SCA does “West Side Story”
Since November, some very artistic young men and women have been rehearsing for the musical production of West Side Story. The play is an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet set in the 1950’s in New York City. While Saint Catherine’s Academy is presenting the show, the all girl school has recruited some young men from high schools in the city to round out the cast. News Five stopped by the Bliss Institute this afternoon for rehearsals.
Maria Waight, Lead Actress
“Well, I’m a young girl and I fall in love with this guy, but we are of different sides because I am Puerto Rican and he is American. Then we are in love, but our families don’t want us to do that. So in the end, there is a war and he dies and I’m left there.”
Blaine Simmons, Lead Actor
“The whole story is basically a modern day version to the Romeo and Juliet story. This guy and this girl fall in love from two different sides of the tracks and it’s basically the Puerto Ricans and the Americans and there is conflict as expected. It’s a rather tragic play.”
Evelyn Mosque, Director
“We decided to adapt this play here in Belize because it’s something that happens now in modern day society.”
Joanna Ramsey, Director
“And teenagers can relate to it I think. It’s a show that teenagers usually like.”
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
“How can teenagers relate to it?”
Joanna Ramsey
“Well it’s about teenagers and I think the language and even though it’s…at this point it was written in the 50’s, so to them it’s older, but it’s still relevant. The fighting for the turf and the romantic part of it and just having conflict in your life as a young person.”
Jacqueline Woods
“When did you all start rehearsing?”
Evelyn Mosque
“We started since November actually, November 1999. And had auditions like we always should do to select the parts. And in December, we gave them, we assigned the parts and in January we started coming to rehearsal, coming to rehearsal and getting them to be more acquainted with their characters.”
James Bradley, Actor
“This a very great show, a very good musical put together. It is done worldwide and it’s great and you really should out and see the young Belizean artists. We are trying very hard here, representing and we have put a lot of work into this, and it’s going to be really good, so I guess you should come.”
Jacqueline Woods
“What do you like about the play?”
Megan Fletcher, Actress
“Well I like the whole plot of it all, the whole inner conflict and I like most of the dancing, the parts where we do the dancing, because the choreography is very good.”
The musical West Side Story is showing April 6th, 7th and 8th at the Bliss Institute. Tickets are available from Saint Catherine’s Academy and the Belize Arts Council for $10.
