"West Side Story" opens tonight!
By Erich Murphy/Managing Editor
The Daily Leader - Pontiac, IL
It was 50 years ago when the Jerome Robbins' play "West Side Story" first opened. A half-century later, the Romeo-and-Juliet-inspired musical is playing the Chautauqua Park stage.
If Wednesday's final prep is any indication, the four-day run will be a microcosm of the original - quite successful. "West Side Story" opens tonight and will run through Sunday. The curtain rises each evening at 7:30.
The Vermillion Players have chosen an excellent work in "West Side Story" to open their 43rd season of Theater-In-The-Park. What's more, director Tom Ramseyer selected an excellent pair of performers in the leading roles.
Only those who have been around the Vermillion Players all 43 years can know if Rachel Aupperle and John Ramseyer are not the best singers to grace the stage here.
Aupperle's voice and acting talent has created a very strong Maria, the Puerto Rican girl who falls in love with the dashing Tony. Aupperle's stage presence is one of grace and confidence. Her background in music (she is a graduate of the University of Illinois and teaches music at Roanoke-Benson) and stage performance had to make Director Ramseyer's job easier.
There is no need to cry foul about the possibility of nepotism in putting John Ramseyer into the male lead. The younger Ramseyer shows he has earned the right to play Tony, a former member of the Jets, a gang of "American" kids.
Although it would be unfair to compare the young Ramseyer with Mel Torme, there is a likeness to the "Velvet Fog" in his singing delivery, particularly in his first song.
For those who may not recall, "West Side Story" takes place in New York City in the 1950s. The "Romeo" is Tony, who is trying to become a respected adult by working for a local drug store owner. Tony is of Polish descent, and was a member of the Jets.
"Juliet" is Maria, a Puerto Rican girl in her late teens who has been in the United States for just a short time. Her brother is Bernardo, the leader of an ethnic gang known as the Sharks.
The "families" are the two gangs and the leads are unable to be together despite their love for one another because of the rift between the gangs (families).
The Jets are a group of "American" kids. They are white and part of the melting pot that is New York. The Sharks are the Puerto Ricans, immigrants who are trying to make a living but facing racism and discrimination. The gangs live in the same area of Manhattan.
Director Ramseyer has benefited from being able to use a younger and larger cast than many productions of the past. Most of the cast is under 21 and come from many parts of Livingston County.
If there was one actor who could have rivaled the young Ramseyer for the role of Tony, it would have been Donnie Sartoris. The difference is that Sartoris makes a more convincing Riff, the leader of the Jets, than Ramseyer would.
Riff's counterpart is Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks. He is Maria's older brother and seen in somewhat of a paternal role. Corey Brown looks tough and projects well.
The fight scene between Riff and Bernardo is convincing because of the dancing talent possessed by Brown and Sartoris.
Dani Oester is a veteran of the Chautauqua stage and is very good as Anita, the girlfriend of Bernardo and best friend to Maria. She can dance, she can sing and she certainly can act. Overall, with the exception of Aupperle, Oester is probably the best actor in the production.
Action, the Jets' No. 2 leader, and Anybodys, the tomboy who wants to be a Jet, are played by Sean Young and Tessa Kane, respectively, and are probably the most convincing gang members for either side. Cara Sledgister also displayed an excellent singing voice in her role as Rosalia.
The rest of the cast includes Nic Hart, Bobby Browning, Tim DeVault, Zack Ellis, Andy Alsdorf, Erin Shaughnessy, Kalli Setterlund, Olivia Dunham, Stephanie Edens, Jamie Morse, Kayla Froelich, Kaity Carroll, Jacob Dunham, Chris Hughes, Dana Brown, Nick Huber, Alex Rasmussen, Erica Connolly, Kate Whitman, Beckah Gerber, Cortney Eggenberger, Lindsey Vogt, Jim Wolfe, Dennis Read and Jerry Sander.
It is easy to see that Ramseyer the Director had plenty of talent to work with when this production began rehearsing.
If there is a problem with "West Side Story" as the first production of the season, it is the height of the bar of excellence for the next two. Should the children's production of the "Music Man" and the final show, "The Beverly Hillbillies," come off half as well as "West Side Story," this should be one of the most successful seasons for the Vermillion Players.
What also makes this one of the best productions ever put on at Chautauqua is the orchestra. Laura Ramseyer (yes, it is a family affair) is the director. Also performing in the pit are Melissa Burger, Kathy Schulz, Katrina Schulz, Russell Zehr, Lon Alderman, Colleen Burger, Alison Sancken, LeRae Young, Josh Ramseyer, Paul Brown, Kaitlyn Schultz, Brian Enderli and Barbara Drummet.
Joyce Eggenberger, Roxie Gregory and Kari Weber shared duties as producers. Anita Nagle choreographed the dance scenes and Patrick Dunham was the fight scene choreographer.
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