SDMT delivers powerful performance in ‘West Side Story’

Lovely singing, powerful acting and spectacular dancing are on full display when the Jets take on the Sharks in San Diego Musical Theatre’s production of “West Side Story.”

The Tony Award-winning musical can be seen at the historic Spreckels Theatre in downtown San Diego through March 1. It is the first show since SDMT moved from the 800-seat North Park Theater to the 1,463-seat Spreckels, making the larger venue on Broadway near Horton Plaza its new home.

On Saturday night, SDMT Producers and Executive Directors Gary and Erin Lewis addressed the 1,100-plus audience members, saying the venue move attests to how far their organization has come since its first show, “The Full Monty,” drew around 200 for its opening night in May 2007.

As for their latest offering — they do four shows a year — “West Side Story” is full of well-performed live action and drama, mixing light-hearted moments with tragedy as a couple of idealistic young lovers make life-changing decisions over the course of two days in the summer of 1957.

Maria (Jessica Soza) has just immigrated from Puerto Rico to the West Side of New York City, brought to the United States by her brother, Bernardo (Kikau Alvaro), who leads a Puerto Rican street gang called the Sharks. He has arranged for her to marry Chino, one of his fellow gang members, whom Maria does not love.

In their attempt to stake out their place in NYC’s West Side, the Sharks are fighting with the Jets, a Caucasian gang let by Riff (Jeffrey Scott Parsons), who due to racial prejudice hate the newcomers’ encroachment into their neighborhood. After numerous scuffles over the preceding months, their turf war explodes when Riff challenges Bernardo to a rumble where the victor’s gang will get to claim the neighborhood as its spoils.

The 1957 Broadway musical and 1961 Academy Award-winning film written by Leonard Bernstein (music), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and Arthur Laurents (book) is based on William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” That tragic, star-crossed lovers tale of centuries ago comes to life in “West Side Story” when Maria meets former Jet member Tony (Jacob Caltrider) at a dance.

In ways only believable in fairy tales, the two instantly fall madly in love, want to immediately marry or die at the thought of not spending the rest of their lives together. Despite their best and most well-intentioned peace-making efforts between the Jets and Sharks, being united in death is a real possibility for the idealistic and naive lovers since their opposing gangs are literally out for each others’ blood.

Soza and Caltrider are well-suited as the star-crossed lovers, singing beautiful melodic love songs like “Tonight,” “One Hand, One Heart” and “Somewhere,” which are a vivid contrast to the upbeat ensemble numbers like “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Gee, Officer Krupke.”

Director James Vasquez and Choreographer Randy Slovacek excel in their respective roles in guiding the 30-member cast that includes Poway resident Hanz Enyeart as A-rab (one of the Jets) and Rancho Penasquitos resident Max Cadillac as Toro (one of the Sharks).

The ensemble wonderfully dances their lively ballet-inspired choreography that at times serves to set their fighting scenes. Nicely sung music — orchestrated by 28 musicians — fills much of the 2 1/2 hour show that defies conventional musicals of its era by not being an upbeat happily-ever-after love story where despite what occurs there is a positive ending.

Vasquez gets his cast to believably portray the social commentary its creators were going for and when the show concluded on Saturday there was a momentary, but appropriate silence, among the audience before the cast received its well-deserved applause.

While several children were in Saturday’s audience, parental guidance is advised for youngsters due to on-stage portrayals of gang violence, murder and rape.

“West Side Story” can be seen in the Spreckels Theatre, 121 Broadway in downtown San Diego, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays through March 1. Tickets are $35 to $65, with senior, student and group pricing available. There is a $10 discount on youth tickets (ages 16 and under). To purchase, go to www.sdmt.org or call 858-560-5740.