West Side Story at Flat Rock Playhouse
After the razzle-dazzle of Steven Spielberg’s excellent Oscar-winning West Side Story this past awards season, there’s a certain amount of comfort in seeing the Broadway classic back on the stage.
But make no mistake: this is not a complacent, autopilot brand of comfort, but one coursing with an electricity that comes from witnessing one of the all-time great shows performed by a hungry cast ready to leave its mark on tried-and-true material.
Anything less would be unbecoming of the good folks at Flat Rock Playhouse, who know better than most that when a timeless story is told well, it remains vibrant. That’s not to say there’s a ton of surprises in this production, but it’s such an exciting endeavor that, with the right actors, singers, and dancers, it nevertheless feels fresh.
Such a cast is indeed assembled here, and mere months after Ariana DeBose won an Academy Award for her portrayal of cast MVP Anita, Gabriella Enriquez appears poised to etch her name alongside that of DeBose and role originator Rita Moreno on the list of great Anita performances. Enriquez’s energy is evident from her opening line, and she makes good on that charisma throughout such iconic moments as “America,” “Tonight,” “Mambo,” and her emotionally charged “A Boy Like That”/“I Have a Love” combo with Maria (Marilyn Caserta).
Similarly, director Lisa K. Bryant gets fiery turns from smartly-cast — i.e. memorable faces to go with their skills — Eddie Maldonado as Shark leader Bernardo and J. Taylor Wright as his Jet counterpart, Riff. It’s these three roles that define most every presentation of West Side Story, but Caserta’s Maria and Brandon Keith Rogers’ Tony do a fine job propping up the story when needed, despite their notoriously thankless roles.
In addition to the Bernstein/Sondheim songs, which remain potent under the musical direction of Ethan Andersen, and the stunning choreography by Matthew Glover and Hector Flores Jr., the production does wonders with a simple yet effective production design. Dennis C. Maulden gets plenty of mileage from a chain-link fence in place of a curtain curtain and a mobile staircase that adapts to multiple locations, while Patrick Lord’s projections convincingly take these characters around Manhattan in Ashli Arnold Crump’s period-appropriate attire.
Complementing the star-crossed youths and their associates are brief yet sharp turns by a handful of adults, including FRP mainstay Scott Treadway, stealing every scene as drug store owner (and voice of reason) Doc, and the one-two authoritative punch of Bill Chameides’ Lt. Schrank and Joe Ippolito’s Officer Krupke. The latter’s perceived buffoonery inspires an especially rousing rendition of comic centerpiece “Gee, Officer Krupke,” but then it’s back to Seriousville as the characters pass through their remaining fateful decisions.
The climactic results had the July 6 audience reaching for tissues and even gasping with shock — suggesting either an unfamiliarity with the material and/or simply highlighting the expert staging done by Bryant and her gifted collaborators. Indeed, whether you’ve worn out multiple copies of the original cast recording or have yet to read a word of Romeo and Juliet, this production of West Side Story is built to entertain and pull at one’s heartstrings. Be sure to catch it while you can.
West Side Story runs through July 30. For details and tickets, visit FlatRockPlayhouse.org.
(Photos by Scott Treadway/Treadshots, courtesy of Flat Rock Playhouse)
