial expression are demanded. Neither delivers in this department, alas. Otherwise, we enjoyed our experience immensely. We sat in the center orchestra, 17 rows from the stage and found the sound to be fine, the lighting and other technical and artistic elements excellent, and were thrilled to be a theatre with the history and ambience of the Palace!

A great show! Live music, amazing performers, unbelievable story: legendary! We have spent a really good night!

loved it from beginning to end. cannot wait to go back!!

I thought I was making a mistake by purchasing a ticket that cost me $190 total...but when I saw the play as close up as I did I knew right away I made the right decision! The price point was perfect for the expirence that I had. I would see it over and over again if I could! Seeing it while I was staying in New York made it that much more amazing!

We had an anmazing time. I had heard from quite a few people that it was a great play so I had to see for myself. The Actors and actresses were amazing the songs were sung beautiful. The ending quite sad. But was truley a wonderful experience The cast and crew did a fabulous job. It was my dads first play ever at the age of 66 and he wants to come to NYC again next year to see another play. This was the best play ever!!!!!

This boadway show was worth the money and I recommend you to watch especilly for couples.

It was our first Broadway experience, but we are not thrilled by it. Probably should have seen "Chicago" instead

It was an awesome experience to get the opportunity to watch this amazing story line go from screen to stage.....Just made me enjoy it a step further, as I am a longtime fan of West Side Story....

It was impossible for me to find any negative aspect of West Side Story. The updated version with Spanish lyrics in script and song makes the show more authentic and never distracts the story line for those that don't speak Spanish. The cast is spectacular, dance and choreography energetic and emotional, sets very realistic, costumes appropriate and well color blended, and the passion carried to the audience brought tears to my eyes. I've seen many Broadway revivals, but, this one is an absolute MUST SEE!

Bought show as gift for sister, she loved it as I did. Perfect seats and great view of entire stage. Music was fantastic,dancing was incredible. Entire cast seemed hand picked for each role, as if it was the original production. It is a must see for those who enjoy the theater as much as I do. Some scene not intended for children, and this is a pet peve of mine. I love kids, and would want to expose them to the arts too. Just please read all reviews and do some homework before choosing which show to take them to see.

Never get tired of seeing West Side Story and this production was as close to a Broadway show you'll get. The talent and sets were wonderful. The theater is beautiful! I highly recommend the dinner that can be purchased with the show. This was no ordinary dinner theater.

Well done rendition of West Side Story. Really enjoyed the production. Lunch was pretty good at Drury Lane also.

This is my favorite musical. This production was wonderful. There were four of us and we all really enjoyed the play. The venue is wonderful. We had seats in the 6th row , middle .

The production was excellent. The actors did an amazing job. The lead actor that played Anton had a great voice. They were funny and it flowed very smoothly. Everyone played well off one another. The show was much more than I expected.

Very well done production the cast was great the Actors playing Maria and Tony were exceptional

My husband and I had a great time. It was a great show and we truly recommend for you to see it.

The theater is beautiful, the people were very friendly, and the seats were very comfortable. The show was incredible. The actors gave 110%. the props and costumes were fantas. The actors were true professionals and incredibly talented. Had us on the edge of our seats. The entire audience gave the cast a well-deserved standing ovation!! Highly recommend this show.