WHAT: West Side Story (1961, DCP)
WHEN: Wednesday, April 3, 2019 1 PM & 7 PM
WHERE: Pickwick Theatre, Park Ridge, IL
WHAT ELSE: Organist Jay Warren provides pre-show music at 6:30 PM.
HOW MUCH: $12/$10 advance or $8 for the 1 PM matinee. Click Here for tickets!
NOTE: There will be a 10-minute intermission.
The most acclaimed musical of all time finally comes to the Pickwick’s MEGATHEATRE this spring when we proudly present West Side Story (1961). Directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins and starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, and George Chakiris, this “Romeo and Juliet”-inspired musical won ten Academy Awards including Best Picture. With a score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story features some of the most iconic songs including “America,” “I Feel Pretty,” and “Maria.” A groundbreaking work in its choreography of dance and music, West Side Story has a palpable rhythm that captures the energy of young people. It also beautifully represents the urban environment of 1950s America.
West Side Story‘s impact on our culture has been monumental, in part because it tells its story through the universal language of dance. Big and colorful, it’s a very cinematic rendering of the original 1957 Broadway version– and something much more than just Hollywood escapism. It’s a tragedy that deals with some heavy issues that are still with us. Although by today’s standards the gang members in the film resemble more the “Dead End Kids” than anything currently on the streets of Chicago, the film is nevertheless a potent story about the cycle of gang violence, race relations, how other groups see this country– and hate. With a Steven Spielberg remake scheduled to start shooting this summer and another stage adaptation coming to Broadway at Lyric in May, we thought now is the perfect time to screen this landmark film. Meet us at 5 S. Prospect Ave. for a rumble with the Sharks and Jets! We’ll be snapping our fingers and playin’ it cool in the theatre lobby.
~MCH
