Learning on ScreenMaking of West Side Story, The
- Synopsis
- Radio series, hosted by Paul Lazarus, celebrating the American musical theatre. This programme includes excerpts from a Dramatists Guild symposium with panelists Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim. The excerpts are introduced by Lazarus and interspersed with music from the original cast recording of West Side Story. Robbins describes the origins of the concept of a modern version of Romeo and Juliet and Bernstein and Laurents speak of why they decided to focus on Puerto Rican immigrants. Sondheim discusses two disagreements about the ordering of numbers in the stage and screen versions and Robbins’ decision to keep the Sharks and Jets separate in rehearsal. Sondheim and Laurents discuss the problems of finding equivalents for plot devices in the Shakespeare text.
- Series
- Anything Goes
- Language
- English
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Radio
- Transmission details
- 1985 (Channel: WBAI)
- Duration
- 29 mins
Credits
- Director
- Leonard Bernstein; Paul Lazarus
- Contributor
- Arthur Laurents; Jerome Robbins; Stephen Sondheim
Additional Details
- Production type
- Documentary/Educational/News
- Plays
- Romeo and Juliet
- Subjects
- Dance; Music
- Keywords
- musicals; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Notes
- History
- Transmission date not known but excerpts recorded at a Dramatists Guild symposium in New York April 18 1985.
Archive
- Name
Dance Collection, Jerome Robbins Dance Division
- dance@nypl.org
- Web
- http://www.nypl.org/research/lpa/dan/dan.html External site opens in new window
- Phone
- 212 870 1657
- Fax
- 212 870 1869
- Address
- New York Library for the Performing Arts
40 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York
NY 10023 7498
Record Stats
This record has been viewed 630 times.
