Those singing, dancing rebels without a cause are back in town. After a 15-year absence from local stages, "West Side Story" returns in a captivating Springfield Little Theatre mounting that more than honors the classic show's 60th anniversary.
Boasting top-notch singing across the board, a tight-knit ensemble of energetic young dancers and expert playing by an 18-piece orchestra, the evergreen update of "Romeo and Juliet" will leave you humming its indelible tunes and wishing you could match the lighter-than-air agility of the high-flying "Sharks" and "Jets."
Shakespeare's tragic tale of star-crossed lovers was brilliantly reimagined in 1957 by the dream team of Arthur Laurents, book; Leonard Bernstein, music; Stephen Sondheim, lyrics; and Jerome Robbins, direction and choreography. Instead of Veronese family rivalries, contemporary street gang violence and racial prejudice lead to the show's tragic conclusion, but not before a bracing run of beautiful songs and infectious dance routines fill the Landers Theatre stage to the bursting point.
Like Robbins, SLT's Lorianne Dunn combines directing and choreographic duties, shining in both departments. From the signature finger snaps that instigate the thrilling "Jet Song" by Riff and his fellow gang members to the jazzy, mambo-driven beat of "America" and the more traditional balletic lilt of Act 2's "Dream Sequence," Dunn's troupe rises to the occasion, combining fine unison steps with individualistic expression in looks and demeanor. Some of the dancers have the sleek physiques of ballet professionals, but thanks to a wide range of body types and personalized costumes designed by Kris Haik and Ginny Herfkens, most come off as real guys and gals you might actually see on a New York street corner in the late 1950s.
Few shows have as many instantly recognizable songs as "West Side Story," and SLT's gifted singers handle them all with ease. In his SLT debut, Drury University student Tanner Johnson brings sterling vocalism to the part of Tony, a former gang member who wants to go straight. From his first notes in the anthemic "Something's Coming" to the soft falsetto ending of the haunting "Maria" and his rapturous duets with the heroine, Johnson convinces you musically that Tony is indeed a modern-day counterpart to love-struck Romeo.
As his "Juliet," Genevieve Fulks is just about ideal, offering lovely looks, graceful movement and a soaring soprano that lifts Maria's ecstatic "Tonight," "One Hand, One Heart" and "I Have a Love" into the stratosphere.
In the latter number, she's ably partnered by the Anita of Miriam Stein, who brings fire to her "A Boy Like That" section of the near-operatic show-stopper. Stein also impresses in the rhythmic "America," sharing the song's biting, witty lyrics with Savannah Gibbons' homesick Rosalia and the other "Shark Girls."
Asa Charles Leininger is a delight as Riff, the de facto leader of the Jets. His tough-guy big city accent and macho swagger in "Jet Song" and "Cool" convey the natural leadership of pint-sized punk immortals like Jimmy Cagney. The plot demands an early exit (think Mercutio), but his presence and that of his Tybalt-like arch-enemy Bernardo (the impassioned Lysander Abadia) are greatly missed during Act II's falling action.
I've never warmed to "Gee, Officer Krupke's" spot as comic relief while Tony and Maria's lives are falling apart — the Oscar-winning 1961 film moved it up to Act I — but the humorous number is certainly well-performed by Robert Hazlette's Action and his Jet buddies. Sadly, both "Krupke" and the politically charged "America" still possess ripped-from-the-headlines topicality.
Playing virtual co-lead in the production is Susan Gravatt's fine orchestra, whose placement at the rear of the stage rather than in the pit reveals the intricacies of Bernstein's mercurial score with special clarity. Chuck Rogers' gritty brick-on-brick set design, Jamie Bower's bold lighting choices and Dawn Gutierrez's glowing account of "Somewhere" add further grace notes to a winning revival.
"West Side Story" plays at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and Feb. 1-3 and at 2 p.m. Sunday and Feb. 4. For tickets ($16-$36), call 869-1334. The Landers Theatre is located at 311 E. Walnut St. in downtown Springfield.
Larry T. Collins reviews the performing arts for the News-Leader.