The students of Tyrone Area High School are proud to announce their upcoming musical production, “West Side Story”, which is scheduled for April 25-26 beginning at 7:30 p.m. both evenings in the high school auditorium.
The cast of “West Side Story” includes:
The Jets: Riff, Tyler Ayres; Tony, Jonathan Harris; Action, Garrett Ray; A-Rab, Ethan Nulton; Baby John, Rob Marlett; SnowBoy, Chris Sipe; Big Deal, Jared Shaffer; Diesel, Nick Wilson; Gee-Tar, RJ Beck; Mouthpiece, Josh Bradley; Moose, Brock Anders; Graziella, Emily Wilson; Velma, Casey Joniello; Minnie, Holli Keeley; Clarice, Eugenia Napadensky; Pauline, Alexis Henderson; Mary Ann, Christina Brisbin; Veronica, Veronica Detwiler, Betty, Wynter Nail and Anybody’s, Elizabeth Romano.
The Sharks: Bernardo, Derik Cruz; Maria, Sofia Revolorio; Anita, Stevie Woodring; Chino, Tyler Vasbinder; Indio, Logan Harper; Luis, Dan Isenberg; Juan, Sam Yeaton; Toro, Kevin Seiner; Manuel, Kenny Nearhoof; Loco, Dudley McNitt; Pablo, Jay Oliver; Rosalia, Cristina Rodriguez; Consuello, Laura Thompson; Terrista, Christi Stringer; Francisca, Salena Bradigan; Estella, Katie Spangler; Margarita, Rebecca Meyer; Adriana, Ashton Snyder and Louisa, Hanna Biddle.
The Adults: Officer Krupke, Officer Bub Dick; Lieutenant Shrank, David Rutter; Glad Hand, Ken Nearhoof and Doc, Cummins McNitt.
Drama/stage manager is Stephanie Haid, drama director is Karen Volpe, music director is Catherine Young, choreographer is Tara Penick and set design is Eric Feather and Don Deitz.
“West Side Story” is a musical written by Arthur Laurents (book), Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics). The story is based loosely on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”.
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, Tony, who belongs to the white gang, falls in love with Maria, the sister of the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang.
Bernstein’s score for the musical includes: “Something’s Coming”, “Maria”, “America,” “Somewhere,” “Tonight”, “Jet Song”, “I Feel Pretty”, “One Hand, One Heart” and “Cool”.
Fundraisers to support this student production will include:
• Gardners Candy Fundraiser: peanut butter meltaways candy bars and peanut butter pretzel sticks
• Hoss’s Community Eat-out Night: 20 percent of your total bill will go to support the musical, and coupons are available at the TAHS music suite that must be presented anytime throughout the day of Feb. 11
• Spaghetti Dinner: Sunday, March 9 at Joshua House from 11:30 to 2 p.m.
• Barnes-Noble Bookfair: Saturday, March 15. Proceeds to benefit the musical, and local “celebrities” will be guest readers
• Ham cheese sandwich sales
• Hoagie sales
Other organizations have already donated to help fund the musical. The middle school student council held a dance, with the money raised going to the musical. The homecoming queen, Liz Romano, donated the money raised from her votes to the musical. The Renaissance Foundation donated money, and the musical received a grant titled “Learn and Serve” for $5,000.
Other funds to support the musical will come from business sponsorship and patron ads.
A series of articles highlighting the main characters and other aspects of the musical will appear in future editions of The Daily Herald.
