Are the Sharks in West Side Story really Puerto Rican?

The members of the Sharks, from Puerto Rico, are taunted by the Jets, a white gang. The young protagonist, Tony, a former member of the Jets and best friend of the gang’s leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks.

Did Natalie Wood actually sing in West Side Story?

West Side Story continues to be a popular musical movie, with fantastic singing and dancing. While Wood does her own dancing in the film, she didn’t do her own singing. Or rather, she did her own singing, and later found out she had been dubbed in the film.

How was an example of leitmotif used in West Side Story?

The upbeat to bar 12 marks the entry of the Jets’ leitmotif consisting of an octave jump, a falling minor 3rd, a falling major 3rd, and finally a falling augmented 4th. This leitmotif is used throughout the musical and is even seen in ‘America’ which is the Puerto Rican’s comical song.

Who is Graziella in West Side Story?

Gina TrikonisWest Side Story
Graziella/Played by

Graziella is Riff’s Girlfriend who is played by Gina Trikonis. She appears fairly often in the movie.

Who did Natalie Wood marry?

Robert Wagnerm. 1972–1981
Richard Gregsonm. 1969–1972Robert Wagnerm. 1957–1962
Natalie Wood/Spouse

What did the song Be Cool mean in West Side Story?

The Jets, now led by Ice, sing “Cool” after their leader, Riff, has been killed. Ice admits that it’s a “lousy world,” but he urges them to stay cool if they want to stay alive and outlast the upcoming rumble with the Sharks. The lyrics of the song point to the conflicted and dangerous lives of the Jets.

Why was West Side Story so successful?

Arguably, its greatest influence was in the theatricality of its presentation—the seamlessness and cinematic flow of its staging—and the integration of script, song, dance, and set. In its original Broadway run, West Side Story ran for 732 performances—a success, but not a smash hit.

Who was the lyricist of West Side Story?

Lyricist Stephen Sondheim described the idea behind this song as “simple’. The New York Times elaborated, saying that Sondheim “said he was never particularly fond of his lyrics in ‘West Side Story’, especially ‘I Feel Pretty’.”

Why is the song Cool in West Side Story so bad?

‘Cool’, like ‘Maria’ and ‘Gee, Officer Krupke’, is based around the devil’s interval, and it creates a dark, stilted atmosphere to tell the audience that something is up. (It’s not that we don’t like ‘Cool’, by the way, it’s just Bernstein wrote too many bangers.) If playback doesn’t begin shortly, try restarting your device.

What’s the name of the tritone in West Side Story?

The tritone, also known as the devil’s interval, is frankly everywhere in West Side Story – so this is by no means the only example of it on this list. ‘Cool’, like ‘Maria’ and ‘Gee, Officer Krupke’, is based around the devil’s interval, and it creates a dark, stilted atmosphere to tell the audience that something is up.

Who are the actors in West Side Story?

Cast (in credits order) verified as complete. Natalie Wood. Maria. Richard Beymer. Tony. Russ Tamblyn.