Description: Over sixty years after its opening night, West Side Story is perhaps the most famous and beloved of twentieth-century musicals and stands as a colossus of musical and dramatic achievement. It not only helped define a generation of musical theatre lovers but is among the handful of shows that have contributed to our understanding of American musical identity at mid-century. Bringing together contemporary scholars in music, theatre, dance, literature, and performance, this Companion explores this explosive 1950s remake of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and its portrayal of the raw passion, rivalries, jealousy and rage that doom the young lovers to their tragic fate. Organised thematically, chapters range from Broadway's history and precursors to West Side Story; the early careers of its creators; the show's score with emphasis on writing, production, and orchestrations; issues of class, colourism, and racism; New York's gang culture, and how the show's legacy can be found in popular culture throughout the world.
Brief description: Paul R. Laird is Professor Emeritus of Musicology at the University of Kansas. As a scholar of musical theatre, he specialises in the careers of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Schwartz. With William A. Everett, he co-edited three editions of The Cambridge Companion to the Musical.
Review Quotes: 'I would absolutely recommend it as a resource for student research projects. ... All the writing is accessible enough for undergraduate researchers if they are in the appropriate field. The Companion includes a rich collection of essays by major scholars while clearly referencing the extensive scholarship surrounding this show. In sum, this edited volume is a welcome addition to the scholarship on West Side Story.' Megan Woller, Notes, the Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association