Romeo and Juliet: West Side Story
by William Shakespeare, Leonard Bernstein (Composer), Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim
West Side Story
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West side story is based on one of Shakespeare's finest tragedies, Romeo and Juliet. In this volume are both works, which, though separated by centuries, parallel each other in many ways.Tags
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Two of my favorite plays--I read them so many times my copy fell apart and is no longer in my physical library. Others of Shakespeare's plays have overtaken Romeo & Juliet in my estimation, but not in my heart. Likewise, Stoppard's Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are dead is a better play than West Side Story, but I can think of nothing better to give a young teen than this volume with the two plays side by side.
Classics, both of them. Both plays, with decent actors--mesmerizing.
Full scripts of both plays, plus some comparisons.
The rating on this book applies to West Side Story; Romeo and Juliet is listed separately.
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6,061+ Works 441,878 Members
William Shakespeare, 1564 - 1616 Although there are many myths and mysteries surrounding William Shakespeare, a great deal is actually known about his life. He was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, son of John Shakespeare, a prosperous merchant and local politician and Mary Arden, who had the wealth to send their oldest son to Stratford Grammar School. show more At 18, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, the 27-year-old daughter of a local farmer, and they had their first daughter six months later. He probably developed an interest in theatre by watching plays performed by traveling players in Stratford while still in his youth. Some time before 1592, he left his family to take up residence in London, where he began acting and writing plays and poetry. By 1594 Shakespeare had become a member and part owner of an acting company called The Lord Chamberlain's Men, where he soon became the company's principal playwright. His plays enjoyed great popularity and high critical acclaim in the newly built Globe Theatre. It was through his popularity that the troupe gained the attention of the new king, James I, who appointed them the King's Players in 1603. Before retiring to Stratford in 1613, after the Globe burned down, he wrote more than three dozen plays (that we are sure of) and more than 150 sonnets. He was celebrated by Ben Jonson, one of the leading playwrights of the day, as a writer who would be "not for an age, but for all time," a prediction that has proved to be true. Today, Shakespeare towers over all other English writers and has few rivals in any language. His genius and creativity continue to astound scholars, and his plays continue to delight audiences. Many have served as the basis for operas, ballets, musical compositions, and films. While Jonson and other writers labored over their plays, Shakespeare seems to have had the ability to turn out work of exceptionally high caliber at an amazing speed. At the height of his career, he wrote an average of two plays a year as well as dozens of poems, songs, and possibly even verses for tombstones and heraldic shields, all while he continued to act in the plays performed by the Lord Chamberlain's Men. This staggering output is even more impressive when one considers its variety. Except for the English history plays, he never wrote the same kind of play twice. He seems to have had a good deal of fun in trying his hand at every kind of play. Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets, all published on 1609, most of which were dedicated to his patron Henry Wriothsley, The Earl of Southhampton. He also wrote 13 comedies, 13 histories, 6 tragedies, and 4 tragecomedies. He died at Stratford-upon-Avon April 23, 1616, and was buried two days later on the grounds of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. His cause of death was unknown, but it is surmised that he knew he was dying. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Considered by many the greatest figure in American music, Leonard Bernstein was a charismatic and controversial conductor, a gifted teacher, an accomplished pianist, and a highly admired composer. As a teacher, Bernstein communicated his love for music, whether classical or popular, through his Young People's Concerts, many of which were show more televised. At the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Massachusetts, he taught many students who are now present-day conductors of American symphony orchestras. As a composer Bernstein is best known for his popular works, including the Broadway musicals West Side Story (1958), Candide (1956), and Wonderful Town; the film score for On the Waterfront ; and the ballet Fancy Free (1958). However, it was as a conductor with an exuberant, dynamic, and dramatic style that Bernstein captured the attention of the American public. Born to Russian-Jewish immigrants in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1918, Bernstein started taking piano lessons at the age of 10, using his own allowance to pay for the lessons. He continued his musical studies at the Curtis Institute of Music, in Philadelphia, where he quickly displayed his varied talents as a pupil of renowned conductor Fritz Reiner. At the age of 25, Bernstein became an overnight sensation when he substituted for an ailing conductor during a concert. In 1958, when he was named musical director of the New York Philharmonic, Bernstein became the first native-born American to head a symphony orchestra. His association with the New York Philharmonic lasted until 1969, when he resigned to concentrate on composing. Bernstein died in 1990. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
44+ Works 2,775 Members
Arthur Laurents (1917-2011), a playwright, screenwriter, and director, wrote two of Broadway's landmark shows, Gypsy and West Side Story, and created one of Hollywood's most well-known romances, The Way We Were. He is the author of Original Story By, his first autobiography. David Saint (New Brunswick, NJ) and Laurents worked together on eleven show more plays and musicals, including the hit Broadway revival and national tour of West Side Story and seven world premieres by Laurents at George Street Playhouse. Now in his fifteenth season as the artistic director of the George Street Playhouse, Saint has directed thirty-nine mainstage productions and is the recipient of the Alan Schneider Award, Helen Hayes Award, Los Angeles Drama Critics Award, and several Drama-Logue Awards. show less
306+ Works 7,056 Members
Stephen Sondheim was born in New York and studied music at Williams College, where he wrote the lyrics and music for two college shows. Sondheim also studied at Princeton University with Milton Babbit. He received recognition for writing lyrics for Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story (1957) and success as a lyricist-composer with A Funny Thing show more Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962). However, his next musical, Anyone Can Whistle (1964), was unsuccessful. The production of Company (1970) again established Sondheim as a major composer and lyricist on Broadway. Sondheim's other productions include Follies (1971); A Little Night Music (1973), wherein its leading song, "Send in the Clowns," was awarded a Grammy in 1976; and Sunday in the Park with George (1983), a musical inspired by George Seurat's famous painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte." He has won him three Tony Awards, a Grammy Award, the New York Drama Critics Circle Best Musical Award, and the Pulitzer Prize. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Romeo and Juliet: West Side Story
- Original publication date
- 1965
- First words
- Romeo and Juliet: Two households both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
West Side Story: Krupke: "Knock it off! Settle down." - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Romeo and Juliet: For never was a story of more woe,
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo. [Exeunt]
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)West Side Story: Maria: "Te adoro, Anton."
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Statistics
- Members
- 744
- Popularity
- 37,753
- Reviews
- 4
- Rating
- (4.04)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 12
