PVCC Theatre Department Presents West Side Story
Photography by Madison Weikle
Madison Weikle, staff writer
Love in a time of discrimination. The Academy-Award-winning musical West Side Story is a story about star-crossed lovers from two rival gangs, the Jets and Sharks, in New York City.
The PVCC Theatre Department has been working on bringing the story to life and will be performing it April 5, 6, and 7 at 7:30 p.m. and April 8 at 2:30 p.m.
West Side Story’s tale comes from the Shakespearean play Romeo and Juliet, which Stoller directed last fall.
While the play was originally written in 1957, the co-director, Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts Brad Stoller, believes the production touches on social issues that are still present today. Stoller is co-directing with Shelley Cole.
“We’re dealing with gun violence as a major issue in our society … it also deals with immigration which is also another major issue,” Stoller said. The cast and crew are focused on using the show to highlight those two issues so society can start to make a change for the better.
“We weren’t able to get many Hispanics in the show, and I tried, which shows that there is so much work that needs to be done in our community regarding racial issues,” said Stoller. He hopes that this production will encourage diversity in the theatrical world and the PVCC Theatre Department.
Stoller said, “There is something else we need to do to create an environment that is inclusive to all races … the end of the play where the two gangs say this isn’t worth it and come together is really a healing moment and that can be a thing.”
