When Warsaw Community High School drama teacher Dana McAfee chose "West Side Story" for the fall musical, it wasn't just because of the great entertainment value.
"I guess I've been noticing some of the racial differences that continue to grow in this school," McAfee said during an interview Oct. 14.
The musical, she said, serves as a great educational tool about tolerance in a creative way.
"I just thought it was about time," she said. The show has never been done before at the school, according to any information she could find.
"West Side Story" is set in Manhattan's West Side/Hell's Kitchen in the mid-1950s. The award-winning musical explores the rivalry between two gangs of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The young male lead, Tony, belongs to the white gang. He falls in love with Maria, the sister of the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang.
At WCHS, McAfee said Latino students have their own groups. They don't get involved with other groups much beyond soccer and the hip hop dance team. However, McAfee said, the Latino students are talented and she would like to see them get more involved in theater and other school organizations. She said she doesn't see a lot of blending, and the Latino students may be afraid to get into something new, which is common for most people to do.
She understands the why, she said, but that is so sad. They have so much talent to offer.
For "West Side Story," she was able to get a few Latino students involved. From the show, she said, she hopes other kids will see how hard the cast worked and what they accomplished and want to get involved in the future.Besides school announcements made to get students to audition for the show, McAfee also went to Spanish classes and English as a second language classes. She approached some kids one on one and told them it would be great if they would be in the show.
The original 1957 Broadway production marked Stephen Sondheim's Broadway debut. It ran for 732 performances before going on tour. The production garnered a Tony Award nomination for Best Musical in 1957. It won a Tony Award in 1957 for choreography. The show has enjoyed an even longer-running London production, a number of revivals and international success, and spawned an award-winning 1961 musical film of the same name.
Even though the show is more than 50 years old, McAfee said the show is still "unbelievably relevant." Themes in the show cover gangs, bullies and xenophobia. They're themes that still exist today.
WCHS seniors Reid Bishop and Britney Kent play Tony and Maria respectively. During separate interviews, the two leads had different perspectives on race relations at the high school, but both agreed discrimination is intolerable.
"I think (the show) really hits hard that it shouldn't be a big deal. We are all created equal," said Bishop.
He sees discrimination somewhat at the school, but it varies from person to person.
"I haven't really noticed (racism) bad at all," said Bishop. "Obviously, there's some, but I don't see it as a huge issue."
Kent's mother is Puerto Rican. Kent said she sees discrimination not only against Latinos, but other minority groups as well. She said problems exist between various ethnic groups because neither side takes the time to get to know one another.
She said that both non-Hispanic and Hispanics tend to stick to their groups, but some students are making an effort to branch out.
"I think it goes both ways. There's an American boy who hangs out with (the big Latino group) and they call him Whitey, but he's 'in' with them," said Kent. He's learning Spanish and is part of the group, she said.
"'West Side Story' is important to the whole community because the Hispanic population is growing in Warsaw," Kent said. "Some people are afraid of it, some don't care. I love cultures. The main importance of this show is uniting us."
Bishop said, "I guess it changes my view because I never saw it as a huge issue. I've never thought to disrespect someone because of the color of their skin or where they're from."
While McAfee encourages the whole community to come out for the show, she said it is not a show for kids in fifth grade or younger. "I just want people to be careful and use their discretion," McAfee said.
The show deals with racial issues, inequality and gangs. There's a scene where a character is attacked, two characters are killed and a gun goes off. While it doesn't have foul language, it does contain racial slurs to drive home the themes.
"It's still relevant today, that's why I picked it," McAfee said.
The hardest part about doing the show, McAfee said, was that all the students in "West Side Story" like each other so much, it's hard for them to dislike each other for their roles. She has to remind them to stop smiling and laughing with one another. But there have been some scenes in the musical that have caused the students to go silent during rehearsals. They can't believe what is happening in the show.
McAfee said she was able to use those moments to talk to the students and get across the seriousness of the show and issues. The show, she said, is one that should stay with the audience long after they left the auditorium.
"I think it's a maturing process from the beginning of the play to the end," McAfee said.
For the adults that see the show, McAfee said "West Side Story" is a reminder of how ridiculous racism is.
"I think as adults, we get so set in our ways, which is the way we are brought up. Prejudice is taught, you're not born that way," McAfee said.
"It's a good reminder to adults," McAfee continued. "I hope they're proud of our kids. This is a hard show."
She said it's a difficult show in every aspect, from the technical aspects to the dancing and orchestra.
There are about 49 students in the show, including extras. Ten more students make up the stage and tech crews.
"West Side Story" will be at the WCHS Performing Arts Center Nov. 14-15 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 16 at 2:30 p.m. Reserved seating tickets are $5 for students and senior citizens, and $8 for adults.
"I just think it's worth it," McAfee said. "I hope every single person in this community sees it because I think it's worth it."
