Marc Robin–Director of Maine State Music Theater’s West Side Story on the WCME Midcoast Morning Buzz

Jim Bleikamp here.

Intriguing how West Side Story, which debuted on Broadway in 1957 as a very edgy tale of the times, has become a part of Americana.

But as I was reminded this morning on WCME by Marc Robin, the director of the current Maine State Music theater take on West Side Story, in 1957, gang fights, like the one in this story, were actually playing out within blocks of the theater where the show was being staged on a nightly basis.

Nearly 70 years later, West Side is having a topical rebirth here on the Midcoast–a story in part about passionate polarization at just such a polar moment in American life and culture.

If you’ve never experienced West Side, know that you’re in for a long masterful moment.

The Sharks. The Jets. Tony and Maria–the 20th century Romeo and Juliet.

The songs of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim at the peak of the merger of their genius–and posted here is a sample. Brought to life by Streisand.

Note: If you feel at the end of West Side Story as though you have lived at least three days in no more than three hours, you won’t be alone. It’s like that for lots of folks.

West Side Story–at just the right moment–from Maine State Music Theater.

Previews today and opening Thursday at Pickard Theater at Bowdoin College.

Here’s today’s WCME Midcoast Morning Buzz interview with Mark Robin.

And the Streisand show-stopper.