West Side Story

Gary Moskowitz LA CRESCENTA -- Seong Park is putting a new twist on the character of "Tony" in "West Side Story." Seong, 15, a sophomore at Crescenta Valley High School, will portray the lead character in the school's production of "West Side Story" as "Tony Ambroziak." Performances begin tonight at 7 in the school's auditorium. "I made up the name 'Ambroziak' because of ambrosia, which is like an aphrodisiac," Seong said. "But the unique aspect of our play is that we are representing many ethnicities.

Tickets are on sale for this year's production of "West Side Story" by The Stepping Stone Players Sept. 10 to 26, at the Hoover High School auditorium. The Stepping Stone Players is a nonprofit community theater group with the vision to inspire a sense of community, by encouraging the participation of people of all ages and backgrounds in an annual production. Two Sunday matinee performances have American Sign Language interpretation. Herb Isaacs will direct this year's production with Robert Brandzel as music director, Jeremy Lucas as choreographer and David Potter as scenic designer.

Students, teachers, and volunteers at La Cañada High School are in full rehearsal mode for this year's All-School Musical, "West Side Story." The show will open at 7:30 p.m. on May 31 and will run through June 3, with five performances in all. The story line, fashioned after Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," is still a timely one. In a description of the 1961 film of "West Side Story," the West Side is referred to as "the slums of New York City,"...

The Glendale Community College dance, music and theater arts departments are rehearsing a production of "West Side Story," which will open Aug. 9 for nine performances. Shows are in the Auditorium Mainstage Theatre at 8 p.m. Aug. 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24 and Sunday matinees are at 3 p.m. Aug. 11, 18 and 25. The musical is based on a concept by Jerome Robbins. The book was written by Arthur Laurents, music is by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

The Stepping Stone Players, Glendale's community theatre group, will soon present the Tony-award winning musical, "West Side Story." Nine performances are scheduled for September with two Sunday matinee performances that will have American Sign Language interpretation. Now in their fifth season, the troupe continues to attract both deaf and hearing audiences to their "near Broadway quality" performances of popular Broadway musical shows. The Stepping Stone Players is a nonprofit Glendale-based community theater group with the vision to inspire a sense of community by encouraging the participation of people of all ages and backgrounds in their annual production.

George Chakiris, who received an Academy Award for the role of Bernardo in the 1961 film "West Side Story," will grace The Stepping Stone Players' rehearsal stage Aug. 19. Chakiris played the role of Riff (leader of the Jets) in the London stage production and later played the role of Bernardo (leader of the rival Sharks) in Robert Wise's film version of "West Side Story." Chakiris made his acting debut singing in the chorus for the film "Song of Love" and has worked regularly on stage and screen since his debut at the age of 12. When he heard of the Stepping Stone Players production, Chakiris enthusiastically contacted the producers to offer his presence during rehearsals and performances.

Darleene Barrientos The Alex Film Society has reserved its last night this season for love, "West Side Story"-style. The society's season ends Saturday with two screenings of the 1961 movie musical "West Side Story." The Academy Award- winning musical stars Natalie Wood, Rita Moreno, Russ Tamblyn and George Chakiris. Chakiris, who plays Bernardo, will also be on hand as the theater's on-stage guest during the second showing Saturday. The nonprofit organization shows classic American films at the historic Alex Theatre at 216 N. Brand Blvd.

Joyce Rudolph Alex Free Brown Bag series features belly dancers GLENDALE -- The Alex Theatre continues its Free Brown Bag Concert Series Thursday with Leela with SlomeJihad Belly Dance Troupe. Concerts are from noon to 1 p.m. every Thursday in The Alex forecourt and feature area musicians, actors, poets, dancers, magicians, choirs and school groups. The public is invited to bring their lunch and enjoy the entertainment. Beverage service will be available.

“When you're a kid, you're a kid all the way….” “West Side Story” meets Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB gun in “A Christmas Westside Story,” the latest pop culture mash-up from the deliriously daft Troubadour Theatre Company, running through Jan. 15 at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank. This anarchic troupe of clowns is known for mining comedic gold from inspired pairings of stage, TV and film classics with classic rock 'n' roll. “As U2 Like It,” “Fleetwood Macbeth” and “It's a Stevie Wonderful Life” are examples of past Troubie hilarity.

Descanso Gardens Pasadena Pops series will be looking back at the year 1957 this weekend for “76 Trombones and More.” To celebrate, the Pops will be exploring not only music but cultural influences of the Baby Boom era. The diverse program will also include a salute to Humphrey Bogart with music from “Treasure of Sierra Madre” and Erich Korngold’s “The Sea Hawk Overture.” But it is the influence of 1957 that will take center stage when Richie Ramone joins the orchestra to perform the Buddy Rich drum tribute to “West Side Story.

Direct from Broadway, two-time Tony Award-winner Chita Rivera is coming to the Wilshire Theatre-Beverly Hills, in a dazzling new musical that celebrates her astonishing career for only eight performances from Tuesday, March 27 to Sunday, April 1. "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life," a musical celebrating the life and career of one of America's most beloved stage performers, is written by four time Tony Award-winner Terrence McNally, and directed and...

"West Side Story" may be nearly 50 years old, but the cast and crew behind the La Cañada High School production, which debuts on Wednesday night, hope audiences will still be able to relate to the story's themes of young love and tragedy. The musical about two young lovers from rival gangs on the streets of New York is as relevant today as it was years ago, said choreographer Kerry Rupe. The struggle of the "Sharks" ? made up of Puerto Rican immigrants ? is particularly poignant, she said.

Students, teachers, and volunteers at La Cañada High School are in full rehearsal mode for this year's All-School Musical, "West Side Story." The show will open at 7:30 p.m. on May 31 and will run through June 3, with five performances in all. The story line, fashioned after Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," is still a timely one. In a description of the 1961 film of "West Side Story," the West Side is referred to as "the slums of New York City,"...

There is nobody more surprised than me that I would be writing a Stephen Sondheim review and liking it. Sondheim, was until just recently, my least favorite of the composer/lyricists. I became his instant fan last week when his "Side by Side by Sondheim" opened at the Pasadena Playhouse. This production with singers Davis Gaines (of "Phantom" fame) Julie Dixon Jackson and Teri Ralston, was energetic, fun and fantastic. This compilation of Sondheim lyrics from plays such as "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," "A Little Night Music," "Company," "Follies," "Evening Primrose," "Anyone Can Whistle," "Do I hear a Waltz," "The Mad Show," Pacific Overtures," "West Side Story" and "Gypsy.

RITA PARDUE-FALLMAN Mark Keppel parents and producers, Lee Briggs and Leslie Waltzer, invite everyone to this weekend's final performances of the Stepping Stone Players production, "West Side Story." Directed by Susan Kussman, "West Side Story" will be performed at 7 tonight and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Hoover High School Auditorium, 651 Glenwood Road, Glendale. Sunday's performance includes American Sign Language interpretation. For information on becoming a Stepping Stone Players supporter, call the hotline at 246-8822.

Beth Colcord All was hot in Glendale this past week as The Stepping Stone Players presented the musical "West Side Story" in Hoover High School's steamy auditorium where both the actors and audience worked up a sweat. The story, based on Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," tells the tale of two rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, as they taunt each other while vying for ownership of a small stretch of street territory. This is a story told also mainly through dance and I thought the choreography in this production shone.

Darleene Barrientos What do you get when you mix a community theater group's actors and an Academy Award-winning star as their coach? Find out Friday when the Stepping Stone Players presents its production of "West Side Story," after weeks of coaching help from George Chakiris, who played both "Riff" and "Bernardo" in previous stage and film versions of the love story. Chakiris won an Academy Award for best supporting actor for his performance as Bernardo in the 1961 film.