Steven Spielberg speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego. Photo by Gage Skidmore CC BY-SA 3.0 The bar it needs to top is very high. The 1961 version is the biggest Oscar-winning musical of all time.

The leads of the original film were Natalie Wood, at the height of her ingenue fame, as Maria and Richard Beymer as Tony, star-crossed lovers. This film will use the Arthur Laurents songs but obviously won’t have choreography by Jerome Robbins, who creating dance numbers for cast members playing the Sharks and the Jets, as well as superb individual dances by Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, and Russ Tamblyn.

Photo publicity still of Natalie Wood. There have been casting calls all over America this year to fill the roles, including in Orlando. In the casting call issued recently in New York City, Spielberg’s production company made it clear that people won’t be pretending their ethnicity this time around.

The call stipulates auditionees should be between 15 and 25 years old with a strong dance background and ability to sing, and also specifies: “the Sharks are Latinx, the Jets are Caucasian.” Furthermore, it specified: “Maria and Anita are Latina. Bernardo is Latino. Tony & Riff are Caucasian.”. Russ Tamblyn, wearing yellow jacket as Riff, leader of the Jets, with other gang members in exuberant dance on busy street in scene from ‘West Side Story.’ (Photo by Gjon Mili/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) On October 1, 2018, it was announced that Ansel Elgort will play Tony, the American ex-gang member who falls in love with Maria, the sheltered younger sister of Bernardo, a Puerto Rican gang leader. Elgort starred in The Fault in Our Stars and Baby Driver. Elgort is not known for his singing or dancing.

However, as Deadline pointed out, Elgort “attended Manhattan’s Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, where he performed in various musicals. The performing arts-focused school, made famous in Fame, is located around Lincoln Square — the arts district built on the demolished tenement neighborhood that was, indeed, the West Side in West Side Story.”. George Chakiris (center) dancing in the street in a publicity image issued for ‘West Side Story’.

The musical, directed by Jerome Robbins (1918-1998) and Robert Wise (1914-2005), starred Chakiris as ‘Bernardo Nunez’. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images) No other lead roles have been made public. But also announced: Justin Peck, who choreographed this year’s Broadway revival of Carousel and won a Tony Award, will choreograph the film. Media reports say West Side Story has been a passion project of Spielberg’s for years. In a 2014 interview on Good Morning America, the director said, “Well, you know something, West Side Story is one of my favorite Broadway musicals and one of the greatest pieces of musical literature, my goodness, one of the greatest scores and it has some of the greatest lyrics ever written for a musical, so just let me put it this way: it’s on my mind.” Twentieth Century Fox owned the rights to the film. In 2014, Screen Rant reported: “Although West Side Story is considered one of film’s sacred cows – a classic with little chance of remake approval – Fox would apparently be willing to acquiesce to such a proposal if Spielberg directs.” The 1961 film was made at a time when many actors had their singing dubbed, but even so, West Side Story goes quite far. Nixon dubbed not only Wood but some of Rita Moreno’s songs.

George Chakiris was the only one out of the main characters to not be dubbed and this was probably because he had no hard solo songs to sing.

Original cast recording Music Lyrics Book Basis by Productions 1957 (tryout) 1957 (tryout) 1957 1958 1959 US tour 1960 Broadway (return) 1961 1964 Broadway 1974 West End 1980 Broadway 1984 West End 1985 US tour 1995 US tour 1998 West End 2009 Broadway 2010 US tour West Side Story is a with by, music by. It was inspired by 's play. The story is set in the neighborhood in New York City in the mid 1950s, an ethnic, neighborhood (in the early 1960s, much of the neighborhood was cleared in an project for, which changed the neighborhood's character). The musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street of different backgrounds. The members of the Sharks, are taunted by the Jets, a gang. The young protagonist, Tony, a former member of the Jets and best friend of the gang's leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theatre.

Bernstein's score for the musical includes ', ', ', ', ', 'Jet Song', ', ', ', ', and '. The original 1957 Broadway production, conceived, directed and choreographed by and produced by Robert E. Griffith and, marked Sondheim's Broadway debut. It ran for 732 performances before going on tour.

The production was nominated for six including Best Musical in 1957, but the award for Best Musical went to 's. Robbins won the Tony Award for his choreography and won for his scenic designs.

The show had an even longer-running London production, a number of revivals and international productions. A, directed by and Robbins, starred,. The film was nominated for eleven and won ten, including for, for,. L-R: Elizabeth Taylor, Carmen Guitterez, and from the original Broadway cast sing ' (1957) Genesis In 1947, Jerome Robbins approached Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Laurents about collaborating on a contemporary musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. He proposed that the plot focus on the conflict between an Irish Catholic family and a Jewish family living on the of, during the Easter– season. The girl has survived the and emigrated from Israel; the conflict was to be centered around of the Catholic 'Jets' towards the Jewish 'Emeralds' (a name that made its way into the script as a reference). Eager to write his first musical, Laurents immediately agreed.

Bernstein wanted to present the material in operatic form, but Robbins and Laurents resisted the suggestion. They described the project as 'lyric theater', and Laurents wrote a first draft he called East Side Story. Only after he completed it did the group realize it was little more than a musicalization of themes that had already been covered in plays like. When he opted to drop out, the three men went their separate ways, and the piece was shelved for almost five years.

In 1955, theatrical producer was working on a stage adaptation of the novel Serenade, about an opera singer who comes to the realization he is homosexual, and he invited Laurents to write the book. Laurents accepted and suggested Bernstein and Robbins join the creative team. Robbins felt if the three were going to join forces, they should return to East Side Story, and Bernstein agreed. Laurents, however, was committed to Gabel, who introduced him to the young composer/lyricist. Sondheim auditioned by playing the score for, his musical that was scheduled to open in the fall.

Laurents liked the lyrics but was not impressed with the music. Sondheim did not care for Laurents' opinion. Serenade ultimately was shelved. Laurents was soon hired to write the screenplay for a of the 1934 film for. While in Hollywood, he contacted Bernstein, who was in town conducting at the.

The two met at, and the conversation turned to, a fairly recent social phenomenon that had received major coverage on the front pages of the morning newspapers due to a turf war. Bernstein suggested they rework East Side Story and set it in Los Angeles, but Laurents felt he was more familiar with and than he was with. The two contacted Robbins, who was enthusiastic about a musical with a Latin beat. He arrived in Hollywood to choreograph the dance sequences for, and he and Laurents began developing the musical while working on their respective projects, keeping in touch with Bernstein, who had returned to New York.

When the producer of The Painted Veil replaced Gardner with and asked Laurents to revise his script with her in mind, he backed out of the film, freeing him to devote all his time to the stage musical. Collaboration and development In New York City, Laurents went to the opening night party for a new play by, and there he met Sondheim, who had heard that East Side Story, now retitled West Side Story, was back on track.

Bernstein had decided he needed to concentrate solely on the music, and he and Robbins had invited and to write the lyrics, but the team opted to work on instead. Laurents asked Sondheim if he would be interested in tackling the task. Initially he resisted, because he was determined to write the full score for his next project ( Saturday Night had been aborted), but convinced him that he would benefit from the experience, and he accepted. Meanwhile, Laurents had written a new draft of the book changing the characters' backgrounds: Anton, once an Irish American, was now of Polish and Irish descent, and the formerly Jewish Maria had become a Puerto Rican.

The original book Laurents wrote closely adhered to Romeo and Juliet, but the characters based on and the parents of the doomed lovers were eliminated early on. Later the scenes related to Juliet's faking her death and committing suicide also were deleted. Language posed a problem; four-letter words were uncommon in the theater at the time, and slang expressions were avoided for fear they would be dated by the time the production opened. Laurents ultimately invented what sounded like real street talk but actually was not: 'cut the frabba-jabba', for example. Sondheim converted long passages of dialogue, and sometimes just a simple phrase like 'A boy like that would kill your brother', into lyrics. With the help of Oscar Hammerstein, Laurents convinced Bernstein and Sondheim to move 'One Hand, One Heart', which he considered too pristine for the balcony scene, to the scene set in the bridal shop, and as a result 'Tonight' was written to replace it. Laurents felt that the building tension needed to be alleviated in order to increase the impact of the play's tragic outcome, so comic relief in the form of Officer Krupke was added to the second act.

He was outvoted on other issues: he felt the lyrics to ' and ' were too witty for the characters singing them, but they stayed in the score and proved to be audience favorites. Another song, 'Kid Stuff', was added and quickly removed during the Washington, D.C. Tryout when Laurents convinced the others it was helping tip the balance of the show into typical musical comedy. Bernstein composed West Side Story and concurrently, which led to some switches of material between the two works. Tony and Maria's duet, 'One Hand, One Heart', was originally intended for Cunegonde in Candide. The music of 'Gee, Officer Krupke' was pulled from the Venice scene in Candide.

Laurents explained the style that the creative team finally decided on: Just as Tony and Maria, our Romeo and Juliet, set themselves apart from the other kids by their love, so we have tried to set them even further apart by their language, their songs, their movement. Wherever possible in the show, we have tried to heighten emotion or to articulate inarticulate adolescence through music, song or dance. The show was nearly complete in the fall of 1956, but almost everyone on the creative team needed to fulfill other commitments first. Robbins was involved with, then Bernstein with, and in January 1957 A Clearing in the Woods, Laurents' latest play, opened and quickly closed. When a backers' audition failed to raise any money for West Side Story late in the spring of 1957, only two months before the show was to begin rehearsals, producer pulled out of the project.

Every other producer had already turned down the show, deeming it too dark and depressing. Bernstein was despondent, but Sondheim convinced his friend, who was in Boston overseeing the out-of-town tryout of the new musical, to read the script. He liked it but decided to ask Abbott, his longtime mentor, for his opinion, and Abbott advised him to turn it down. Prince, aware that Abbott was the primary reason New Girl was in trouble, decided to ignore him, and he and his producing partner Robert Griffith flew to New York to hear the score. In his memoirs, Prince recalled, 'Sondheim and Bernstein sat at the piano playing through the music, and soon I was singing along with them.' Production period. Kert and Lawrence in the balcony scene (1957) Prince began cutting the budget and raising money.

Robbins then announced he did not want to choreograph the show, but changed his mind when Prince agreed to an eight-week dance rehearsal period (instead of the customary four), since there was to be more dancing in West Side Story than in any previous Broadway show, and allowed Robbins to hire as his assistant. Originally, when considering the cast, Laurents wanted for the lead role of Tony, but the actor soon died. Sondheim found and, who created the roles of Tony and Anita, respectively. Getting the work on stage was still not easy. Bernstein said: Everyone told us that West Side Story was an impossible project. And we were told no one was going to be able to sing, as with 'Ma-ri-a'.

Also, they said the score was too rangy for pop music. Besides, who wanted to see a show in which the first-act curtain comes down on two dead bodies lying on the stage?

And then we had the really tough problem of casting it, because the characters had to be able not only to sing but dance and act and be taken for teenagers. Ultimately, some of the cast were teenagers, some were 21, some were 30 but looked 16. Some were wonderful singers but couldn't dance very well, or vice versa. And if they could do both, they couldn't act. Throughout the rehearsal period, the New York newspapers were filled with articles about gang warfare, keeping the show's plot timely. Robbins kept the cast members playing the Sharks and the Jets separate in order to discourage them from socializing with each other and reminded everyone of the reality of gang violence by posting news stories on the bulletin board backstage. Robbins wanted a gritty realism from his sneaker- and jeans-clad cast.

West Side Story On Flowvella App

He gave the ensemble more freedom than Broadway dancers had previously been given to interpret their roles, and the dancers were thrilled to be treated like actors instead of just choreographed bodies. As the rehearsals wore on, Bernstein fought to keep his score together, as other members of the team called on him to cut out more and more of the sweeping or complex 'operatic' passages. Initially declined to record the, saying the score was too depressing and too difficult. There were problems with 's designs. His painted backdrops were stunning, but the sets were, for the most part, either shabby looking or too stylized.

Prince refused to spend money on new construction, and Smith was obliged to improve what he had as best he could with very little money to do it. The pre-Broadway run in Washington, D.C. Was a critical and commercial success, although none of the reviews mentioned Sondheim, listed as co-lyricist, who was overshadowed by the better-known Bernstein.

Bernstein magnanimously removed his name as co-author of the lyrics, although Sondheim was uncertain he wanted to receive sole credit for what he considered to be overly florid contributions by Bernstein. Robbins demanded and received a 'Conceived by' credit, and used it to justify his making major decisions regarding changes in the show without consulting the others. As a result, by opening night on Broadway, none of his collaborators were talking to him. It has been rumored that while Bernstein was off trying to fix the musical Candide, Sondheim wrote some of the music for West Side Story, and that Bernstein's co-lyricist billing mysteriously disappeared from the credits of West Side Story during the tryout, presumably as a trade-off. However, Suskin writes in Show Tunes that 'As the writing progressed and the extent of Bernstein's lyric contributions became less, the composer agreed to rescind his credit.Contrary to rumor, Sondheim did not write music for the show; his only contribution came on 'Something's Coming', where he developed the main strain of the chorus from music Bernstein wrote for the verse. ) Synopsis Act 1 Two rival teenage gangs, the Jets (White Americans) and the Sharks (Puerto Rican Americans), struggle for control of their neighborhood on the of New York City (Prologue). They are warned by police officers Krupke and Lt.

Schrank to stop fighting on their beat. The police chase the Sharks off, and then the Jets plan how they can assure their continued dominance of the street. The Jets' leader, Riff, suggests setting up a rumble with the Sharks. He plans to make the challenge to Bernardo, the Sharks' leader, that night at the neighborhood dance.

Riff wants to convince his friend and former member of the Jets, Tony, to meet the Jets at the dance. Some of the Jets are unsure of his loyalty, but Riff is adamant that Tony is still one of them ('Jet Song'). Riff meets Tony while he's working at Doc's Drugstore to persuade him to come. Tony initially refuses, but Riff wins him over. Tony is convinced that something important is round the corner ('). Maria works in a bridal shop with Anita, the girlfriend of her brother, Bernardo. Maria has just arrived from Puerto Rico for her arranged marriage to Chino, a friend of Bernardo's.

Maria confesses to Anita that she is not in love with Chino. Anita makes Maria a dress to wear to the neighborhood dance. The Shark girls extol the virtues of ' in 's production of West Side Story in 2007. At the dance, after introductions, the teenagers begin to dance; soon a challenge dance is called ('Dance at the Gym'), during which Tony and Maria (who aren't taking part in the challenge dance) see each other across the room and are drawn to each other. They dance together, forgetting the tension in the room, and fall in love, but Bernardo pulls his sister from Tony and sends her home. Riff and Bernardo agree to meet for a War Council at Doc's, a drug store which is considered neutral ground, but meanwhile, an infatuated and happy Tony finds Maria's building and serenades her outside her bedroom ('). She appears on her fire escape, and the two profess their love for one another (').

Meanwhile, Anita, Rosalia, and the other Shark girls discuss the differences between the territory of Puerto Rico and the mainland United States of America, with Anita defending America, and Rosalia yearning for Puerto Rico ('). The Jets get antsy while waiting for the Sharks inside Doc's Drug Store. Riff helps them let out their aggression ('). The Sharks arrive to discuss weapons to use in the rumble. Tony suggests 'a fair fight' (fists only), which the leaders agree to, despite the other members' protests. Bernardo believes that he will fight Tony, but must settle for fighting Diesel, Riff's second-in-command, instead.

This is followed by a monologue by the ineffective Lt. Schrank trying to find out the location of the rumble. Tony tells Doc about Maria. Doc is worried for them while Tony is convinced that nothing can go wrong; he is in love.

Tony stabs Bernardo in the 1957 Broadway production. The next day, Maria is in a very happy mood at the bridal shop, as she anticipates seeing Tony again. However, she learns about the upcoming rumble from Anita and is dismayed. When Tony arrives, Maria asks him to stop the fight altogether, which he agrees to do. Before he goes, they dream of their wedding (').

Tony, Maria, Anita, Bernardo and the Sharks, and Riff and the Jets all anticipate the events to come that night ('). The gangs meet under the highway and, as the fight between Bernardo and Diesel begins, Tony arrives and tries to stop it. Though Bernardo taunts and provokes Tony, ridiculing his attempt to make peace, Tony keeps his composure. When Bernardo pushes Tony, Riff punches him in Tony's defense.

The two draw their switchblades and get in a fight ('The Rumble'). Tony attempts to intervene, inadvertently leading to Riff being fatally stabbed by Bernardo. Tony kills Bernardo in a fit of rage, which in turn provokes an all-out fight like the fight in the Prologue. The sound of approaching police sirens is heard, and everyone scatters, except Tony, who stands in shock at what he has done.

The Anybodys, who stubbornly wishes that she could become a Jet, tells Tony to flee from the scene at the last moment and flees with the knives. Only the bodies of Riff and Bernardo remain.

Tony (Justin Gordon) and Maria (Erica Racz) in a production in 2001. Blissfully unaware of the gangs' plans for that night, Maria daydreams with her friends, Rosalia, Teresita and Francisca, about seeing Tony ('). Later, as Maria dances on the roof happily because she has seen Tony and believes he went to stop the rumble, Chino brings the news that Tony has killed Bernardo. Maria flees to her bedroom, praying that Chino is lying.

Tony arrives to see Maria and she initially pounds on his chest with rage, but she still loves him. They plan to run away together. As the walls of Maria's bedroom disappear, they find themselves in a dreamlike world of peace (').

Two of the Jets, A-Rab and Baby John, are set on by Officer Krupke, but they manage to escape him. They meet the rest of the gang. To cheer themselves up, they lampoon Officer Krupke, and the other adults who don't understand them ('). Anybodys arrives and tells the Jets she has been spying on the Puerto Ricans; she has discovered that Chino is looking for Tony with a gun. The gang separates to find Tony. Action has taken charge; he accepts Anybodys into the Jets and includes her in the search.

A grieving Anita arrives at Maria's apartment. As Tony leaves, he tells Maria to meet him at Doc's so they can run away to the country. In spite of her attempts to conceal it, Anita sees that Tony has been with Maria, and launches an angry tirade against him ('). Maria counters by telling Anita how powerful love is ('I Have a Love'), and Anita realizes that Maria loves Tony as much as she had loved Bernardo.

She admits that Chino has a gun and is looking for Tony. Schrank arrives to question Maria about her brother's death, and Anita agrees to go to Doc's to tell Tony to wait. Unfortunately, the Jets, who have found Tony, have congregated at Doc's, and they taunt Anita with racist slurs and eventually simulate rape. Doc arrives and stops them. Anita is furious, and in anger spitefully delivers the wrong message, telling the Jets that Chino has shot Maria dead. Doc relates the news to Tony, who has been dreaming of heading to the countryside to have children with Maria. Feeling there is no longer anything to live for, Tony leaves to find Chino, begging for him to shoot him as well.

Just as Tony sees Maria alive, Chino arrives and shoots Tony. The Jets, Sharks, and adults flock around the lovers. Maria holds Tony in her arms (and sings a quiet, brief reprise of 'Somewhere') as he dies. Angry at the death of another friend, the Jets move towards the Sharks but Maria takes Chino's gun and tells everyone that 'all of them' killed Tony and the others because of their hate for each other, and, 'Now I can kill too, because now I have hate!' However, she is unable to bring herself to fire the gun and drops it, crying in grief. Gradually, all the members of both gangs assemble on either side of Tony's body, showing that the feud is over. The Jets and Sharks form a procession, and together carry Tony away, with Maria the last one in the procession.

Characters. This section needs additional citations for. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2017) Recordings of West Side Story include the following:. The 1957, with as Maria, as Tony and as Anita. A by the pianist comprised jazz versions of eight songs from the musical. The, with singing Maria's role (played in the film by ) and Tony (played in the film by ) sung.

The 1992 remastered re-release of this album included the 'Overture', the 'End Credits' music, the complete 'Dance at the Gym' and dialogue from the film. The 2004 re-release added the 'Intermission' music. In 1961, released a, arranged by, on Fantasy Records.

The album was re-released in 2002 as Cal Tjader Plays Harold Arlen & West Side Story (double CD). In 1961, recorded (a jazz version) that received a for. In 1962, and his recorded a jazz version,. In 1962, recorded jazz versions of selections from the film score on. In 1963, recorded (Dauntless, 1963). In 1984, Bernstein re-recorded the musical, conducting his own music for the first time. Generally known as the 'operatic version' of West Side Story, it stars as Maria, as Tony, as Anita, as Riff, Louise Edeiken as Rosalia, and as the offstage voice who sings 'Somewhere'.

It won a in 1985. The recording process was filmed as a documentary The Making of West Side Story, which was made by the BBC for Unitel, Produced by Humphrey Burton and Directed by Christopher Swann. The documentary won the Flaherty BAFTA for documentary direction, a Prix Italia and was nominated for a Prime Time Emmy. A 1993 recording on the TER label, the first recording to document the full score including the performed by Britain's using cast members of the 1992 production, conducted by John Owen Edwards.

In 1996, released the tribute album The Songs of West Side Story featuring new versions of the songs from the musical sung by popular music stars, including: 'The Jet Song' sung by, 'A Boy Like That' sung by, 'I feel Pretty' sung by, two versions of 'Somewhere' performed by and, 'Tonight' sung by and, 'America' sung by, and, 'I Have a Love' sung by and 'Rumble' performed by and 's Monsters. Proceeds from the sale of this album go to benefit the Leonard Bernstein Education Through The Arts Fund, the Foundation and The Leonard Bernstein Center at. In 2002, released a CD with the playing the music with soloists Mike Eldred (Tony), Betsi Morrison (Maria), Marianne Cook (Anita), Robert Dean (Riff), Michael San Giovanni, Joanna Chozen, and Michelle Prentice. A 2007 tribute album entitled A Place for Us marking the 50th anniversary of the show. The album features cover versions previously recorded and a new recording of 'Tonight'. A 2007 recording was released by in honor of West Side Story's 50th anniversary.

This album stars as Maria and as Tony. The Bernstein Foundation in New York has authorized the recording. It was nominated for the for Best Show Album.

Bernstein recorded the Symphonic Dances suite with the in 1961, and with the in 1983. The Symphonic Dances have entered the repertoire of many major world orchestras, most recently by the under. It has been recorded by many orchestras, including the under the direction of.

The 2009 new Broadway cast album, with Josefina Scaglione as Maria, Matt Cavenaugh as Tony and Karen Olivo as Anita won the 2010. A live, semi-staged 2013 recording by the San Francisco Symphony under Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas, featuring Cheyenne Jackson, and others, debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart in May 2014. It was released in 2014 as a hybrid SACD on the SFS Media label, and was nominated for a for. Main article: The 1961 of the musical received praise from critics and the public, and became the second highest-grossing film of the year in the United States. The film won ten in its eleven nominated categories, including Best Picture.

It received the most Academy Awards (10 wins) of any musical film, including Best Picture. (Anita) was the first Latina actress ever to win an Oscar.

The soundtrack album won a Grammy Award and was ranked No. 1 on the Billboard chart for a record 54 weeks.

Differences in the film from the stage version include that 'Tonight' is moved to follow 'America', and Bernardo sings a line in 'America' instead of Rosalia, with changes in the lyrics. Diesel is renamed Ice.

'Gee, Officer Krupke' is moved before 'Cool' and is sung by Riff instead of Action, and 'Cool' is sung by Ice instead of Riff. After Riff is killed, Ice takes control of the Jets, rather than Action. An upcoming film adaptation is set to be directed by and written by, with filming to commence in 2019. Kushner plans to hew closer to the original Broadway musical than the 1961 version, stating that 'There are aspects of urban life in ‘57, ‘58, ‘59 that weren’t touched on in the 1961 movie that we are focusing on.' Has been cast as Tony in the film. References in popular culture In addition to Bernstein's own West Side Story Suite, the music from the musical has been adapted by The Big Band, which arranged and recorded 'West Side Story Medley' on the 1966 album Buddy Rich's Swingin' New Big Band. The Orchestra recorded Johnny Richards' 1961 Kenton's West Side Story, an album of jazz orchestrations based on the Bernstein scores.

It won the 1962 for Best Jazz Recording by a Large Group. The 1996 album The Songs of West Side Story included covers by such diverse artists as ('A Boy Like That'), ('I Feel Pretty'), ('I Have a Love') and, and all collaborating on 'Gee, Officer Krupke', as well as collaborating with 's Monsters on 'Rumble'. The television show extensively referenced West Side Story in the episode 'Officer Krupke'.

An episode of, 'Sweatside Story', parodies West Side Story when the Sweathogs engage in a rumble with students from rival. In the of the series, three episodes feature characters auditioning, rehearsing and performing a school production of West Side Story. Songs from the musical are performed in episode 2 ', episode 3 ' and episode 5 ' and also given digital releases.

The episode 'West Side Pigeons' features a parody romance and rivalry that mirrors that of the Jets and the Sharks. In the Tales episode 'The League of Cats', Tom's and Jerry's respective leagues act very similar to the Jets and the Sharks.

They also perform a number similar to the 'Jet Song'. In film, Pixar animator Aaron Hartline used the first meeting between Tony and Maria as inspiration for the moment when Ken meets Barbie in. In the 2013 movie, two teens are trapped inside a movie called Wet Side Story, in which a group of surfers and a group of bikers are competing in a turf war. has a plot that parallels West Side Story, and makes the reference explicit to the point where the two rival squads are named the Jets and the Sharks. The 2005 short musical comedy film, which won the, concerns a love story between a Jew and a Palestinian and parodies several aspects of West Side Story. In 1963, published 'East Side Story' set at the United Nations building on the East Side of Manhattan, a parody of the, with the two rival gangs led by and, by writer and illustrator.

From 1973 to 2004, a parody musical, based loosely on West Side Story and adapting parts of the musical's music and lyrics, was performed a total of more than 500 times in, Florida,. The show lampoons the musical's tragic love story, and also and shows.