West Side Story at New Candlelight Theater

Theater: New Candlelight Theatre
Show Title: West Side Story
Opened: March 7, 2008
Seen: March 8, 2008
Reviewer: Ryan Bunch
Submitted: March 13, 2008

As I was preparing to go see West Side Story at New Candlelight Theater, I remarked to a couple of people that although West Side Story is a show I admire for its important artistic contributions to the musical theater, it is not really a show that I love.

A lot of people consider West Side Story to be the best musical ever, and I can appreciate why. It takes one of the most compelling stories in the world, Romeo and Juliet, and transplants it to New York’s Upper West Side in the 1950s, raising the stakes of the drama enormously in the process. The songs are powerful, and the extensive use of dance to assist in telling the story was not only groundbreaking at the time, but remains the exemplar of dance integration in musicals today.

Maybe it’s because the show is so dark, or because some of the dialog is sort of stilted, or maybe it’s just the sheer weightiness of the whole piece, which seems conscious of its own importance. At any rate, I went in to the show expecting to appreciate it more than love it.

What I failed to prepare for adequately was the undeniable. The show is simply brilliant. And not only that, I loved it.

New Candlelight’s West Side Story is not perfect, but they’ve got the gist and spirit of the thing right. There are some deficiencies. The dancing is just a little less tight than you hope. Some of the singing falls just a little bit short of what the score demands. Occasionally the blocking in the musical numbers is just a little bit static and detached. And I wasn’t around at the time, but I think some of the hairstyles are a little out of place for the time period.

These problems, though numerous, are slight. There is much more about the production that is good and the end result is a compelling show. The performers maintain a high level of energy throughout the show, and even where there are little blemishes, it never fails to be entertaining and ultimately to deliver an emotional impact. It might even be said that enthusiasm counts for as much as polish in some of the dances.

For the most part, director Chris Albert’s has opted for a colorful, even cinematic, visual design. The costumes are bright and coordinated, and the lighting design makes dramatic use of color, angle and space. The combination of the visual, choreographic and sound elements lend the whole production a feeling of largeness.

In the end, little flaws barely make a dent in the overall impact of the show. I’d recommend New Candlelight’s West Side Story to old fans of West Side Story and newcomers alike.

West Side Story runs through May 18. Call 302-475-2313 or visit www.newcandlelighttheatre.com for more information.

Ryan Bunch is a vocal instructor, writer and composer specializing in musical theater and theater for young audiences. He has provided voice training, musical direction, songwriting, script development and educational services for the Opera Company of Philadelphia, Mainstage Center for the Arts, Center Stage Productions, Chichester School District, West Chester Summer Stage, Renaissance Artist Puppet Company, and the Players Board of Chestnut Hill Academy and Springside School. For additional information visit www.ryanbunch.com.