The much-loved musical West Side Story is currently playing at Dublin's Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. RTÉ Entertainment's John Byrne talks to the show's New York-based director Lonny Price as the show resumes its world tour.
Conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents, West Side Story took Broadway by storm when it debuted back in 1957.
A hugely successful film adaptation, directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, followed in 1961, which gave the show a global audience and an incredible 10 Oscars. Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake gave it a new look - and a new generation of admirers.
But the stage musical has enjoyed many revivals over the years, and the latest version is in Dublin as part of a world tour that's basically a Broadway show on the road.
An international creative team has been assembled around the New York-based director Lonny Price - and it's a fantastic production that's one of the finest to ever grace the Bord Gáis.
One of the most exciting aspects of this production is that it features the legendary original choreography by Jerome Robbins. But the overall package is just delightful as a superb cast deliver a pacey, passionate and powerful show. It's an exhilarating experience.
As for Lonny Price, he was chosen by composer Leonard Bernstein's son Alex to work on this production. He's an esteemed screen producer, director and actor with great Broadway credentials.
He recently directed Gabriel Byrne in Walking with Ghosts (which also played Dublin Gaiety Theatre), Emma Thompson in Sweeney Todd and Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard all on the New York stage.
I caught up with Lonny on opening night, just before the Sharks and the Jets started to rumble . . .
John Byrne: Welcome to Dublin Lonny!
Lonny Price: I have been here before. I was here for five, or seven weeks with Gabriel Byrne in Walking With Ghosts at The Gaiety. It was last year, maybe a year-and-a-half ago. I love Dublin and I’m so happy to be back.
Dublin and New York - two cities with a lot of links . . .
Oh yes. Absolutely. I feel very much at home here.
So - before we talk West Side Story - what’s Gabriel Byrne like to work with?
Gabriel Byrne’s just the best. He’s just an angel of the world. Everything you hope he is, he is. He’s one of those people, when you meet him he exceeds your expectation of him. He’s just a kind, talented, smart - he’s one of my favourite people in the world. So, I can’t say enough nice things about him.
West Side Story is one the greatest of musicals. I believe your involvement required a seal of approval from the Bernsteins?
I knew Lenny Bernstein when I was a much younger man and his son and I have have been pals for forty years. But I’m very grateful that they approved me and gave me the stamp.
People may have seen West Side Story before - on stage or through one or both of there screen adaptations. But this production is different as it’s going back to the show’s beginnings.
It is, yeah. It’s going back to its roots. It’s what they call the classic onstage. What everybody, I hope, remembers from the original. There are also a few twists and turns in context that we’ve added, but it’s very faithful to what the original creators created.
It’s obviously an enduring story. The Romeo and Juliet story has been around since before Shakespeare’s play. But what do you think gives West Side Story its enduring quality?
Sadly, I think that West Side Story is very current because of xenophobia. We are always vilifying ‘the other’ because we don’t think we have enough of the pie. And there’s all this animosity and fighting. So sadly I think that it is very current now, in all the countries of the world. Unfortunately, in America very particularly.
So I thin think that and its plea for tolerance and for harmony in the world, unfortunately, isn’t always going to be welcomed. We don’t have it. It’s still a dream. As Tony sings, it’s only just across the river - beyond the reach. It’s out there, but it’s never here.
For me, it’s the songs. I have to admit that the music gets me every time.
The music is beyond . . . it’s arguably the greatest score ever written for a Broadway show. And it doesn’t date! It’s as fresh as it ever was. That music doesn’t feel 65 years old. It’s like he wrote it yesterday. And the dancing as well. Mr Robbins' work is just beyond excellent!
Looking at the history of the show, you can see that they knew what they were doing straight from the off. They weren’t trying on a suit, a couple of guys going, ‘Oh let’s try this for size!’ They knew exactly what they were looking for.
They sure were. They sure knew what they were doing. And we stand on their shoulders tonight.
West Side Story continues at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre until June 24
