What I discovered instead was a deeply sincere enactment of Laurents' story that never tried to impersonate the movie version. I found myself watching the flawed but energetic production numbers as if they were a reality show version of themselves. These Sharks and Jets dance like kids actually might if they were trapped in Hells Kitchen and chose to rumba rather than rumble. Their often-imperfect take on Jerome Robbins complex choreography gives the dances a different, more sincere kind of appeal that made watching this rerun all the more enjoyable.
So did Amber Gildersleeves performance as Maria. Her innocent, charming enactment of the flighty Puerto Rican gal who falls for a white boy and her impressive singing chops are almost certainly why Desert Stages mounted this show in the first place. Shes well supported by Edgar Andrew Torrens athletic and charismatic turn as Riff, and by director/choreographer Antonio Villarreals graceful, sinister Bernardo. I wanted Lynn Berrys Anita to be less tentative, more fiery, but her pleasant singing voice and flirty stage presence were enough to convince me that maybe she was having an off night.
Unfortunately, Brad Rupps Tony lacks the passion and depth of emotion -- not to mention the ability to hit those nice round high notes -- needed for one of musical theaters best-known romantic heroes. Rupps is a white bread, president-of-the-Key-Club sort of Tony, one whos so harshly lit by Oliver Buchanons unforgiving spotlight that he appears twice his young age at times. I tried to believe that Maria might have fallen for him, but to no avail.
In a story about race relations, Villarreals color-blind casting is more than a little distracting, especially since its resulted in some of the whitest Sharks ever to grace the stage. And who must I fellate in return for never, ever having to watch another performer strapped to a headset mike? Tell me and Ill go to him. The mikes used here are especially annoying and obtrusive -- taped to Jet faces, and trailing black rubber cords down into Shark couture -- and look ridiculous. Worse, they make the singers voices sound tinny and far-off. Why not just let the performers project their voices, or turn down the (unfortunately) prerecorded music? Its a mystery.
The facilitys in-the-round layout allows for some interesting staging tricks, as when Sharks and Jets tumble out of various corners of the hall, but it also adds an unfortunate opportunity for audience members to insinuate themselves into the proceedings, as when an octogenarian stumbled out for a pee break during the climactic rumble scene at the end of Act One, which necessitated his practically joining the action that spilled out into the aisles. Or the kid who climbed onto the stage during intermission and made off with the switchblade left behind by one of the Sharks a few moments before.
Then again, West Side Story is a show that belongs to its audience, a show theyve seen so often, they feel free to interact with it. I, too, felt invited to relax and enjoy this unusually competent, small-scale production of a big-deal show.