Jets and Sharks to rumble at Waubonsie Valley

The Jets and Sharks will square off four more times at Waubonsie Valley High School.

No the Warriors haven't changed their nickname. But dozens of Waubonsie students will be on stage this weekend presenting Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story."

Director David Calvert said the production was selected to give as many students as possible an opportunity to perform, especially males who often take back seats in school musicals.

"It's a popular show that we haven't done at Waubonsie since the early 1990s," Calvert said. "Interest was high as soon as the title was posted and we had 85 students audition. Many of them were guys and we were able to use almost every one of them."

The story of two lovers thwarted by their connections to local teenage gangs is based on William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet."

Henry McGinniss, a 17-year-old junior from Aurora, said he was pleasantly surprised when he won the male lead role of Tony.

"Basically I fall in love with a beautiful girl and get shot in the end," McGinniss said. "But this is such a unique musical because I'm fighting for Maria's love but struggle because she hates the gang lifestyle. And the music is incredible."

Calvert said the Waubonsie production will remain true to the original story, not the 1961 film.

"We are staying true to both the story and conflict while presenting both of those ideas on stage," Calvert said. "Our set pieces are also amazing recreations of Hell's Kitchen in the late 1950s as they keep reinforcing the setting, tension and the theme."

Junior Antoinette Konow, 17, of Naperville, will play Tony's love interest, Maria.

"This is a dream role for me," Konow said. "I've wanted to play Maria for years so I'm very excited."

While the sets are spectacular, Konow said the audience is sure to fall in love with all the characters.

"We sing, we dance and there's even some stage combat that will get the crowd excited," she said. "We've all worked really hard to make this a show not to be forgotten."

<p class="factboxheadblack">If you go</p> <p class="News"><b>What:</b> "West Side Story," presented by Waubonsie Valley High School</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Waubonsie Valley High School, 2590 Ogden Ave., Aurora</p> <p class="News"><b>When:</b> 7:30 p.m. May 7-9; 2 p.m. May 10</p> <p class="News"><b>Cost:</b> $9 for adults, $6 for students and seniors</p>