West Side Story: Going out with a Bang

Madison Weikle, staff writer

The stage lights open on a spunky, blonde dancer. She smiles at the audience then with a snap of her fingers, the band starts to play. West Side Story is a musical take on the classic story of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The performance, like the play itself, went through a series of ups and downs, ending on a bang.

While some performances were less than satisfactory and a few casting choices puzzled the audience, many of the roles were portrayed by strong singers and skilled actors. Stephanie Owen, who played Velma, stunned audiences with her acrobatic-like dance moves. Anna Hicks, portraying Anita, belted her way into the heart of every person in the room.

Maria, played by Anya Risner, sang with a gentle soprano voice, fit for the star-crossed lover. Her powerful voice echoed through the audience as she sang, “There’s a place for us. Somewhere a place for us. Peace and quiet and open air. Wait for us. Somewhere.” Maria sings the reprise of “Somewhere” after her lover Tony is killed by her fiance Chino. Risner’s voice, while beautiful, overshined that of her co-star Jonah Goodman who struggled to hit the high notes Risner glided through.

However, the show went on through all the sharp and flat notes and the experience was overall positive.

Owen said, “The cast really bonded and we all worked really hard to put it together. I think it was important to Charlottesville because of the content. It showed that change is possible even if it isn’t easy. It reminded everyone that love can conquer hate.”