A New York City Classic – West Side Story

Jun 5, 2026 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Sue Weston and Susan Rosenbluth – Two Sues on the Aisle    

The West Side Story premiered on Broadway in the Fall of 1957, written by four Jewish geniuses, with music by Lenard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Arthur Laurents, and choreography by Jerome Robbins. It was applauded as being a revolutionary masterpiece with incredible dancing, a legendary score, and bold, tragic themes.

West Side Story is at the Paper Mill Playhouse with performances through June 28, with exciting young talent, exceptional voices, and dancing, telling the familiar, heartbreaking story of true love and the tragedy of baseless hatred.

The Plot

Set in the 1950s on the UWS of New York City, on the first days of summer in 1957, where two street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, recent Puerto Rican immigrants, fight for control of a street. The conflict escalates when former Jet, Tony, falls in love with Maria, the sister of the Sharks’ leader, Bernardo. The show unfolds over the course of one day. It begins as the gangs’ paths cross at 5 PM and ends tragically the following evening.

Our Reaction

Fall in love with West Side Story again. For older audience members, who grew up with the music and lyrics, the Paper Mill performance felt like a warm hug. They will fondly remember the classic story, knowing what to expect next, enjoying the familiarity, and mentally singing along.

While the production was well cast and executed, it felt dated at times. The language and context mirrored the original. But as the events played out on stage, we felt no sense of urgency (especially with complex dance sequences providing a diversion from the action). The outcome seemed unavoidable; there was a foreshadowing that there would be no happy endings.

Each individual component of the performance was well executed. This production of West Side Story lacked the transitions between scenes, which is more common in modern productions. It almost felt that they faded out from one scene and into the next.

The Paper Mill production included choreography by Alex Sánchez and Peter Gennaro, showcasing the talented dancers, athleticism, and flexibility, which extended some segments and lengthened the running time. The dancing was well-choreographed, expertly executed, and beautiful to watch. The costumes and staging were amazing. As with Paper Mill productions, the details were perfectly executed.

A Performance to Remember

The performers were all standouts. The leads, Noah Henry as Tony and Sarah-Anne Martinez as Maria, fit together, delivering with amazing vocals, dancing into our hearts, making us believe in love at first sight. Other memorable performances were given by Mikaela Secada as Anita, Antony Sanchez as Bernardo, Sean Harrison Jones as Riff, Hugo Pizano Orozco as Chino, and Nick Alvino as Action. These actors seemed too young to be that good; the casting and staging were exceptional. Stuart Zagnit, as Doc, added a comedic element, timing, and stage presence, making a memorable contribution.

Then there was the matter of perspective; the gangs were intended to be composed of teens aged 16 – 18, and the Paper Mill cast felt authentic to the script. Although we recall feeling that they were older, it was likely that we were that much younger when the movie came out in 1961.

The show provided a nostalgic walk down memory lane, with its iconic songs, I Feel Pretty, Tonight, Something’s Coming, Somewhere, and Officer Krupke, filled with punchy lyrics. We could not stop hearing these wonderful tunes days after attending the performance. Some things just don’t get old. Just as Tony and Maria remind us to look beyond the labels and stereotypes, singing their hope that somehow, someday, somewhere they will find a place to be together. Their prayer for harmony and peace still resonates today.

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West Side Story at the Paper Mill Playhouse until June 28

Running Time: 2 Hours and 20 minutes (with 15-minute intermission)