ELLISVILLE – It’s the story as old as time, inspiring books and theatrical performances globally and continues today. The story of loving someone different, prejudice and rivalry as inspired by William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, and the more current, 1950’s Broadway hit, “West Side Story,” will come to Ellisville in April. Jones College’s Theater Department is performing the musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents, on Friday and Saturday, April 4 & 5 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, April 6, at 2 p.m. in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium. Tickets cost $15 for premium seats and $10 for the upper theater section and are available online at https://www.jcjc.edu/tickets/ Watch for ticket discounts on the Jones College Art, Music and Performance social media.
Jones College’s musical theater production of West Side Story features a cast of about 30 singers and dancers with some veteran performers returning to the stage. Dean of the School of Art, Music and Performance, Bruce Smith is also directing and producing the show with his students enrolled in the Musical Theater class handling other aspects of the show like stage prop design and managing ad sales. Leading the student driven production on stage are Daniel Baldwin of Magee as Tony, and Kiandra Lopez of Laurel, as Maria. Both students were in last spring’s production of Grease, along with Nick Singleterry of Oak Grove, who plays Riff in West Side Story.
“Kiandra was Rizzo, Daniel was Doody and part of the reason we chose this production is because we could see them in these roles,” said Smith. “Maria is a very challenging role, and Kiandra has got to be a true soprano in this role. She hasn’t done that in the past with us, but she’s got the ability to do it and she’s amazing. Daniel was born to play Tony. It’s just who he is. He’s that mild, leading man, that’s just, you know, there to find love.”
Finding love could prove difficult as the different factions fight for dominance in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, which was a multi-racial, blue-collar neighborhood in the 1950s. The musical depicts the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different backgrounds. The Sharks are migrants from Puerto Rico and the Jets, are white and are fighting for dominance in the neighborhood. Baldwin plays a former member of the Jets while Singleterry plays the gang leader who is still best friends with Baldwin’s character.
“I love the loyalty and courage that Tony displays,” shared Baldwin. “However, in some ways yes, it is hard for me to act out the character of Tony because he is very different from me. He is very impulsive and a helpless romantic. However, playing Tony has been my dream role since the first time I saw the play. West Side Story has always been my favorite musical to watch!”
Playing Maria was appealing to Lopez for a few reasons. She explained she enjoys how innocent and naive her character is, giving her the opportunity to think back to when she was also very naive and always in her world of “make believe.”
“Maria is also kind of hard for me to play because of some of the things I’ve gone through and singing in a heavy alto voice compared to Maria’s light soprano voice has been a big challenge for me,” said Lopez. “Also, being a part of Grease last year made me want the chance to sing and act on stage again with all of my castmates. I knew playing Maria would give me the chance to step out of my comfort zone to find new parts of me I didn’t know existed.”
Joining the main cast is a freshman from Petal, Korey Raines who plays Bernardo. His character is the leader of the Sharks and Baldwin’s character falls in love with his sister, Maria. Returning to the stage is sophomore Ella Jolly of Petal, playing Bernardo’s love interest, Anita. Two Jones College employees, Luke Hammonds and Stephen Parker, are joining the JC students. Hammonds brings his diverse acting skills to the JC stage portraying Officer Krupke, with Stephen Parker taking on the part of Lieutenant Schrank.
“This is a classic musical and we’re portraying it in a classic style, but it’s been retold in recent years through the eyes of Steven Spielberg with a movie version. We want the audience to see the depth of character that our students can portray because they’re capable of really diving into deeper storylines,” said Smith. “There are no curse words in the script, but there are some racial words that were used in the 1950s that are still in the script today.”
In addition to the memorable songs and exciting choreography, the focus on the social problems of the period is relevant to this day. Baldwin said, “I hope the audience takes away a sense of passion and importance of this play. It shows a very divided culture and the negative impacts that it can have on a society.”
Lopez has some additional thoughts for the audience to contemplate while enjoying the show. “I would like the audience to leave with the fact that no matter our skin tone and no matter our upbringing we all grieve the same. When you think you are alone there are so many people in the world experiencing the same hurt and problems that you are also going through.”
Purchasing tickets now, before the show sells out is encouraged with a maximum of 1100 seats available for each performance. Ads in the JC Playbill program are also available for businesses to purchase through the School of Art, Music and Performance. Check the Jones College, School of Art, Music, and Performance website and social media pages for details prior to the performance. For more information about Jones College’s School of Art, Music and Performance department, call 601-477-4203.
West Side Story Cast, Crew & Ensemble
Director/Producer- Bruce Smith
Choreographer- Rachel Appleby
Character-Jones College Student, Hometown High School
Action- Isaiah Spradley, Laurel Homeschool
Anita- Ella Jolly, Petal Petal High School
Anxious- Kaleb Jasper, Taylorsville West Jones High School
Anybodys- Anne Trest, Laurel West Jones High School (Current H.S. student)
A-Rab/Glad Hand- Peyton Shoemaker, Morton Morton High School
Baby John- Charles Williams, Laurel West Jones High School
Bernardo- Korey Rainey, Petal Petal High School
Big Deal- Ryan Sherman, Waynesboro Wayne Academy
Chino- Samah Ratcliffe, Soso West Jones High School
Clarice- Sydney Klaire Ivy, Raleigh Raleigh High School
Consuela-Teyonna Millsap, Laurel Laurel High School
Diesel-Matthew Arnold, Laurel Northeast Jones High School
Doc- Sydnee Tisdale, Ellisville South Jones High School
Estella- Addie Thames, Petal South Jones High School
Francisca- Leila Daniels, Meridian Forrest County AHS
Graziella- Chloe White, Laurel Northeast Jones High School
Indo/Snowboy- Patricia Mitchell, Seminary Seminary High School
Luis- Zion B. Cooper, Waynesboro Wayne County High School
Margarita- Lexie Ruth, Ellisville Laurel Christian School
Maria- Kiandra Lopez, Laurel West Jones High School
Minnie- Zoe Vanderslice, Stringer Laurel Christian School
Moose- Leo Norman, Ellisville South Jones High School
Pauline- Natalie Evans, Ellisville South Jones High School
Pepe- Bryce Jasper, Laurel West Jones High School
Riff- Nicholas D. Singleterry, Hattiesburg Oak Grove High School
Teresita- Emalee Herrin, Laurel Northeast Jones High School
Tony- Daniel Baldwin, Magee Homeschool
Toro- Daryn Tran, Ellisville South Jones High School
Velma- Heather Walters, Ellisville South Jones High School
Officer Krupke- Luke Hammonds, Ellisville ones College employee
Lt. Schrank- Stephen Parker, Laurel Jones College employee
