A little history about the musical.

West Side Story is based loosely on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, which was, in turn, based on a narrative poem by Arthur Brooke entitled. The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet (1562).

Set on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the musical explores the rivalry between two teenage gangs of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The young protagonist, Anton (”Tony”), who belongs to the white gang, falls in love with Maria, the sister of the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theater. Bernstein’s score for the musical has become extremely popular; it includes “Something’s Coming”, “Maria”, “America,” “Somewhere,” “Tonight”, “Jet Song”, “I Feel Pretty”, “One Hand, One Heart”, and “Cool”.

West Side Story has always been a favorite of mine because of its musically rich score. West side story is one of those scores that bridges Broadway Theater to the Classical Performing Art Center venues. The art and imagery stand out in the Romeo and Juliet style tale.

About the artwork

I stayed very true to what is out there as far as graphic design - with color and shadowing being the only minor changes. Tools used were: adobe photoshop and illustrator