Schaumburg Summer Theatre presents 'West Side Story'
The Schaumburg Summer Theatre program is giving a nod to the village's 60th anniversary by staging a landmark musical almost as old as the town when Schaumburg Bank and Trust presents "West Side Story" at the Prairie Center for the Arts for two weekends beginning Friday, July 29.
"'West Side Story' is really the 'Hamilton' of its time," says Prairie Center Production Supervisor Rob Pileckis, bringing to mind reviews that called the 1957 work "a milestone in musical-drama history" (Time magazine).
And while the book's hyper-stylized slang may be forever trapped in the 1950s, Leonard Bernstein's iconic score continues to pack a visceral wallop. Few musicals boast as many instantly recognizable songs, which include "America," "Maria," "I Feel Pretty," and "Tonight."
The show also owes much of its timeless quality to the play that inspired it: Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" (and, before that, Ovid's "Pyramus and Thisbe").
In "West Side Story," the Montagues and Capulets of Verona are replaced by the Sharks and the Jets warring over turf in New York City. Maria, sister to Puerto Rican Shark leader Bernardo, falls for Tony, whose previous allegiance to the Jets sets the conflict in motion.
The featured cast of "West Side Story" includes Colin Bokowy of Algonquin as Tony and Melissa Wickland of Schaumburg as Maria. Ian Joseph of Hoffman Estates portrays Tony's right-hand man Riff, and Barrington's Cameron Holzman plays his nemesis Bernardo, with Teah Mirabelli of Lake Zurich playing Anita.
Alex Lapinski of Oak Brook portrays Action and Villa Park's Genevieve Corkery plays Anybodys, while Dillon Tartaglia of Naperville plays Detective Schrank and Schaumburg's Christian Gustafson portrays Officer Krupke.
The principal cast is rounded off with Andrew Fairbank of Villa Park playing Doc and Mount Prospect resident Richard Eyre portraying Glad Hand.
The Jets also include Bartlett resident Connor Murray; Bensenville resident Adriana Tronco; Berwyn resident Caden Marshall; Cary resident Luke Rands; Deer Park resident Joel Hess; Lombard residents Sean Kohrt, Renata Leighton, Chris Turner, Kim Turner, and Stephanie Turner; Palatine resident Danny Hollander; St. Charles resident Jamie Anne Dowat; Villa Park residents Halena Allen, Carrington Breckenridge, John DeAngelo, Ryan Frandsen, Mariana Martens, and Dominic Stryker; and Vernon Hills resident Aubrey Black.
The archrival Sharks include Chicago residents Kylea Canada and Marcus Canada; Elgin resident Quamie Hayes; Hoffman Estates resident Sofia Morales; Huntley resident Alix Rhode; Lombard residents Kassie Carmona, Nico Colangelo, Isabella Ledonne, Vincenzo Ledonne, Kathleen Gomez, Carlos Olmedo, Owen Peterson, and Andrew Ramos; Palatine residents Justin Davis, Bob DiLeo, Kat DiLeo, Mary DiLeo, Keely McEnery, and Jakob Reitsma; Schaumburg residents Joshua Dizon and Andrew Luzwick; Hoffman Estates resident Sarah Davis; Roselle resident Clarissa Consoli; South Elgin resident Adrian Mesino; Villa Park residents Julia Cicero, Kathleen Cicero, Hannah Martens, Emily O'Brochta, and Bri White; and Wood Dale resident Catherine Mojsiewicz.
"West Side Story" is directed by Rob Pileckis, with music direction by Marc Beth, choreography by Michele Leslie Holzman, costumes by Melissa Crabtree, set design by Phil Seifritz, technical direction by Ethan Goldspiel, and assistant direction by Mike Concialdi.
If you go
What: "West Side Story"
When: 7:30 p.m. July 29, 30, Aug. 5, 6
Where: Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg
Cost: $20, $16 for students and seniors
Tickets: (847) 895-3600 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or <a href="http://www.prairiecenter.org">www.prairiecenter.org</a>