Pittsburgh CLO’s ‘West Side Story’ delivers delightful version of a classic

Tuesday night saw the opening of Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera’s production of a titan in the canon of American musicals: “West Side Story.” And this production will delight any fan of the show.

Opening on Broadway in 1957, “West Side Story” is the work of legends, with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (his first Broadway show). In addition, the show was conceived by, directed by and choreographed by Jerome Robbins. It has spawned two major film adaptations, one in 1961, which snagged the Academy Award for best picture, and a 2021 version directed by Steven Spielberg. The plot was inspired by Shakespeare’s classic tale of star-crossed lovers, “Romeo and Juliet.”

“West Side Story” is all about the Sharks and the Jets, rival gangs in New York City in the mid-1950s. They are competing over control of the West Side streets, culminating in a deadly fight that changes everything. Caught in between them are Tony, an ex-Jet, and Maria, whose brother Bernardo is the leader of the Sharks. After love-at-first-sight at a dance, Tony and Maria attempt to navigate the hatred of those around them — with tragic results.

The show is full of classic songs — “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.” It has big ensemble dance numbers, tense fight choreography, romance and a perennial tear-jerker of an ending. With a story that feels as timely today as it was decades ago, it’s a musical geared to please audiences.

It helps to have a great cast, and this production delivers. When Spencer LaRue’s Tony and Sabina Collazo’s Maria meet at the dance, sparks fly. They make a believable couple in love.

LaRue’s rendition of “Maria” is full of joy and wonder. He excels at portraying Tony’s emotional swings during the big fight scene at Act I’s close.

Collazo has an angelic voice, but she is most effective in the final moments of Act II, stricken with grief and fury. Many musical buffs have seen “West Side Story” enough times to be numbed to its saddest moments, but Collazo delivers the show’s final gut punch like it’s the first time feeling it.

In the fine tradition of supporting character Anita, Adriana Negron was a standout. Anita is a rich character with a tragic story arc of her own. Negron is a triple threat, boasting some of the show’s best acting while stunning with her voice and captivating with her dancing. The rest of the cast pulled their weight as well. Davis Wayne’s Riff, the leader of the Jets, and Giuseppe Bausilio’s Bernardo, his counterpart with the Sharks, shined — especially in the fight scenes. Ken Bolden as Doc deserves a spotlight too. Even in a non-singing role, he manages to pull off the production’s strongest acting.

Pittsburgh CLO was ambitious with the technical aspects of this production, and with the exception of a couple of minor hiccups, they staged a truly impressive show. With Leo Meyers’ scenic design and Brad Peterson’s video design, the sets were varied, extensive and detailed, bringing the audience into New York City streets, shops, apartments and that iconic balcony. Through beautiful atmospheric lighting and ideal scene-setting spotlights, every beat was exciting to the eyes, thanks to lighting designer Paul Miller. Chris Evans’ sound design brings life and texture to the settings too.

The standout part of the production design was the combination of Robert Fletcher’s costumes and Jeff Knaggs’ hair and makeup work. All of the characters’ clothes swish, sway and billow in dance numbers, and the color contrast in the Sharks and Jets’ outfits highlights the tension between them. And the postfight makeup is so realistic that you could believe the actors really did get black eyes during intermission.

“West Side Story” is a movement-heavy show, and the actors never missed a beat. A huge thanks for their success goes to director and choreographer Baayork Lee and fight director Randy Kovitz. The opening dancefight grabs the audience immediately, the scene in the gym is a nonstop whirlwind of exciting dance moves, the rumble is tense and raw, and “Somewhere” is an achingly gorgeous dream ballet.

The orchestra, under the direction of music director Anthony T. Edwards, did an exceptional job with the famous score.

Pittsburgh CLO’s “West Side Story” doesn’t try to put a new spin on a classic or reinvent the wheel, but for fans of the musical — or those who have somehow slept on it until now — it’s a poignant and entertaining production with a great cast and a particularly endearing pair of lead actors.

The show will run through Sunday at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh. To get tickets, visit pittsburghclo. org.