The Jets and the Sharks – two gangs, two races, one neighborhood.

Thursday, November 09, 2000

The Jets and the Sharks – two gangs, two races, one neighborhood. Add to that a romance between a boy named Tony and a girl named Maria and you’ve got "West Side Story." Or is it Romeo and Juliet?

More than 50 Austin High School students make up the cast and orchestra for the famous musical, which opens at 7 tonight at the high school’s Christgau Hall. Watchers be warned, these are songs – "America," "The Jet’s Song," "Tonight," and "Maria" – that linger in the mind for days, if not weeks.

Director Val Johnson is hoping that the message behind the musical will linger even longer. She explains how the cast members are planning to reinforce that message by skipping the curtain call.

"Instead, the kids have a statement against violence and gang violence," she said.

Not that gangs are rampant at AHS, but there are gang wannabes and rumors of gangs at the school. There are also more and more students of different ethnic backgrounds attending the high school, a bonus that brings with it occasional tensions.

So, the production has at least two purposes: to entertain, and to make people think about the senselessness of violence, and the damages that go beyond the moment of anger or prejudice.

"If people come, they will really enjoy it," Johnson said. "I’m sure of it."

The director said she was really impressed by the number of students who wanted to be involved in the program. Joe Shada, the senior who helped put the set together, was one of these.

"Some of the ideas for the set came from Joe," Johnson said. "He’s a real hard worker – we were lucky to have him."

Johnson was assisted by musical director Nate Wradislavsky and choreographer Bridget Bellrichard. This will be a first combined effort for all three.