What race is Tony in West Side Story?
The Jewish girl – who eventually became the Puerto Rican Maria in West Side Story – was a holocaust survivor who had immigrated from Israel. The character that eventually became Tony – the Polish-Irish Catholic boy in West Side Story – was an Irish Catholic.
How did West Side Story impact society?
1959. Brooklyn Gang. When West Side Story debuted on Broadway in September 1957, the show immediately gained fame for its bold artistic vision and unflinching engagement with social concerns of the day: racial unrest, urban gang violence, immigration and altercations with the police.
What is the message of West Side Story?
West Side Story proves that the consequences of racial/ethnic/cultural hatred, gang violence, gratuitous violence in general, and general arrogance and hubris, and being constantly puffed-up with pride can be, and often are, quite deleterious, not only to the victim(s), but to the perpetrator(s) alike.
What do the ladies feel about America in West Side Story?
How do Anita and the other Puerto Rican girls feel about America? Anita and the girls love life in America and see the opportunities available to them. Bernardo and the Sharks hate life in America because of the prejudice and hate against them.
Who killed Tony in West Side Story?
Tony dies in Maria’s arms, surrounded by members of both street gangs. Maria grabs Chino’s gun and tells the gang members that they are all responsible for the deaths of Riff, Bernardo, and Tony. The police arrive and arrest Chino while members of the Jets and the Sharks carry Tony’s body away.
Does Maria kill herself in West Side Story?
Maria most definitely does not kill herself. West Side Story is not Romeo and Juliet, it only follows the same basic architype.
Does Maria and Tony die?
Maria finally arrives at the playground, and Tony runs to her in delight, but right before they reach each other’s arms, Chino emerges from the shadows and shoots Tony. All of the Jets and Sharks arrive at the playground as Tony dies in Maria’s arms.
What does Maria do after Tony dies?
Tony dies in Maria’s arms. Maria, now a widow, declares that all the Sharks and the Jets are both responsible for all the deaths because of their hate. The Jets and Sharks at least temporarily put their feud behind them and carry Tony’s body off together.
How do Tony and Maria meet in West Side Story?
The boys and the girls sing about the good bad things about life in America. Tony meets Maria on the fire escape outside her building, and they confirm what we all suspected: they’ve got it for each other bad. They know they’re on opposite sides of this fight, but they don’t care. Love will do that to you.
Did Natalie Wood do her own singing in West Side Story?
‘West Side Story’: Natalie Wood Had No Idea Her Singing Would Be Dubbed Over. 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.
How many Puerto Rican actors are in West Side Story?
Spielberg tells Vanity Fair that at least 20 of the 33 Puerto Rican characters in his “West Side Story” are “specifically Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent.”