Sharks and Jets rumble at Vancity Theatre

Can't wait 'til opening night? Here's some West Side Story action to tide you over until then. Continuing our partnership with Vancity Theatre.....

West Side Story film screening!
Thursday, September 22
Vancity Theatre
1181 Seymour St (at Davie)
Doors: 6:30pm
Introduction and Screening: 7:00pm

Tickets: $11 / $9 seniors and students (includes $2 Vancity Film Centre membership)
Limited seating! Get your tickets in advance.

West Side Story
Directed by Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins. USA, 1961, 152 min, 35mm. Cast: Natalie Wood, George Chakiris, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno

One of the most dynamic and exhilarating musicals ever put on film, West Side Story relocates Romeo & Juliet to the streets of New York, where youth gangs The Jets (the white kids) clash with the Sharks (Puerto Ricans) over turf.

The Broadway show broke ground in the '50s by sympathizing with the Puerto Rican immigrants, but what makes the movie stand out is the breathtaking choreography shot on real locations by Jerome Robbins, as well as the sensational Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim songs: “I Like to Be in America”; “I Feel Pretty”; “When You’re a Jet”; “Tonight”; “Gee Officer Krupke”; “Maria”; “Stay Cool Boy”, “There’s a Place for Us”.


This special screening will feature an introduction by stage director Ken Cazan.

Ken Cazan

 Ken Cazan is the resident stage director for the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California and is one of America’s most popular, controversial, and sought after opera-theatre stage directors. He has directed more than 140 productions of operas, musical theatre, and theatre in the United States, Canada, Italy, and Mexico. In addition to VO's West Side Story, Mr. Cazan's upcoming directing projects include Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers in Central City and a new play by Paul Sand titled Possible Dangerous Side Effects.