Memories of 'West Side Story

Although it won 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture, West Side Story (WSS) is not among the Top 10 or even the Top 20 all-time great Hollywood films. I did read some critics say it could have been better. But to this day, I still feel like I couldn’t care less. What I recall as a kid is sitting in the theater totally stunned by what I just saw. The thought that WSS could be like that made me breathless. Strong was the description I remember most. It was not Elvis or a Gene Kelly rerun. There was definitely nothing namby-pamby about the movie version of the musical from 1961.

I could not get over how Arthur Laurents transported Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet into the midst of a gang war on the streets of New York. Leonard Bernstein’s music was a heady mix of modern and classical. It was opera with pop songs, some Latin, some jazz and so romantic ballads. Tonight, Somewhere, Maria. I thought the cast, Natalie Wood as Maria, Richard Beymer as Tony, Rita Moreno as Anita and George Chakiris as Bernado was just perfect. And the dancing choreographed by Jerome Robbins was so spirited and beautifully photographed. It was the most amazing I had ever seen.

It was the School of Music of Santa Isabel College that mounted the first local production in 1968. An open casting call brought in an explosion of talented young players most of whom went on to bigger fame. They all sang and danced to the original Bernstein score played by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Eliseo Pajaro. That WSS was so successful that the show was taken on tour and performed to sold-out theaters in the provinces.

Petite soprano Gloria Coronel was Maria. Tommy Abuel who went on to success as a stage, TV and movie actor was Bernardo. Norma Balagtas who later became a recording artist was Anita. Singer Eugene Villaluz before he was a New Minstrel, was considered for Tony but because he lacked the high tenor notes landed Riff. Tony was Ricky Carrasco, who I suppose later decided against showbusiness because we have not heard anything about him since.

An even more ambitious version was produced in 1972. That was West Side Story in Rock wherein the orchestra performed with a rock band. Take note, this was over a decade before somebody came up with a punk WSS in the US. Once again it was a powerhouse cast. Abuel reprised his Bernardo while Gus Aldeguer played Riff. Marilen Martinez made a fiery Anita. Ronnie Henares made a handsome Tony while June Keithley was Maria. There among the cast were newcomers Bernardo Bernardo before he won his Urian and a pre-New Minstrel and Hong Kong stardom Ding Mercado.

Those were only two of the early attempts by Filipino artists to do West Side Story. There have been more since. Alongside watching WSS on TV reruns, on beta, vhs, laser discs and in the DVD copy I now keep, I have other memories of those over the years. Ralion Alonso refusing to be Tony because all he wanted to do was dance as Bernardo. There was Geneva Cruz showing up and then not as Maria. More reliable and surer of voice was Menchu Lauchengco in the same role. And only two or three years ago, there was a promising Jimmy Marquez playing Riff in a Cebu production.

West Side Story opened on Broadway on Sept. 26, 1957. That means that it is now 51 years old. Remarkably, it is not showing any sign of wear or tear. In fact, it remains hip, edgy and as unique as ever. Come September a revival will open in New York. Interestingly, there in news that there will be another version off-Broadway wherein the Puerto Rican characters will talk and sing in Spanish just like they would in real life.

Hereabouts, the situation is no different. It has also been announced that West Side Story will be staged anew. It will star Christian Bautista as Tony while Zsa Zsa Padilla’s daughter Karylle and West End star Joanna Ampil alternate as Maria. This production is but the latest proof of the Pinoy’s enduring fascination with the musical. Christian and the rest of the cast follow in the footsteps of many great Filipino actors and I must say, they have taken on mighty big shoes to fill.