West Side Story

Newport Beach-born actor Kyle Harris wasn't a fan of "West Side Story" while growing up in Orange County, but the musical has since touched his life again and again. He was selected for the leading role of Tony in the show's touring Broadway production - to arrive at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa on Tuesday - after appearing in a sketch comedy production called "Web Site Story," which appeared on YouTube. "It's about Tony meeting Maria on Facebook, and it blew up and became viral really fast, which I did not expect at all," the 20-something Harris said in an interview.

"West Side Story" was credited with changing the course of American musical theater when the Sharks and the Jets burst onto Broadway 55 years ago. A national touring revival of the Broadway hit is coming to Orange County from Tuesday through Sept. 18 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. The production will feature songs from the renowned Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim score, including American songbook standards like "Tonight," "America" and "I Feel Pretty.

Jennifer K Mahal Robert Wise's study holds four Oscars, the Irving Thalberg award and honors from the Directors Guild of America. On Friday, another laurel will be heaped upon the famed film director's head -- the second-ever Newport Beach Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award. Wise said he doesn't have any particular connection to Newport Beach, but is "very pleased" to be honored by the festival, which is held in the spring. The award will be presented in conjunction with the 50th anniversary screening of what Wise calls his "third best-known film," "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

It's been a half a century since Chita Rivera broke out of the chorus and into history as Anita in the original Broadway production of "West Side Story," but you couldn't tell it by looking at the lady herself. Rivera, who headlines the musically autobiographical show "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life" at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, can kick up her heels and belt out a show-stopping number with the best of them — no matter that she once suffered a devastating leg injury in an automobile accident and that she turned 74 two months ago. Her life, it seems, would make a good musical with all the appropriate highs and lows — from the "Dancing on the Kitchen Table" days with her large Latino family in the nation's capital through the first ballet class, her "gypsy" days in early 1950s musicals and into the biggies like "West Side Story," "Bye Bye Birdie," "Sweet Charity" and "Chicago."

Four years before Rita Moreno won an Oscar for "West Side Story" back in 1962, Chita Rivera created the role of Anita on Broadway. Before Janet Leigh feigned Latino heritage about the same time in "Bye Bye Birdie," Rivera had been there first, as the original Rosie. Before Catherine Zeta-Jones won her Oscar for "Chicago," Rivera had created her character of Velma Kelly in 1975. Tuesday, Chita Rivera's lengthy career will be celebrated at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in a new musical, "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life," running through March 25. Written by noted playwright and four-time Tony-winner Terrence McNally ("Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune")

High-intensity and outstanding vocal talent prevail in two musical theater productions now enjoying brief local engagements — “West Side Story” at UCI’s Irvine Barclay Theater and “The Color Purple” at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. It’s hard to believe, but “West Side Story” now is a certified antique, having first burst onto Broadway in 1957 with its rookie lyricist, Stephen Sondheim. Four years later, the movie version won 10 Oscars, including best picture.

Editor?s note: This is the second of three columns reviewing local theater in 2008. ? Local theater production was particularly abundant in 2008, with two community theaters and three colleges offering some challenging and impressive projects. At the Newport Theater Arts Center, the year?s top show in a year of revivals was ?The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,? a dramatized section of Herman Wouk?s famous novel, directed by Gigi Fusco Meese. Runner-up was the madcap comedy ?

Amy Spurgeon Tanning beds, fitness training, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, AIDS and microwave ovens all played a part in defining the 1980s in Newport-Mesa and the nation. Women began to play a bigger role in the workplace and, as a result, their hair and wardrobe changed dramatically. Women were wearing shorter hair and exercised the option of wearing pantsuits instead of dresses. Cotton fabrics replaced polyester and tennis shoes replaced the penny loafer.

Vanguard University's theater department is in full swing, planning and rehearsing for its 2007-08 season. This fall's lineup includes "America's Broadway," "Twelfth Night" and "It's a Wonderful Life." "This line-up of shows is our most audience-friendly and the most challenging season to date. We have always produced shows that push the envelope artistically, but this is definitely going to be an adventure ride," said Sue Berkompas, Vanguard University theater department chairwoman.

To successfully revive a modern classic musical such as "West Side Story" for the 21st century, you need more than melodic voices and inspired choreography. You need the elusive ingredient of attitude — an "us vs. them" mentality that pervades the production. Thankfully, all three elements are present in abundance in the current incarnation of the landmark musical now in residence at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa . The show virtually bubbles over in attitude, establishing a conflict early on that will lead quite naturally to tragic consequences.

"West Side Story" was credited with changing the course of American musical theater when the Sharks and the Jets burst onto Broadway 55 years ago. A national touring revival of the Broadway hit is coming to Orange County from Tuesday through Sept. 18 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. The production will feature songs from the renowned Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim score, including American songbook standards like "Tonight," "America" and "I Feel Pretty.

Newport Beach-born actor Kyle Harris wasn't a fan of "West Side Story" while growing up in Orange County, but the musical has since touched his life again and again. He was selected for the leading role of Tony in the show's touring Broadway production - to arrive at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa on Tuesday - after appearing in a sketch comedy production called "Web Site Story," which appeared on YouTube. "It's about Tony meeting Maria on Facebook, and it blew up and became viral really fast, which I did not expect at all," the 20-something Harris said in an interview.

Editor?s note: This is the second of three columns reviewing local theater in 2008. ? Local theater production was particularly abundant in 2008, with two community theaters and three colleges offering some challenging and impressive projects. At the Newport Theater Arts Center, the year?s top show in a year of revivals was ?The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,? a dramatized section of Herman Wouk?s famous novel, directed by Gigi Fusco Meese. Runner-up was the madcap comedy ?

High-intensity and outstanding vocal talent prevail in two musical theater productions now enjoying brief local engagements — “West Side Story” at UCI’s Irvine Barclay Theater and “The Color Purple” at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. It’s hard to believe, but “West Side Story” now is a certified antique, having first burst onto Broadway in 1957 with its rookie lyricist, Stephen Sondheim. Four years later, the movie version won 10 Oscars, including best picture.

Vanguard University's theater department is in full swing, planning and rehearsing for its 2007-08 season. This fall's lineup includes "America's Broadway," "Twelfth Night" and "It's a Wonderful Life." "This line-up of shows is our most audience-friendly and the most challenging season to date. We have always produced shows that push the envelope artistically, but this is definitely going to be an adventure ride," said Sue Berkompas, Vanguard University theater department chairwoman.

The Orange County Performing Arts Center presents a free showing of the "West Side Story" Monday evening in celebration of the musical's 50th Broadway premiere anniversary at 8:30 p.m. in the center's Plaza. The musical spin on "Romeo and Juliet," William Shakespeare's most famous story of unrequited love follows Maria and Tony, two kids from rival New York City gangs who fall for each other. The story is set to a snappy score and a slew of unforgettable songs. The film won 10 Academy Awards featuring the music of Leonard Bernstein, directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer and Rita Moreno.

It's been a half a century since Chita Rivera broke out of the chorus and into history as Anita in the original Broadway production of "West Side Story," but you couldn't tell it by looking at the lady herself. Rivera, who headlines the musically autobiographical show "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life" at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, can kick up her heels and belt out a show-stopping number with the best of them — no matter that she once suffered a devastating leg injury in an automobile accident and that she turned 74 two months ago. Her life, it seems, would make a good musical with all the appropriate highs and lows — from the "Dancing on the Kitchen Table" days with her large Latino family in the nation's capital through the first ballet class, her "gypsy" days in early 1950s musicals and into the biggies like "West Side Story," "Bye Bye Birdie," "Sweet Charity" and "Chicago."

Four years before Rita Moreno won an Oscar for "West Side Story" back in 1962, Chita Rivera created the role of Anita on Broadway. Before Janet Leigh feigned Latino heritage about the same time in "Bye Bye Birdie," Rivera had been there first, as the original Rosie. Before Catherine Zeta-Jones won her Oscar for "Chicago," Rivera had created her character of Velma Kelly in 1975. Tuesday, Chita Rivera's lengthy career will be celebrated at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in a new musical, "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life," running through March 25. Written by noted playwright and four-time Tony-winner Terrence McNally ("Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune")

If any theater were to present a true Stephen Sondheim retrospective highlighting the Broadway composer's first 50 years (which will come to fruition in 2007), audiences would have to bring their midnight snacks — and breakfast. Failing that, we still have "Side by Side by Sondheim," a musical revue that celebrates approximately the first half of his career, before such shows as "Sweeney Todd," "Into the Woods" or "Assassins." But there's still plenty of material from which to draw.